Festival Review: Reading Festival // August 2025

Photo Credit: Ben Awin

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With spectacular headline shows from Hozier, Chappell Roan, Travis Scott and Bring Me the Horizon, the 2025 edition of Reading Festival was an unruly baptism of dust, fire and confetti. 

An iconic staple of the UK festival calendar, the bumper bank-holiday weekender Reading Festival has always marked the end of summer, bringing together teens celebrating A-Level results and music lovers alike. This year's edition was a testament to the festival's enduring legacy, with an eclectic lineup with a big moment for Hozier on Friday, familiar faces from former headliners Bring Me the Horizon on Saturday, and the only European festival appearance from the brilliant Travis Scott.

Starting off Friday the right way, Badger was the DJ who was the prime candidate to illustrate the impact of the Chevron Stage. Studded with a netting with hundreds of thousands of LED lights covering a 2500 square meter area, this year the stage was housed inside a bell tent, making the light show far more effective during the day. He served as the perfect antidote to some DJs with a niche edge, dropping remixes of The Prodigy, Gorillaz, and of course his rework of 'These Words' by Natasha Bedingfield, which shot him to fame. His face flashed across the Chevron netting, cheekily referencing a spin on the now-infamous Jess Glynne & Jet2 tagline, announcing, "Nothing beats a baseline holiday!", a nod to the chronically online fans.

Surprise guests brightened up sets on Friday, some making more sense than others. AJ Tracey delivered a blistering show on the Chevron Stage, bringing iron-clad bangers like recent Jorja Smith collab 'Crush' and welcoming Aitch onstage for their smash hit 'Rain'. A less likely cameo came to fruition during The Kooks' set. The sunny indie poppers delivered the goods, boasting 'She Moves in Her Own Way', 'Junk of the Heart', and 'Naive'. The real head-scratcher was when Rebel Wilson appeared during their show for a rendition of 'Gangstas Paradise' by Coolio. While the crowd welcomed the Pitch Perfect star with open arms, there was an air of confusion surrounding her appearance.

Sporting a gothic fascinator with a black lace costume, Chappell Roan (or Chappell Crow-an as fans would later dub her on social media) breezed into her intro of 'Super Graphic Ultra-Modern Girl' and 'Femininomen' with ease. Strutting through a fairytale castle with the air of a Disney villain, she covered her back catalogue across 17 songs over the span of 60 minutes. The only thing that was missing was her trademark banter which left a few fans disappointed, but her stage presence more than made up for it. 

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Photo Credit: Luke Dyson

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Her feisty cover of 'Barracuda' by Heart lowered a castle door to reveal her clad in a bat-wing bra with smoldering eyes. And of course, the crowd got involved with her routine for 'HOT TO GO!' and yelled the iconic "she's got away!" line from 'The Subway'. Nobody does rageful liberation better than Chappell, and this was executed perfectly on 'Good Luck Babe'. Written about an ex in denial of her sexuality following a passionate affair, it built and blossomed until the bridge where she belted, "I hate to say, I told you so!". It was a rare moment of queer vulnerability that has bled into mainstream music, which hinted at a very bright future for our very own Midwest Princess.

The unmistakable bluesy stomp of 'Nobody's Soldier' heralded the arrival of long-awaited headliner Hozier. Comprised of bass cello, drums, guitars, and even the humble triangle, their instrumental bombast harnessed the greatest moments of the night like 'Francesca' and 'Eat Your Young'. It was a testament to his kind spirit how often he acknowledged each member's contribution to the stage, thanking them one by one several times and singing Happy Birthday to one crew member. 

He preceded 'Nina Cried Power' with an impassioned speech about supporting Palestine, the LGBTQIA+ community, and rallying against racism which struck a chord with thousands of fans. His last card to play was the monster singalong of 'Take Me to Church', which invoked a soulful sermon of dedicated followers to scream the words back at him. Normally a concert this personal belongs in a dive bar with a whiskey in hand, but Hozier exceeded expectations and delivered an intimate and poignant performance to the Reading main stage.

Dubbed the rock day by many campers, Saturday certainly had a stacked lineup boasting the likes of Enter Shikari, Limp Bizkit, and Bring Me The Horizon back-to-back on the main stage. But beyond the mavericks, plenty more was to be discovered. Adding a jolt of life to the Festival Republic stage, Mouth Culture brought their brand of abrasive pop-rock to a diverse crowd made up of tweens to millennials. The Leicester trio have risen through the ranks over the last year with a recent slot at Slam Dunk 2025 after supporting their heroes You Me at Six in 2024. Drawing heavily from their standout EPs, 

Mishaps of My Mid-Twenties and Whatever The Weather, the band’s set was a masterclass in modern British alt-rock. While hits like "Ratbag" and "Sharkbait" brought the house down, it was "15 Missed Calls" that truly stole the show. Frontman Jack Voss commanded the stage with a captivating mix of raw emotion and nonchalant swagger, his powerful vocals cutting through the thick, distorted guitars and thunderous rhythm section. Mouth Culture’s ability to seamlessly blend heavy, riff-driven tracks with more melodic and heartfelt moments proved them to be a solid addition to the Festival Republic stage.

