This long-lived festival fave, which takes place in both Reading and Leeds over the August bank holiday, remains one of the most popular and music-focused rock festivals in the country. Lacking any of the more cutesy elements of modern fests (gourmet cuisine, immersive theatre experiences etc), rawk is always the order of the day – though the festival's dance tents have blossomed in recent years.
Line-up-wise, Red Hot Chili Peppers headline for the thousandth time and Foals and Disclosure (sharing the top slot) for the first, with more big sets from Two Door Cinema Club, The 1975, Fetty Wap and Imagine Dragons. Everyone should experience Reading at some point, but if it’s your first time then remember: it’s is a post-GCSE ritual for thousands of teens from across the south of England, and things can get pretty hectic on the last night. Think cage fighting, throwing aerosols on bonfires and banging on oil drums with sticks.