{"id":2043820,"date":"2026-07-14T13:45:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T10:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2043820"},"modified":"2026-07-14T13:45:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T10:45:45","slug":"reading-leeds-boss-talks-biggest-ever-arena-overhaul-and-strength-of-uk-and-irish-music-on-line-up-were-buzzing-with-ideas-for-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2043820","title":{"rendered":"Reading &amp; Leeds boss talks biggest-ever arena overhaul and \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d on line-up: \u201cWe\u2019re buzzing with ideas for the future\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reading_site_change_comp.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2749694\" class=\"post-2749694 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>News<\/span><i class=\"tdb-bread-sep td-icon-right\"><\/i><span>Music News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Reading &amp; Leeds boss talks biggest-ever arena overhaul and \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d on line-up: \u201cWe\u2019re buzzing with ideas for the future\u201d<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m as excited about Reading &amp; Leeds as I&#8217;ve ever been,&#8221; said Melvin Benn, who also told NME what Charli XCX will bring to her headline show, teased a potential four full days of music in the years to come, and revealed the fate of Wireless Festival after the Kanye West controversy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Tom Skinner<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-07-14T14:45:45+01:00\">14th July 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- .\/block --><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span8\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure>\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reading_site_change_comp-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"The Ballroom, The Grid and The Gallery from the revamped sites of Reading &amp; Leeds 2026. Credit: Press\" title=\"The Ballroom, The Grid and The Gallery from the revamped sites of Reading &amp; Leeds 2026. Credit: Press\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">The Ballroom, The Grid and The Gallery from the revamped sites of Reading &amp; Leeds 2026. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_83 article-content-row vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Reading &amp; Leeds boss Melvin Benn has spoken to <em>NME<\/em> about the festival\u2019s \u201cbiggest staging and arena overhaul\u201d ever for this year\u2019s edition, while pointing to the \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d on the line-up. Find all the details below, along with the full interview.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s dual event \u2013 dubbed the start of \u2018Reading &amp; Leeds 2.0\u2019 \u2013 is set to take place at Little John\u2019s Farm in Reading, and Bramham Park in Leeds between August 27 and 30. Florence + The Machine, Charli XCX,\u00a0Fontaines D.C.,\u00a0Dave, Raye and Chase &amp; Status will all top the bill.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: Festival Boss Melvin Benn on plans for Reading &amp; Leeds 2026: \u201cWe\u2019re in a stronger position than in an awfully long time\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kasabian are due to open proceedings up in Leeds, serving as the northern site\u2019s first-ever Thursday night headliners. There\u2019ll be various acts exclusive to each location, too, including Blossoms (Leeds), Loyle Carner (Reading), Jamie Webster (Leeds), Men I Trust (Reading), The K\u2019s (Leeds) and Gunna (Reading).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DaxgJUrKbOA\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>After sharing details of new dance venue The Warehouse \u2013 hosting the likes of Hybrid Minds and Skepta \u2013 organisers have revealed plans for a massive, wider arena overhaul for R&amp;L \u201926.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe whole stage change and the presentation of the way we\u2019re making those stage changes, it\u2019s made me as excited about Reading &amp; Leeds as I\u2019ve ever been,\u201d Benn told <em>NME<\/em>. \u201cI\u2019m as excited about Reading &amp; Leeds from when I started Leeds, in fact, in 1999. This really is the next phase of Reading &amp; Leeds festivals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As part of these major improvements, the festival\u2019s main stage has been revamped as <strong>The Grid<\/strong> \u2013 which will feature the aforementioned headliners along with Sombr, Role Model, Loyle Carner, Blossoms, Declan McKenna, Jade, Maisie Peters and Keo.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Elsewhere, <strong>The Gallery<\/strong> is scheduled to welcome hot names in Geese and Kneecap, as well as Holly Humberstone, Gunna (Reading only), The K\u2019s (Leeds only), Viagra Boys (Reading only) and Rose Gray (Leeds only). Another fresh addition, <strong>The Ballroom<\/strong> will boast \u201cunique chandeliers and draping\u201d, hosting acts who are defining and dominating 2026, including Florence Road, Paris Paloma, Westside Cowboy and Chloe Qisha.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Canopy<\/strong>, meanwhile, is slated to \u201cusher in a new chapter for new music\u201d at R&amp;L. The venue is \u201cdedicated to festival fans\u2019 next favourite artists\u201d, such as Violet Grohl, Villanelle, December 10, Cruz Beckham &amp; The Breakers, Camille Blackman, Kibo and Finessekid.