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Limp Bizkit performed some of their hit songs from the 90’s, creating a highly energetic set full of nostalgia. Their performance began with the anthem ‘Break Stuff’, and ended with ‘Take a Look Around’, a single from their third album ‘Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water‘ and made famous as part of the soundtrack to the 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2. They also played their most well known song ‘Rollin’, alongside an AI endorsement of the band by Billie Eilish. In the middle of the set, Fred Durst scanned the crowd before spotting somebody to bring up on stage. The young fan, named Brooke, took to the stage with confidence and didn’t look out of place on the Main Stage, rocking with the band. Watch the epic moment below on YouTube, taken from @CHINNERSROCKS141169 channel:

Brooke rocked this performance and looked like a full member of the band, knowing all the lyrics and taking part in call-and-response moments with Fred Durst during the song. She brought an infectious energy and added to the buzz around Reading Festival. As the guitars kicked in, she jumped alongside Durst with infectious enthusiasm, quickly becoming the centre of attention.

As well as Brooke’s awesome performance, the band also looked for moments of humour. During the set, Fred Durst announced that during the headline set, all of Bring Me The Horizon’s merch, as well as the beer, would be free. Limp Bizkit also displayed AI generated ‘endorsements’ of the band from famous artists such as Oasis, Chapell Roan and Oli Sykes (frontman of Bring Me The Horizon).
During their performance of ‘Faith’, a cover of the classic George Michael song, they also displayed an AI endorsement from the Wham! frontman. George Michael has been critical of the release of this cover, with Wes Borland (the band’s guitarist) claiming that Michael “hates it and hates us for doing it”, adding to the humour displayed during the set. During the performance of ‘Take a Look Around’ the stage adopted an Oasis-themed backdrop, exciting and confusing the crowd. Bring Me The Horizon added to this energy when they performed a thrash cover of Oasis’ iconic song ‘Wonderwall’.

  Top trolling by Limp Bizkit. Oasis endorsement backdrop. Announced all Bring Me The Horizon merch & beer is free during their set. pic.twitter.com/JN5PAsa8I8 — harry (@harryy6666) August 23, 2025

BBC iPlayer currently has the rights to televise sets from the festival. Limp Bizkit’s set was not televised by the BBC, though Bring Me The Horizon, alongside all other headliners and star acts, are available here.

Listen to the song performed by Brooke below:

Speaking to NME at Reading Festival, the punk duo also hailed Kneecap for inspiring to speak out about the issues, whilst also claiming Spotify founder, Daniel Ek, is “investing in AI drone weaponry”.

Laurie Vincent and Isaac Holman were speaking after their belting set on the Chevron Stage where they bought out Kate Nash and led the crowd into a “free Palestine” chant.

Speaking to NME, guitarist Laurie Vincent said: “It’s happening before our eyes. You can support Israel openly and not get arrested but if you wanna protest for women and children to stop being bombed, you’re gonna get arrested.

“I think there needs to be a total dismantling of all of the systems, all of the old money that still has its fingers across everything. There needs to be a dismantling of the music industry. The guy that owns Spotify is investing in AI drone weaponry. It’s just all fucking bullshit, and I’m bored of it. I think everyone is.”

Vincent then praised the likes of Kneecap, Brian Eno and Fontaines DC for encouraging other bands and artists to come forward and openly support Palestine: “We took too long to come to the forefront, but then going on tour with Kneecap in the US and watching three of the most eloquent people I’ve ever met talk about it onstage fearlessly and educate us, and show that standing up for people that don’t have a voice is so purposeful.”

He continued: “It’s strength in numbers as well, and its turning round and seeing it, no matter what form its taking, whether it’s Brian Eno leading his charge with his cooperative of musicians or it’s Fontaines DC getting onstage and putting their signs up, or if its The Murder Capital or Kneecap or Bob Vylan – all these people, like Lambrini Girls.”

The punk band also claimed that the media is playing a role in conflict, saying: “The BBC are not sharing a proper view of it. They’re commissioning documentaries like Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, which is now being shown on Channel 4, and they’re not showing it.”

