{"id":2121167,"date":"2026-08-31T12:22:05","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T09:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2121167"},"modified":"2026-08-31T12:22:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T09:22:05","slug":"reading-leeds-2026-the-most-magical-moments-from-the-bank-holiday-bash-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2121167","title":{"rendered":"Reading &amp; Leeds 2026: The most magical moments from the bank holiday bash"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_FontainesDC-60676-1.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2947849\" class=\"post-2947849 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\">\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>Reviews<\/span><span>Live Reviews<\/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 2026: The most magical moments from the bank holiday bash<\/h1>\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>New talent and established icons made this year\u2019s edition of the twin festivals one to remember. Here are NME\u2019s best bits from across the two sites<\/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> NME<\/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=\"2026-08-31T13:22:05+01:00\">31st August 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/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-span12\">\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><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_FontainesDC-60676-1-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"Fontaines D.C. live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME\" title=\"NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_FontainesDC-60676\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Fontaines D.C. live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_82\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_83  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\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>And that\u2019s a wrap! The final notes of music have rung out, the last tents have been packed up, and this year\u2019s Reading &amp; Leeds Festivals are officially over. With big changes implemented across both sites, this year\u2019s edition had a new look \u2013 from fancy new decorations in The Ballroom tent to new stages like The Warehouse, which never seemed to be empty, judging by the notifications from the official app.<\/p>\n<p>With more of a focus on younger, fresher artists, the line-up this year felt like an exciting portrait of the megastars of the future, whether that was AD\u00c9LA serving up the first proper moment of the weekend in The Gallery on Reading\u2019s first day, or Westside Cowboy shaking The Ballroom\u2019s chandeliers in Leeds. That\u2019s without even mentioning the headliners \u2013 all superstars worth a bill-topping highlight of their own.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>Check out what made Team <em>NME<\/em>\u2019s weekend from both sites below, and catch up with everything else we got up to in the field and backstage here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Words:<\/strong> Jordan Bassett, Rhian Daly, Tom Skinner, Andrew Trendell<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jamie T kicks Reading off in style<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965972\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965972\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965972\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026-JAMIE-T-PORTRAIT-7-CREDIT-ANDY-FORD@2160x2700.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie T backstage at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME.\" width=\"2160\" height=\"2700\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965972\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jamie T backstage at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cReading Festival, do you think I can get on the bill at the last minute?\u201d Jamie T asked festival organisers in an Instagram video in the days leading up to this year\u2019s festival. Fortunately \u2013 for the musician and all early arrivals \u2013 the Reading bookers approved his request, giving him a 33-minute, 10-second set on the main stage as the festival\u2019s first act. It was another triumphant live moment for the Londoner, who was on top form as he delved into his back catalogue of bangers (a closing triple-threat of \u2018Sheila\u2019, \u2018Sticks \u2018N\u2019 Stones\u2019 and \u2018Zombie\u2019 was particularly potent) to kick Reading 2026 off in the right way. \u201cI\u2019m really happy to be where I am,\u201d he told <em>NME<\/em> backstage later, and we couldn\u2019t be happier to have him back either. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>After soothe Leeds\u2019 sore heads with blissful early set\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>After\u2018s dose of LA cool was an essential remedy for the lingering effects of Leeds Fest night one. \u2018Promise (When You Go)\u2019 \u2013 the alt-pop, rom-com-style opener \u2013 set the tone for a half-hour \u201900s nostalgia trip, washing over the bleary-eyed early risers at The Gallery. \u2018Fell Asleep In The Sun\u2019 brought some trip-hop elements and shades of Metric, as if produced by the late, great William Orbit. \u201cEvery time I play a festival that\u2019s cold like this, I\u2019m so happy,\u201d joked singer Justine Dorsey. Touch\u00e9. The NME 100 alumni\u2019s sweeping, twinkly sounds belong in a sunny field. Alas, they found themselves in a dark tent sheltering from the northern drizzle. But with ambitions to expand the live band, After could soon graduate to the main stage where their songs can truly soar. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Westside Cowboy\u2019s packed-out Ballroom set is a must-see<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966029\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966029\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966029\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_WestsideCowboy-623660.jpg\" alt=\"Westside Cowboy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966029\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Westside Cowboy backstage at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Westside Cowboy brought some chandelier-shaking shenanigans to glitzy new venue The Ballroom. Fresh from releasing debut album \u2018It Goes On\u2019, the buzzy Manchester outfit and recent <em>NME<\/em> cover stars walked out at Leeds to Kaiser Chiefs\u2018 \u2018I Predict A Riot\u2019. A cheeky, throwaway nod to some local faves? Perhaps. But the pick let the packed-out crowd know exactly what they were in for. \u201cI saw a bucket hat fly in the air: that felt like a necessary Leeds Festival tick-off,\u201d said singer\/guitarist Jimmy Bradbury later in the raucous, noisy set.<\/p>\n<p>Highlights included the album\u2019s infectious title track, breakout single \u2018I\u2019ve Never Met Anyone\u2026\u2019 and a pub-band rendition of sea shanty-esque closer \u2018In The Morning\u2019. Westside Cowboy\u2019s first visit to Bramham Park felt like a pivotal, must-see moment for the four-piece, who conjured up an irresistible gang spirit. Onwards! Check out our backstage interview with the band here. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Fontaines D.C. perform in loving memory<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966030\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966030\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966030\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_FontainesDC-629693.jpg\" alt=\"Fontaines D.C.