Friends, festival-goers – lend me your ears! The run-up to Leeds and Reading Festival 2025 continues!
As the sun shines down on most of the United Kingdom this week (and hay fever once again kicks in), our minds turn to the weather over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the dates for both Leeds and Reading Festival, alongside Creamfields 2025 for the dance music enthusiasts among us.
With a fantastic line-up of acts already confirmed, speculation is rife about potential surprise appearances at various festivals this year. Whispers on Reddit and cryptic posts on social media are fuelling the rumour mill, as is typical in the month preceding Glastonbury, the lead in to the many UK summer festivals annually.
But who are the ‘wildcards’ that could make a sneaky appearance at Richfield Avenue or Bramham Park?
We've examined Ticketmaster and a number of concerts taking place around the dates of Leeds and Reading Festival 2025, alongside looking at album release dates which may lead to promotional activity close to the festival to bring you our 13 ‘wildcard’ picks for potential surprise guests at Leeds and Reading Festival 2025.
As always, take this as speculative - and with a healthy dose of salt.
5. Mercury Rev
Known for their dreamy and atmospheric soundscapes, Mercury Rev have a show in Tiverton at Beautiful Days Festival on August 15th and a confirmed gig in Leeds at the Brudenell Social Club just after the festival on August 27th. While their Leeds date makes a full festival set less probable, could they still surprise fans with a short, secret appearance? | Provided
6. CMAT
With her album dropping the week after, and her confirmed appearance at Green Man Festival (August 14th - 17th) placing her in the UK the week before, CMAT becomes a strong contender for a surprise set at Leeds or Reading. Her schedule has her available during the festival weekend, and a performance would be excellent promotion for her upcoming release. | Getty Images
7. Nova Twins
With their energetic album dropping the week after, and a UK festival appearance at Boomtown Fair (August 6th - 10th) preceding it, Nova Twins could be a strong contender for a surprise set at Leeds or Reading. They have a window in their schedule, and a high-energy performance would be a great way to build anticipation for their new release. Their presence at Boomtown the previous weekend makes it a possibility, though potential exclusivity might be a factor. | Getty Images
8. Supergrass
With a gig just down the road in Halifax on Saturday, August 16th, and then a clear schedule until September, could Britpop heroes Supergrass be tempted to make a surprise appearance at Leeds Festival? Their iconic hits and energetic live shows would be a massive draw, and the close proximity of their Halifax date makes the logistics very feasible. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears ready for a dose of 90s nostalgia! "Alright!" | Getty Images