FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH
He’s always believed in signs from the universe. He’s the kind of person to see a crisp packet float by and takes it as a message to text his ex. One of these came in the form of a heron nesting along the banks of the Mersey that he revisited for years.
“Sponging up global grooves and making some of the catchiest jazz music this country has to offer” Notion
Kathryn Joseph brings her fearless, emotionally raw songwriting to the festival this September.
Nathan Fake is a British electronic musician whose lush, moody recordings range from atmospheric tech-house to vivid, shoegaze-influenced downtempo.
Rose Rey is an alt-pop artist originally from Venezuela, now based in London via Reading. With a dynamic sound that blends emotional depth and vibrant energy, she’s carved out a distinct musical identity rooted in diverse cultural influences and personal experience.
Kah’Nya is a Zimbabwean born artist whose voice carries the spirit of the southern African landscapes through the lens of alternative and indie pop.
XOX is a heritage and innovation programme lead by the Readipop music charity, preserving iconic vintage synths and drum machines while building a creative community through workshops, events and Electronic Music Open Mics nights (RG EMOM).
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12TH
British-born Nigerian spoken word artist Joshua Idehen performs at the festival this September, following the viral success of Mum Does The Washing and the release of his acclaimed new album I Know You’re Hurting, Everyone Is Hurting, Everyone Is Trying, You Have Got To Try.
“There’s no weak entry in the Ibibio Sound Machine discography. In the last ten years….Ibibio Sound Machine have gone from being exciting transcontinental party upstarts to a soulful, sophisticated phenomenon” (Pop Matters)
Glasgow-born multi-instrumentalist and Mercury Prize nominee Chris returns with music from his acclaimed new album It’s Only A Love Song, blending cinematic songwriting with richly textured indie folk and orchestral pop.
With sold-out headline shows, tours alongside She Drew The Gun and Moonchild Sanelly, and a growing reputation as a genderqueer musical pioneer (BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson), Paige Kennedy is building a world where quirk-pop meets cultural critique—funny, infectious, and impossible to ignore.
The New Eves are a Brighton quartet who have been labelled as one of the country’s most spellbinding new bands. Expect a ritualistic mash-up of folksong, yelping punk and mesmeric drone.
One of the UK’s most prolific and beloved bands. Fond of classic rock, jazz and blues, they are also one of the most accomplished, with Tattersall’s guitar solos becoming the stuff of legend.
Beatroots Bateria is a long running community samba drumming group based in Reading and run by the Readipop music charity. Renowned for their energetic, carnival-style music, Beatroots blends a rich mix of African, Asian, and Latin-American rhythms. The group is heavily influenced by the Bahian Samba Reggae beats of Salvador, Brazil.
Hailin’ from the Kennet Delta, the Riverbilly sound of Dolly and the Clothespegs has become something of a Reading institution; their 19 years of existence has seen over 25 musicians in and out (and sometimes in again and then out again) in a ‘never the same line-up twice’ sort of band.
Freddie Lewis is a London-based indie pop artist and producer making textural, observant, and tender songs; his live shows are groovy, emotive and welcoming. Since first releasing music in 2021, Freddie has built a loyal following through releasing and performing.
Lost Velvet are a UK alternative rock duo based in Reading, blending cinematic post-rock with dark shoegaze textures to create haunting, dreamlike soundscapes. Formed by multi-instrumentalist and producer Robert Butcher alongside vocalist Melissa Morris, the project centres around a distinctive dual-vocal dynamic and a shared instinct for atmosphere-driven songwriting.
Reading’s own Ma Bessie (Julia Titus) comes home to the abbey ruins with a set of soulful songs, including her original tribute to the king who rests beneath.
Miss Hunte is a neo-soul collective blending soulful grooves, rich melodies, and honest storytelling. Our sound mixes jazz piano with African-style djembe rhythms, creating a warm and textured sound rooted in soul and improvisation.
READIPOP XOX SHOWCASE
XOX is a heritage and innovation programme lead by the Readipop music charity, preserving iconic vintage synths and drum machines while building a creative community through workshops, events and Electronic Music Open Mics nights (RG EMOM).
SUNDAUGHTER
A four-piece “mercurial shoegaze” group formed in Reading, Sundaughter weave dreamy textures with delicate Eastern influences.
The Amazing Tiger Band is a genre fluid, funk-fuelled experiment. Generally considered to be a blindingly accurate display of one person biting off more than they can chew. Get ready for Tongue in cheek tunes about the real issues facing the world: Poverty, Bad housemates and ROUGE ALLIGATORS.
Sixteen years on from their original run, Reading indie rock band The Race return with Best Is Yet To Come — the first release from their forthcoming FAMILY EP. Made in their garage studio and shaped by long friendship, parenthood and perspective, the new material is darker, looser and more textured than before, pairing tense verses with cathartic, upward surging hooks.
“Touches of Lee Hazlewood and both Elvises, Presley and Costello, on this suave swooner from the Jordan-born, London-based swinger” – The Times