Soft Play are currently touring their fourth album, ‘Heavy Jelly’, which proved to be their most commercially successful release yet, reaching Number Three on the UK Album Chart.

Drummer and vocalist Isaac Holman teased that a new album is closer than some might think, saying in the same interview: “We’re ready to get in and start making shit again. That’s done. It’s got its place in our heart, but we don’t really care about it anymore. We just wanna get on to the next thing.”

Speaking about the direction their sound will go in for the next album, Vincent revealed: “It’s sounds heavy. It’s just gonna be even heavier, more raw, more Isaac spitting bars, more shredding… I wanna push the envelope even further.”

Keep an eye on Soft Play’s social media’s to keep up to date with any announcement regarding their fifth studio album.

Leeds and Reading festivals were once festivals for fans of alternative rock music, not attracted to the heavy metal music played at Download Festival or a fan of the radio pop hits played at festivals like T in the Park or Wireless Festival. Reading Festival began in 1961 as a Jazz Festival though pivoted to alternative rock in 1989, later establishing a second site in Leeds in 1999. Recently, Reading and Leeds have celebrated music from all genres and walks of life. This year displays all genres of music from the heavier Bring Me The Horizon to the pop icon of Chappell Roan and the the Rap star Travis Scott.

The first surprise of the weekend came when the Oxford band South Arcade performed on the BBC Introducing stage on Saturday. BBC Radio 1 and the band posted the following on Instagram:

 

 

 

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Major speculation has been happening after Foo Fighters posted the following post on Instagram, celebrating their energy-filled set of 2019, now available in full on BBC iPlayer. Other people speculated are Lewis Capaldi, capitalising on his iconic performance in Glastonbury this year.

Another act that could potentially perform a secret gig is Wolf Alice. The London-based band have been growing in popularity as well as releasing their latest album ‘The Clearing‘ this Friday August 23. Rizzle Kicks are also rumoured to be performing this year, due to them recently headlining Tramlines Festival and the release of new music from the band. Other fans have also speculated on Olivia Rodrigo, due to her close friend Conan Gray performing. Conan Gray and Olivia Rodrigo recently released a line of friendship bracelets together and are famous for being celebrity best friends. This has led to speculation that Olivia Rodrigo may play a secret set, or at the very least make a special appearance during Conan Gray’s set, who plays at Leeds Festival tomorrow on Sunday.

Further speculation occurred on Reddit after this post, now unavailable, was posted on Instagram by the official Reading and Leeds Festival account. Fans noticed a gap in stage times on the Aux Stage on Sunday, with people speculating that Chase and Status will be playing due to their current UK tour. The poster displayed by the festival shows the silhoutte of 2 people with question marks overlaid on top. Chase and Status, the superstar DJ duo, have been releasing new music this year and their next official show is on 29 August in Las Vegas, NV, meaning they would be able to play the secret set to display their new music.

The festivals have still attracted huge names like Chappell Roan, Travis Scott and Bring Me The Horizon so the fans are sure to have a great weekend, despite whoever makes a surprise appearance!

  SECRET SET ALERT byu/Nervous-Chemistry-70 inreadingfestival

In what has been described by the festival boss Melvin Benn as the “first pure pop headliner”, all eyes were on Chappell Roan – and those eyes never left her gaze due to the enchanting and cinematic performance.

The pop sensation strutted onto stage while a haunting, atmospheric and ghastly instrumental gave the pink cowboy hat-wearing crowd a taste of the vibe for the next 90 minutes – a perfect juxtaposition.

She then burst into the anthemic ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’ which set a precedent for the rest of the show – a precedent of community within the crowd as Roan and the packed festival-goers belted out chorus after chorus, arm-in-arm, with ‘Hot To Go’ being the epitome of it all.

Multiple times throughout the night, Roan spoke to the tens of thousands in attendance to exclaim just how important the night was to her: “This is a dream come true, seriously. Thank you for loving me and standing with me. I’m truly so grateful” she told the crowd before belting into ‘Kaleidoscope’.