Introduced as "the people's champion" amidst an X-Factor style intro teasing his greatest hits, noughties electro rap star Example arrived to 'Stay Awake' but quickly moved into the Ye and Jay-Z hit "N***** in Paris". His energy was unmatched as he skipped into 'Won't Go Quietly', with his abstract cut-and-paste Tumblr aesthetic visuals flashing across the stage and Chevron Stage netting. His overarching mission to foster a sense of community through his flashy set, pulled all the tricks out of the bag from 'Destination Calabria' to 'Baddadan', breaching the divide between millennials and Gen-Z. 

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Photo Credit: Luke Dyson

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He proclaimed his gratitude for his summer love anthem 'Watch the Sun Come Up', which "changed his life 18 years ago" and transformed the piano pop into a glorified EDM number. Ultimately the quick-win euphoria he can instill in a tent of thousands through 'We'll Be Coming Back For You', 'Kickstarts', and 'Changed the Way You Kiss Me' showed Example can still party like it's 2010.

One of the most curious and exciting sets of the day came from Vlure. The haunting synths of 'Shattered Faith' paired with the infectious charisma of frontman Hamish Hutcheson was undeniably fun to watch. Channeling techno into rave anthems with a post-punk edge, the Glaswegian five-piece opted for an ironic finish with 'This Is Not the End'. The early promise of their material is strong, but the spirited live performance anchored their enduring appeal.

If Friday's special guest shenanigans weren't enough, Saturday had more in store. Sophie Ellis-Bextor joined Royel Otis on the main stage for a rock & roll cover of 'Murder on the Dancefloor', a number that had fans running to the front. Later that day Fred Durst hopped onstage to perform 'CRUSING TO SELF SOOTHE' with Ecca Vandal on the Festival Republic stage, ahead of his Main Stage performance.

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Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett

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The most criminal clash of the day came at dusk, the ultimate Western stand-off: Wunderhorse vs. Enter Shikari. Choosing the latter, a smattering of smog led to the intoxicating 'Bloodshot’. Frontman Roo Reynolds had the onstage mannerisms of a Labrador puppy, if puppies threw mic stands into the air and moonwalked while singing. Ending on 'A Kiss for the Whole World x', the visuals listed a kiss for an exhaustive list of countries such as Latvia, Mexico, Uruguay, and many more.

Professional jokers Limp Bizkit opened with strongest hit in their back catalogue, 'Break Stuff', which prompted a rowdy response from the crowd. Their stage backdrop featured a variety of millennial stock photo memes - Oasis, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Travis Scott, and Justin Bieber having their thumbs up under the slogan "When They Hear Limp Bizkit” - no doubt they would approve. The most wholesome moment of the night was reserved for when frontman Fred Durst brought young fan Brooke onstage to sing 'Nookie'. She knew every word, with Durst saying, "They're cheering for you Brooke!"

So what could one expect from Bring Me The Horizon? An AI interface that warns humans on Earth of impending doom? Check. Confetti cannons filled with hearts? Check. A 10-minute video game-style intro with PS1 Doom-style visuals? Check. Their live show was a disorderly dystopia with a big-budget production value that most bands could only dream of. They ricocheted through their discography at a breakneck pace, swinging from the cheerleader chant of 'Happy Song' to forecasting the end of the world in 'Amen' with explosive fiery pyrotechnics. The typically jokey chants of "Play 'Wonderwall'!" turned this into a reality for once with their Liam Gallagher-approved cover of 'Wonderwall' taking the crowd by surprise. 

Frontman Oli Sykes was outspoken as ever, dryly jesting, "Can I see a real fucking mosh-pit? The ones you were doing for Limp Bizkit were fucking wank." This request certainly did not fall on deaf ears, prompting frenetic surges from fans. Unlike the rest of the weekend, no special guests were invited onstage, bar one fan called Lily who helped with a hearty rendition of 'Antivist'. But with everything they have to offer, they don't need any star cameos to make their show shine even brighter. 

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Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett

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The sheer cinematic immersion of it all is astoundingly impressive; the apocalyptic narrative led by AI robot interface E.V.E from their Post Human Next Gen era raised the stakes to another level. But the real talent lies in their human approach; no song encapsulates an identity crisis better than 'Lost' does or thrives under the pressure of a mental breakdown like 'Drown'. Titans in their field, Bring Me The Horizon claimed their legacy as the new emperors of a heavy metal landscape they’ve irrevocably reshaped.