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2934289\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2934289\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2934289\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Blossoms-Covid_Pilot-Liverpool-02.05.21-Ben_Bentley-Web_Res-6389.jpg\" alt=\"Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn. Credit: Ben Bentley for NME\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1367\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2934289\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn. CREDIT: Ben Bentley for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As for how else \u2018Reading &amp; Leeds 2.0\u2019 will differ from what ticketholders are used to, Benn teased \u201ca new, fresher look\u201d throughout both sites, having enlisted a team of \u201cthree new people to lead on that vision\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cJames Ponnusamy is heading it up, and he\u2019s an incredible promoter \u2013 probably, for me, the second best promoter in Britain,\u201d continued Benn, who is the managing director of Festival Republic. \u201cHe\u2019s got young Max Kafka, Jojo Mathiszig-Lee and Zach Desmond working with him; Jojo doing the dance, Max doing much of the other stuff. It\u2019s their vision that\u2019s coming through, and it\u2019s their vision that will take it into the next phase.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read on for the rest of our interview with Benn, who also spoke about what Charli XCX will bring to her headline slot, the \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d at the top of the bill, and \u201ctesting that appetite\u201d for a potential four days of music, while revealing the fate of Wireless Festival.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956961\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956961\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956961\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/yard_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Yard of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1122\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956961\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Yard of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><br \/>\nNME: Hi, Melvin. How has the main stage been revamped again? Those massive screens were already pretty impressive\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"p-lang-btn\" class=\"vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang\">\n<p><strong>Melvin Benn:<\/strong> \u201cThe main stage has got minor changes rather than major changes, but with the thrust that we\u2019re anticipating putting in\u2026 much of the main stage activity, in fact, will be behind the scenes, and making it bigger [so] we can accommodate the additional production. The six-stroke-seven headliners \u2013 seven including Kasabian at Leeds \u2013 they all are bringing incredible levels of production, which is great for the fans. It\u2019s great for everybody. It\u2019s harder for the team to make it work in that sense.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo not huge changes to the main stage, except we are looking at it from a different perspective, which is that we\u2019re calling it The Grid rather than the main stage, because we want to spread that feeling that every stage is the main stage, really. That\u2019s the essence of that change.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956957\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956957\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956957\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/grid_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Grid of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1120\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956957\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Grid of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Are there any mad production plans in the works? Fontaines have hinted at their next era and new music\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, I mean that that\u2019s up to them to disclose in that sense. What I do know is that across the six-seven headliners we have, there isn\u2019t a single one of them cutting back on anything. They\u2019re all intending to present incredible shows, and I am literally having to make the stage bigger behind the scenes to accommodate all that they\u2019re bringing, and being able to do that rapid changeover between the penultimate and final acts.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Geese and Kneecap are leading the way on The Gallery, which sounds like an evolution of the recent Chevron stage. What can we expect?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell,\u00a0I don\u2019t know that it\u2019s an evolution. I think it\u2019s a change, really. The Chevron\u00a0was intended\u00a0to\u00a0bridge live music, DJs\u00a0and dance music. In\u00a0some ways, it was intended to be a second stage primarily about DJs, but\u00a0we ended up doing\u00a0quite a lot of live acts on it. It became a bit of a hybrid, and it didn\u2019t really work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u00a0the fans were telling me in particular was that the need for a dance stage was paramount. The strength of dance music is\u00a0total again at the moment. It\u2019s absolutely brilliant. So I wanted to go back from what was a hybrid with The Chevron\u00a0of live and dance to The Gallery, the second stage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Gallery is incredibly well presented, and The Warehouse \u2013\u00a0old school rave\u00a0vibe, DJ in the middle of the audience, dance platforms, etc. I wanted to separate them as opposed to hybrid them with what we had with The Chevron.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Gallery is about presenting live music in its best form. Kneecap\u2019s sold-out show at Crystal Palace two weeks ago was incredible\u2026 so we\u2019re in a good place with those two stages.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956955\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956955\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956955\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/canopy_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Canopy of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1118\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956955\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Canopy of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>The Ballroom sounds like a classy, theatre-style venue for a festival setting. Is that correct?