The organisers of renowned festivals in Reading and Leeds have expressed their thoughts regarding the possibility of international acts performing at their events, considering the COVID restrictions. Whilst many festivals decided to opt-in for a mostly domestic line up, Reading and Leeds festivals’ bill include international acts of the calibre of Queens of the Stone Age, Post Malone, DaBaby and Girl in Red. The events should take place on the August Bank Holiday weekend. 

Many are hoping that the Government traffic light system will prevent acts from self-isolating in order to perform, by creating travel corridors for artists on the bill. NME investigated this issue with Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn, to which he stated: ‘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. By safe, we mean safe for the punters. 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.’

In regards to the UK Government’s traffic light system, he commented: ‘In fairness, the international acts in the main are going to come from the United States or Ireland. I think the traffic light system will absolutely be green for both of those countries to come here. I’m sure that the traffic light system will definitely be working for the United States because their vaccine programme is actually proving to be as good as ours, if not even better. Certainly by the end of June, the Irish government have committed to a minimum of their population to be vaccinated. When they say that, they mean with both jabs. My feeling is that those acts will absolutely sail through on green traffic lights at that point.’

Reading and Leeds festivals are set to go ahead as planned, in full capacity. More information can be found here.