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fontaines D.C. live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a hard time for us the last couple of months,\u201d Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten told the massive crowd gathered for their debut Reading headline set, emotional at the memory of their late manager and giant of the independent Irish music scene Trevor Dietz, who died in June. The words \u2018Trevor Forever\u2019 are scrawled on the side of one of their guitars, and Chatten has \u2018Trev\u2019 inked on one hand. Waving flags for Ireland and Palestine, they played with a full heart for the causes he fought for and the belief he had in them.<\/p>\n<p>As \u2018Favourite\u2019 united the field in one big loving embrace, Fontaines celebrated their long journey to this deserved spot at the top of the bill as well as ushering in the \u2018Dopamine Chamber\u2019 era. You really felt those words, \u201c<em>But if there was lightning in me, then you know who it was for<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Check out the full <em>NME<\/em> review of their set here. <strong><em>(AT)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Finessekid gets the moshpits going<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Step into Reading\u2019s The Canopy at a certain point on Saturday afternoon, and you would have been greeted by pure pandemonium. Nearly every song in Lambeth rapper Finessekid\u2019s set was met with bodies bouncing against each other, the crowd constantly swarming left and right, forwards and backwards, as if being pulled as one by a giant magnet. \u2018Semolina &amp; Pounded Yam\u2019 and \u2018Said She Warn\u2019 ramped up the chaos levels further, as chants of \u201cus never dem\u201d and Arsenal\u2019s infamous \u201cWhat do you think of Tottenham? Shit!\u201d strengthened the bond between those present even more. When FK\u2019s 30 minutes were up, the crowd tumbled back out into the field, fired up and ready to take on the rest of the day. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Violet Grohl overcomes illness with blistering Leeds debut\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966031\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966031\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966031\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_VioletGrohl-624360.jpg\" alt=\"Violet Grohl\" width=\"1429\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966031\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Violet Grohl live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Making your R&amp;L debut off the back of a bout of laryngitis isn\u2019t ideal, but Violet Grohl is already a well-seasoned performer. She\u2019s appeared on Glasto\u2019s Pyramid Stage with dad Dave and played with some true greats. Still, the singer began her solo journey at Leeds on tiny stage The Canopy. Grohl exuded a cool, collected and unbothered attitude in place of any OTT rock\u2019n\u2019roll panache, kicking off with pummelling single \u2018Bug In The Cake\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Admittedly, she took time to grow into the set. \u201cI apologise for my voice,\u201d she said, though the extra gravel only added to her sludgy, desert sound. By the time we hit moody B-side \u2018Swallowtail\u2019, her powerful delivery fully eclipsed the band\u2019s beefed-up instrumental. On the epic \u2018Often Others\u2019, Grohl unleashed some menacing howls of \u201c<em>paint it red!<\/em>\u201d Her verdict? \u201cSuch a fucking awesome experience.\u201d Amen. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>AD\u00c9LA and Slayyyter prove they\u2019re future pop royalty\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965900\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965900\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026-ADELA-LIVE-2-CREDIT-ANDY-FORD@2000x1270.jpg\" alt=\"Ad\u00e9la performing at Reading 2026, photo by Andy Ford\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965900\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ad\u00e9la performing at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 wasn\u2019t short on pop icons, with the likes of Charli XCX and RAYE topping the bill. Lower down the line-up, there were some glimpses at potential future headliners and acts who look likely to dominate the pop landscape in the years to come.<\/p>\n<p>AD\u00c9LA\u2019s set at The Gallery on Friday served up pop perfection \u2013 her presence, playfulness and talent making her the full package. Midway through her set, she darted off stage and returned with a nod to her background as a ballet dancer \u2013 half a white tutu pinned to the back of her denim shorts, and ballet shoes laced on her feet. Pirouettes and en pointe gave \u2018DeathByDevotion\u2019 an elegant new edge, proof that the Slovakian star has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965585\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965585\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_Slayyyter-620062.jpg\" alt=\"Slayyyter\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Slayyyter live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On Saturday, Slayyyter, another contender for future pop royalty, conquered the main stage. Through lashings of rain, she commanded the crowd to give her the reception she deserves, warning them: \u201cDon\u2019t piss me off.\u201d But she had Reading under complete control, eliciting fervent reactions to \u2018Brand New Chanel$\u2019 and \u2018Beat Up Chanel$\u2019 as she more than justified the attention she\u2019s received this year. Check out the full <em>NME<\/em> review of her set here.<strong><em> (RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Florence + The Machine turns Leeds into a big birthday bash<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966001\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966001\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966001\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/florence_reading_Lillie_Eiger_head.jpg\" alt width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966001\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Florence + The Machine at Reading Festival 2026. CREDIT: Lillie Eiger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Florence + The Machine\u2018s long-overdue R&amp;L headline slot was a double celebration. \u201cI cannot think of a better crowd to spend my birthday with,\u201d said Florence Welch, who turned 40 at Bramham Park. \u201cDo we have any other sensitive Virgos in the house?\u201d She worked her magic to summon a glorious, golden-hour sunset for the occasion, making hits like \u2018Spectrum\u2019 and \u2018Dog Days\u2026\u2019 all the more bewitching. Some of the darker, twisted cuts from the \u2018Everybody Scream\u2019 tour were replaced by festival faves \u2018You Got The Love\u2019 and \u2018Rabbit Heart\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>In the audience, die-hards donned silver sparkly party hats. Later, the rush of an extended \u2018Sympathy Magic\u2019 felt otherworldly, before Welch made one final wish. \u201cI would like you all to put your phones away,\u201d she urged. \u201cDon\u2019t make me sad on my birthday.\u201d By the end of ecstatic closer \u2018Free\u2019, it was clear she had a blast. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Viagra Boys are the grit in the oyster<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966032\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966032\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966032\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_ViagraBoys-622352.jpg\" alt=\"Viagra Boys\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966032\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Viagra Boys live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Swedish trouble-starters Viagra Boys find themselves in a funny spot on the bill. Not long after Sombr\u2019s overblown rock tribute overblown beigefest and just before RAYE brought the big band Radio 2 vibes to The Grid, they were the grit in the oyster with an offer of something far less wholesome as the words \u2018ENDLESS ANXIETY\u2019 welcomed the young punks who flooded The Gallery tent.<\/p>\n<p>After the fiery diatribe against modern times with \u2018Man Made Of Meat\u2019 got things going, the following set was a masterclass of controlled chaos featuring sax solos, push-ups, calls for a free Palestine, prayers to \u201ca great big shrimp in the sky that we will live forever\u201d, \u201cSPORTS\u201d, and countless circle pits and walls of death with Spider-Man himself at the heart of it all. One of the wildest sets of the weekend could also prove one for all time for those lucky enough to be amid that sweet madness. We still can\u2019t stop smiling. Check out our backstage interview with the band here. <strong><em>(AT)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Dave made Reading history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965707\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965707\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/dave_reading_andrew_timms_head.jpg\" alt width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965707\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dave at Reading Festival 2026. CREDIT: Andrew Timms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Dave had two formidable weapons in his arsenal for a Reading headline slot for the ages: dazzling talent and deep gratitude. The 28-year-old deployed pyro and fireworks, spat out frenetic raps, played piano and \u2013 if that weren\u2019t enough \u2013 brought out special guests James Blake, Kano and Central Cee. It was his fourth appearance at the festival, having worked his way up the bill since 2017. \u201cAnd here we are,\u201d he marvelled. \u201cTo be able to co-headline and be here in front of you guys at Reading \u2013 I really don\u2019t take it for granted\u2026 When I was a kid, I had a dream of just being able to stand on the stage and rap. And that was back when 100, 200 people would have been enough.\u201d Check out the full <em>NME<\/em> review of his set here. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Blossoms say goodbye to Gary at Leeds<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Blossoms\u2018 special guest slot, exclusive to Leeds, signalled the end of a storied chapter in the Stockport band\u2019s career. Their now-beloved eight-foot fibreglass gorilla, Gary, bowed out for good. Say it ain\u2019t so! He\u2019d been a centrepiece to Tom Ogden and co\u2019s live shows since their fifth album, \u2018Gary\u2019, with the group opening the slot up north with the summery title track.<\/p>\n<p>But with new record \u2018Songs From The Wedding Cake\u2019 out in October, Blossoms are sending the primate back into the wild (or to the garden centre). His fate was confirmed on drummer Joe Donovan\u2019s T-shirt, reading: \u2018Goodbye Gary\u2019. On the bright side, their roadies must be pleased. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Speed send The Ballroom into chaos\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966033\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966033\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966033\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_Speed-621698.jpg\" alt=\"Speed\" width=\"1429\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966033\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Speed live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t give a single fuck about this barrier,\u201d Speed singer Jem Siow roared to The Ballroom crowd, as the security stewards keeping guard between stage and crowd began to look nervous. \u201cI need a thousand bodies on this barrier!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Reading audience quickly obliged, as wave after wave of crowd surfers gave security a run for their money, and kept the chaos going, following Siow\u2019s every instruction. Soon, the tent was transformed into a mammoth circle pit as the hardcore band tore through tracks from their 2024 album \u2018Only One Mode\u2019 and recent single \u2018All My Angels\u2019. It was quite a sight beneath the tent\u2019s new chandeliers and opulent velvet drapes \u2013 something Siow rightly described as adding a \u201cbit of tension\u201d to proceedings \u2013 but the Sydney group made the stage their own, even if it was worlds away from their normal habitat. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>She\u2019s Green give Reading\u2019s final day a magical start\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966034\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966034\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966034\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_ShesGreen-623129.jpg\" alt=\"She&apos;s Green\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966034\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">She\u2019s Green live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re all the way from Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the States, so this is pretty amazing for us to be here,\u201d She\u2019s Green\u2019s Zofia Smith told The Canopy as Reading\u2019s final day got going. The shoegaze band\u2019s set was the perfect way to usher in the last day, easing the worse-for-wear crowd in with songs that start off softly, before delivering crunchy blows. The effect is pretty magical \u2013 not least when \u2018Smile Again\u2019 is accompanied by a single bubble floating over the audience, as if it\u2019s been conjured up by the sheer prettiness of the performance itself. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Men I Trust make for a perfect Sunday escape<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966035\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966035\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966035\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_MenITrust-623732.jpg\" alt=\"Men I Trust\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966035\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Men I Trust live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You know that feeling, the weirdly comforting absence of mind and a numbness from the eyes down that comes with the last day of a festival \u2013 the sadness of hangxiety with the already joyous memories that brought it on? Stop crying. We\u2019ve prescribed the perfect band to soothe all these symptoms, and a pretty chocka The Gallery tent were already wise to these doctor\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n<p>Canada\u2019s Men I Trust held the tender-headed crowd in their laps with one gem of sweet and synthy dream pop after another, soothing with cuts from across their 12 years and six albums of honey-drizzled vocals, \u201980s-leaning electro pop, six-stringed Johnny Marr accents and some wailing guitar queen prowess from frontwoman Emmanuelle Proulx. Imagine Japanese Breakfast via Fleetwood Mac and a hot air