By the time Sunday dawned, the band shirts and red baseball caps donned for Bring Me and Limp Bizkit were scrapped in favour of American sports jerseys ahead of Travis Scott. Beginning with a slice of R&B bliss, Demae ushered onto the Main Stage and effortlessly commanded attention. Whether she beckoned us with the sultry whisper of 'Closer' or got candid about the perils of comparing oneself to others on social media during 'Go Ur Own Way', she demonstrated maturity beyond her young years. 

After a few minor technical difficulties on the BBC Introducing Stage, Cliffords arrived with frontwoman Iona Lynch shouting, "Are you ready for some indie rock?" to a myriad of cheers. The Cork foursome's electrifying EP Strawberry Scented has already attracted clout from Rolling Stone and Clash; it was clear to see why. With a knack for weaving tight guitar melodies into delicious pop songs like 'Sleeping with Ghosts' and 'Bittersweet', their energetic set enchanted the audience at the BBC Introducing stage. Alluding to the Kneecap controversy and ongoing conversation regarding the Palestine conflict over the weekend, Lynch briefly stated, "We've been told very clear what we can and can't say". But Cliffords didn't need to prove anything by wading into this discourse; their music speaks for itself.

Embodying the surfer slacker aesthetic to its full potential, Late Night Drive Home had bucketloads of Southern California charm despite being born and raised in Texas. In the same bloodline as Best Coast and Surfer Blood, their appeal lay in their penchant for balmy riffs drenched in fuzzy reverb. The Chevron Stage was the perfect home for the Texas trio with a vibrant set as buoyant as their beach curls. While starting with a modest crowd, the numbers tripled by the end for the swansong 'Euphoria'. 

But when it came to Sunday highlights, Waterparks were by far the supreme choice. Opener 'Red Guitar' saw frontman Awsten Knight deliver a fast-paced, almost rap-like vocal style over pop-rock instrumentals, with a searing guitar solo to remind the audience of their rock roots. Knight's onstage banter was refreshingly forthright with one-liners like "You guys like furries here?" and "Hey I learnt about chavs the other day, is that good or bad?". Self-assuredness can often appear arrogant, but for Waterparks this confidence was far from misplaced. Reading and Leeds organiser Melvin Benn recently spoke about not disclosing who he thought could be future headliners; from their standout Sunday slot, Waterparks was a strong contender.

Being one-third of the UK's biggest girl group is an impressive feat, but Leigh-Anne's debut on the Chevron Stage shut down any naysayers who have thought of her as a small cog in Little Mix. But the relentless carnival charge of 'My Love' overshadowed Little Mix favorites 'Touch' and 'Sweet Melody'. The track was a pure dancehall celebration that showed how alone, Leigh-Anne can stand on her own two feet even without her band members.

Framed in a volcanic wasteland surrounded by fire, Travis Scott leapt onto a slanted stage with boundless enthusiasm. Following his headline slot at Leeds Festival the previous day, fans were unsure what to expect after he left 35 minutes before the show was scheduled to end. This time he turned up early, every inch the rap superstar you'd expect. For 'I KNOW' he announced, "We want to light this whole globe up right now!", resulting in a sea of phone lights. 

Bite-sized chunks of his songs were terminated briskly by echoed thunderclaps, and the drama never let up; 'The Party Never Ends' was peppered with riotous chants of "fuck the club up" while the response to 'Fein' was so rapturous he granted the crowd an instant encore with flames and smoke. Through all the airhorns and gunshots, he occasionally deviated from this formula. An audio clip of Donda West that was played before his cover of 'Praise God' by Ye lent emotional depth to his version of the song and atmospheric ballad 'MY EYES' also packed a punch. In these moments there is evidence of the beating heart behind the show, behind the staggering and overpowering opulence that rolls on throughout. 

Leaving us with the moody 'goosebumps' in an explosion of fireworks, many cheered, clapped, and walked away. For a few minutes, he lingered onscreen as a sinister silhouette. Eventually, he shot back to life with the real end credits being 'DUMBO' and his SZA-assisted 'TELEKINESIS', the latter of which played out with Scott absent. It was an oddly muted finish for a show so focused on ferocity and fire, but alas, Scott left a mark with a memorable set driven by his electric energy.

There was no shortage of spontaneity over the weekend, and it’s clear that Reading Festival has evolved over the years. But it was all for the better – sure, some things didn’t work, booking Artful Dodger and Vikkstar for the smallest stage wasn’t the wisest decision given the massive queues that plagued the Jägermeister stage. However improved accessibility with charging points, pamper hubs and new themed campsites have made the festival a much more attractive prospect. Embracing pop, rock and hip-hop, even beyond the music Reading Festival proved itself yet again to be the UK’s most exciting and progressive event of the summer.

Words by Oliver Evans

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