The first day of Reading Festival 2026 brought unexpected weather, with heavy rain and muddy conditions that made the event feel more traditional than usual. The atmosphere was lively despite the downpour, as many attendees were unprepared for the British weather. A leaky stage during a performance added to the day’s challenges.
Geese’s set, drawn mostly from their 2025 album Getting Killed, brought energy and enthusiasm to the crowd, according to AOL. Although the band’s performance felt slightly routine at times, it still energized the audience.
Charli XCX took the main stage for her headline set, bringing a mix of new and older material. Her performance included live guitar backing for tracks from her latest album Music, Fashion, Film. She also brought back songs from her earlier work Brat, which were well received by the crowd.
Charli XCX’s stage setup featured a towering black structure instead of LED screens, giving her performance a unique look, according to a report from Billboard. The set included brooding moments, including songs from Wuthering Heights soundtrack. She also performed the emotionally intense track ‘Camera’, which reflected on her role as an artist in her mid-30s.
The set concluded with a spoken word piece from David Cronenberg, offering a final statement.
Fontaines delivered a strong live performance that resonated with the crowd. Frontman Grian Chatten’s laid-back stage presence contrasted with the band’s powerful sound. The group paid tribute to their late manager Trevor Dietz during the performance.
Skepta performed as a notable act on Friday, although his set was not part of the main rock lineup. The festival’s lineup showed a broad musical range, including acts from pop, rock, and hip-hop genres.
Villanelle, fronted by Liam Gallagher’s son Gene, played on the new Canopy stage. This stage was controversially replaced the BBC Introducing stage and earned the nickname ‘nepo baby stage’ for featuring several industry children.
Slayyyter and Sombr entered the main stage in a dramatic way, walking from an ambulance stretcher, NME reported. Their entrance was filmed and broadcast on the stage’s screens, drawing large crowds.
Sombr performed his debut album I Barely Know Her, which NME praised for its emotional depth. The performance was described as a new kind of brash and sleazy pop by the publication.
Sombr had recently performed at Electric Picnic in Ireland. Both Sombr and Slayyyter were scheduled to perform at Leeds Festival tomorrow.
IMAGE: Charli XCX performing at the Positivus Festival.. Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/annaustin/ / Wikimedia, taken 2013-07-20, CC BY 2.0