balloon to outer space, and you\u2019re not far off. We thank them for this much-needed Sunday service. <strong><em>(AT)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Radio Free Alice get wholesome in The Ballroom<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966037\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966037\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966037\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_RadioFreeAlice-620786.jpg\" alt=\"Radio Free Alice\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966037\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Radio Free Alice live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Frontman Noah Learmonth might have rocked a white T-shirt emblazoned with the word \u201cBRUTAL\u201d, but Radio Free Alice\u2019s mid-afternoon set on the Ballroom stage was a decidedly warm, open-hearted affair. The setting was somewhat genteel, too, given that chandeliers hung from the top of the tent. Bathed in their warm glow, the sizeable audience clapped along to indie sadbanger \u2018Look What You\u2019ve Done\u2019, danced to the motorik rhythm of \u2018Johnny\u2019 and chanted the near-anthemic chorus of \u2018Waste of Space\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>One lad near <em>NME<\/em> pogoed to the post-punk crunch of \u2018I Gotta (Fall In Love)\u2019 like it was 1978. \u201cThank you so much for watching,\u201d Learmonth declared, sounding genuinely moved by the size of the audience and the chandelier-shaking ruckus they\u2019d made for the band. Check out our backstage interview with the band here. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jade throws a party\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Was there a more joyful hour at Reading 2026 than Jade\u2019s fabulously feel-good party set on the main stage? The previous night, pop legend Charli XCX peppered her co-headline slot with existential bon mots such as \u201cOBLIVION IS FREEDOM\u201d; Jade went for a slightly different approach, projecting the word \u201cFILTHY\u201d over the video screens at the side of the stage. Those same screens screamed \u201cLET THERE BE HOUSE\u201d as the band rolled out the lithe funk of \u2018Midnight Cowboy\u2019, before she dedicated Little Mix\u2019s spicy R&amp;B sassfest \u2018Wasabi\u2019 to \u201cany haters in the audience today\u201d. By the time she closed with a euphoric \u2018Angel of My Dreams\u2019 (\u201cThis song probably got me onstage and I can\u2019t wait to sing it for the rest of my life\u201d), said haters would have been very hard to locate. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bar Italia dazzle beneath the chandeliers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966038\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966038\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966038\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_BarItalia-620816.jpg\" alt=\"Bar Italia\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966038\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bar Italia live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The boujee decor of the revamped The Ballroom stage, formerly the Festival Republic tent, seems almost perfectly designed for the genre-straddling, Harry Styles-approved London trio Bar Italia. A classy and witchy romance and haze met an edge of scuzz and grunge that perfectly matched the chandeliers dangling in the filthy field.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s already a spectacle in the mysterious trio sharing vocal duties, all vying for the frontperson spotlight, but then there\u2019s the drama that unfurls as their pop sensibilities wander from shoegaze to psych to rock to the pompy strut of Roxy Music, the roughness of Sleater Kinney and the jazzy unpredictability of The Sugarcubes. It was a pleasure to take this dance. <strong><em>(AT)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Gunna melts our tiny minds<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s keep this motherfucker rockin\u2019 all night!\u201d Gunna announced on the Gallery Stage, donning a diamond-encrusted necklace and what looked suspiciously like a leather waistcoat. The 33-year-old Southern hip-hop star opened with the glittering \u2018Sakpace\u2019, which set the tone for a relentless show packed with so many gold-plated hits that the rammed audience pulled out camera phones in force for almost every single one. If you were so inclined, you could probably sift through the internet and piece together the entire show.<\/p>\n<p>Such time wouldn\u2019t be wasted: after he swaggered along a walkway at the side of the stage, hopping down to get close to the front barrier, the set\u2019s pummelling final third was truly mind-melting. \u201cCan I keep goin\u2019 in this motherfucker?\u201d he asked. You wouldn\u2019t bet against him. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Kneecap give us a closing party with an \u201cIrish takeover\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966039\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966039\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966039\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_Kneecap-624986.jpg\" alt=\"Kneecap\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966039\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kneecap live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is the Irish fucking takeover,\u201d Mo Chara told The Gallery for Kneecap\u2019s headline set to put one loud, lairy full-stop on the weekend at Reading. After using \u2018Favourite\u2019 by Friday\u2019s main stage headliners Fontaines D.C. as their intro music \u2013 and it going down like \u2018Mr Brightside\u2019 at a boozy wedding \u2013 and the crowd going wild to a mere recording of Grian Chatten on their collab \u2018Better Way To Live\u2019, it seemed like the invasion from the Emerald Isle was complete.<\/p>\n<p>Digging their flag deeper into the sodden ground with pit-opening \u2018Fenian\u2019, \u2018H.O.O.D.\u2019, and \u2018The Recap\u2019, Kneecap sent us on our way with an Andy Burnham and Netanyahu baiting rave-meets-rally where the worlds of The Prodigy, Public Enemy and The Chemical Brothers all burst out of one helluva lock-in. \u201cThis is our last festival of the summer,\u201d ended Chara, \u201cand it\u2019s been a pleasure to spend it with you mad c**ts\u201d. Same. Sayonara. <strong><em>(AT)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Revisit NME\u2019s Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 coverage here, featuring all the latest news, reviews, photos, interviews and more from the festivals.<\/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>AD\u00c9LA<\/li>\n<li>After<\/li>\n<li>Bar Italia<\/li>\n<li>Blossoms<\/li>\n<li>Dave<\/li>\n<li>Finessekid<\/li>\n<li>Florence &amp; The Machine<\/li>\n<li>Fontaines D.C.