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Reading & Leeds Festival - New stages, exciting changes and first bands announced. Tickets on sale 9am Friday 30th November. 2012 prices and prizes until the end of December.

Reading & Leeds Festivals return on Friday 23rd August to Sunday 25th August 2013 at Richfield Avenue, Reading and Bramham Park, Leeds. The biggest dual-site festivals in Britain are set to be bigger and better than ever, with additional stages, an updated new look, and of course the all-important line-up. The festivals will remain the best choice for music lovers and in 2013 will boast more genres of music than ever before.

Festival boss Melvin Benn has been planning these exciting changes and additions to the festivals over the past year, refining and expanding their proposition for the fans:

“This is a dynamic time for the festivals. Not only do we have a fresh look for next year, but we are also adding to the fans’ experience of the festival with the introduction of more stages and genres of music, which also inevitably means an increase in the number of artists playing across the weekend.

“The addition of the hip-hop stage and the extension of the dance line-up to a three day stage - whilst not losing the essence of what Reading & Leeds Festivals are about across the existing Main, NME/Radio 1, Festival Republic and Lock Up Stages - are the things that really excite me. The Reading & Leeds festival goers listen to a diverse range of music and with the likes of BBC Radio 1 offering specialist shows focused on rock and dance and BBC Radio 1Xtra - now a station in its own right - this broad spectrum of musical genres reflects what the fans are into and what Reading & Leeds represents.

“I’m really thrilled about the additions we have planned and I’m committed to ensuring Reading & Leeds remain the highlight of the festival season for many years to come.”

Whet your appetite withthe first acts announced across the Main, NME/Radio 1, BBC Radio 1 Dance and all new BBC Radio 1Xtra stages, some exciting changes to the festival sites, plus ticket details and the limited period £50 deposit scheme.

The first names are confirmed across the festivals!

The first announcement from the2013 Main Stage line-up is iconic alternative rock band Deftoneswho will be celebrating their 25th birthday on the Reading & Leeds Main Stages. The band are legendary figures in west-coast rock ‘n’ roll and have sold over four million records worldwide. Today, they are cited as an inspiration by everyone from Muse to Biffy Clyro. The way their sound has evolved from 90’s metal to expansive noise rock has put them in a league of their own, but expect to hear plenty from their seven-album career including material from their critically acclaimed new record ‘Koi No Yokan’.

Deftones commented:

"We are thrilled to be returning to reading and Leeds. In previous years it’s always been a highlight for us and we are honoured to have been invited back."

Alt-Jwill take to the top of the bill in the NME/Radio 1Stage. 2012 has seen Alt-J go from virtual unknowns to the hottest new band in Britain. The boys have become a global phenomenon, playing sold-out shows in the US, and charting in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Alt-J’s astonishing year was topped off when their debut album ‘An Awesome Wave’ won the coveted 2012 Mercury Prize and reached gold status. Now they’re back on home soil for two of the biggest gigs of their lives as they headline the NME/Radio 1 Stage at Reading & Leeds.

The gig is especially exciting for Alt-J lead singer Joe, whose first festival was Leeds in 2002:

“It was great, although I wasn’t prepared at all. Took some Pot Noodles and about a tenner and that was it. I was struggling. The festival was amazing, though: Incubus, Hundred Reasons, The Hives, Foo Fighters, the Prodigy. I was having the time of my life.”

With the expansion of the Dance Stage into a standalone three-day tent keeping festival fans on their feet, Reading & Leeds are excited to announce Sub Focus as the first name for the all-newBBC Radio 1 Dance Stage. Drum 'n' Bass returns to Reading & Leeds! More than a decade after Roni Size headlined the first ever dance stage, Sub Focus is bringing the beat back, playing one of the first headline sets on the brand new three day BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage, and what a show it will be! His ground breaking live show is a true spectacle, incorporating some of the most developed technology used today, including epic visuals displayed on a bespoke circular LED video installation and hypnotic lighting sequences.Sub Focus started out in the club scene, playing alongside Drum 'n' Bass legends like Andy C, but in recent years he’s truly crossed over with his biggest hits to date, the stunning synth soundscape ‘Out The Blue’ and most recently the epic ‘Tidal Wave’ featuring vocals from Alpines. His eagerly anticipated sophomore album will be released Spring 2013. This headline performance will be one not to be missed!

