Best Reading And Leeds Festival Performances: 30 Legendary Highlights

30: The Darkness (2004)

Bringing lashings of stadium rock to a rain-soaked army of festival-goers, The Darkness truly proved themselves Reading Main Stage headliners in 2004 with typically OTT displays of showmanship. Since their debut studio album, Permission To Land, had sold by the bucketload, the group unleashed a torrent of the best Darkness songs – among them Growing on Me, Love Is Only A Feeling and I Believe In A Thing Called Love – in hair-raisingly entertaining fashion, closing things off with a massive firework display. “The Darkness have pulled out all of the stops,” festival organiser Melvin Benn told NME of what’s easily one of the best Reading Festival performances of all time. “They must have spent every bit of their fee on making this show the best show in the world. I love it – it’s fantastic really.”

29: Suede (1997)

With Britpop’s glory days fading fast, 1997 was a strange time for British music. However, with their boundless energy and unwavering determination, Suede’s headline performance on the Main Stage at Reading and Leeds Festival in 1997 not only proved that British music was alive and well, but also that Brett Anderson and his bandmates were one of the most exceptional live acts of the decade. Delivering a career-spanning performance with an unstoppable fervour, the group reminded everyone that the euphoric and celebratory essence of Britpop should never be taken for granted.

28: Panic! At The Disco (2006)

The crowd at Reading 2006 seemed to be in a very belligerent mood, with many bands being given a hard time for no apparent reason whatsoever. It’s therefore nothing short of miraculous that Panic! At The Disco managed to pull off a fantastic show on the Main Stage as they ran through numerous hits from their debut studio album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. Despite treating their truculent audience to a surprise cover of Radiohead’s Karma Police as well as pop-punk favourites such as I Write Sins Not Tragedies and Build God, Then We’ll Talk, the group had to cut their set short when frontman Brendan Urie passed out after being hit by a bottle. Up until that point, however, the band seemed to be enjoying themselves despite the hostilities, with the unfortunate fracas overshadowing what was undoubtedly one of the best Reading and Leeds performances of the past 20 years.

27: Fall Out Boy (2013)

Re-emerging after a four-year hiatus, Fall Out Boy made a triumphant return to the UK in 2013 and turned in one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of all time. Delivering an electrifying set on the Main Stage, the pop-punk favourites launched into tracks from their fifth album, Save Rock And Roll, before unleashing a storm of emo-laced energy in the shape of This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race; Sugar, We’re Goin Down; and Saturday, the latter a fan favourite from their debut album, Take This To Your Grave. However, it was their career-defining hit Dance, Dance that really got the crowd going, prompting an immense singalong from the enthralled festival gathering.

26: Eminem (2001)

Though many at the time questioned whether hip-hop artists had what it took to headline Reading and Leeds Festival, Eminem’s show-stealing performance in 2000 proved all the disbelievers wrong. The rapper was on ferocious form throughout, running through career-making hits such as The Real Slim Shady and The Way I Am, all but challenging the 55,000-strong crowd to keep up with his breakneck flow. By leading the way for other hip-hop acts who have since gone on to take to the mic at the festival, Eminem effectively set the bar for the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of the future.

25: Deftones (1998)

Brandishing a lean ten-song set of fiery nu-metal bangers, Deftones played the Main Stage of Reading and Leeds Festival in 1998 and successfully got the mosh pits all charged up with near-riotous fervour. With barking vocals and growling bass, bandmates Chino Moreno and Chi Cheng thundered through the ground so loudly they could shift tectonic plates. As Deftones unleashed noisy renditions of My Own Summer (Shove It) and Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away), it was clear to all those present that the group had delivered one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of the 90s.

24: The Libertines (2010)

Finally deciding to make amends after a six-year absence, Pete Doherty and Carl Barât announced in the NME that The Libertines would be reuniting for a “one-off” performance at Reading and Leeds Festival in 2010. They did not disappoint. Rising to the challenge as if they had unfinished business, both Doherty and Barât were on riotously ramshackle form throughout, reminding their fans just how much they had been missed. Having comfortably delivered one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances in recent memory, The Libertines would go on to make their reformation permanent in 2014. This moment of pure triumph showed everyone that they could pick up exactly where they left off.

23: Paramore (2014)

After being second on the bill in both 2010 and 2012, Paramore took the top spot for the 2014 Reading and Leeds Festivals, sharing the Friday-night headline slot with Queens Of The Stone Age. Though a power outage threatened to derail their Reading show, Hayley Williams and co were unfazed, delivering an acoustic rendition of The Only Exception with a resolve that cemented that night’s set among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of all time. When the sound system came back on, Paramore picked up from where they left off, inviting an excited fan in a dinosaur onesie onstage during the Riot! album highlight Misery Business before closing their set with Ain’t It Fun.