Chappell Roan on the main stage at Reading Festival!! What a performance pic.twitter.com/tJBfpRrjar

— Nicole Mcbride (@_NicoleMcBride) August 22, 2025

Chappell Roan’s full setlist consisted of: 

‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’
‘Femininomenon’
‘After Midnight’
‘Naked In Manhattan’
‘Guilty Pleasure’
‘Casual’
‘The Subway’
‘Hot To Go’
‘Barracuda’
‘Picture You’
‘Kaleidoscope’
‘The Giver’
‘Red Wine Supernova’
‘Coffee’
‘Good Luck, Babe!’
‘My Kink Is Karma’
‘Pink Pony Club’

NME gave the ‘Hot To Go’ singer a five-star review for her Reading Festival headline debut, saying: “She wraps things up with a euphoric trifecta of ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, ‘My Kink Is Karma’ and ‘Pink Pony Club’, she struts down the runway to get closer to the crowd, waving and blowing kisses to them, a big grin on her face. 

She might be getting used to seeing scenes like  the one in front of her now, but it’s clear they’ve yet to lose their impact.”

Reading and Leeds Festival boss, Melvin Benn, spoke to NME earlier this year about having Chappell Roan headline this year: “To have a weekend with historic headline moments like Chappell Roan, alongside emerging talent and influential voices, I am proud of R&L’s continued development and I can’t wait to see fans embracing it all.”

Benn also spoke about the significance of finally having a pop star headline the festivals, saying: “It’s something that I’ve talked to the team about a huge amount over the last 18 months to two years; the pre-eminence of pop now is there for all to see. There’s been a shift in the young audiences loving pop, and R&L has to take notice of that. Chappell Roan is that genuine pop headliner.”

Chappell Roan will now head north to take the main stage at Leeds Festival tonight (August 23) in what is sure to be just as enchanting and anthemic as last night.

We’re coming for you

All Over The World Tour tickets on sale Friday 14th February, 10am local time at https://t.co/Z98264FFzc pic.twitter.com/RbOE6AL7uc

— The Kooks (@thekooksmusic) February 11, 2025

The Kooks, formed in Brighton in 2004, quickly rose to prominence with their debut album ‘Inside In/Inside Out‘ (2006), which achieved quadruple platinum status in the UK. Their last major tour was in 2022, following the release of their album ‘10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark‘. Frontman Luke Pritchard expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming tour, stating: “We made some of the greatest memories as a band on our last US tour and ever since we’ve been counting the days till we can return. This time with lovelytheband and playing material from our new album, it’s going to be magic. We can’t wait to see you all out on the road.”Following the North American dates, The Kooks are scheduled to perform at several European festivals, including Paaspop in the Netherlands on April 18, 2025, and Deichbrand Festival in Germany on July 17, 2025. UK fans can look forward to their appearance at the TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow on July 12 and at the Reading Festival on August 22, 2025.

Reading and Leeds Festival we’re so thrilled to be coming back pic.twitter.com/xwwKae7Bdq — The Kooks (@thekooksmusic) December 5, 2024

Tickets for the North American dates will go on sale to the public on Friday, February 14, at 10 am local time, with presales beginning on February 12. For a complete list of tour dates and ticket information, visit the band’s official website.

The teaser comes just a week after the Pacifier band revealed they are headlining Reading & Leeds Festival, while also teasing another upcoming show or potential tour that was announced through a photograph posted of a sheet of paper reading: “5:00pm, DOORS, 6:00pm, SHOWTIME”. Fans who are signed up to the band’s mailing list also received an email simply stating “Thursday February 22”, possibly hinting at further news surrounding live show dates and ticket releases.

Keeping their eyes peeled for further updates, fans have also spotted the same posters in and around Manchester, suggesting that the band could return to the city for a comeback show. Although the majority of posters have now been taken down, some were sighted most notably in the city’s Northern Quarter and opposite the O2 Ritz, a possible clue towards the hosting venue of the show.

