First Reading & Leeds Bands Announced: Alt-J, Deftones & Sub Focus

Reading and Leeds have announced the first array of acts for next year’s festival.

Alt-J have been confirmed to headline the Radio 1/ NME stage at next year’s festival, set to take place between 23rd and 25th August, whilst Deftones, Sub Focus and Boy Better Know (the grime collective of Wiley and Skepta) are also amongst acts set to appear.

2013 also marks the first time that both Radio 1 and 1Xtra will have stages at the event.

The first announcement comes earlier than expected, with the remaining two headliners due to be announced in March 2013. A selection of tickets are due to go on sale tomorrow (30th November), with the bulk of passes going on sale following the next announcement.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that the festival would undergo several layout changes, with the stage count increasing from six to nine to promote a diversity of acts.

‘We’re changing the arena at Reading and Leeds quite significantly,’ explained organiser Melvin Benn, when speaking to the BBC. ‘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.’

‘Within those additional two or three stages there will be a lot more diversity of music. There will quite a bit more dance music, quite a bit more other bits and pieces.’

Reading and Leeds Festival will take place between 23rd and 25th August next year.