22: Kendrick Lamar (2018)

Kendrick Lamar was in fine form during his 2018 headline sets at Reading and Leeds Festivals. One of the first new hip-hop artists to top the bill, “Kung-Fu Kenny” stormed the stage, opening his flawless DAMN.-era set with DNA. and closing it with HUMBLE., then dropping Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe as an encore. Over the years, the Reading and Leeds Festivals have increasingly seen hip-hop and grime artists come to the fore, expanding the weekend’s appeal beyond its core rock and metal audience.

21: The Cure (2012)

The Cure’s triumphant return to Reading and Leeds in 2012, following a 33-year absence, was nothing short of spectacular. Treating fans to an epic two-and-a-half-hour set, Robert Smith and his bandmates played a whopping 31 songs and had the entire festival crowd losing their minds to early post-punk curios such as The Caterpillar and shimmering jangle-pop hits Friday I’m In Love and Just Like Heaven. As the final notes of their 1979 classic Boys Don’t Cry rang out across the festival grounds, it was clear The Cure had delivered a masterclass among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances, taking fans on a journey through decades of seminal alternative rock.

20: Foals (2016)

When indie-rock band Foals were announced as co-headliners with dance act Disclosure for the 2016 Reading and Leeds Festival, there was some Twitter chatter as to whether this was a risky move by the organisers. As it turned out, Yannis Philippakis and his bandmates more than proved they were worthy of a place on the bill, delivering a passionate and fiery setlist of danceable alt-rock which, thanks to flamethrower displays and Philippakis’ impromptu stage dive, caused fans to get hot under the collar. As a further riposte to the sceptics, they even finished the show by inviting the Disclosure DJs onstage to perform Two Steps, Twice with them. Surefire evidence that you should never pay attention to what people say on Twitter, Foals gave the doubters a sonic shadow ban they’ll never forget.

19: Oasis (2000)

For one their final truly outstanding shows, Oasis kept the Britpop flame alight throughout their Main Stage performance at Reading Festival in 2000. Just six months after the release of the group’s fourth studio album, Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, the audience clamoured for classic hits such as Live Forever and Wonderwall, and the Gallagher brothers answered with an extraordinary and grandiose setlist, singer Liam Gallagher evoking the same no-nonsense attitude of Oasis’ early days. A pivotal moment in their history, this is a monumental standout among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances.

18: Queens Of The Stone Age (2005)

Promising to deliver lullabies to paralyse, as per the title of their fourth album, Queens Of The Stone Age’s 2005 performance at Reading Festival was an electrifying spectacle that showcased the band’s raw power and unhinged energy. From the moment they stepped on to the Main Stage, the group captivated the crowd with their blistering “robot rock” riffs, thunderous drums and Josh Homme’s commanding stage presence. A perfect mix of their hard-hitting classics, from Go With The Flow to Little Sister, the band’s set kept the crowd moshing boisterously throughout. Homme’s tight-knit chemistry with his bandmates was palpable, too, and this standout among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances almost single-handedly guaranteed Queens Of The Stone Age’s place as one of the most powerful and dynamic rock acts of their era.

17: Biffy Clyro (2013)

Bringing Reading and Leeds Festivals to a close is no easy task, yet Biffy Clyro went above and beyond in 2013, delivering the weekend’s clear highlight. There were pyrotechnics aplenty throughout the Scottish trio’s set, with frontman Simon Neil even setting his Stratocaster alight during the group’s performance of The Captain. After an unforgettable 90 minutes, Biffy Clyro ensured that night’s place among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances by ending with an emotional performance of Mountains.

16: The Strokes (2002)

Having been tipped by NME as “the next big thing” just a year earlier, The Strokes capped their meteoric rise by playing on the Reading and Leeds Festival’s Main Stage in 2002, with singer Julian Casablancas giving it his all, despite having recently injured his knee in a car accident. Seizing the moment, the New York City firebrands whipped up a garage-rock frenzy as they played every single track from their debut studio album, Is This It, while piloting a handful of new songs which would later be released on their follow-up LP, Room On Fire. After the crowd sang Happy Birthday to Casablancas, The Strokes invited Jack White onstage for a rambunctious finale of New York City Cops, making for a zeitgeist-capturing moment among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances.

