Behold! Your perfect Saturday at Reading, or Sunday at Leeds

Follow our itinerary, and live your very best life

Words: Fred Garratt-Stanley

ALMA

When? 12.45-1.15pm

Where? Main Stage

Why? Highly-anticipated debut album ‘Have You Seen Her?’ lurks around the corner, having been pushed back until September. A string of singles this year have solidified Alma’s firm grip on the niche market of melancholic post-party electro.

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Queen Zee

When? 1.05-1.35pm

Where? The Pit

Why? Queer punk band determined to “break the echo chamber” with their explosive live performances. According to frontman Zee, “If a football stadium can’t chant it and jump up and down to it, it’s probably not going to end up on the album”.

Danileigh

When? 2.20-2.50pm

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Where? BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage

Why? Pick up a beer and mosey over to the 1Xtra Stage for a short dose of Danileigh’s captivating sound. Her bass-driven, minimalist instrumental set-up is complimented by a melodious, sensual vocal sound which intertwines rapping and singing.

Slowthai

When? 2.40-3.15pm

Where? BBC Radio 1 Stage

Why? Skip off from Danileigh slightly early to catch one of the UK’s most exciting young rappers: slowthai. His debut album ‘Nothing Great About Britain’ offers a raw, satirical portrayal of working class disillusionment. Dark, fiery tracks like ‘Drug Dealer’ and classic ‘T N Biscuits’ translate into powerful, highly charged live moments which you won’t forget in a hurry.

AJ Tracey

When? 3.15-3.55pm

Where? Main Stage

Why? Chart hit ‘Ladbroke Grove’ demonstrates just a fraction of what east London rapper AJ Tracey is capable of. His evolution from the heated grime sets he emerged on, to the sun-drenched marimba grooves of ‘Butterflies’, to one of the biggest summer garage anthems in years highlights his versatility.

King Princess

When? 3.40-4.15pm

Where? BBC Radio 1 Stage

Why? American singer-songwriter King Princess’ ambient, mellow, uplifting sound will offer a breather after the performances of two of the country’s most electric young rappers. A tribute to 1952 Patricia Highsmith novel ‘The Price of Salt’ and to queer love, King Princess’ late-night heartbreak tale ‘1950’ went Platinum in Australia and Gold in the US and Canada.

Billie Eilish

When? 4.20-5.05pm

Where? Main Stage

Why? Hypnotic, hushed and intensely catchy, Billie Eilish’s ‘bad guy’ propelled her to international stardom. Tracks like ‘you should see me in a crown’ embody the precocious 17-year-old’s dark, quietly rebellious musical blueprint, and the success of debut album ‘When we fall asleep, where do we go?’ has earned a spot on the main stage.

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

When? 5.30-6.15pm

Where? Main Stage

Why? The breezy, soulful energy of immensely talented rapper, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Anderson .Paak represents the ultimate accompaniment to an evening of twinkling summer sun. Enjoy a lukewarm lager and a big boogie.

Sports Team

When? 6.20-6.50pm

Where? Festival Republic Stage

Why? Sports Team’s sunny, romanticized odes to ‘Margate’ and the ‘M5’ are quintessentially English, and absolutely perfect for a warm, boozy August Bank Holiday weekend.

Blossoms

When? 6.40-7.25pm

Where? Main Stage

Why? Extend the musical voyage down a sunny motorway initiated by Sports Team with a trip to the main stage, where Blossoms will bring their feelgood brand of summer synth-pop to the festival.

PVRIS

When? 7.05-7.45

Where? BBC Radio 1 Stage

Why? Fronted by American singer-songwriter and musician Lynn Gunn, PVRIS’ deeply ambient sound is muddied with distortion and punctuated by haunting vocals. A highly atmospheric soundtrack to Saturday’s sunset.

Stefflon Don

When? 8.10-8.50pm

Where? BBC Radio 1 Stage

Why? Shuffle forward for a taste of Birmingham-born Stefflon Don’s funky amalgamation of dancehall, reggae, pop and grime. One of the star-studded line-up responsible for national sensation ‘Boasty’, the rapper has won the hearts of a broad range of music fans over the last few years.

Peace

When? 8.55-9.30pm

Where? Festival Republic Stage

Why? Reading & Leeds veterans Peace have been shaping the UK’s indie scene since the arrival of the aptly named ‘Delicious’ EP in 2012. Soak in a stream of colourful, subtly psychedelic guitar funk.

Octavian

When? 9.15-9.55pm

Where? BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage

Why? A succession of incredibly catchy tunes which magically merge rap, trap, RnB and techno have earned Octavian a headline spot on the 1Xtra stage. Captivating and energetic, his live performances stretch his unique sound to a level even higher than that of hugely popular debut album ‘Endorphins’.

Post Malone

When? 10-11.15pm

Where? Main Stage

Why? Post Malone’s electro-pop-rap sound has enjoyed huge commercial success in the last couple of years, and his record for the most simultaneous Top 40 Hot 100 hits (14!) is undeniably impressive. He returns to Reading, where his famed ability to down Smirnoff Ices a lot less impressive than it is across the pond.

Mura Masa

When? 10.30-11.30pm

Where? BBC Radio 1 Stage

Why? The man behind a string of bangers including A$AP Rocky’s ‘Lovesick’, Octavian’s ‘Move Me’ and Slowthai’s ‘Doorman’, Mura Masa’s musical talent has transported him from the tiny island of Guernsey to renowned international status. You won’t want to miss this chance to flex your dancing muscles to one of the UK’s most prolific and versatile young producers.

Hot Dub Time Machine

When? 10.45pm-1.30am

Where? Alternative Stage

Why? You’d be mad to call it a night after live music on the Main Stage comes to an end – instead, get down to the Alternative Stage for the ‘World’s First Time Travelling DJ’, a huge party arriving at Reading fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe.

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