Author Archives: admin

Win Ticket to our 2024 Festival!

Did you join us in the Ruins earlier this month? Fancy winning tickets to next year's festival? Just complete our post-festival survey here, and you’ll be entered into our Prize Draw to win a pair of weekend day tickets to Down At The Abbey 2024, scheduled for Fri...

Read more

Down at the Abbey Merch available to buy

Look sharper than King Henry I! Yes, you can now buy our ethically sourced, screen-printed Monk T-shirts, hoodies & embroidered beanies from our shop.  Heavy Pop Friends with Benefits Ambassadors also get a 10% discount.

Read more

DOWN AT THE ABBEY FESTIVAL BOX

We are excited to share that with our partners at Siren. We've created a festival case of beer inspired by our act with a mix of 8 hoppy, hazy, crisp and sessionable beers. The Down at the Abbey box also includes a festival pint cup and Lumina...

Read more

Announcement – Adult day tickets move to Tier 2 pricing this Mon 28 Aug @ 6pm

Yes, Adult day tickets will move to Tier 2 pricing this - Monday 28th August @ 6pm! Join us in the 900yr old Reading Abbey Ruins for two days of live music and more this September! All stages times as well as other information including food/ drink...

Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT! Stages times and more announced

Stage times, the free kids activities and our local food traders are now live on our website! Siren Craft Brew pints under £6! Tickets move to Tier 2 pricing on the Aug bank holiday weekend, so if you are coming grab yours now! At our previous edition...

Read more

Volunteers Needed

We’re looking for Volunteers to help out at the festival within the stunning Abbey Ruins on Fri 8th (evening) and Sat 9th Sept (day and evening). We need fun, reliable music lovers to do a number of roles and our Volunteers are an important part of the...

Read more

More Friday Artists Announced!

We are pleased to unveil the new artists joining our cosmic jazz Friday headliners The Comet Is Coming across our two stages - with no clashes.  Our new artists are Manchester's forward-thinking synth-pop band W. H. Lung who have been hailed as one of the UK's most exciting...

Read more

Advance Notice on Early Bird Saturday and Weekend Day Tickets

We wanted you to be the first to know that Early Bird Saturday and Weekend day tickets end and move to Tier 1 pricing this Friday (21st) at 10 am. Join us for the 3rd edition of Down at the Abbey this September in the 900yr old...

Read more

More Down at the Abbey Saturday artists announced!

Festival season is very much underway and we are pleased to unveil a list of new artists joining BC Camplight and Los Bitchos on our Saturday line-up across our two stages - with no clashes.  New artists include the stunning vocals of Los Angeles residing/UK born artist Cornelia Murr, fun disco-pop from London/Jordan artist Ziyad Al-Samman, anti-folk New...

Read more

Congratulations to BC Camplight for reaching No. 4 in the Official Vinyl Albums Chart

Huge congratulations to our Saturday headliner BC Camplight who has reached No. 4 in the Official Vinyl Albums Chart with his new acclaimed album, The Last Rotation Of Earth (SUNDAY TIMES - Album of the week, 5 stars “A masterpiece...” MOJO, 4 stars ****...THE SKINNY - 5...

Read more

Saturday headliner BC Camplight announced and Los Bitchos

BC Camplight returns to Down at the Abbey to headline our Saturday evening and will be performing material off his new album, The Last Rotation Of Earth, (out 12th May via Bella Union - John Grant, The Flaming Lips). The last album Shortly After Takeoff' received the...

Read more

Friday Headliners Announced – The Comet Is Coming

We are over the moon to announce that the acclaimed London-based cosmic trio The Comet Is Coming are our first announcement for Down at the Abbey 2023, and will headline Friday night.   The band have garnered critical acclaim over their three albums and a reputation as...

Read more

Early Bird Tickets now on-sale – Headliner Announcement Incoming!

We are back! Down at the Abbey Early Bird Tickets are now on sale here for Friday 8th and Saturday 9th September. We'll be making a headliner announcement soon and previous headliners include BC Camplight and Snapped Ankles, so you know you can trust us to bring...

Read more

Down at the Abbey 2022 Statement

Dear Down at the Abbey supporters, The last few years have been incredibly challenging for our small team. We were extremely happy to be able to deliver Down at the Abbey last September, albeit in very testing circumstances; and to witness the joy from the audience returning...

Read more

Sat 30 July: Siren Craft Brew presents Siren Time Hops Beer Festival 2022

  Our Down at the Abbey Festival beer partner Siren Craft Brew presents Siren Time Hops Beer Festival 2022 at University of Reading on Sat 30 July. A whole day of great beer, street food + entertainment from DJs Rum n Donuts and live music from WOLFS,...

Read more

Thank You!

Wow! Thank you for making Down At The Abbey 2021 so special. After two long years, it felt so good to be back in the Reading Abbey Ruins last weekend. Thanks so much to all the volunteers, crew, bar staff, Festival team, children's entertainment, boat staff, food...

Read more

Festival Stage Times Announced!

With only a few days to go until we return to the 900-year-old Abbey Ruins, we can now reveal our stage times! You can purchase tickets for both days here. - Friday (10th) Warm-Up Times -  For more info, click here - Second Stage -  The Mark...

Read more

📯 Get your tickets before prices increase! 📯

Today (1st Sept) is your last chance to buy Saturday Adult tickets before they increase from THURSDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER so save yourself the price of a posh sandwich or the price of a pint and get your tickets now! Click here to be part of history. Fri...

