More sublime acts for Reading and Leeds

After the announcements of head liners Metallica, Mumford and Sons, and The Libertines with the likes of Alt-J, Kendrick Lamar and Bring me the Horizon all set to appear. We didn’t think Reading and Leeds could pull anything bigger out of the bag, but they have.

This years organisers have presented us with some of the top names for this years alternative stage. With only eight weeks to go until the gates open, R&L have announced MILTON JONES, ROB DELANEY, KATHERINE RYAN, GEORGE THE POET, JAGUAR SKILLS and Transgressive’s Takeover, plus more.

Accompanying an already huge line-up the festival is set to host the best of comedy and alternative talent from the UK and abroad and have revived the annual after-hours takeover from Transgressive Records.

The comedy front

Heading the comedy front is Mock the Week TV favourite Milton Jones which along with his multiple Radio 4 shows has made him the leader to deadpan comedy, a performance not to be missed. Accompanying Jones and proving his worth as an acclaimed stand-up is Rob Delaney who gained popularity after finding fame through Twitter Jokes. Hopefully this year Delaney will bring the jokes outside of the 140 characters limit.

Photo Credit: Jen O'Neill

Reading and Leeds have offered the unique opportunity to see TV joker Russell Kane outside of the huge venue tour he’s already performing around the country, so if you haven’t got your ticket this is just one of the reasons you need to do it now.

.@OfficialRandL Leeds on the Friday, Reading on the Sunday. 🙂 Woop
— Russell Kane (@russell_kane) July 7, 2015

With a line-up also including the brilliant ‘Stand Up For The Week’ regular and star of BBC’s Twenty Twelve Sara Pascoe and Canadian Comedy star Katherine Ryan who was a breakout star on Live At The Apollo both of whom who you’ll have seen on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, QI, Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week. The Alternative Stage is rightly one of the must see parts of the festival.

Full Comedy Acts:

Milton Jones, Rob Delaney, Russell Kane, Katherine Ryan, Stephen K Amos

Adam Buxton, Seann Walsh, Sara Pascoe, Holly Walsh, Abandoman, Nick Helm,

Daniel Sloss, Tom Deacon, Andrew O’Neill, Joel Dommett, Tiffany Stevenson,

Luisa Omielan, Matt Richardson, Alex Edelman, Dane Baptiste, Piff The Magic Dragon,

Paul McCaffrey, Wit Tank, David Morgan, Mark Grist, Suzi Ruffell

More than just another comedy tent

The famous Alternative Stage notices some of the best in forward thinking music and spoken word and is not just another festival comedy tent. Fast gaining a name as one of the UK’s most vital talents after appearing on the BBC Sound of 2015, George The Poet will be bringing a realistic and bold hybrid of spoken word and hip hop to the festival, sure to be an unforgettable moment of the weekend.

Another huge name joining the bill is Jaguar Skills who will be spinning some of his most notable, diverse and multi-genre mixes and all alongside London-based electronica and Techno producer Max Cooper who is making his first debut appearance at Leeds Festival this year.

The evening event will feature a host of emerging and established talent throughout the weekend with grime hero Wiley taking centre stage with his fantastic and ferocious live show in the wake of his critically acclaimed album Snakes and Ladders which was released in late 2014. Looking to the future stars of the genre, Novelist will be also be making an appearance, while the likes of Jackmaster, Madame X and DJ Target will have crowds gyrating throughout the weekend.But that’s not all!

Transgressive’s annual takeover brings together an anticipated late-night line-up. A year after celebrating their 10th anniversary at the festival, the independent label is feeling fresh and is set to bring a bill that is their biggest yet. Hi-jacking the Saturday and Sunday nights in Leeds, the stage will run from 9.30pm until late.

Bringing Dj-ing talent to a Silent Disco in the Alternative Stage courtesy of Alt J, Palma Violets, Peace and BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and Jen Long, Transgressive promise a massive Reading take-over! And to top it off all of this sits alongside parties from Buttoned Down Disco and a series of extra special DJ sets from The Libertines’ Gary Powell and The Kooks’ Hugh Harris for Propaganda.