<\/li>\n<li>Gunna<\/li>\n<li>Indie<\/li>\n<li>Jade<\/li>\n<li>Jamie T<\/li>\n<li>Kneecap<\/li>\n<li>Men I Trust<\/li>\n<li>Pop<\/li>\n<li>Punk<\/li>\n<li>Radio Free Alice<\/li>\n<li>Rap<\/li>\n<li>Rock<\/li>\n<li>She\u2019s Green<\/li>\n<li>Slayyyter<\/li>\n<li>Speed<\/li>\n<li>Viagra Boys<\/li>\n<li>Violet Grohl<\/li>\n<li>Westside Cowboy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_88\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_content td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_89  wpb_row td-pb-row tdc-element-style\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-block td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-custom-spot tdi_92 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_93\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_94  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_96  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_98  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_100  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=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_102 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_103 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_103\">\n<div id=\"tdi_103\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Ang\u00e8le announces new album \u2018Instinct\u2019 featuring Justice, Soulwax, Caroline Polachek and more<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Tobias Forge opens up about Ghost\u2019s hiatus<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">AD\u00c9LA airs new song \u2018Boys\u2019 during triumphant Reading 2026 set<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Watch Amyl &amp; The Sniffers\u2019 Amy Taylor join Viagra Boys for John Prine cover \u2018In Spite Of Ourselves\u2019 at FORWARDS Bristol 2026<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Film News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Tom Hardy resurrects Bane voice on first rap album under Frankie Pulitzer moniker<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Sam Smith regrets not replying to Tom Petty\u2019s letter over \u2018Stay With Me\u2019 credit: \u201cI was just a little sassy 22-year-old queer kid\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_104\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_105  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_107  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_109 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/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>And that\u2019s a wrap! The final notes of music have rung out, the last tents have been packed up, and this year\u2019s Reading &amp; Leeds Festivals are officially over. With big changes implemented across both sites, this year\u2019s edition had a new look \u2013 from fancy new decorations in The Ballroom tent to new stages like The Warehouse, which never seemed to be empty, judging by the notifications from the official app.<\/p>\n<p>With more of a focus on younger, fresher artists, the line-up this year felt like an exciting portrait of the megastars of the future, whether that was AD\u00c9LA serving up the first proper moment of the weekend in The Gallery on Reading\u2019s first day, or Westside Cowboy shaking The Ballroom\u2019s chandeliers in Leeds. That\u2019s without even mentioning the headliners \u2013 all superstars worth a bill-topping highlight of their own.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>Check out what made Team <em>NME<\/em>\u2019s weekend from both sites below, and catch up with everything else we got up to in the field and backstage here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Words:<\/strong> Jordan Bassett, Rhian Daly, Tom Skinner, Andrew Trendell<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jamie T kicks Reading off in style<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965972\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965972\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965972\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026-JAMIE-T-PORTRAIT-7-CREDIT-ANDY-FORD@2160x2700.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie T backstage at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME.\" width=\"2160\" height=\"2700\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965972\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jamie T backstage at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cReading Festival, do you think I can get on the bill at the last minute?\u201d Jamie T asked festival organisers in an Instagram video in the days leading up to this year\u2019s festival. Fortunately \u2013 for the musician and all early arrivals \u2013 the Reading bookers approved his request, giving him a 33-minute, 10-second set on the main stage as the festival\u2019s first act. It was another triumphant live moment for the Londoner, who was on top form as he delved into his back catalogue of bangers (a closing triple-threat of \u2018Sheila\u2019, \u2018Sticks \u2018N\u2019 Stones\u2019 and \u2018Zombie\u2019 was particularly potent) to kick Reading 2026 off in the right way. \u201cI\u2019m really happy to be where I am,\u201d he told <em>NME<\/em> backstage later, and we couldn\u2019t be happier to have him back either. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>After soothe Leeds\u2019 sore heads with blissful early set\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>After\u2018s dose of LA cool was an essential remedy for the lingering effects of Leeds Fest night one. \u2018Promise (When You Go)\u2019 \u2013 the alt-pop, rom-com-style opener \u2013 set the tone for a half-hour \u201900s nostalgia trip, washing over the bleary-eyed early risers at The Gallery. \u2018Fell Asleep In The Sun\u2019 brought some trip-hop elements and shades of Metric, as if produced by the late, great William Orbit. \u201cEvery time I play a festival that\u2019s cold like this, I\u2019m so happy,\u201d joked singer Justine Dorsey. Touch\u00e9. The NME 100 alumni\u2019s sweeping, twinkly sounds belong in a sunny field. Alas, they found themselves in a dark tent sheltering from the northern drizzle. But with ambitions to expand the live band, After could soon graduate to the main stage where their songs can truly soar. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Westside Cowboy\u2019s packed-out Ballroom set is a must-see<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966029\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966029\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966029\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_WestsideCowboy-623660.jpg\" alt=\"Westside Cowboy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966029\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Westside Cowboy backstage at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Westside Cowboy brought some chandelier-shaking shenanigans to glitzy new venue The Ballroom. Fresh from releasing debut album \u2018It Goes On\u2019, the buzzy Manchester outfit and recent <em>NME<\/em> cover stars walked out at Leeds to Kaiser Chiefs\u2018 \u2018I Predict A Riot\u2019. A cheeky, throwaway nod to some local faves? Perhaps. But the pick let the packed-out crowd know exactly what they were in for. \u201cI saw a bucket hat fly in the air: that felt like a necessary Leeds Festival tick-off,\u201d said singer\/guitarist Jimmy Bradbury later in the raucous, noisy set.<\/p>\n<p>Highlights included the album\u2019s infectious title track, breakout single \u2018I\u2019ve Never Met Anyone\u2026\u2019 and a pub-band rendition of sea shanty-esque closer \u2018In The Morning\u2019. Westside Cowboy\u2019s first visit to Bramham Park felt like a pivotal, must-see moment for the four-piece, who conjured up an irresistible gang spirit. Onwards! Check out our backstage interview with the band here. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Fontaines D.C. perform in loving memory<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966030\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966030\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966030\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_FontainesDC-629693.jpg\" alt=\"Fontaines D.C.