The Reading and Leeds Festival has announced more acts for the lineup this year. Rival Schools, And So I Watch You From Afar, Mariachi El Bronx, Twin Atlantic, Cerebral Ballzy and The Computers are among the new acts revealed.

The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill.

Having originated from the National Jazz Festival in 1961, the festival began taking inspiration from American concerts and transforming itself into what it has now become. Over the years the festival has seen multiple performances from iconic bands and legendary artists.

Throughout the first decade the event changed names and location multiple times before settling down permanently at Reading in 1971.

In the 70s the lineup consisted of more heavy metal, progressive and punk rock lineups. Some of the acts of that period included The Ramones, The Jam, and Sham 69.

In the 80s the festival included new wave and punk bands opening the day and heavy metal acts closing it out. Some of the acts of that era included Iron Maiden, UFO, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper and Status Quo.

In the latter part of the 80s however, the festival took a disastrous mainstream commercial pop direction, and the ensuing recriminations eventually saw the ousting of original festival promoters. Under the control of the Mean Fiddler Music Group organisation the event was taking a more Goth and Indie approach alienating most of the festival's fan base.

The festival's future seemed hopeless and headed to an end until its unexpected revitilization in the 90s.

1992 was one of the most famous in the festival's history. Nirvana played what was to become their last UK concert, and one of their most famous. Their 1992 live performance was later released as a live album/DVD Live at Reading in November 2009. The band's frontman, Kurt Cobain took to the stage in a wheelchair pushed by music journalist Everett True, parodying speculations about his mental health. He then went on to join the rest of the band, playing an assortment of old and new material.

The years after that saw the festival expand as outdoor concerts began to gain more popularity and even though Brit Pop and Alternative Rock acts ruled most of the lineup, the festival began including Hip-Hop and Rap artists. Some of these acts included Beastie Boys, Ice Cube and Public Enemy.

The 2011 Reading and Leeds Festival lineup includes: MUSE, The Strokes, Jane's Addiction, Interpol, Deftones, Beady Eye, Simian Mobile Disco, Peter Doherty, OFWGKTA, Rise Against, 2ManyDJs and The Offspring to name a few.

Check out the full lineup and drop us a line on FACEBOOK if you end up attending!

We love hearing about music happening all around the world.

Bookmark and Share