Read more

Friday Warm-Up Party Announced!

Headlining the Warm-Up Party is the big seven-piece Soul band The Mark II. Delivering big 60s Soul and Motown classics - they’ll bring the tunes that will get everyone up and dancing. Also bringing well-known classics are The Skandal. A fun, lively and passionate ska covers band...

Read more

Down at the Tap Yard Returns

Saturday 7th August - Down at the Tap Yard @ Siren Craft Brew - A mini-festival to promote Down at the Abbey - Siren Tap Yard, Marino Way, Finchampstead RG40 4RF 1pm - 8pm // Music from 2pm - 6pm *Free Entry 💜 *We encourage you to...

Read more

Festival Update – continuing planning with confidence!

Dear friends, Following on from the government’s extension of the current lockdown restrictions until the 19th July, we thought it was best to reassure our audience that we are confident that Down At The Abbey 2021 will still go ahead as planned. We also want to let...

Read more

Second line-up announced!

Hello We've added Middle Eastern funk-psych band Flamingods, Krautrock-inspired The Utopia Strong who feature Kavus Torabi (Gong), multi-instrumentalist Michael York and 80s Snooker legend Steve Davis(!), 6Music championed post-punk mob Do Nothing, along with the soulful Jen Berkova and ex Morning Runner singer Matthew Greener to our line-up. The newly announced acts will join Snapped Ankles, LoneLady, Sinead O'Brien, Gwenifer Raymond, and many more brilliant...

Read more

First line-up announced!

Hello, We are thrilled to reveal our first line-up featuring some great artists including Snapped Ankles, LoneLady and more! Tickets are on-sale now.

Read more

New limited edition Merch announced

Hello, Down at the Abbey Festival organisers Heavy Pop have released a limited edition batch-run of ethically sourced merch which is available to buy now! By buying, you are DIRECTLY supporting our festival organisers and helping to secure our future. Head over to the merch shop to find out more and...

Read more

Please support the festival organisers Heavy Pop through Covid-19!

Down at the Abbey festival organiser Heavy Pop are independently funded and the impact of the festival not going ahead in 2020 as a result of Covid-19 has been heavy. Local promoter Heavy Pop has lost 100% of its income through the cancellation or postponement of all...

Read more

Virtual Down at the Abbey 2020

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/f8Jtdb8pDuA"][vc_column_text]Due to Covid-19, the festival was unable to take place this year so we present a virtual experience which combines live music performances with some historical insight into Reading Abbey and the waterways that feed it. Live music from Ever Hazel /The Amazing Tiger Band /...

Read more

Down at the Abbey Festival 2020: Postponed

Hello, This is a statement we were hoping we wouldn’t have to make but 2020 is the year that keeps on surprising and sadly for the wrong reasons. Due to the current pandemic and wanting to produce a safe event for everyone involved, we’ve made the decision...

Read more

Take Us Back!

💙 TAKE US BACK 💙 Check out these beautiful photos taken by Emma Jamieson and remember drinking cold Santo in warm September sun ☀️ Can you spot yourself in any of them? 📸 Tickets for Down at the Abbey 2020 are coming VERY soon, so stay tuned 📺

Read more

THANK YOU!

😍 THANK YOU 😍 We've just about recovered from Saturday's shenanigans and we want to say a massive 'THANK YOU' to everyone that made Down at the Abbey 2019 so special 🙏 It went better than we could have imagined and we owe it all to the hard work of everyone involved:...

Read more

Fame

In the words of David Bowie: FAME! We're in the Metro today. Find out what they're so excited about. Get your tickets before they're off sale at heavypop.co.uk 🎟🙌🎟

Read more

I Really Miss Bad Festival Beer

"I really miss bad festival beer" said nobody ever That's why we have Siren Craft Brew providing their delicious, award-winning beer at Down at the Abbey Festival Expect flavours that make you dance including... YU LU With Earl Grey tea and lemon zest in the mix, Yu...

Read more

Be This Happy

BE THIS HAPPY We want to flyer neighbourhoods and get posters in all the shops, cafes and offices in Reading Can you help us? If you can help us for a few hours, you'll get a free Festival Ticket and YOU CAN BE THIS HAPPY 🎟😍💃 Email...

Read more

More Acts Announced

We're pleased to announce the final acts to play Down At The Abbey in September. We've added mesmeric folkie Rozi Plain, UK indie legend Darren Hayman, globetrotting troubadour Rachael Dadd, award-winning local orchestra Aldworth Philharmonic Soloists, and more will be playing in the abbey ruins! 💙 They...

Read more

Reading Abbey’s Relics

FOR RELICS? Reading Abbey was the largest abbey in Western Europe before it was destroyed, and it housed an impressive collection of holy relics... The most famous relic was The Hand of St James, which was brought to the abbey by Empress Matilda ✋ The abbey was...

Read more

Down At The Tap Yard

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Join us this Saturday at the Siren Tap Yard for live music, delicious beer, tasty street food and pick up your ticket to Down At The Abbey Festival  🍻🎺🍔 Down at the Tap Yard | Sat 20th July | Free Entry 💜 Siren Tap Yard, Marino Way,...

Read more

Let’s Talk About Hugh

Let's Talk About Hugh Hugh Cook was the last abbot of Reading Abbey. Born in 1490 in Faringdon, he became Abbot in 1520 and entered The Big Leagues. As abbot, Hugh got his own coat of arms and became pals with Henry VIII They often went hunting...

Read more