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fontaines D.C. live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a hard time for us the last couple of months,\u201d Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten told the massive crowd gathered for their debut Reading headline set, emotional at the memory of their late manager and giant of the independent Irish music scene Trevor Dietz, who died in June. The words \u2018Trevor Forever\u2019 are scrawled on the side of one of their guitars, and Chatten has \u2018Trev\u2019 inked on one hand. Waving flags for Ireland and Palestine, they played with a full heart for the causes he fought for and the belief he had in them.<\/p>\n<p>As \u2018Favourite\u2019 united the field in one big loving embrace, Fontaines celebrated their long journey to this deserved spot at the top of the bill as well as ushering in the \u2018Dopamine Chamber\u2019 era. You really felt those words, \u201c<em>But if there was lightning in me, then you know who it was for<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Check out the full <em>NME<\/em> review of their set here. <strong><em>(AT)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Finessekid gets the moshpits going<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Step into Reading\u2019s The Canopy at a certain point on Saturday afternoon, and you would have been greeted by pure pandemonium. Nearly every song in Lambeth rapper Finessekid\u2019s set was met with bodies bouncing against each other, the crowd constantly swarming left and right, forwards and backwards, as if being pulled as one by a giant magnet. \u2018Semolina &amp; Pounded Yam\u2019 and \u2018Said She Warn\u2019 ramped up the chaos levels further, as chants of \u201cus never dem\u201d and Arsenal\u2019s infamous \u201cWhat do you think of Tottenham? Shit!\u201d strengthened the bond between those present even more. When FK\u2019s 30 minutes were up, the crowd tumbled back out into the field, fired up and ready to take on the rest of the day. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Violet Grohl overcomes illness with blistering Leeds debut\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966031\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966031\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966031\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_VioletGrohl-624360.jpg\" alt=\"Violet Grohl\" width=\"1429\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966031\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Violet Grohl live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Making your R&amp;L debut off the back of a bout of laryngitis isn\u2019t ideal, but Violet Grohl is already a well-seasoned performer. She\u2019s appeared on Glasto\u2019s Pyramid Stage with dad Dave and played with some true greats. Still, the singer began her solo journey at Leeds on tiny stage The Canopy. Grohl exuded a cool, collected and unbothered attitude in place of any OTT rock\u2019n\u2019roll panache, kicking off with pummelling single \u2018Bug In The Cake\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Admittedly, she took time to grow into the set. \u201cI apologise for my voice,\u201d she said, though the extra gravel only added to her sludgy, desert sound. By the time we hit moody B-side \u2018Swallowtail\u2019, her powerful delivery fully eclipsed the band\u2019s beefed-up instrumental. On the epic \u2018Often Others\u2019, Grohl unleashed some menacing howls of \u201c<em>paint it red!<\/em>\u201d Her verdict? \u201cSuch a fucking awesome experience.\u201d Amen. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>AD\u00c9LA and Slayyyter prove they\u2019re future pop royalty\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965900\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965900\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026-ADELA-LIVE-2-CREDIT-ANDY-FORD@2000x1270.jpg\" alt=\"Ad\u00e9la performing at Reading 2026, photo by Andy Ford\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965900\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ad\u00e9la performing at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 wasn\u2019t short on pop icons, with the likes of Charli XCX and RAYE topping the bill. Lower down the line-up, there were some glimpses at potential future headliners and acts who look likely to dominate the pop landscape in the years to come.<\/p>\n<p>AD\u00c9LA\u2019s set at The Gallery on Friday served up pop perfection \u2013 her presence, playfulness and talent making her the full package. Midway through her set, she darted off stage and returned with a nod to her background as a ballet dancer \u2013 half a white tutu pinned to the back of her denim shorts, and ballet shoes laced on her feet. Pirouettes and en pointe gave \u2018DeathByDevotion\u2019 an elegant new edge, proof that the Slovakian star has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965585\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965585\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_Slayyyter-620062.jpg\" alt=\"Slayyyter\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Slayyyter live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On Saturday, Slayyyter, another contender for future pop royalty, conquered the main stage. Through lashings of rain, she commanded the crowd to give her the reception she deserves, warning them: \u201cDon\u2019t piss me off.\u201d But she had Reading under complete control, eliciting fervent reactions to \u2018Brand New Chanel$\u2019 and \u2018Beat Up Chanel$\u2019 as she more than justified the attention she\u2019s received this year. Check out the full <em>NME<\/em> review of her set here.<strong><em> (RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Florence + The Machine turns Leeds into a big birthday bash<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966001\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966001\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966001\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/florence_reading_Lillie_Eiger_head.jpg\" alt width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966001\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Florence + The Machine at Reading Festival 2026. CREDIT: Lillie Eiger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Florence + The Machine\u2018s long-overdue R&amp;L headline slot was a double celebration. \u201cI cannot think of a better crowd to spend my birthday with,\u201d said Florence Welch, who turned 40 at Bramham Park. \u201cDo we have any other sensitive Virgos in the house?\u201d She worked her magic to summon a glorious, golden-hour sunset for the occasion, making hits like \u2018Spectrum\u2019 and \u2018Dog Days\u2026\u2019 all the more bewitching. Some of the darker, twisted cuts from the \u2018Everybody Scream\u2019 tour were replaced by festival faves \u2018You Got The Love\u2019 and \u2018Rabbit Heart\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>In the audience, die-hards donned silver sparkly party hats. Later, the rush of an extended \u2018Sympathy Magic\u2019 felt otherworldly, before Welch made one final wish. \u201cI would like you all to put your phones away,\u201d she urged. \u201cDon\u2019t make me sad on my birthday.\u201d By the end of ecstatic closer \u2018Free\u2019, it was clear she had a blast. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Viagra Boys are the grit in the oyster<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966032\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966032\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966032\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_ViagraBoys-622352.jpg\" alt=\"Viagra Boys\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966032\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Viagra Boys live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Swedish trouble-starters Viagra Boys find themselves in a funny spot on the bill. Not long after Sombr\u2019s overblown rock tribute overblown beigefest and just before RAYE brought the big band Radio 2 vibes to The Grid, they were the grit in the oyster with an offer of something far less wholesome as the words \u2018ENDLESS ANXIETY\u2019 welcomed the young punks who flooded The Gallery tent.<\/p>\n<p>After the fiery diatribe against modern times with \u2018Man Made Of Meat\u2019 got things going, the following set was a masterclass of controlled chaos featuring sax solos, push-ups, calls for a free Palestine, prayers to \u201ca great big shrimp in the sky that we will live forever\u201d, \u201cSPORTS\u201d, and countless circle pits and walls of death with Spider-Man himself at the heart of it all. One of the wildest sets of the weekend could also prove one for all time for those lucky enough to be amid that sweet madness. We still can\u2019t stop smiling. Check out our backstage interview with the band here. <strong><em>(AT)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Dave made Reading history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3965707\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3965707\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3965707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/dave_reading_andrew_timms_head.jpg\" alt width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3965707\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dave at Reading Festival 2026. CREDIT: Andrew Timms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Dave had two formidable weapons in his arsenal for a Reading headline slot for the ages: dazzling talent and deep gratitude. The 28-year-old deployed pyro and fireworks, spat out frenetic raps, played piano and \u2013 if that weren\u2019t enough \u2013 brought out special guests James Blake, Kano and Central Cee. It was his fourth appearance at the festival, having worked his way up the bill since 2017. \u201cAnd here we are,\u201d he marvelled. \u201cTo be able to co-headline and be here in front of you guys at Reading \u2013 I really don\u2019t take it for granted\u2026 When I was a kid, I had a dream of just being able to stand on the stage and rap. And that was back when 100, 200 people would have been enough.\u201d Check out the full <em>NME<\/em> review of his set here. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Blossoms say goodbye to Gary at Leeds<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Blossoms\u2018 special guest slot, exclusive to Leeds, signalled the end of a storied chapter in the Stockport band\u2019s career. Their now-beloved eight-foot fibreglass gorilla, Gary, bowed out for good. Say it ain\u2019t so! He\u2019d been a centrepiece to Tom Ogden and co\u2019s live shows since their fifth album, \u2018Gary\u2019, with the group opening the slot up north with the summery title track.<\/p>\n<p>But with new record \u2018Songs From The Wedding Cake\u2019 out in October, Blossoms are sending the primate back into the wild (or to the garden centre). His fate was confirmed on drummer Joe Donovan\u2019s T-shirt, reading: \u2018Goodbye Gary\u2019. On the bright side, their roadies must be pleased. <strong><em>(TS)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Speed send The Ballroom into chaos\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966033\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966033\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966033\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_Speed-621698.jpg\" alt=\"Speed\" width=\"1429\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966033\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Speed live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t give a single fuck about this barrier,\u201d Speed singer Jem Siow roared to The Ballroom crowd, as the security stewards keeping guard between stage and crowd began to look nervous. \u201cI need a thousand bodies on this barrier!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Reading audience quickly obliged, as wave after wave of crowd surfers gave security a run for their money, and kept the chaos going, following Siow\u2019s every instruction. Soon, the tent was transformed into a mammoth circle pit as the hardcore band tore through tracks from their 2024 album \u2018Only One Mode\u2019 and recent single \u2018All My Angels\u2019. It was quite a sight beneath the tent\u2019s new chandeliers and opulent velvet drapes \u2013 something Siow rightly described as adding a \u201cbit of tension\u201d to proceedings \u2013 but the Sydney group made the stage their own, even if it was worlds away from their normal habitat. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>She\u2019s Green give Reading\u2019s final day a magical start\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966034\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966034\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966034\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_ShesGreen-623129.jpg\" alt=\"She&apos;s Green\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966034\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">She\u2019s Green live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re all the way from Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the States, so this is pretty amazing for us to be here,\u201d She\u2019s Green\u2019s Zofia Smith told The Canopy as Reading\u2019s final day got going. The shoegaze band\u2019s set was the perfect way to usher in the last day, easing the worse-for-wear crowd in with songs that start off softly, before delivering crunchy blows. The effect is pretty magical \u2013 not least when \u2018Smile Again\u2019 is accompanied by a single bubble floating over the audience, as if it\u2019s been conjured up by the sheer prettiness of the performance itself. <strong><em>(RD)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Men I Trust make for a perfect Sunday escape<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966035\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966035\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966035\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_MenITrust-623732.jpg\" alt=\"Men I Trust\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966035\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Men I Trust live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You know that feeling, the weirdly comforting absence of mind and a numbness from the eyes down that comes with the last day of a festival \u2013 the sadness of hangxiety with the already joyous memories that brought it on? Stop crying. We\u2019ve prescribed the perfect band to soothe all these symptoms, and a pretty chocka The Gallery tent were already wise to these doctor\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n<p>Canada\u2019s Men I Trust held the tender-headed crowd in their laps with one gem of sweet and synthy dream pop after another, soothing with cuts from across their 12 years and six albums of honey-drizzled vocals, \u201980s-leaning electro pop, six-stringed Johnny Marr accents and some wailing guitar queen prowess from frontwoman Emmanuelle Proulx. Imagine Japanese Breakfast via Fleetwood Mac and a hot air balloon to outer space, and you\u2019re not far off. We thank them for this much-needed Sunday