Reading & Leeds 2015 New acts making their mark on Reading & Leeds

It’s not all about the big names in 2015. Featuring Spring King, Rat Boy and Ho99o9, we round up the fresh faces ready to take on R&L.

Words: Jamie Milton
26th August 2015

Reading & Leeds has a rep for punters getting a bit ‘carried away’, but never see that as a negative: You’d be hard pressed to find a festival crowd more willing to lose their shit over anything. New bands still queue up to get their breakthrough moment here, and that’s continuing into 2015, where you can pin-point a handful of acts who have every chance of turning a corner on these muddy fields.

This year’s Reading & Leeds is packed full of potentially unforgettable highs. Drenge, FIDLAR and Marmozets’ upgrade to the main stage means business. Kendrick Lamar, second from top on the closing night, has every chance of stealing the show. Banjos long gone, Mumford & Sons face a make or break moment too. And if you fancy a laugh on Saturday morning, bring an unsuspecting mate to see Babymetal without telling them what to expect.

But don’t rule out the new names. Below, we round up acts capable of stealing the agenda from under the headliners’ feet.

Spring King

They’re Zane Lowe’s favourites for a reason. Spring King have bit-by-bit cemented their reputation as the garage punk force to rule all others. From do-it-yourself roots (recording in a toilet, of all places) to getting the game-changing first ever Beats 1 play, Tarek Musa and co. are a group who’ve earned their recent good fortune. If they bring out the increasingly famous ‘Saxophone Dad’, this’ll be a party.

On stage: Festival Republic - Friday 28th August, 15.05 (Leeds) / Sunday 30th August, 14.55 (Reading)

Ho99o9

Few things strike the senses like Ho99o9, New Jersey-bred punks incapable of standing still. Get them in a venue full of thousands - they’d treat it the same as an impromptu house party. Their set at this year’s Great Escape Festival still lingers - draped in ripped-up wedding dresses, they stole the show on a bill shared by hundreds of hyped new acts. Get ready for a Ho99o9-show at R&L.

On stage: The Pit - Saturday 29th August, 12.45 (Reading) / Sunday 30th August, 13.10 (Leeds)

The Big Moon

This year’s BBC Introducing bill doesn’t look too shabby. Domino-signed multi-instrumentalist Georgia is there. Brighton force Demob Happy are a must-see, too. Couple that with Glaswegians WHITE and Liverpool buzz act Clean Cut Kid and it’s not exactly slim pickings. Especially when you bring The Big Moon into the equation. This October, they play a run of shows with VANT (also playing this weekend) and Julian Casablancas’ favourite new band INHEAVEN for the Neu Tour. Up to now, they’ve been putting their name to tightly-wound but instant fix indie, but there’s a sense they’re yet to show their best hand. A fascinating prospect.

On stage: BBC Introducing - Friday 28th August, 19.10 (Leeds) / Sunday 30th August, 19.10 (Reading)

Rat Boy

Essex troublemaker Rat Boy was announced for Reading & Leeds when he’d barely made a baby step. It looked like a strange booking - a potential risk on the organisers’ part, to hedge their bets on someone with barely a handful of gigs to their name at the time. Premonition’s paid off. Jordan Cardy’s swiftly established himself as the go-to new act, and a big chunk of that is owed to the live shows. Stage invasions and Periscope’ed sets are the tools for a young, barmy and ever-unpredictable newcomer intent on shaking up the foundations.

On stage: Festival Republic - Saturday 29th August, 14.25 (Reading) / Sunday 30th August, 15.00 (Leeds)

Loyle Carner

Storytelling doesn’t come naturally to most newcomers. Hiding behind effects and ambiguous meaning might be a default mode. But Loyle Carner is one for direct, straight-for-the-gut delivery. A standout on the 1Xtra Stage, expect him to climb the ranks come next year.

On stage: 1Xtra Stage - Saturday 29th August, 14.45 (Reading) / Sunday 30th August, 15.05 (Leeds).

Tags: HO99O9, Reading & Leeds, Festivals, Features, Neu