Editing Reading and Leeds Festivals (section)

==History==
{{Main|National Jazz and Blues Festival}}
The Reading Festival was originally known as the [[National Jazz Festival]], which was conceived by [[Harold Pendleton]] (founder of the [[Marquee Club]] in London in 1958) and first held at [[Richmond Athletic Ground]] in 1961. Throughout the 1960s, the festival moved between several London and Home Counties sites, being held at [[Windsor Racecourse]], [[Kempton Park Racecourse|Kempton Park]], [[Sunbury-on-Thames|Sunbury]] and [[Plumpton Racecourse|Plumpton]], before reaching its permanent home at Reading in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myvillage.com/pages/bars&music-music-festivals-carling-weekend-reading-festival.htm|title=Make Christmas Villages easily with My Village|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219085008/http://www.myvillage.com/pages/bars%26music-music-festivals-carling-weekend-reading-festival.htm|archive-date=19 February 2008|access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref> Since 1964, when the festival added a Friday evening session to the original Saturday and Sunday format, it has been staged over three days, with the sole exception of 1970 when a fourth day was added, running from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 August.

===1960s===
The National Jazz Federation (NJF) Festival was established at the height of the [[trad jazz]] boom, as a successor to the [[Beaulieu Jazz Festival]], initially as a two-day event held at [[Athletic Ground, Richmond|Richmond Athletic Ground]]. The line-up for the first two years was made up exclusively of jazz performers, but in 1963, several [[rhythm & blues]] acts were added to the bill, including the [[Rolling Stones]], [[Georgie Fame]], and [[Long John Baldry]], and by 1965, such acts were in the majority, with jazz sessions reduced to Saturday and Sunday afternoons only. This format continued until 1967 when jazz was limited to just the Saturday afternoon session. By 1969, jazz had disappeared entirely from the line-up.

In 1964, a Friday evening session was added to the existing weekend format. In 1966, the NJF Festival moved to the larger [[Windsor Racecourse]]. The following year a second stage (the Marquee Stage) was added, but when the festival was moved to Sunbury in 1968 it reverted to a single-stage format. The festival was held at Plumpton Racecourse in 1969 and 1970.

===1970s===
[[File:Reading Festival 1975 (6).jpg|thumb|right|Reading Festival 1975]]
After moving to Reading, the festival's line-up became primarily composed of [[progressive rock]], [[blues]] and [[hard rock]] during the early and mid 1970s,<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/aug/25/arts.pop | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=In praise of ... the Reading festival | date=25 August 2006 | access-date=30 June 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205456/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/aug/25/arts.pop | archive-date=14 July 2014 }}</ref> and then became the first music festival to incorporate [[punk rock]] and [[New wave music|new wave]] in the late 1970s, when [[the Jam]], [[Sham 69]], and [[the Stranglers]] were among the headline acts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-78.html|title=Reading Rock Festival.Reading 1978|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107030627/http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-78.html|archive-date=7 January 2011}}</ref> The festival's attempts to cater for both traditional rock acts and punk and new wave bands occasionally led to clashes between the two sets of fans at the end of the 1970s, though the festival gradually became known for focusing on heavy metal and rock acts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-79.html|title=Reading Rock Festival.Reading 1979|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310172708/http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-79.html|archive-date=10 March 2008}}</ref>

===1980s===
During the 1980s, the festival followed a similar format to that established in the late 1970s, with leading rock and heavy metal acts performing on the last two days, and a more varied line-up including punk and new wave bands on the opening day.

====Council ban====
In 1984 and 1985, the Conservative-run local council effectively banned the festival by designating the festival site for development and refusing to grant licences for any alternative sites in the Reading area.