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is. The Ballroom is effectively replacing the Festival Republic Stage. The traditional way of presenting secondary stages is to put them in a big top, put the stage in, some sound and lights, and maybe a screen, and that\u2019s it. What James, Max and Jojo are really wanting to do is present them in an environment \u2013 a unique environment that both the artists and the fans remember.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo it\u2019s about presenting for the future. It\u2019s about making them a better space to watch music and listen to music in. That\u2019s what the younger, new, and the next phase of audiences [want]. They want to feel that they can take photographs of the space, and those photographs will stand up on TikTok and Instagram, etc, in a way the old tired look was no longer doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>You\u2019ve got acts exclusive to each Reading &amp; Leeds site this year \u2013 is this an attempt to give both locations their own identity, on top of these visual changes?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is. Since \u201999, when I started the [Leeds] festival, I\u2019d hung on to the principle that they both had to be exactly the same. We know from ticket sales of tours, theatre tours, arena tours, etc, that some acts are stronger in the north than they are in the south, and some acts are stronger in the south than the north. And although I\u2019d hung on to it passionately in the past, James, Max and Jojo [said], \u2018Let\u2019s make them different, Melvin\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are the same weekend, they are the same festival, but let\u2019s give them that individuality as well. And so we\u2019re doing that. Leeds has had that individuality, that separation from Reading, for a long time anyway; the late-night programming that we\u2019re able to do at Leeds Festival around LS23 and Piccadilly Party, for instance. Reading has the amazing late-night silent disco. We\u2019ve had those changes for some time, but what we\u2019re doing is really enhancing those changes and that individuality.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956953\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956953\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956953\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reading_leeds_the_ballroom.jpg\" alt=\"The Ballroom of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1050\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956953\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Ballroom of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>It\u2019ll create a conversation between the north and south, too. People talking about what\u2019s happening at each site\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt creates that conversation, which is great. Yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kasabian are the first-ever Thursday night headliners in Leeds. Is this perhaps testing the appetite for a full four-day event in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve hit it on the nail \u2013 it\u2019s testing that appetite. We\u2019re intensely proud that we\u2019re presenting, across Reading &amp; Leeds, six major headliners across the three nights. But in Leeds, it\u2019s seven, and that seventh headliner with Kasabian couldn\u2019t be better. I saw them at Finsbury on Saturday. It was incredible, it was an amazing show. Couldn\u2019t have been happier with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>There\u2019s a focus on first-time UK and Ireland headliners this year. Was this a conscious choice, or just how it happened?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, it\u2019s a bit of both, really. It\u2019s how it\u2019s coming through, and I think it\u2019s testament to festivals like Reading &amp; Leeds \u2013 in particular Reading &amp; Leeds \u2013 that have been an opportunity for a lot of these acts to cut their teeth, to garner new audiences. Those headliners have very much developed their skills, craft and songwriting in front of audiences that weren\u2019t necessarily their own, and I think that\u2019s what Reading &amp; Leeds does for emerging acts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe happen to have found ourselves this year in a position where we have six-seven headliners that wanted to play Reading &amp; Leeds that are all UK and Ireland-based. When you add people like Kneecap, for instance \u2013 who headlined their own show just two weeks ago down in Crystal Palace, with 25,000 people at it \u2013 it shows the strength of UK and Irish music. I do think festivals like Reading &amp; Leeds have played their part in developing that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956958\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956958\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956958\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gallery_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Gallery of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1122\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956958\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Gallery of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Charli XCX has jumped up from closing Glastonbury\u2019s Other Stage in 2025. What will she bring to the table at R&amp;L?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe went from more than the headline set at the Other Stage at Glastonbury. She went from <em>stealing the show<\/em> at Glastonbury.\u00a0There was not space for a single additional person in the field. It was huge!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe is absolutely at the top of the game. She\u2019s one of the voices of the generation in the same way that Fontaines,\u00a0Raye and\u00a0Dave are. What does she bring?\u00a0She brings that generational love. She brings\u00a0that statement of how\u00a0young women are emerging in the music industry more and more, as you see with Raye and Olivia Dean, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wolf Alice stepped up to headline Finsbury Park last weekend, and there seems to be a pattern of artists playing there and then going on to headline R&amp;L the following year. Will we see them in 2027?