15: Faith No More (2009)

Finally reuniting after an 11-year hiatus, Faith No More delivered one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of 2009. Shifting from melodic crooning to aggressive screams, Mike Patton seemed not to have aged a day since the group’s decision to take a break, sweeping longtime fans and newcomers alike into his group’s alt-metal sound. Giving everyone a potent reminder of their influential blend of rap and funk-metal, the band breezed through breakout hits such as From Out Of Nowhere and Epic, plus the Angel Dust classic Midlife Crisis, to entrench their pioneering legacy. Fully deserving their victory lap, Faith No More proved they’d lost none of their edge during their time apart.

14: LCD Soundsystem (2010)

A year before they announced their hiatus, LCD Soundsystem performed at Reading Festival on the NME/Radio 1 stage in 2010, delivering a barnstorming performance of pogo-worthy dance-punk and euphoric electro-rock. “I’m an asshole, but not the kind of asshole who says, ‘You’re the greatest crowd,’ every time he plays,” frontman James Murphy told the crowd. “But so far you’re the best crowd we’ve had at Reading!” Running through a setlist containing many of the best LCD Soundsystem songs, among them the acerbic Daft Punk Is Playing at My House and the heartfelt All My Friends, the incendiary New York City group were at the peak of their imperial phase and brought energy in abundance to this highlight among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances.

13: Metallica (1997)

Though Metallica weren’t at their creative peak in the late 90s, the four horsemen delivered a Reading set that remains unbeaten for energy and ferocity. After casually strolling onstage to jam No Remorse, the group launched into So What?, a classic punk anthem from UK hardcore outfit Anti-Nowhere League; relying on signature riffs alone – no fireworks or high-concept staging – they got heads banging and pits moshing for the rest of the night. Claiming Reading and Leeds Festivals for their own, Metallica would be back in 2003, 2008 and 2015.

12: Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)

Taking the Main Stage headliner spot in 1999 was a big moment for Red Hot Chili Peppers, as it marked the long-awaited return of guitarist John Frusciante to the group. Unsurprisingly, Frusciante injected some Blood Sugar Sex Magik energy back into the band’s sound, as the Chili Peppers revisited 90s classics such as Give It Away, Under The Bridge and Suck My Kiss. Tearing through a mix of old favourites and new material from their seventh studio album, Californication, the group elicited an electrifying response from the crowd, which hung upon every gesture from frontman Anthony Kiedis, who prowled the stage with vigour. With Frusciante’s spidery guitar work melding seamlessly with Flea’s funk-infused basslines, Red Hot Chili Peppers cemented their status as one of the greatest bands of the 90s.

11: Foo Fighters (2005)

The same year that Foo Fighters headlined Reading, frontman Dave Grohl officially declared it the greatest festival of all time, stating, “I fucking love Reading so much… I’ve been to so many festivals, but this is the only one I love – the others suck.” Treating fans to a hard-hitting set list including songs such as Times Like These, All My Life and Monkey Wrench, Foo Fighters easily delivered one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of all time. To mark the occasion, Grohl even got behind the drum kit, changing places with the late Taylor Hawkins for Cold Day In The Sun. The last time Grohl played drums at Reading was as part of Nirvana, during his other legendary group’s 1992 performance.

10: My Chemical Romance (2011)

For their only UK festival appearance of the year, My Chemical Romance topped the Reading and Leeds bill in 2011. From laser displays and fireworks to an epic guest appearance from Queen’s Brian May on a cover of We Will Rock You, the group pulled out all the stops to ensure an unforgettable show stuffed with many of the best My Chemical Romance songs. As the band ran through fiery blasts of pop-punk such as I’m Not Okay (I Promise) and Famous Last Words, singer Gerard Way fought against being drowned out by the voices screaming his lyrics back at him. Undoubtedly one of their finest moments as a live act, MCR’s entry among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances elevated them from emo cult heroes to genuine rock’n’roll legends.

9: Arctic Monkeys (2005)

Arctic Monkeys’ first-ever appearance at Reading and Leeds Festival was a cultural milestone for NME’s then editor, Conor McNicholas, who squeezed into an overflowing Carling Tent to see scores of young fans singing along to every word of songs that had yet to be officially released. “We’d done virtually nothing,” McNicholas later said, surprised at how much momentum the band had built without any endorsement from his magazine, “and there was this instant fanbase.” Despite being low down on the bill, Arctic Monkeys were clearly on the cusp of greatness, making their appearance one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of all time.