In 1984, many acts were already booked and tickets were on sale, with [[Marillion]] due to headline. The promoters tried in vain to find a new site but a proposed move to [[Lilford Hall]] in Northamptonshire failed. The proposed line-up was published in ''Soundcheck'' free music paper issue 12 as: Friday 24 August – [[Hawkwind]], [[Boomtown Rats]], [[Snowy White]], the Playn Jayn, [[Dumpy's Rusty Nuts]], Wildfire, Chelsea Eloy, Tracy Lamb, New Torpedoes; Saturday 25 – [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]], [[Hanoi Rocks]], [[Steve Hackett]], Club Karlsson, [[Nazareth (band)|Nazareth]], [[Twelfth Night (band)|Twelfth Night]], [[Thor (band)|Thor]], [[Silent Running]], [[New Model Army]], [[IQ (band)|IQ]], the Roaring Boys, She; Sunday 26 – [[Marillion]], [[Grand Slam (band)|Grand Slam]], [[the Bluebells]], [[Helix (band)|Helix]], [[Clannad]], [[The Opposition (band)|the Opposition]], [[the Enid]], Young Blood, Scorched Earth, and [[Terraplane (band)|Terraplane]]).

After [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] regained control of the council in 1986, permission was given for fields adjacent to the original festival site to be used, and a line-up was put together at short notice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viator.com/travel-tips/Festivals-and-Fringe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616204535/http://www.viator.com/travel-tips/Festivals-and-Fringe|archive-date=16 June 2008|title=Tours, Tickets & Things to do from Tour Operators Worldwide by Viator}}</ref>

The following year saw a record attendance, headlined by [[The Mission (band)|the Mission]], [[Alice Cooper]] and [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]].

====Late 1980s / early 1990s slump====
1988 saw an attempt to take the festival in a mainstream commercial pop direction,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/collections/festival/search.asp?year=1988|title=Explore the Collections – Reading Festival<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=24 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224023533/http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/collections/festival/search.asp?year=1988|archive-date=24 February 2008}}</ref> featuring acts including [[Starship (band)|Starship]], [[Squeeze (band)|Squeeze]], [[Hothouse Flowers]], [[Bonnie Tyler]] and [[Meat Loaf]] (who was bottled off stage),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.virginmedia.com/music/features/worst-festival-sets.php?page=4 |title=Worst Festival Sets: Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler |publisher=[[Virgin Media]] |access-date=21 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093129/http://www.virginmedia.com/music/features/worst-festival-sets.php?page=4 |archive-date=6 October 2014 }}</ref> and the subsequent disputes led to the ousting of original festival promoter Harold Pendleton by the [[Mean Fiddler Music Group]] organisation.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://student.independent.co.uk/graduate_options/mbas_guide/article265467.ece | work=The Independent | location=London | title=How I Got Here: Fiddling all over the world | first=Susannah | last=Prain | date=1 February 2001 | access-date=22 May 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203194931/http://student.independent.co.uk/graduate_options/mbas_guide/article265467.ece | archive-date=3 December 2007 }}</ref>

Pendleton attempted to relocate the festival to a new site near [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]] using the name "Redding Festival", but threats of legal action by the new promoters of the original festival, as well as a reluctance by Newbury District Council to issue a licence for the proposed Newbury Showground venue, blocked Pendleton's plans. Meanwhile, the official Reading Festival, now managed by Mean Fiddler, continued at the Thames-side site in Reading, with a predominantly [[Gothic rock|goth]] and [[Indie rock|indie]] music policy that alienated much of the traditional fan base and saw attendances plummet.

Attendances continued to fall between 1989 and 1991, but began to recover from 1992, when new organisers took over from the Mean Fiddler group, broadening the festival's musical policy.

===1990s===
In 1991, [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] made the first of their two appearances at Reading, midway down the bill. The following year, in 1992, they played what would be their last UK concert, which was released as a live album/DVD ''[[Live at Reading]]'' in November 2009. Singer [[Kurt Cobain]] came onstage in a wheelchair pushed by music journalist [[Everett True]] and wearing a medical gown, parodying speculations about his mental health.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/sevenages/events/alternative-rock/nirvana-headline-reading-festival/|title=BBC – Seven Ages of Rock – Events – Nirvana headline Reading Festival|last=BBC|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315203807/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/sevenages/events/alternative-rock/nirvana-headline-reading-festival/|archive-date=15 March 2013}}</ref> The 1992 festival was hit by extreme weather, with a thunderstorm on the Saturday drenching the site, leaving it ankle-deep in mud, and blowing away the Comedy Tent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archivedmusicpress.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/reading-festival-special-cover-of-the-melody-maker-12th-september-1992/|title=Reading Festival Special cover of the Melody Maker, 12th September 1992 |date=6 April 2009 }}</ref>

====Festival expansion====
By the mid-1990s, the festival had begun to regain its former status as the popularity of UK outdoor festivals increased. [[Britpop]] and indie began to appear on the bill alongside the traditional rock and metal acts, and [[hip hop music|rap]] acts such as [[Ice Cube]] began to appear regularly on the main stage, to mixed receptions. [[Public Enemy (group)|Public Enemy]] headlined the second day of the 1992 festival. [[Beastie Boys]] were about halfway down the bill for day three.