Put simply, without Wiley, JME and Skepta, grime would not exist. For 15 years they have set the UK alight with their red hot tracks and genius flows - whether together as Boy Better Know or as solo MC’s. Now the three founding fathers of grime christen the new BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage with their first ever headline festival set.2012 has been a stellar year for the trio with Wiley scoring two UK Top Five singles, including his first Number One with the summer smash ‘Heatwave’, the more recent Number Three ‘Can You Hear Me (Ayayaya)’ which featured Skepta and JME releasing the club smash ‘96 F**kries’. Boy Better Know’s performance will give festival goers a taste of their infamously raucous Eskimo Dance raves and is guaranteed to be a highlight on this all-new stage.

With the first wave of artists revealed across the festival, Reading & Leeds Festival 2013 are already shaping up to be one amazing weekend, with much more still to come across the Main, NME/Radio 1, Festival Republic, Alternative, Lock Up, BBC Radio 1 Dance, BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Introducing Stages.

The festivals have always been synonymous with incredible headliners, but they are also an important platform for emerging and future stars. Many festival fans will recall The Arctic Monkeys playing their first gigs to packed crowds on a small stage back in 2006, Bombay Bicycle Club’s midday crowd surfing in 2008 or The xx’s stunning first appearance to a few hundred fans in 2009.

Since their inception, the festivals have played host to a number of now legendary performances including Nirvana’s appearance in 1992 and Them Crooked Vultures’ surprise set in 2009. Even as far back as 1972, The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood played a show with The Faces at Reading, his first ever festival appearance of any note. Proof, if needed, that the festivals really are the stuff of music legend.

A festival first: Reading & Leeds festivals introduce the UK’s first three day hip-hop and grime arena with the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage

In a major UK festival first, Reading & Leeds will each have a dedicated BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage delivering the best of hip-hop and grime from the UK and farther afield, which will run across all three festival days and showcase the cream of urban artists and music on offer. This is one of the most important additions that Reading & Leeds have witnessed for a long time and Festival Republic are thrilled to announceBoy Better Know featuring Wiley, Skepta and JMEas the first names onthis stage.

The festivals have always supported a wide range of upcoming and established urban music across rap, hip-hop and grime, having welcomed cutting-edge artists such as Azealia Banks, Odd Future and pioneers of grime Dizzee Rascal and Wiley over the past few years. During the last decade grime has crossed over from the backstreets of South and East London to huge stadium shows, with artists taking their music to a wider audience and playing to festival crowds at Reading & Leeds.

Melvin Benn explains the importance of this new stage:

“The addition of this stage is as exciting as anything we’ve ever done at Reading & Leeds. It is something that’s been developing in my head for some time and, after discussion, it has now become a reality as the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage. This stage will absolutely hit you straight between the eyes with the best of UK hip-hop and grime, with some US acts in the line-up too. I’m delighted to be working with BBC Radio 1Xtra on it and also with promoter We-Represent”.

We-Represent’s founder James Ponnusamy is delighted to be collaborating with Melvin Benn on Reading & Leeds Festivals, adding:

“We are excited to be bringing a brand new edge to Reading & Leeds by showcasing the best of 2013’s hip-hop, grime and dance acts.”

The announcement of this stage is an even greater chance to support the continuing boom in the UK grime scene, as well as offering fans a chance to see some of their favourite hip-hop acts taking the world by storm. Festivals are about once-in-a-lifetime moments and for many fans, this stage will provide the first opportunity to see live performances from artists they’ve been listening to for years, as well as showcasing upcoming talent.

The Dance Stage grows into a three day extravaganza and becomes the
BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage

2012 has been a huge year for dance music, with big-name DJs and underground producers dominating the musical landscape. To do justice to the amount of great dance acts commanding arenaswith their unforgettable live performances, Festival Republic are excited to announce Sub Focus as the first headliner on the BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage. In 2013 this stage will be expanding from a one day event to a dedicated stage across all three days of the festivals with two more headliners and a whole host of other artists yet to come.

The dance offering at Reading & Leeds has always been popular with fans taking time away from all the rock ‘n’ roll and indie and really letting go. Over the years Reading & Leeds’ Dance Stage has witnessed performances from the likes of Katy B, Deadmau5 and Chase & Status, who have all had the tent packed to the rafters. These acts and others, including Simian Mobile Disco and Magnetic Man, have all pulled in huge crowds at the festivals, showing how relevant the scene is to Reading & Leeds fans.