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI mean, you\u2019re putting one and one together there, and I hope you\u2019re getting two. Of course,\u00a0the artists plan their careers, and we work closely with the artists\u00a0to develop their careers. One can never guarantee the next step, but after\u00a0such an incredible sold-out show for Wolf Alice\u00a0on Sunday\u2026 it was such a delight to be in the audience. We\u00a0have hopes for them, and I\u2019m sure they have hopes. But one can never see quite what\u2019s \u2019round the corner\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wireless Festival was meant to be on this weekend, but was cancelled after headliner Kanye West was banned from the UK. What lessons have been learned in terms of booking acts?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTiming, I think, is an important lesson. I\u00a0 would hope that other people learn the lesson of forgiveness, because forgiveness is an important part of being a decent human being, in my view. So\u00a0I do think that is a lesson, but\u00a0that\u2019s not my lesson.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think timing is an important one, but Wireless will return. We\u2019re very confident about that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956960\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956960\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/warehouse_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Warehouse of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1122\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956960\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Warehouse of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>How was the feedback on the revamped campsites introduced at R&amp;L last year?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe feedback was huge, absolutely monstrous. It\u2019s all about the continuity \u2013 presenting the next phase of what Reading &amp; Leeds will be. Vista, the over-21s campsite, belies the belief that Reading &amp; Leeds is just about 16 and 17-year-olds. It\u2019s not. It\u2019s proving incredibly popular already with the registration, and it does give that older fan of 30-35-years-old \u2013 who doesn\u2019t want to be camping next to a 16-year-old, who wants to stay up all night \u2013 the opportunity to come to the festival for the weekend inexpensively.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>There\u2019s been a real demographic shift over the last few years, with a broader mix of ages\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s broadening, isn\u2019t it? And I think the music policy is broadening\u2026 it\u2019s very wide and very broad, and I think, therefore, the fanbase is going to be broad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there anything you hope to bring to R&amp;L in the next few years, that you perhaps couldn\u2019t pull off as part of this initial overhaul? How is the future looking?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cGosh, we\u2019re constantly thinking, but no decisions on the future in terms of [more] additions. But what I do know is that James, Max and Jojo really are buzzing with ideas for the future, and it puts Reading &amp; Leeds in great stead.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 takes place between August 27 and 30. Find any remaining tickets here.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Alternative<\/li>\n<li>Charli XCX<\/li>\n<li>Chase &amp; Status<\/li>\n<li>Dance<\/li>\n<li>Dave<\/li>\n<li>Electronic<\/li>\n<li>Florence &amp; The Machine<\/li>\n<li>Fontaines D.C.<\/li>\n<li>Hip-hop<\/li>\n<li>Indie<\/li>\n<li>Kasabian<\/li>\n<li>Pop<\/li>\n<li>Rap<\/li>\n<li>RAYE<\/li>\n<li>Rock<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_89 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<div id=\"taboola-below-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span4 td-is-sticky\">\n<div 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<\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Reading &amp; Leeds boss Melvin Benn has spoken to <em>NME<\/em> about the festival\u2019s \u201cbiggest staging and arena overhaul\u201d ever for this year\u2019s edition, while pointing to the \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d on the line-up. Find all the details below, along with the full interview.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s dual event \u2013 dubbed the start of \u2018Reading &amp; Leeds 2.0\u2019 \u2013 is set to take place at Little John\u2019s Farm in Reading, and Bramham Park in Leeds between August 27 and 30. Florence + The Machine, Charli XCX,\u00a0Fontaines D.C.,\u00a0Dave, Raye and Chase &amp; Status will all top the bill.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: Festival Boss Melvin Benn on plans for Reading &amp; Leeds 2026: \u201cWe\u2019re in a stronger position than in an awfully long time\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kasabian are due to open proceedings up in Leeds, serving as the northern site\u2019s first-ever Thursday night headliners. There\u2019ll be various acts exclusive to each location, too, including Blossoms (Leeds), Loyle Carner (Reading), Jamie Webster (Leeds), Men I Trust (Reading), The K\u2019s (Leeds) and Gunna (Reading).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DaxgJUrKbOA\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>After sharing details of new dance venue The Warehouse \u2013 hosting the likes of Hybrid Minds and Skepta \u2013 organisers have revealed plans for a massive, wider arena overhaul for R&amp;L \u201926.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe whole stage change and the presentation of the way we\u2019re making those stage changes, it\u2019s made me as excited about Reading &amp; Leeds as I\u2019ve ever been,\u201d Benn told <em>NME<\/em>. \u201cI\u2019m as excited about Reading &amp; Leeds from when I started Leeds, in fact, in 1999. This really is the next phase of Reading &amp; Leeds festivals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As part of these major improvements, the festival\u2019s main stage has been revamped as <strong>The Grid<\/strong> \u2013 which will feature the aforementioned headliners along with Sombr, Role Model, Loyle Carner, Blossoms, Declan McKenna, Jade, Maisie Peters and Keo.