Preview: Reading And Leeds Festival 2016

Reading and Leeds Festival is now only TWO WEEKS away!

The bank-holiday is fast approaching and with Reading already selling out of weekend tickets, you’d better move fast if you want to head to the Northern date of the festival. Here at Backseat Mafia, we’ve picked out our 10 artists you should check out if you’re attending the festival this year. And with an ever-diverse line up, R&L never fails to produce an impressive bill of acts covering all genres.

Friday Leeds/ Sunday Reading:

1) Five Finger Death Punch

On the main stage at Reading and Leeds for the first time, Las Vegas’ Five Finger Death Punch are seasoned festival performers. FFDP have hits for days so expect huge tracks like Under And Over It and Jekyll And Hyde to get the crowd hyped. The band also headlined Wembley Arena last November so are no strangers to a large stage, get ready for constant mosh pits and wall of deaths.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Lift Me Up.

2) The 1975

The 1975 recently announced arena dates for the end of this year after an incredible year playing Glastonbury and releasing their second album I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful, Yet So Unaware Of It. Having done their time in the music scene, from playing the tiniest venues in the country, we cannot wait to see them tear apart as headliners of the second stage at R&L.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: The Sound

3) Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte are celebrating their return to music with a new album and a headline spot on the Lock Up stage at R&L this year. With the Madden brothers taking a break from GC to judge on the Voice in Australia, they’re now back, bigger and better than ever. Look out for classic tracks from their debut The Young And The Hopeless to take you back to your childhood.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: The River

4) Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro headlined the festival spectacularly in 2013, but after a short break from the scene they’re now back in business with an incredible new album, Ellipsis. New tracks like Wolves of Winter and Howl are true Biffy classics and will have no problem fitting into their “all killer no filler” setlist. Mon The Biff!

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Many Of Horror.

5) Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy were everyone’s favourite band when they were 13 and here at BM we’re so excited for their co-headline set with Biffy. New tracks like Uma Thurman and Irresistible will go hand in hand with fellow FOB favourites like This Aint A Scene and Thnks Fr Th Mmrs. Because it’s one of the biggest shows the band has ever played, we’re hoping for some special/rarely played tracks to be dropped into the set.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Hum Hallelujah

Saturday Leeds/Friday Reading

6) Twenty One Pilots

TOP just headlined two nights at Madison Square Garden in New York and R&L is their only British date of the summer, so you’d better head to the festival if you want to catch them around these shores this year. Huge radio hit Stressed Out will be a crowd favourite, look out for new track Heathens which just appeared on the new Suicide Squad soundtrack!

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Heavydirtysoul

7) Creeper

Branded as “South Coast Misery”, Creeper have exploded onto the scene in the past 12 months and are only set to get even bigger. If you’ve been lucky enough to catch them at a gig already, you’ll see why they deserve all the hype surrounding them. Frontman Will Ghould is captivating and will have the R&L crowd in the palm of his hand. Look out for huge singalongs to Black Mass and Misery.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Misery

8) Russell Howard

The great thing about R&L is that there are so many artists to watch over the weekend, and if you fancy a break from the music then a trip to The Alternative Stage is a must. Russell Howard is one of Britain’s best loved comics and is touring arenas in 2017, R&L is giving you the chance to see him in a tent.. that’s right, a tent. Big belly laughs are to be expected.

Sunday Leeds/Saturday Reading

9) Skindred

Having played main stage in 2013, Skindred are back at R&L for 2016. Watch out for frontman Benji Webbe’s rapport with the crowd and the infamous Newport Helicopter (warning, take an extra item of clothing to wave around). It doesn’t matter if you’ve never seen or heard of Skindred before, you will leave a fan after watching their live show.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Warning

10) Parkway Drive

Aussie rockers Parkway Drive are R&L virgins, they’ve been touring all over the world this year so expect a huge show from these guys. Having played main stage at Download in 2015, they know how to command a big crowd, happily encouraging mass crowd surfing. If big, heavy metal is your thing, then please do not miss this band.

SONG WE’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING: Vice Grip

Check out the insanely good full line-up below!