2021 Lineup

[Melvin Benn]

We're a forward thinking festival you see, it would have been easy to just rebook last years line-up and then call it a day. We couldn't have booked it, we just couldn't. No, really, we couldn't have booked it. Rage decided they didn't want to play anymore. It's a shame we haven't got them for next year, but we've got to look forward to the future you see. If we booked the same acts for 2021 we'd be a year out of date, it's something we've never done and never will, we pride ourselves on being the most contemporary festival out there, and for me that's what makes Reading and Leeds truly special. I think it's amazing that after more than 40 years of running this festival, we can still book headliners that have never headlined before. 

Addressing some of the comments people have raised, a few people have mentioned that Post Malone headlined last year. I'm afraid your wrong on that one. He co-headlined with Twenty One Pilots last year, no one headlined that day. And anyway, Post Malone is like Travis Scott for me. It's pure rock and roll, no matter what kind of genre you put on it, it was an hour of pure rock and roll. I saw his headline set last year and it blew me away, I was utterly astounded. We just had to have him back. I'd put that performance up with some of the greats, Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine. It was incredible and I'm so pleased that we've signed a contract to have him headline every year.

I've had a few people come up to me recently and ask me if we're only having three stages this year. Which I'm planning to confirm after everyone's bought their tickets and the full deposits for tickets have been paid. No festival would ever dream of hiding information from the punters, but we are. For me, that's what makes Reading and Leeds special. We're innovators, we don't follow the normal route. No festival has done this before, and we're proud to be the only one to do so. There will also be no clashes site-wide. Three stages, and I repeat, NO CLASHES. This means that no-one will have any fear of missing out. You'll be able to see every single set. Even if you don't want to see it, you'll be sure you didn't miss out in anyway.

[gfa]

oh boy here we go... ^
 

this guy has a point until you realise theres no other stages except 1 small one

[Tom Connolly]

10 minutes ago, Melvin Benn said:

We're a forward thinking festival you see, it would have been easy to just rebook last years line-up and then call it a day.

Had me in the first half ngl 

[dum surfer]

So is there actually going to be less stages smaller now?

and that lineup is woeful, Christ almighty 

[BeddingatReading]

Hot Milk are a great addition to the lineup! They sound a bit like Stand Atlantic, I’ve been listening to them a little bit recently so I’m very happy with that, but tbh im happy for any pop-punk on the lineup

[wro_lap]

25 minutes ago, Melvin Benn said:

Addressing some of the comments people have raised, a few people have mentioned that Post Malone headlined last year. I'm afraid your wrong on that one. He co-headlined with Twenty One Pilots last year, no one headlined that day. And anyway, Post Malone is like Travis Scott for me. It's pure rock and roll, no matter what kind of genre you put on it, it was an hour of pure rock and roll. I saw his headline set last year and it blew me away, I was utterly astounded. We just had to have him back. I'd put that performance up with some of the greats, Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine. It was incredible and I'm so pleased that we've signed a contract to have him headline every year.

"Post Malone didn't headline that day"
"I saw him headline that day..."

[Tom Connolly]

is that special announcement/ surprise thing whatever just those acts added do we think 

[JSmurphy]

1 minute ago, Tom Connolly said:

is that special announcement/ surprise thing whatever just those acts added do we think 

Yeah that'll be our lot I think.

[BeddingatReading]

6 minutes ago, Tom Connolly said:

is that special announcement/ surprise thing whatever just those acts added do we think 

The days are uneven but I think it’d be one or two down the bottom but that’s about it 

[CG31]

1 hour ago, Miyn said:

Wombats again? Fucking hell, three years in a row in the same slot is dire eh?

Honestly could’ve at least got the fucking Vaccines

[thatTFBguy]

1 hour ago, Miyn said:

2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021. 4 times in 5 years is crazy. I'd be embarrassed to walk out again if it was me.

Don’t really see why they should be embarrassed, they pulled one of the biggest crowds of 2019 (according to VICE) and bet they go down well once again next year. 
 

Plus it’s the festival bookers who should get the flak anyway, not the band - they got offered likely good money to play a show and didn’t turn it down, don’t see what they’d be embarrassed about.

[CG31]

On a positive note, having tried to add all the artists to a Spotify playlist, listening to Nova Twins and they’re very good

[CG31]

But Dreya Mac has literally two songs!

[BeddingatReading]

Very surprised Aitch hasn’t been announced (not a complaint - at all!)

[LazyDavid]

I'd go see QOTSA, Yungblud, Gerry Cinnamon and Neck Deep, also KSI if I had nothing else to do, not sure I want to splash £80 on that yet though! Gig deprevation is the main thing making me think about it so far! 

[Matt42]

58 minutes ago, BeddingatReading said:

Very surprised Aitch hasn’t been announced (not a complaint - at all!)

Wanted to sub 

[BeddingatReading]

43 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

Wanted to sub 

Surely he would have been a better sub than the wombats? And that’s coming from an indie fan who doesn’t really like rap/hip hop. He would have sold more tickets. 

[Buko]

There will be more than just 2 stages. 

The idea of scrapping tents because covid makes no sense. Cramming 40,000 people by a stage jumping and sweating all over the shop is gona happen one way or another. When it comes to that many people it won't matter. If it's indoors or outdoors. Plus all other FR festivals still have the same amount of stages with tents etc. 

Losing 6/7 stages and not replacing them without telling folk would be inexcusable. 

[rivalschools.price]

Surely, surely (surely) there’s got to be some sort of lock up/Pit stage if Gallows are playing one day and Fever 333 are playing the next?

Surely they won’t randomly throw those bands on with a pile of rappers ,Indie and pop stars without any other rock/metal/punk bands?

[Andre91]

21 minutes ago, rivalschools.price said:

Surely, surely (surely) there’s got to be some sort of lock up/Pit stage if Gallows are playing one day and Fever 333 are playing the next?

Surely they won’t randomly throw those bands on with a pile of rappers ,Indie and pop stars without any other rock/metal/punk bands?

I’m well up for Gallows on the Main Stage amongst everything else that is booked. Screaming ‘WE ARE THE RATS AND WE RUN THIS TOWN’ at someone waiting for MK would be pretty nice. 

[Miyn]

There can't possibly be just two stages, they've only announced a handful of acts and if there was only two they'd be hardly anyone else to announce. There's so many more acts that are around next year that were meant to be playing this year. Hopefully we'll get people like IDLES, Fontaines and Sam Fender. It would make the lineup somewhat bearable.

[Newjem]

10 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

I’m well up for Gallows on the Main Stage amongst everything else that is booked. Screaming ‘WE ARE THE RATS AND WE RUN THIS TOWN’ at someone waiting for MK would be pretty nice. 

But sadly, there's a strong possibility you'll be the only one screaming...

[Andre91]

17 minutes ago, Newjem said:

But sadly, there's a strong possibility you'll be the only one screaming...

I’ve got a couple of mates. It’ll be fine. 

[atomised]

This all seems very odd. Hopefully there will still be other stages or the value for money has taken a massive hit 

[BeddingatReading]

I will be very surprised if there’s more than 3 stages. Especially as they’ve labelled it as 2 stages on the poster. 2 main outdoor stages and a small support stage (also outside)