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Elsewhere, <strong>The Gallery<\/strong> is scheduled to welcome hot names in Geese and Kneecap, as well as Holly Humberstone, Gunna (Reading only), The K\u2019s (Leeds only), Viagra Boys (Reading only) and Rose Gray (Leeds only). Another fresh addition, <strong>The Ballroom<\/strong> will boast \u201cunique chandeliers and draping\u201d, hosting acts who are defining and dominating 2026, including Florence Road, Paris Paloma, Westside Cowboy and Chloe Qisha.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Canopy<\/strong>, meanwhile, is slated to \u201cusher in a new chapter for new music\u201d at R&amp;L. The venue is \u201cdedicated to festival fans\u2019 next favourite artists\u201d, such as Violet Grohl, Villanelle, December 10, Cruz Beckham &amp; The Breakers, Camille Blackman, Kibo and Finessekid.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2934289\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2934289\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2934289\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Blossoms-Covid_Pilot-Liverpool-02.05.21-Ben_Bentley-Web_Res-6389.jpg\" alt=\"Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn. Credit: Ben Bentley for NME\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1367\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2934289\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn. CREDIT: Ben Bentley for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As for how else \u2018Reading &amp; Leeds 2.0\u2019 will differ from what ticketholders are used to, Benn teased \u201ca new, fresher look\u201d throughout both sites, having enlisted a team of \u201cthree new people to lead on that vision\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cJames Ponnusamy is heading it up, and he\u2019s an incredible promoter \u2013 probably, for me, the second best promoter in Britain,\u201d continued Benn, who is the managing director of Festival Republic. \u201cHe\u2019s got young Max Kafka, Jojo Mathiszig-Lee and Zach Desmond working with him; Jojo doing the dance, Max doing much of the other stuff. It\u2019s their vision that\u2019s coming through, and it\u2019s their vision that will take it into the next phase.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read on for the rest of our interview with Benn, who also spoke about what Charli XCX will bring to her headline slot, the \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d at the top of the bill, and \u201ctesting that appetite\u201d for a potential four days of music, while revealing the fate of Wireless Festival.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956961\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956961\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956961\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/yard_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Yard of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1122\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956961\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Yard of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><br \/>\nNME: Hi, Melvin. How has the main stage been revamped again? Those massive screens were already pretty impressive\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"p-lang-btn\" class=\"vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang\">\n<p><strong>Melvin Benn:<\/strong> \u201cThe main stage has got minor changes rather than major changes, but with the thrust that we\u2019re anticipating putting in\u2026 much of the main stage activity, in fact, will be behind the scenes, and making it bigger [so] we can accommodate the additional production. The six-stroke-seven headliners \u2013 seven including Kasabian at Leeds \u2013 they all are bringing incredible levels of production, which is great for the fans. It\u2019s great for everybody. It\u2019s harder for the team to make it work in that sense.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo not huge changes to the main stage, except we are looking at it from a different perspective, which is that we\u2019re calling it The Grid rather than the main stage, because we want to spread that feeling that every stage is the main stage, really. That\u2019s the essence of that change.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956957\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956957\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956957\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/grid_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Grid of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1120\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956957\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Grid of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Are there any mad production plans in the works? Fontaines have hinted at their next era and new music\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, I mean that that\u2019s up to them to disclose in that sense. What I do know is that across the six-seven headliners we have, there isn\u2019t a single one of them cutting back on anything. They\u2019re all intending to present incredible shows, and I am literally having to make the stage bigger behind the scenes to accommodate all that they\u2019re bringing, and being able to do that rapid changeover between the penultimate and final acts.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Geese and Kneecap are leading the way on The Gallery, which sounds like an evolution of the recent Chevron stage. What can we expect?