The festival goers’ thirst for high quality dance acts will be further quenched in 2013 with the expanded stage, meaning even more well-known artists and rising talent from the dance world will get to play under this canvas.

Jason Carter, Head of Live Music & Events, Popular Music at the BBC states:

“Reading & Leeds Festival is an absolute must for BBC Radio 1 with its great music line-up and the thousands of young people who attend across both sites. We are delighted to be extending our partnership in 2013 with the exciting addition of the BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Radio 1 Dance Stages, which will make for an even stronger Bank Holiday weekend packed full of live music across Radio 1 & 1Xtra.”

Redesigned Reading & Leeds: Improved layout and more bands than ever

With a rich history spanning over four decades, Reading Festival and its younger sister event Leeds Festival remain the pinnacle of the festival calendar. Whilst Festival Republic is immensely proud of this heritage, this year sees a number of improvements in order to ensure that Reading & Leeds retain their position at the forefront of UK festivals.

With even more stages on offer, the line-up in 2013 is expected to increase by at least 25% in comparison to previous years, giving festival goers even more music for their money. With the first names just announced, fans now have a taste of what’s to come but there will be much, much more to follow.

In addition to the bigger line-up, both Reading & Leeds will benefit from changes to the existing festival layout. At Reading the arena will be expanded by approximately a quarter and a second arena entrance will be created to ensure easier access for festival goers. At Leeds the site will be altered slightly so that fans will be able to explore the woods for late night entertainment, with details yet to be announced, so stay tuned for further updates. And finally at both sites, new seating areas will allow festival goers to take time out to eat in between catching their favourite bands.

As well as these developments to the events, the new look artwork unveiled on the Main Stages in 2012 will be rolled out across the whole of the festivals, so Reading & Leeds ticket holders can expect an even brighter weekend.

Feeling Festive? Grab your tickets in December at 2012 prices for a chance to win big

Weekend tickets, early entry permits, campervan permits and lockers all go on sale at 9am on Friday 30th November and will be available from Reading Festival , Leeds Festival and See tickets please click here for Reading tickets and here for Leeds tickets. For a full list of authorised ticket outlets please visit the official festival websites.

For the December presale only, 2013 tickets are frozen at 2012 prices, plus applicable booking fees:

Weekend tickets £197.50
Early entry permits £15.00
Campervan permits £60.00
Lockers £15.00

Fans thinking of getting a ticket for 2013 should move fast. By snapping up tickets now, festival goers can guarantee their place at the festival and get involved in the countdown to the August bank holiday weekend 2013. Buying a full price ticket at the current 2012 price means ticket holders will be eligible for entry into a mega prize draw to reward loyal fans. Buy full-price tickets now for your chance to win across both festivals:

2 x VIP packages, which include the chance to watch a band from the side of the Main Stage and five cases of Tuborg.
4 x Backstage tours, plus a Spotify premium account for three months and a Reading & Leeds T-Shirt.
10 x Backstage tours.
20 x Reading & Leeds merchandise bundles.

Don’t have all the money right now? Secure your ticket for just £50.

Guaranteeing a place at the music event of the summer can now be done without breaking the bank before the Christmas shopping is finished. Festival Republic have introduced a new deposit scheme especially for the 2013 presale, meaning fans only have to pay a one-off amount of £50 before 31st December 2012 in order to secure a weekend ticket at 2012 prices. The remainder of the balance, plus applicable booking fees, is payable in one sum by March 31st 2013.

For full ticket terms and conditions please visit the official festival websites.

For the latest line-up announcements, festival news and to buy tickets, please visit ,

Vodafone is proud to be the Official Communications Partner of Reading & Leeds. To say thank you, Vodafone VIP is giving all its UK customers unrivalled access to some of Britain’s best summer festivals, along with other great events. Register at vodafone.co.uk/vip for your chance to win festival tickets, unique ‘money can’t buy’ experiences and more.

Vodafone customers can ensure their mobile phone is charged throughout the festival weekend by leaving it at the Vodafone VIP Recharge Truck. Customers can also enjoy an unrivalled view of all the performances on the main stage by visiting the Vodafone VIP viewing platform.

Visit vodafone.co.uk/vip for more information and to join in now.

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