In 1996, [[the Stone Roses]] played the last gig before their break-up at the festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A963489|title=h2g2 – The Stone Roses – 'The Stone Roses' – Edited Entry|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826043346/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A963489|archive-date=26 August 2007}}</ref>

In 1998, the Reading Festival absorbed the failed [[Phoenix Festival]], resulting in an on-stage dispute between [[Beastie Boys]] and [[the Prodigy]] over the song "Smack My Bitch Up".<ref name=autogenerated1 />

In 1999, the festival added a second venue at [[Temple Newsam]] in [[Leeds]],<ref>[http://justcantbeatthat.com/index.php/lifestyle/playlists/reading-99 Reading 1999 – FC Luzern In English] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007214302/http://www.justcantbeatthat.com/index.php/lifestyle/playlists/reading-99 |date=7 October 2011 }}. Justcantbeatthat.com. Retrieved on 17 July 2013.</ref> the site of [[V Festival]] in 1997 and 1998, due to increasing demand.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=xSzqY7tD2UUC&dq=leeds+festival+1997+history+temple+newsam&pg=PA366 Festival and Events Management – Google Boeken]. Books.google.com. Retrieved on 17 July 2013.</ref> In the first year, all bands performed at the Leeds site the day after they played Reading, with the Reading Festival running from Friday to Sunday and the Leeds Festival running from Saturday to Monday. However, in 2001, the festival moved to the current format, wherein the Reading line-up plays at Leeds the following day, with the opening day line-up from Leeds playing the final day in Reading (with the exceptions of 2009 and 2010 when the bands playing Leeds played Reading the following day, and the bands on the opening day of Reading closed Leeds).

===2000s===
[[File:Reading Festival 2000.jpg|thumb|The main stage of the 2000 Reading Festival]]
After a successful first year in Leeds, the increasing popularity of outdoor music festivals led to the Reading Festival selling out quicker every year. However, the Leeds Festival was plagued by riots and violence, which led to problems in retaining its licence.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2216223.stm | work=BBC News | title=Festival marred by violence | date=26 August 2002 | access-date=22 May 2010 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120043800/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2216223.stm | archive-date=20 January 2008 }}</ref> The worst incidents occurred in 2002, following which the festival was moved to [[Bramham Park]] north-east of Leeds.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/entertainment/03/festivals_map/html/reading_leeds.stm |title=READING Little Johns Farm LEEDS Branham Park, Wetherby 22–24 August |work=BBC News |access-date=22 May 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040509102821/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/entertainment/03/festivals_map/html/reading_leeds.stm |archive-date=9 May 2004 }}</ref> Since then, security at both sites has increased and problems have been reduced.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/articles/2006/08/17/music_leeds_festival_2006_camp_info_feature.shtml|title=Happy campers|publisher=BBC Leeds Entertainment|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401054943/http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/articles/2006/08/17/music_leeds_festival_2006_camp_info_feature.shtml|archive-date=1 April 2012}}</ref>

The early 2000s saw a varied but predominantly rock line-up, though as the decade progressed the Main Stage and Radio 1 Stage featured many indie bands.

Despite being predominantly a rock festival, several hip-hop artists have appeared at the festival over the years, including [[Cypress Hill]], [[Ice Cube]], [[Beastie Boys]], [[Eminem]], [[Xzibit]], [[Jay-Z]], [[50 Cent]], [[Dizzee Rascal]], and [[the Streets]].

In 2005, the main stages at both Reading and Leeds were made larger, featuring cantilevered video screens. The same year the [[Reading Fringe Festival]] was established in Reading, with venues in the town hosting acts hoping to draw crowds and industry figures from the larger festival. The Reading Fringe has run annually since then.