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell,\u00a0I don\u2019t know that it\u2019s an evolution. I think it\u2019s a change, really. The Chevron\u00a0was intended\u00a0to\u00a0bridge live music, DJs\u00a0and dance music. In\u00a0some ways, it was intended to be a second stage primarily about DJs, but\u00a0we ended up doing\u00a0quite a lot of live acts on it. It became a bit of a hybrid, and it didn\u2019t really work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u00a0the fans were telling me in particular was that the need for a dance stage was paramount. The strength of dance music is\u00a0total again at the moment. It\u2019s absolutely brilliant. So I wanted to go back from what was a hybrid with The Chevron\u00a0of live and dance to The Gallery, the second stage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Gallery is incredibly well presented, and The Warehouse \u2013\u00a0old school rave\u00a0vibe, DJ in the middle of the audience, dance platforms, etc. I wanted to separate them as opposed to hybrid them with what we had with The Chevron.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Gallery is about presenting live music in its best form. Kneecap\u2019s sold-out show at Crystal Palace two weeks ago was incredible\u2026 so we\u2019re in a good place with those two stages.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956955\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956955\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956955\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/canopy_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Canopy of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1118\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956955\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Canopy of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>The Ballroom sounds like a classy, theatre-style venue for a festival setting. Is that correct?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is. The Ballroom is effectively replacing the Festival Republic Stage. The traditional way of presenting secondary stages is to put them in a big top, put the stage in, some sound and lights, and maybe a screen, and that\u2019s it. What James, Max and Jojo are really wanting to do is present them in an environment \u2013 a unique environment that both the artists and the fans remember.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo it\u2019s about presenting for the future. It\u2019s about making them a better space to watch music and listen to music in. That\u2019s what the younger, new, and the next phase of audiences [want]. They want to feel that they can take photographs of the space, and those photographs will stand up on TikTok and Instagram, etc, in a way the old tired look was no longer doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>You\u2019ve got acts exclusive to each Reading &amp; Leeds site this year \u2013 is this an attempt to give both locations their own identity, on top of these visual changes?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is. Since \u201999, when I started the [Leeds] festival, I\u2019d hung on to the principle that they both had to be exactly the same. We know from ticket sales of tours, theatre tours, arena tours, etc, that some acts are stronger in the north than they are in the south, and some acts are stronger in the south than the north. And although I\u2019d hung on to it passionately in the past, James, Max and Jojo [said], \u2018Let\u2019s make them different, Melvin\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are the same weekend, they are the same festival, but let\u2019s give them that individuality as well. And so we\u2019re doing that. Leeds has had that individuality, that separation from Reading, for a long time anyway; the late-night programming that we\u2019re able to do at Leeds Festival around LS23 and Piccadilly Party, for instance. Reading has the amazing late-night silent disco. We\u2019ve had those changes for some time, but what we\u2019re doing is really enhancing those changes and that individuality.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956953\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956953\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956953\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reading_leeds_the_ballroom.jpg\" alt=\"The Ballroom of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1050\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956953\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Ballroom of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>It\u2019ll create a conversation between the north and south, too. People talking about what\u2019s happening at each site\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt creates that conversation, which is great. Yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kasabian are the first-ever Thursday night headliners in Leeds. Is this perhaps testing the appetite for a full four-day event in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve hit it on the nail \u2013 it\u2019s testing that appetite. We\u2019re intensely proud that we\u2019re presenting, across Reading &amp; Leeds, six major headliners across the three nights. But in Leeds, it\u2019s seven, and that seventh headliner with Kasabian couldn\u2019t be better. I saw them at Finsbury on Saturday. It was incredible, it was an amazing show. Couldn\u2019t have been happier with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>There\u2019s a focus on first-time UK and Ireland headliners this year. Was this a conscious choice, or just how it happened?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, it\u2019s a bit of both, really. It\u2019s how it\u2019s coming through, and I think it\u2019s testament to festivals like Reading &amp; Leeds \u2013 in particular Reading &amp; Leeds \u2013 that have been an opportunity for a lot of these acts to cut their teeth, to garner new audiences. Those headliners have very much developed their skills, craft and songwriting in front of audiences that weren\u2019t necessarily their own, and I think that\u2019s what Reading &amp; Leeds does for emerging acts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe happen to have found ourselves this year in a position where we have six-seven headliners that wanted to play Reading &amp; Leeds that are all UK and Ireland-based. When you add people like Kneecap, for instance \u2013 who headlined their own show just two weeks ago down in Crystal Palace, with 25,000 people at it \u2013 it shows the strength of UK and Irish music. I do think festivals like Reading &amp; Leeds have played their part in developing that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956958\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956958\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956958\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gallery_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Gallery of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1122\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956958\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Gallery of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Charli XCX has jumped up from closing Glastonbury\u2019s Other Stage in 2025. What will she bring to the table at R&amp;L?