This has been spotted in Manchester pic.twitter.com/IHUTiTLKzB

— The Rock Revival (@TheRockRevival_) February 12, 2024

Having not performed since September 2021, rumours began to circulate about the band’s future and whether they had split not long after their appearances at Reading & Leeds and outdoor gigs at Swansea’s Singleton Park and Neighbourhood Weekender in Warrington. Now returning as a headliner at Reading & Leeds, they will also be joined by other huge acts such as Liam Gallagher, Blink-182, Gerry Cinnamon, Fred Again... and Lana Del Rey. Blink-182 are gearing up to take the festival’s main stage after more than a decade, while Gallagher is set to perform ‘Definitely Maybe‘ in full, marking its iconic 30th anniversary.

This year’s string of live shows will be their first since the departure of guitarist Johnny “Bondy” Bond in 2022, and is expected to showcase brand new material, their first major output since their UK number two album ‘The Balance‘ in 2019, which followed their Top 10 debut 2014 platinum album ‘The Balcony‘ and their number one sophomore album ‘The Ride‘.

Following a storm of speculation, Johnny Bond released an online statement in 2022, announcing that he had in fact left the band as early as March 2021, merely playing with them as a session musician during the summer shows. He commented: ‘To put it simply, I feel that both the professional and personal relationships had become entirely dysfunctional.’

He added: ‘I certainly don’t want this post to be entirely negative … You have given me some incredible experiences that will stick with me forever … I sincerely appreciate you and feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced all of this together and met so many incredible people.’

The band is currently made up of Van McCann (vocals) and Benji Blakeway (bass), with a fresh new line-up of other members soon to be unveiled. For a chance to catch a glimpse of Catfish and the Bottlemen’s return, tickets for Reading & Leeds 2024 are on sale now.

The tour, entitled ‘Still At Their Very Best’, includes two nights at London’s 02 Arena and will round out all touring off the back of their latest album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language.

The band kicks off the tour in the UK on February 9 at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, before heading to London for two nights at the 02 Arena on February 12 and 13. The Band rounds up the UK portion of tour with dates at Manchester’s AO Arena on February 18 and then Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena on February 21.

The European portion of the tour begins in Lisbon, Portugal on February 26 whilst then heading to Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Berlin, Prague and Milan just to name a few before rounding the tour out in Cologne, Germany on March 22.

This UK/EU tour follows the 1975’s massive 32-date tour of North America which includes headline shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl.

The 1975. Still… at their very best
UK & Europe 2024

Sign up now for the exclusive fan presale
Fan presale tickets on sale 6th September at 10am local time.

General sale 8th September at 10am local time.https://t.co/tJ6XE1uDF9 #The1975 pic.twitter.com/nFuR6D7BHl

— The 1975 (@the1975) August 31, 2023

This upcoming tour announcement was hinted by the band as teaser posters were spotted at Reading Festival last week, which the band headlined in replacement of Lewis Capaldi by playing their entire debut album, The 1975, in celebration of its 10-year anniversary from its release in 2013.

Tickets for the tour will be available to purchase via a fan-exclusive presale, which you can sign up for here, on Wednesday, September 6 at 10am BST. General sale will be available on Friday, September 8 at 10AM BST and tickets can be found here.

The full tour dates are as follows:

