Reading and Leeds festivals to add dance music stages in 2013

Reading and Leeds festivals, the summer meccas for young alternative music fans, are to introduce more dance music in 2013.

Reading Festival is the oldest popular music festival to stand then test of time and where rock, punk, indie, and metal music has generally prevailed.  Since its beginning in 1961, the festival has introduced clashing genres to its steady line-up of rock bands.  The 70s saw the addition of punk bands like The Jam and The Ramones and the 90s brought rappers like Eminem and Cypress Hill to the main stage.

The events organisers have revealed plans to add up to three new stages to continue their tradition of diverse genre selection next year.  This will be an increase from six to eight or nine stages at Reading’s Richfield Avenue site and Leed’s Bramham Park site.  However, it has been assured that this will not mean an increase in the crowd capacity.

Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn told BBC Newsbeat: “We’re changing the arena at Reading and Leeds quite significantly.  I’ve got quite a strong buzz and feeling in myself in the changes that I’m making there.  I’m still formulating the ideas.  There will [be] quite a bit more dance music, quite a bit more other pieces.”

Benn also revealed that he would probably announce one of the headliners before tickets first come out on sale ahead of Christmas.

This year, fans enjoyed rock headliners Kasabian, Foo Fighters, and The Cure, but the extension could see popular dance and electronic artists filling those slots.  Do you want to see more dance music at Reading and Leeds or should they scrap their plans and leave it Creamfields, Global Gathering and other dance festivals? Let us know what you think.

By Anastasia Norman

Picture Credit to deargdoom57′s photostream