Sugarhill Gang, Badly Drawn Boy, Kosheen for Readipop 2020

<s>Readipop Festival</s> - .. 2020 - Badly Drawn Boy — Photo credit: Trevor Eales

Readipop Festival - POSTPONED 2020

Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July 2020
Christchurch Meadows, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 8BY, England MAP
currently £45 for the weekend

Daily capacity: 4,500

The first eighteen acts have been revealed for Readipop Festival, which is held at Christchurch Meadows, Caversham, in Reading from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July 2020.

Heading the names are hip hop legends The Sugarhill Gang and Melle Mel & Scorpio (Furious Five), Mercury Prize winner Badly Drawn Boy, and Bristol's Kosheen. Joining them are both new and established artists, with hotly tipped indie-folksters Flyte, Romeo & Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers), BBC 6Music playlisters Sink Ya Teeth, Nigel Clarke (Dodgy), and Jay-Z sampled funk and soul ensemble Hannah Williams & The Affirmations, Imperial Wax (The Fall), Brother Zulu, Beatroots, and The Small Strings.

Supporting local talent is a key goal of Readipop Festival and Readipop's charity work. The festival sees exclusive shows from Reading reggae collective blah The Drop, and rare-groovers The Fever 45s, plus a special showcase of Readipop's D&D artists (Discovery and Development) on Saturday 11th July. The showcase will be hosted by aspiring local musicians on the Readipop AAA programme and include performances from Ameli, Amya-Ray, Ray Wills, and Searchlight Sun. Also, BBC Introducing in Berkshire will be hosting a takeover on Sunday 12th July and selecting the opening acts on the mainstage on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th July.

Readipop Festival director Gavin Lombos says "It's our fifth birthday this year so we're really pulling out the stops! Last year was our best yet with a fantastic all-ages crowd enjoying great music in the sunshine. We're thrilled to have the ultimate party starters Sugarhill Gang & Furious 5 headlining our opening night, they are so much fun live with "Rappers Delight", "Apache", "The Message" and "White Lines" sure to get Christchurch Meadows dancing! Badly Drawn Boy has just released his first single in seven years and it sounds great, we can't wait hear him play new material alongside classics from the "About A Boy" soundtrack and his Mercury Music Prize winning album "The Hour Of Bewilderbeat". We have loads of superb new and current acts playing this year too. Flyte, Sink Ya Teeth and Brother Zulu are really exciting bands who are destined for big things and we still have plenty more acts to announce, old and new, local and international. Also this year for the first time we're hosting "In Conversation" sessions where established musicians including Stephen Morris (New Order/Joy Division) will be discussing their careers and giving tips for aspiring musicians. Best of all, every ticket purchased for Readipop Festival 2020 helps us raise money for our projects in the local community"

In addition to the music, attendees can also enjoy local real ales and craft beer, delicious street food, a record store and a Reading Etsy team market full of festival friendly arts, crafts and clothes stalls.Kids are also welcomed with free tickets for under 14s (when accompanied by adults) and there’s a great family area with storytellers, arts & crafts, dance and music workshops.

Tickets are on sale, currently priced at £30 for the weekend.

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