2024 Festival

[she bangs the drums]

The sound for Fontaines DC was shocking at Leeds. Yes it was windy, though it was for Bleachers and they sounded much clearer. Fontaines also came on earlier than advertised and Bleachers finished later so might not have set up properly? Plus the crowd was sh*t compared to 2022 because many people just stood waiting for Lana.

[andyrhodes24]

Leeds 2024 thoughts:

Overall another great weekend despite the weather and the stage closures (see photo looking towards front of the tent). Gutted to miss Destroy Boys but good on FR for shuffling round Wombats, Jorja Smith and Wunderhorse among others.

 

Drinks prices were crazy, £6-7 a pint wasn’t bad but £9.50 a spirit and £10.50 a Four Loko was mental if you wanted something a bit stronger.

 

Took absolutely no notice of the crowd this year, it was busy but didn’t see any trouble or any divs all weekend.

 

Chevron was also class, overheard so many people of all ages say it was a great idea. It felt properly indoor.

 

Top five acts:

1. The Wombats (perfect way to end the weekend)

2. The Prodigy

3. Militarie Gun

4. Catfish and the Bottlemen

5. Kid Kapichi

[efcfanwirral]

6 hours ago, Benj said:

Wasn’t obviously noticeable. They did have a lengthy technical issue though, so maybe had to cut songs due to that

 

Again their set was ruined by bass coming through from the Chevron stage, just couldn’t get into the vibe of it at all, with a different rhythm from over there

 

Luckily wasn’t as bad for Liam, strange how it varied so much

 

They deffo can’t have that set up again next year though

Chevron pretty much ruined Catfish at Reading. Could barely hear them. They made the most of it, the crowd was incredible dragging them through. Him running away from the security guard was funny

 

But the sound was so bad and not worthy of a main stage. You could hear and feel Chevron the whole time. We went front bit for Liam and it was great, but you shouldn't have to be right by the stage to hear 

[thatTFBguy]

14 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

but good on FR for shuffling round Wombats

Out of interest, where did wombats end up playing? And how did new song sound (cannot find any clips online)? 

[andyrhodes24]

10 minutes ago, thatTFBguy said:

Out of interest, where did wombats end up playing? And how did new song sound (cannot find any clips online)? 

The Chevron at about 22:05-22:55. New song sounded great, very upbeat opposed to their pessimist or moodier stuff or however they’d describe it. Looking forward to the album now. No hints of when it’s coming or if there’s a tour besides it’s just been finished and will be coming in 2025.

 

Seeing both dance and indie stuff on the Chevron makes me want it to be more multi-genre stage, it was banging.

Edited August 26 by andyrhodes24

[jonnyisRFC]

Positives at Reading.

 

-Some wicked performances from Blink, Neck Deep, Kneecap, Deijavhs, Militarie Gun, Destroy Boys and Amity Affliction. 
 

-Didn’t feel overcrowded in the arena once, campsite was really quiet too with plenty of room. 
 

-Less d*ckheads and a slightly older crowd than usual. 

 

-Chevron stage isn’t my cup of tea, but it’s really cool. 
 

-Easy to smuggle cans in the arena, anyone else notice they don’t pat you down anymore? Maybe I just got lucky. 

 

Negatives at Reading. 
 

- No effort to try and replace the bands that pulled out, no secret sets. 
 

- £25 entry for the silent disco, the music is absolutely sh*te too, surely they should have a separate channel that plays rock, indie, punk etc..

 

-Sound bleed on the main stage, I was about 50 rows back but to the right of the stage for Liam last night, but all I could hear and feel was the base from Skrillex. 
 

-Queues for the bar on Friday, no idea what that was about. It was sorted for Saturday and Sunday though.
 

-Price of food was sickening. I understand their fees are high for having a pitch, but the standard of the food and portions are terrible when you compare it to the likes of Glastonbury. 

[andyrhodes24]

2 minutes ago, jonnyisRFC said:

Positives at Reading.