service. <strong><em>(AT)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Radio Free Alice get wholesome in The Ballroom<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966037\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966037\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966037\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_RadioFreeAlice-620786.jpg\" alt=\"Radio Free Alice\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966037\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Radio Free Alice live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Frontman Noah Learmonth might have rocked a white T-shirt emblazoned with the word \u201cBRUTAL\u201d, but Radio Free Alice\u2019s mid-afternoon set on the Ballroom stage was a decidedly warm, open-hearted affair. The setting was somewhat genteel, too, given that chandeliers hung from the top of the tent. Bathed in their warm glow, the sizeable audience clapped along to indie sadbanger \u2018Look What You\u2019ve Done\u2019, danced to the motorik rhythm of \u2018Johnny\u2019 and chanted the near-anthemic chorus of \u2018Waste of Space\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>One lad near <em>NME<\/em> pogoed to the post-punk crunch of \u2018I Gotta (Fall In Love)\u2019 like it was 1978. \u201cThank you so much for watching,\u201d Learmonth declared, sounding genuinely moved by the size of the audience and the chandelier-shaking ruckus they\u2019d made for the band. Check out our backstage interview with the band here. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jade throws a party\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Was there a more joyful hour at Reading 2026 than Jade\u2019s fabulously feel-good party set on the main stage? The previous night, pop legend Charli XCX peppered her co-headline slot with existential bon mots such as \u201cOBLIVION IS FREEDOM\u201d; Jade went for a slightly different approach, projecting the word \u201cFILTHY\u201d over the video screens at the side of the stage. Those same screens screamed \u201cLET THERE BE HOUSE\u201d as the band rolled out the lithe funk of \u2018Midnight Cowboy\u2019, before she dedicated Little Mix\u2019s spicy R&amp;B sassfest \u2018Wasabi\u2019 to \u201cany haters in the audience today\u201d. By the time she closed with a euphoric \u2018Angel of My Dreams\u2019 (\u201cThis song probably got me onstage and I can\u2019t wait to sing it for the rest of my life\u201d), said haters would have been very hard to locate. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bar Italia dazzle beneath the chandeliers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966038\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966038\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966038\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_BarItalia-620816.jpg\" alt=\"Bar Italia\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966038\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bar Italia live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The boujee decor of the revamped The Ballroom stage, formerly the Festival Republic tent, seems almost perfectly designed for the genre-straddling, Harry Styles-approved London trio Bar Italia. A classy and witchy romance and haze met an edge of scuzz and grunge that perfectly matched the chandeliers dangling in the filthy field.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s already a spectacle in the mysterious trio sharing vocal duties, all vying for the frontperson spotlight, but then there\u2019s the drama that unfurls as their pop sensibilities wander from shoegaze to psych to rock to the pompy strut of Roxy Music, the roughness of Sleater Kinney and the jazzy unpredictability of The Sugarcubes. It was a pleasure to take this dance. <strong><em>(AT)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Gunna melts our tiny minds<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s keep this motherfucker rockin\u2019 all night!\u201d Gunna announced on the Gallery Stage, donning a diamond-encrusted necklace and what looked suspiciously like a leather waistcoat. The 33-year-old Southern hip-hop star opened with the glittering \u2018Sakpace\u2019, which set the tone for a relentless show packed with so many gold-plated hits that the rammed audience pulled out camera phones in force for almost every single one. If you were so inclined, you could probably sift through the internet and piece together the entire show.<\/p>\n<p>Such time wouldn\u2019t be wasted: after he swaggered along a walkway at the side of the stage, hopping down to get close to the front barrier, the set\u2019s pummelling final third was truly mind-melting. \u201cCan I keep goin\u2019 in this motherfucker?\u201d he asked. You wouldn\u2019t bet against him. <strong><em>(JB)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Kneecap give us a closing party with an \u201cIrish takeover\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3966039\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3966039\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3966039\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_Kneecap-624986.jpg\" alt=\"Kneecap\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3966039\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kneecap live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is the Irish fucking takeover,\u201d Mo Chara told The Gallery for Kneecap\u2019s headline set to put one loud, lairy full-stop on the weekend at Reading. After using \u2018Favourite\u2019 by Friday\u2019s main stage headliners Fontaines D.C. as their intro music \u2013 and it going down like \u2018Mr Brightside\u2019 at a boozy wedding \u2013 and the crowd going wild to a mere recording of Grian Chatten on their collab \u2018Better Way To Live\u2019, it seemed like the invasion from the Emerald Isle was complete.<\/p>\n<p>Digging their flag deeper into the sodden ground with pit-opening \u2018Fenian\u2019, \u2018H.O.O.D.\u2019, and \u2018The Recap\u2019, Kneecap sent us on our way with an Andy Burnham and Netanyahu baiting rave-meets-rally where the worlds of The Prodigy, Public Enemy and The Chemical Brothers all burst out of one helluva lock-in. \u201cThis is our last festival of the summer,\u201d ended Chara, \u201cand it\u2019s been a pleasure to spend it with you mad c**ts\u201d. Same. Sayonara. <strong><em>(AT)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Revisit NME\u2019s Reading &amp; Leeds 2026 coverage here, featuring all the latest news, reviews, photos, interviews and more from the festivals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/live\/reading-leeds-2026-festival-review-best-bits-photos-3966025&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMEAR_NME-READING-2026_AndyFord_FontainesDC-60676-1.jpg&#8221;] ReviewsLive Reviews Reading &amp; Leeds 2026: The most magical moments from the bank holiday bash New talent and established icons made this year\u2019s edition of the twin festivals one to remember. Here are NME\u2019s best bits from across the two sites By NME 31st August 2026 Fontaines D.C. live at Reading 2026. [&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":[],"class_list":["post-2121167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2121167","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=2121167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2121167\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2121167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2121167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2121167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}