UK Dates

09/02/2024 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow, UK

12/02 – 02 Arena – London, UK

13/02 – 02 Arena – London, UK

18/02 – AO Arena – Manchester, UK

21/02 – Resorts World Arena – Birmingham, UK

EU Dates

26/02 – Campo Pequeno – Lisbon, Portugal

27/02 – WiZink Center – Madrid, Spain

01/03 – La Zenith – Paris, France

02/03 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands

03/03 – Forest National – Brussels, Belgium

05/03 – Barclays Arena – Hamburg, Germany

07/03 – Oslo Spektrum – Oslo, Norway

08/03 – Annexet – Stockholm, Sweden

10/03 – KB Hallen – Copenhagen, Denmark

12/03 – Verti Music Hall – Berlin, Germany

13/03 – Torwar Hall – Warsaw, Poland

14/03 – Fortuna Hall – Prague, Czech Republic

16/03 – Hallenstadion Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland

18/03 – Zenith – Munich, Germany

19/03 – Mediolanum Forum – Milan, Italy

21/03 – Jahrhunderthalle – Frankfurt, Germany

22/03 – Palladium – Cologne, Germany

Billie Eilish: One night only in London. pic.twitter.com/XawToR5z6D

— billie eilish (@billieeilish) August 26, 2023

Much to the delight of her scores of UK fans, Eilish teased a last minute performance at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, London-a far more intimate setting than the star is accustomed to. Releasing a poster to go along with the announcement, the show is a one night only performance and will be followed by her brother Finneas performing a headlining show at the same venue the next night.

One night only in London! Tickets on sale this Friday at 10am BST https://t.co/86to0ZmLX6 pic.twitter.com/6Nbi0tD5rg — FINNEAS (@finneas) August 2, 2023

Eilish, speaking via social media, said, “London! Doing a special lil performance for you. If you signed up for email alerts at my pop-up this week, you’ll get an email with a unique code to access tickets.” Finneas, Eilish’s brother and notable for his award winning production work on her records, will play a sold out show the following night.

Eilish is fresh off her headlining gigs at Leeds festival (25th August) and Reading last night (27 August). At her show in Leeds, Eilish became the youngest solo headliner ever to grace the famous festival’s stages at only 21 years old and can now boast  both Reading and Leeds festivals and Glastonbury headlining slots. And the young performer certainly dazzled the crowd with a set that will live long in the memory for those in attendance.

The last time Eilish was at Reading and Leeds festival, the singer was only a teenager but, in the time since, she has become arguably one of the biggest pop stars on the planet-her albums and tours routinely garnering rave reviews and awards. Together with Finneas to accompany her on multiple instruments, Eilish treated the crowd to a massive setlist- containing a staggering 20 song set during both performances, which included the hit Barbie soundtrack song, “What Was I Made For?.”

But the singer showed a shrewd understanding of what her audience wished to see from her and peppered her setlist with career-spanning numbers that was sure to please both the uninitiated and die-hard fans. The set showcased what Eilish is both known for and what has shot her into super-stardom, particularly shining vocally on the more softer songs but then ramping up the excitement when belting party tunes that also had the crowd on their feet, jumping and dancing.

Those lucky fans that have been able to grab tickets to Eilish’s special Electric Ballroom performance are almost certainly guaranteed a once in a lifetime experience, the likes of which may not be repeated by a star who is only getting bigger and brighter. Tickets can be found here.

Billie Eilish Tour:

29/08/2023 – Electric Ballroom – London
01-03/09 – Electric Picnic – Stradbally

Unfortunately due to capacity concerns within the LS23 arena for Andy C’s set, Leeds Festival has decided to reprogram the arena and Andy C will now have 1 performance at the Radio 1 Dance Stage from 9:15pm on Friday.

— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL) August 25, 2023

Pulling off a festival with the magnitude and prestige of Reading and Leeds without a hitch is always sure to be difficult in the best of circumstances, but the infamous festival has been forced into difficult decisions that may leave some fans feeling a bit disgruntled. Organisers had to act quickly when Hip hop artist Trippie Redd cancelled his slot at Reading and Leeds due to an undisclosed illness. Festival organisers relayed the cancellation to fans and ticket holders via social media platforms.

With many fans excited to see the US based Rap artist, scores of concert-goers expressed their dismay, stating that they would not be coming to the event at all. Trippie Redd himself released a statement saying, “I’m so sorry to announce that I can’t perform this weekend. I was really looking forward to coming to Reading & Leeds Festivals but due to illness I have to cancel my visit to the UK. I hope to see you soon!”