 

-Some wicked performances from Blink, Neck Deep, Kneecap, Deijavhs, Militarie Gun, Destroy Boys and Amity Affliction. 
 

-Didn’t feel overcrowded in the arena once, campsite was really quiet too with plenty of room. 
 

-Less d*ckheads and a slightly older crowd than usual. 

 

-Chevron stage isn’t my cup of tea, but it’s really cool. 
 

-Easy to smuggle cans in the arena, anyone else notice they don’t pat you down anymore? Maybe I just got lucky. 

 

Negatives at Reading. 
 

- No effort to try and replace the bands that pulled out, no secret sets. 
 

- £25 entry for the silent disco, the music is absolutely sh*te too, surely they should have a separate channel that plays rock, indie, punk etc..

 

-Sound bleed on the main stage, I was about 50 rows back but to the right of the stage for Liam last night, but all I could hear and feel was the base from Skrillex. 
 

-Queues for the bar on Friday, no idea what that was about. It was sorted for Saturday and Sunday though.
 

-Price of food was sickening. I understand their fees are high for having a pitch, but the standard of the food and portions are terrible when you compare it to the likes of Glastonbury. 

Someone our group knew had a burger van in the arena at Leeds this year. Said food traders pay £1,500 deposit plus 30% of their takings.

 

Portions all round were poor, £13 seemed the going rate at most places.

[Andre91]

Overall I had a good weekend and had such a laugh with a lot of mates who haven’t been to Leeds in years and years. 
 

Chevron Stage is awesome and a proper, proper good addition. Good on the festival for squeezing in someone of the acts we really wanted to see on Friday into the Saturday lineup (Ashnikko and Skrillex, especially). 
 

Didn’t see any d*ck head behaviour at all this weekend, in the arena or the campsite, just a lot of miserable looking kids who looked as if they didn’t want to be there during a lot of sets, which was really weird. 
 

The campsite seemed to be more full than ever in the daytime with the arena seeming pretty quiet for a lot of the weekend until the early evening, more so than previous years. I think it’s just a festival full of kids who don’t really like music that much tbh. 
 

I don’t fancy camping again because I don’t think it’s worth it anymore; the after hours entertainment isn’t for me any more so there’s not much point in staying. We also got a lot of weird, bemused looks on Saturday when my group were in fancy dress walking through the campsites from really young kids. Like, cheer up 😂 it’s as if a lot of them don’t want to be seen having fun or can’t face other people being a bit silly. Really odd to me. It’s a festival, it’s meant to be dumb fun. 
 

Top acts of the weekend: 

 

1. Spiritbox - I’m not the world’s biggest fan but it was just really nice to hear that kind of music. Courtney was phenomenal and I can see them becoming a massive deal
 

2. Blink-182 - Excellent performance and setlist and I had a blast watching with all of my mates 

 

3. Bleachers - proper good festival set. Just feel good music. I think they’re a really great, traditionally R&L sort of band. 
 

4. Fred again.. - the one I was most looking forward to and didn’t disappoint. Some of the best dance music of the modern era imo. 
 

5. Skrillex - was over the moon when he was slotted in on Saturday after missing out Friday. Made a lot of my mate’s day who came for the Saturday when they were able to see him. 
 

Overall, a really good weekend but I don’t fancy camping anymore. I’d be really happy going for the day and to stay at my mate’s (he lives half an hour away). 
 

I think the following two will headline next year (not sure on the third): 

 

Foo Fighters 

 

Chase & Status 

Edited August 26 by Andre91

[Andre91]

Also, shout out Big Mouth Gyoza at Leeds Festival. Stunning food. So much so, I bought one pork gyoza rice box and went back and got another an hour later 😂

Edited August 26 by Andre91

[Andre91]

Four Loko being TEN POUNDS AND FIFTY PENCE a can was f**king unbelievable. I bought one to try it and that was it. Saw tonnes of people drinking it Saturday and Sunday so they’re just going to charge that again, aren’t they. 