====Banning of flags and banners====
Flags were banned from both festival sites in 2009, with the organisers citing health and safety concerns.<ref>{{cite news | title = Festival fans receive a flag ban | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8220105.stm | access-date = 29 November 2009 | work = BBC News | date = 25 August 2009 | first = Ian | last = Youngs | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090828040419/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8220105.stm | archive-date = 28 August 2009 }}</ref> Flags and banners had been a traditional part of the Reading Festival since the early 1970s, originally used to enable motorcycle groups and others to identify themselves and find each other inside the main arena.

===2010s===
[[File:Reading Festival Aftermath, 2016.png|thumb|Campsite Aftermath, 2016]]
Reading Festival continued to expand through the early 2010s, with a new record capacity of 105,000 recorded in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iq-mag.net/2019/07/reading-festival-2019-sells-out/#.XjFmy2hKiUk|title=Reading Festival 2019 Sells Out|date=22 July 2019|website=[[IQ (magazine)|IQ]]|access-date=29 January 2020}}</ref> In the same year, 200 artists played at both festivals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.viberate.com/article/how-rock-are-you-the-best-festivals-for-headbangers/|title=How Rock Are You? The Best Festivals for Headbangers|last=Klancnik|first=Urban|date=10 December 2019|website=Viberate|access-date=29 January 2020|archive-date=29 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129101235/https://www.viberate.com/article/how-rock-are-you-the-best-festivals-for-headbangers/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The festival typically has the following stages:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carling.com/music/festival/carling_weekend/|title=Carling festival main page|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506123618/http://www.carling.com/music/festival/carling_weekend/|archive-date=6 May 2008}}</ref>
*Main Stage – major rock, indie, metal and alternative acts.
*''[[NME]]''/[[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]] stage – less well-known acts, building up to an alternative headline act.
*Dance tent – dance music acts, previously sharing a day with the Lock Up stage, now a stand-alone 3-day stage.
*Lock Up Stage (also known as Pit Stage) – underground punk and hardcore acts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2008.leedsfestival.com/news/story.aspx?aid=89b91dd3-7426-42f9-b789-5d097d1e5761|title=New Stages Announced|access-date=14 January 2008}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Due to demand, from 2006 this stage took up two days rather than previous years where it was only one day.
*[[Festival Republic]] stage – acts with less popular appeal and breakthrough acts.
*1Xtra Stage – new stage for 2013 that stages Hip-Hop, RnB and Rap artists.
*Alternative tent – comedy and [[cabaret]] acts plus DJs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2008.leedsfestival.com/news/story.aspx?aid=1ff3af91-c948-4739-915b-1fdd1ef44ed3|title=The Alternative stage|access-date=14 January 2008}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
*[[BBC Introducing]] Stage – Typically unsigned/not well known acts. (Formerly known as the [[Topman]] Unsigned Stage at the Leeds site).

{{wide image|Reading Festival 2007 Panorama 2.jpg|1280px|align-cap=center|A panorama of the Reading Festival 2007 arena}}

===2020s===
On 12 May 2020, it was announced that the year's festivals were cancelled due to the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-52637393|title=Reading and Leeds festivals called off until 2021|date=12 May 2020|access-date=12 May 2020|work=BBC News}}</ref> The festivals were due to host [[Rage Against the Machine]]'s first UK show in 10 years, along with [[Stormzy]] and [[Liam Gallagher]]'s first appearances as headliners. The 2021 festival included two main stages with six headliners, among them Stormzy and Liam Gallagher from the previous year's line up.<ref name="beaumont"/>

In 2022, Festival Republic came under fire following a number of incidents at both festival sites. At Reading, multiple fires were reported, as well as mugs, chairs, cups and other objects being thrown. Stabbings were also reported.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-29 |title=Reading festival final day marred by violence and tent burning |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/aug/29/reading-festival-violence-tent-burning |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> At Leeds, 16-year-old David Celino died after it was suspected he had taken [[MDMA|ecstasy]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-08-29 |title=Leeds Festival death: Family pay tribute to David Celino, 16 |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-62713425 |access-date=2022-08-29}}</ref>