8: Blur (1999)

Ranging far beyond their breakthrough Britpop material, Blur were at their most daring and experimental when they headlined the 1999 Reading and Leeds Festival. With fans still adjusting to such 13 album highlights as the seven-minute gospel singalong of Tender, the fuzzed-out Bugman and the mind-blowing freakout of Trimm Trabb, the group covered all the bases, even throwing in the Beatles-esque balladry of End Of A Century and the achingly maudlin No Distance Left To Run. Treating crowds to not one but two encores, during which they blazed through the lightly psychedelicised Beetlebum, the mockney knees-up of Parklife and the scuzzy punk of Song 2, Blur ensured fans would remember their gloriously hypomanic set as one of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of all time.

7: The White Stripes (2004)

Headlining the Main Stage on Saturday night in 2004, The White Stripes asserted themselves as one of the greatest bands to emerge from the garage-rock revival of the early 2000s. Not only did guitarist Jack White and drummer Meg White pepper their set with covers of Dolly Parton’s Jolene and Son House’s Death Letter, but the runaway success of their fourth studio album, Elephant, meant that stomping through Black Math and The Hardest Button To Button seemed like a walk in the park for the formidable duo. Before finishing things off with the festival-wide war cry of Seven Nation Army, Jack White revealed one of the biggest surprises of the night, launching into an earth-shaking cover of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Maps. In affectionately paying tribute to their garage-rock contemporaries, The White Stripes proved why they belonged at the top of the mountain.

3: Rage Against The Machine (2000)

Though low on the bill for 2000’s Reading and Leeds Festivals, Rage Against The Machine pulled one of the largest crowds of the weekend as they effortlessly ran through their assortment of politically charged nu-metal hits. The band returned as headliners in 2008, dressed this time as Guantanamo Bay detainees as they delivered another unmissable show, their message and repertoire having lost none of its power in the intervening years.

5: Green Day (2004)

Nobody could touch Green Day in 2004. Just weeks before the release of their landmark American Idiot album, and on the verge of ascending from famed punk trio to ultimate stadium-fillers, the Bay Area icons headlined one of the biggest stages in the UK. Opening their set with American Idiot’s title track, Billie Joe Armstrong and co let fans know what to expect from Green Day’s forthcoming album, while the remainder of the performance cycled through many of the best Green Day songs – Basket Case and When I Come Around among them – and even made space for covers of Ramones (Blitzkrieg Bop), Buzzcocks (Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)) and Queen (We Are The Champions).

4: Muse (2006)

Despite having just released their fourth album, Black Holes And Revelations, Matt Bellamy refused to believe that Muse had truly “made it” until they headlined Reading and Leeds Festival. For just that occasion, in 2006, the band put on a live extravaganza that will be talked about for years to come, running through newer hits such as Supermassive Black Hole and Starlight, as well as crowd-pleasers including Hysteria and Feeling Good. Not only proving they were worthy headliners, but also that they deserved to be considered one of the best live bands of their generation, Muse’s rousing and bombastic performance was so otherworldly you’d half expect a flying saucer to come down and beam them off the stage.

3: Radiohead (1994)

Having had to cancel their planned 1993 Reading Festival slot after frontman Thom Yorke contracted laryngitis, Radiohead made up for lost time with a set that opened with a surprise cover of Tim Buckley’s Sing A Song For You – from the cult singer-songwriter’s Happy Sad album – before running through early Radiohead hits such as Creep, My Iron Lung and Anyone Can Play Guitar. The group would make their first Reading and Leeds Festival headline performances 15 years later, in 2009, alongside Arctic Monkeys and Kings Of Leon.

2: Linkin Park (2003)

With their amalgamation of rap and metal, Linkin Park were seemingly tailor-made for the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Claiming a headline slot for their first ever UK festival appearance, the group’s 2003 booking followed the release of their second album, Meteora, and it remains legendary among the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances. Despite only having two albums under their belt at this point, Chester Bennington and co proved that the best Linkin Park songs – Papercut, Faint, Numb and One Step Closer among them – had already become anthems.

1: Nirvana (1992)

One of Nirvana’s biggest, most famous shows is also notable for being their final UK performance. A year after the release of Nevermind, Nirvana were arguably the most talked-about band in the world, and their Reading performance has assumed legendary status in both the band and the festival’s history. Never shy of undercutting the moment, Kurt Cobain took to the stage in a wheelchair and wig, meekly singing the opening lines of Bette Midler’s The Rose before quickly collapsing to the ground. From then on, however, Nirvana’s set was no joke, with spine-tingling performances of Come As You Are, Lithium, Breed and Smells Like Teen Spirit ensuring its place at the top of our list of the best Reading and Leeds Festival performance. Over three decades later, it seems impossible to beat.

Looking for more? Find out the best Reading and Leeds Festival performances of all time.

Original article: 27 August 2022

Updated: 25 August 2023. 21 August 2024. Extra words: Luke Edwards