[she bangs the drums]

12 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Overall I had a good weekend and had such a laugh with a lot of mates who haven’t been to Leeds in years and years. 
 

Chevron Stage is awesome and a proper, proper good addition. Good on the festival for squeezing in someone of the acts we really wanted to see on Friday into the Saturday lineup (Ashnikko and Skrillex, especially). 
 

Didn’t see any d*ck head behaviour at all this weekend, in the arena or the campsite, just a lot of miserable looking kids who looked as if they didn’t want to be there during a lot of sets, which was really weird. 
 

The campsite seemed to be more full than ever in the daytime with the arena seeming pretty quiet for a lot of the weekend until the early evening, more so than previous years. I think it’s just a festival full of kids who don’t really like music that much tbh. 
 

I don’t fancy camping again because I don’t think it’s worth it anymore; the after hours entertainment isn’t for me any more so there’s not much point in staying. We also got a lot of weird, bemused looks on Saturday when my group were in fancy dress walking through the campsites from really young kids. Like, cheer up 😂 it’s as if a lot of them don’t want to be seen having fun or can’t face other people being a bit silly. Really odd to me. It’s a festival, it’s meant to be dumb fun. 
 

Top acts of the weekend: 

 

1. Spiritbox - I’m not the world’s biggest fan but it was just really nice to hear that kind of music. Courtney was phenomenal and I can see them becoming a massive deal
 

2. Blink-182 - Excellent performance and setlist and I had a blast watching with all of my mates 

 

3. Bleachers - proper good festival set. Just feel good music. I think they’re a really great, traditionally R&L sort of band. 
 

4. Fred again.. - the one I was most looking forward to and didn’t disappoint. Some of the best dance music of the modern era imo. 
 

5. Skrillex - was over the moon when he was slotted in on Saturday after missing out Friday. Made a lot of my mate’s day who came for the Saturday when they were able to see him. 
 

Overall, a really good weekend but I don’t fancy camping anymore. I’d be really happy going for the day and to stay at my mate’s (he lives half an hour away). 
 

 

I think the following two will headline next year (not sure on the third): 

 

Foo Fighters 

 

Chase & Status 

I stayed on Quiet Camp (next to Green). Lots of room for camping, no queues for toilets and spotless. 

[Andre91]

4 minutes ago, she bangs the drums said:

I stayed on Quiet Camp (next to Green). Lots of room for camping, no queues for toilets and spotless. 

We were really close to Quiet in Green and I looked over and it looked lovely 😂

[she bangs the drums]

1 minute ago, Andre91 said:

We were really close to Quiet in Green and I looked over and it looked lovely 😂

Ha ha sorry! Though if you do reconsider on camping. I would definitely recommend this site. I agree about the late night areas. Unless you are into drum and bass or cheesy pop then you are stuck. And they have killed the Silent Disco too.

[andyrhodes24]

Ah yeah I also have a Foos/Melvin Benn 2025 update: Bumped into Benn again during Jorja Smith in Leeds. Said there wasn’t a lot they could do about the stages closures which is obviously understandable. No chance of fixing the damage the same weekend.

 

Also asked about 2025 and if they’ve booked next year’s headliners - “sort of” was his answer. He remembered our group from last year (he gave my mate free tickets as he wears a hat with all 24 of his Leeds weekend wristbands sewn on), he remembered that we asked for Foos last year and said unprompted 2025 will be 30 years since Foos first played Reading - “we’re working on it [Foos]” is what he said.

Edited August 26 by andyrhodes24

[Andre91]

4 minutes ago, she bangs the drums said:

Ha ha sorry! Though if you do reconsider on camping. I would definitely recommend this site. I agree about the late night areas. Unless you are into drum and bass or cheesy pop then you are stuck. And they have killed the Silent Disco too.

We tried the Silent Disco on Saturday and it was rubbish. £45 to get in (you get £20 deposit back), one channel and there was honestly about 200 people there at most. It was completely empty. 
 