I’m goin to make it up to y’all. See you soon https://t.co/skEfiN7LXM — Trippie Redd (@trippieredd) August 26, 2023

Less than an hour after the news of Trippie Redd’s called off set, Reading and Leeds festival had to announce that DJ Andy C would be losing a planned performance due to concerns over capacity. The British DJ’s set at Bramham Park in Leeds was cancelled after organisers decided to reprogram the LS23 Arena where the set would take place. With Andy C scheduled to perform twice, he will now only play one set at the Radio 1 Dance Stage on Friday night.

Despite the double disappointment news from the festival over the two artists, the weekends still promise to deliver musical elation across both locations. With a star studded bill that includes sets from Sam Fender, The Killers, Billie Eilish and You Me At Six, festival goers are spoiled for choice across the multiple stages.

pic.twitter.com/hbo3TKYw5A

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) August 24, 2023

And much like Glastonbury Festival earlier this summer, the BBC will be streaming the Reading festival via its iPlayer platform with The Killer’s set shown on BBC1 on Sunday at 11:30pm and Billie Eilish’s set on Monday at 11:15pm. The service will also be featuring past performances from the festival between 21-27 August. Tickets for the festivals can be purchased here.

PUNK’S DEAD OUT NOW XXX https://t.co/g6x5oxTt5t pic.twitter.com/jL2HfPTzdt

— SOFT PLAY (@softplayband) August 21, 2023

The duo, consisting of Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent, last released new material back in 2019 under their original moniker Slaves. In December of last year, the punk performers announced their return to the scene-complete with new name Soft Play-citing that the previous group name no longer represented the pair as people or their music.

Wanting to distance themselves from the connotations that their band name inevitably created (the duo always maintained that the name had no reference whatsoever to race), Vincent and Holman opted for the change to Soft Play-a name that will attract far less controversy. Along with the name change, Soft Play also announced, to the delight of their fans, that they would be returning to pick up where they left off and begin making new music once again.

Speaking about the change to Soft Play, the pair said, “we are aware that people have differing opinions on the name, we hope you can accept and respect our decision and not continue the argument between yourselves. When it comes down to it, the music and community surrounding our band are what matter the most and we don’t want anything to stand in the way of that community being as inclusive as possible. Our music is for anyone and everyone.”

“Punk’s Dead” sees the band offering up a tongue in cheek nod toward their name change while also taking a (joking) dig at the people who have criticised them over the decision. The song also features, arguably, the most unlikely of guest singers on the track-Robbie Williams. Williams features during the bridge of the song, with Soft Play deciding to include the pop singer on the track after he expressed himself as a fan of the band and would be open to working with them.

A soft song by a couple of soft cunts. Punk’s Dead out next week pre save it now xxxx https://t.co/NrulZOXlWu pic.twitter.com/FeV9k9mXvU

— SOFT PLAY (@softplayband) August 15, 2023

Soft Play were not quite finished with the surprises however, as, in addition to the new song and William’s inclusion, the group have also announced a last minute appearance at Reading and Leeds festival this coming weekend. Following on the heels of their intimate comeback/warm-up shows and headlining slot at 2000Trees, the group are ready to fully commit to the live circuit once more with sets at the legendary festivals. The band is also set to embark on a supporting tour with The Prodigy this autumn.

Surprise we’re playing @OfficialRandL bloody hell can’t wait for a coupla ciders and a giant Yorkshire pudding if you’re coming see ya there xxxx Tickets: https://t.co/t0cURcXjLt pic.twitter.com/9l7nuq3HmU — SOFT PLAY (@softplayband) August 21, 2023

Soft Play Tour:

25/08/2023 – Hop Yard – Forest Row
26/08 – Reading Festival – Reading
27/08 – Leeds Festival – Leeds
16/11 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
17/11 – AO Arena – Manchester
18/11 – First Direct Arena – Leeds
20/11 – The Brighton Centre – Brighton
21/11 – Cardiff International Arena – Cardiff
23/11 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
24/11 – Alexandra Palace – London
25/11 – Alexandra Palace – London