READING’S iconic music festival is set to see the “biggest overhaul” in its history, organisers say.
Reading and Leeds Festival, sponsored by Pepsi MAX, is set to see major changes when it returns later next month, according to organisers Festival Republic.
New plans will see a “completely revamped” stage layout which will see a brand new identity brought to the event’s stages.
The Main Stage will now be known as The Grid, though whether this will see many practical changes to its layout remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, however, brand new stages are seeing major diversions from the event’s previous set-up.
The Gallery, presented by Budweiser, is set to bring an immersive, undercover stage filled with LED light screens and dynamic production.
That stage welcomes the likes of Geese, Kneecap, Gunna, Chris Stussy, and and Reading exclusive Viagra Boys this summer.
The Ballroom will bring a touch of class to proceedings, with the stage adorned with chandeliers and drapes.
Organisers say this stage will host musicians who are “defining and dominating” that year’s music agenda, and this year will welcome Overpass, Radio Free Alice, Niko B, Paris Paloma, Bassvictim, and SPEED.
Meanwhile the festival’s new music focus will be hosted over at The Canopy, a stage dedicated to festival fans’ ‘next favourite’ artists.
This year it will welcome Violet Grohl, Cruz Beckham and The Breakers, Villanelle, December 10, Camille Blackman, Kibo, and Finessekid.
Reading will also have its own exclusive stage, not part of its sister event over in Leeds, called The Yard, tipped to be an “industrial” club culture experience.
It will comprise an open-air area replete with shipping containers, which organisers say will be something ‘completely different’ from the other stages.
Finally The Warehouse, which was announced earlier this year, will see a new purpose-built home for dance music, which has seen a huge increase in focus at the festival inr ecent years.
The new Warehouse stage will host viewing platforms and giant screen production in a more enclosed building, and this year welcomes Skepta b2b Prospa, Hybrid Minds, Hedex, Silva Bumpa and Rossi.
It is the first time the festival welcomes a custom-built stage building.
The change in stages represents a move away from the more stripped-back production for Reading Festival, which previously focused on simpler stages under tents, with a genre focus.
Reading Festival, presented by Pepsi MAX, returns to Richfield Avenue from Friday-Sunday, August 27-30.
Headliners Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C., Dave, Raye, Florence + The Machine, and Chase & Status appear alongside Sombr, Skepta, Role Model, Loyle Carner, Declan McKenna, and many many more.
While weekend tickets have sold out for Reading (but not Leeds!) Day Tickets for Sunday are still available via: readingfestival.com