Piccadilly was dead every night too with the crowd not even reaching the ice cream van! Back in the day, it used to go right up onto the hill. The funfair was super quiet and even the Relentless Stage (whatever it’s called now) looked half full at best each night. Where is everyone? That’s all I kept thinking. 

[Andre91]

6 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Ah yeah I also have a Foos/Melvin Benn 2025 update: Bumped into Benn again during Jorja Smith in Leeds. Said there wasn’t a lot they could do about the stages closures which is obviously understandable. No chance of fixing the damage the same weekend.

 

Also asked about 2025 and if they’ve booked next year’s headliners - “sort of” was his answer. He remembered our group from last year (he gave my mate free tickets as he wears a hat with all 24 of his Leeds weekend wristbands sewn on), he remembered that we asked for Foos last year and said unprompted 2026 will be 30 years since Foos first played Reading - “we’re working on it [Foos]” is what he said.

Foos for 2026 then… 

 

Green Day for 2025?

[andyrhodes24]

1 minute ago, Andre91 said:

Foos for 2026 then… 

 

Green Day for 2025?

My mistake, 2025 is 30 years, just checked the poster and updated my original post. I’m a broken man today 😂

[Andre91]

3 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

My mistake, 2025 is 30 years, just checked the poster and updated my original post. I’m a broken man today 😂

No worries 😂 I’m knackered today too. 

[andyrhodes24]

2 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

No worries 😂 I’m knackered today too. 

I went to bed fine last night having taken Sunday quite steady on the ale but I feel as rough as a badgers arse. My back and sunburnt legs are in absolute tatters 😂

[Suprefan]

46 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Four Loko being TEN POUNDS AND FIFTY PENCE a can was f**king unbelievable. I bought one to try it and that was it. Saw tonnes of people drinking it Saturday and Sunday so they’re just going to charge that again, aren’t they. 

if it was the original Four Loko formula it would get pulled due to the effects. But now the kids are just buying the brand and dont care what it tastes like cause its stronger.

[Andre91]

7 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

I went to bed fine last night having taken Sunday quite steady on the ale but I feel as rough as a badgers arse. My back and sunburnt legs are in absolute tatters 😂

We decided on Saturday that we were going to come home Sunday night, so we stayed sober yesterday and ate LOADS of food 😂 we left on the last done of Fred’s set. Got slightly delayed because my fiancée dropped her phone (luckily it’s been found now but that’s another story) so we got to the car at 11:40pm. We didn’t get home until just before 3:00am and we live 40 mins away. They closed the gate we were parked right next to so we ended up at the back of the bloody queue. I think a car had broken down and held everyone up on our row as we were stationary for an hour and 15 mins whilst AA vans were coming and going. We eventually squeezed into a different row and got out. 

[Andre91]

2 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

if it was the original Four Loko formula it would get pulled due to the effects. But now the kids are just buying the brand and dont care what it tastes like cause its stronger.

It wasn’t kids I saw drinking it at all. It was adults! Especially yesterday. I hardly saw any kids in the arena until much, much later on. Was a very adult-heavy crowd yesterday at Leeds. 

[charlierc]

25 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

My mistake, 2025 is 30 years, just checked the poster and updated my original post. I’m a broken man today 😂

Long weekend huh

[charlierc]

54 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Four Loko being TEN POUNDS AND FIFTY PENCE a can was f**king unbelievable. I bought one to try it and that was it. Saw tonnes of people drinking it Saturday and Sunday so they’re just going to charge that again, aren’t they. 

I thought it was just an American thing. Didn't realise we were now getting it.

 

Saying that gig pricing for drinks is insane. Over £4 for a Pepsi Max at London O2 when I saw there for The Killers the other week put me off procuring one.

Edited August 26 by charlierc

[Galactus]

Chevron Stage is a fantastic addition. Absolutely loved it. Obviously they will have to sort the noise carrying onto the main stage as it was very noticeable for a lot of sets , especially LDR .

Can’t wait to see who they get on there next year!