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe went from more than the headline set at the Other Stage at Glastonbury. She went from <em>stealing the show<\/em> at Glastonbury.\u00a0There was not space for a single additional person in the field. It was huge!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe is absolutely at the top of the game. She\u2019s one of the voices of the generation in the same way that Fontaines,\u00a0Raye and\u00a0Dave are. What does she bring?\u00a0She brings that generational love. She brings\u00a0that statement of how\u00a0young women are emerging in the music industry more and more, as you see with Raye and Olivia Dean, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wolf Alice stepped up to headline Finsbury Park last weekend, and there seems to be a pattern of artists playing there and then going on to headline R&amp;L the following year. Will we see them in 2027?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI mean, you\u2019re putting one and one together there, and I hope you\u2019re getting two. Of course,\u00a0the artists plan their careers, and we work closely with the artists\u00a0to develop their careers. One can never guarantee the next step, but after\u00a0such an incredible sold-out show for Wolf Alice\u00a0on Sunday\u2026 it was such a delight to be in the audience. We\u00a0have hopes for them, and I\u2019m sure they have hopes. But one can never see quite what\u2019s \u2019round the corner\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wireless Festival was meant to be on this weekend, but was cancelled after headliner Kanye West was banned from the UK. What lessons have been learned in terms of booking acts?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTiming, I think, is an important lesson. I\u00a0 would hope that other people learn the lesson of forgiveness, because forgiveness is an important part of being a decent human being, in my view. So\u00a0I do think that is a lesson, but\u00a0that\u2019s not my lesson.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think timing is an important one, but Wireless will return. We\u2019re very confident about that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3956960\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3956960\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3956960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/warehouse_reading_leeds.jpg\" alt=\"The Warehouse of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press\" width=\"1122\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3956960\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Warehouse of the revamped Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 site. Credit: Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>How was the feedback on the revamped campsites introduced at R&amp;L last year?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe feedback was huge, absolutely monstrous. It\u2019s all about the continuity \u2013 presenting the next phase of what Reading &amp; Leeds will be. Vista, the over-21s campsite, belies the belief that Reading &amp; Leeds is just about 16 and 17-year-olds. It\u2019s not. It\u2019s proving incredibly popular already with the registration, and it does give that older fan of 30-35-years-old \u2013 who doesn\u2019t want to be camping next to a 16-year-old, who wants to stay up all night \u2013 the opportunity to come to the festival for the weekend inexpensively.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>There\u2019s been a real demographic shift over the last few years, with a broader mix of ages\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s broadening, isn\u2019t it? And I think the music policy is broadening\u2026 it\u2019s very wide and very broad, and I think, therefore, the fanbase is going to be broad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there anything you hope to bring to R&amp;L in the next few years, that you perhaps couldn\u2019t pull off as part of this initial overhaul? How is the future looking?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cGosh, we\u2019re constantly thinking, but no decisions on the future in terms of [more] additions. But what I do know is that James, Max and Jojo really are buzzing with ideas for the future, and it puts Reading &amp; Leeds in great stead.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 takes place between August 27 and 30. Find any remaining tickets here.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/reading-leeds-boss-talks-biggest-ever-arena-overhaul-and-strength-of-uk-and-irish-music-on-line-up-were-buzzing-with-ideas-for-the-future-3955730&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reading_site_change_comp.jpg&#8221;] NewsMusic News Reading &amp; Leeds boss talks biggest-ever arena overhaul and \u201cstrength of UK and Irish music\u201d on line-up: \u201cWe\u2019re buzzing with ideas for the future\u201d &#8220;I&#8217;m as excited about Reading &amp; Leeds as I&#8217;ve ever been,&#8221; said Melvin Benn, who also told NME what Charli XCX will bring to her headline [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2043820","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2043820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043820\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2043820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2043820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2043820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}