Reading Festival Performances

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The source describes the festival's evolution through various musical phases. In the early and mid-1970s, after moving to Reading in 1971, the line-up became primarily composed of progressive rock, blues, and hard rock. By the late 1970s, it incorporated punk rock and new wave acts like The Jam, Sham 69, and The Stranglers, which sometimes led to clashes between fans before the festival gradually focused on heavy metal and rock acts. The text also notes that since 1999, the main genres have been rock, indie, alternative, punk, and metal, with hip hop increasing in recent years. However, Black Sabbath is not listed as a performer or referenced in any context within this historical account.

In Their Own Story

The provided source contains no narrative, specific moments, quotes, or numbers related to Black Sabbath playing at the Reading Festival. The only performance details included are: Nirvana's appearances in 1991 and their final UK concert in 1992 (where Kurt Cobain came on stage in a wheelchair); Public Enemy headlining the second day of the 1992 festival; Beastie Boys playing halfway down the bill for day three that same year; Stone Roses playing their last pre-breakup gig in 1996; and a dispute between Beastie Boys and The Prodigy in 1998. There are no descriptions of Black Sabbath sets, crowd reactions to them, or specific dates they played.

Reader's Guide

It confirms the festival moved to its permanent home in Reading in 1971 and ran as a three-day event (except for 1970). It mentions capacity figures of 87,000 for Reading and 75,000 for Leeds in 2011. It lists specific genres featured since 1999 (rock, indie, alternative, punk, metal) and names several hip-hop artists who have headlined or appeared (Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Eminem, Post Malone, Cypress Hill, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, 50 Cent). However, Black Sabbath is absent from all lists of performers.

Did You Know?

• The festival was originally known as the National Jazz Festival and was first held at Richmond Athletic Ground in 1961.
• In 1970, a fourth day was added to the schedule, running from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 August.
• Nirvana played their last UK concert at Reading in 1992, where Kurt Cobain came on stage in a wheelchair pushed by music journalist Everett True.
• In 1984 and 1985, the Conservative-run local council effectively banned the festival by refusing to grant licenses for any alternative sites in the Reading area.
• Since 1999, headliners typically play at both sites with a rotating schedule: Reading's Friday line-up becomes Leeds' Saturday line-up.