Reading and Leeds Festival boss Melivn Benn spoke to NME about the possibility of the festival season happening this year. After the successful COVID pilot gig in Liverpool, where participants were tested before going in, Benn is positive in the restart of live music for this summer and live music in general. He believes that if the pilot event did not happen, it could have had enormous negative impacts on the industry but, luckily, everything seems to go for the better.
‘It could have easily been two years without festivals. If this event hadn’t happened, I’d have been worried it would have been a long time before we got back to a festival. For me it’s very emotional, a lot of my staff were in tears, tears of joy really so fantastic.’ He stated. ‘This is a pilot event and I’ve been pushing to create something like this for a year now’ the organiser told NME. ‘What I’ve been saying for the whole year is, if we adequately test people before they come into a gig, there’s no reason why the gig can’t happen.‘
Although COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the music industry, the managing director remained positive: ‘I never lost hope to be honest,’ he stated. ‘Will everybody still have to be tested by then? I suspect we will still have to test people, but of course a lot of people will have the vaccination already and that will probably mean they won’t need to be tested. We’ll wait and see what the government say but what we will know is that if it’s done properly it won’t increase the spread of the virus.’
Reading and Leeds Festivals are also ready to host international acts, and Melivn Benn previously shared his positivity in regards to them traveling and performing safely. ‘I can’t comment on other festivals, but the international acts that are playing Reading & Leeds are telling me that if it’s safe to come then they’re coming. That’s all I know. They’re being very explicit at this point in time. I’m very much looking forward to them fulfilling that. The reality is that we’re going to have a great line-up and a great festival come what may.’
