So, Who's Playing ‘Secret Sets’ At Reading And Leeds 2014?

Every year, festival campsites buzz with rumours of ‘favourite bands playing secret slots’ and unlikely artists playing impromptu performances. As an event with a rich history of putting on secret shows, this month’s Reading and Leeds festival proves to be no exception.

Last week, one Reading and Leeds organiser revealed he’d been approached by several artists (some of whom he described as ‘arena acts’) all wanting to play at the festival. To the delight and frustration of many fans, he confirmed that one big-name act has since been confirmed to perform a secret slot - but wouldn’t reveal who.

With the likes of The 1975, the Kooks and Bombay Bicycle Club all playing secret sets at this year’s Glastonbury, Contact Music speculates who could be the big name putting on a surprise show at Reading and Leeds 2014.

1) Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters

In one of the most celebrated secret sets in the history of the festival, Dave Grohl stunned fans in 2009 by turning up onstage with his supergroup side-project Them Crooked Vultures.

Resuming his position on the drums Grohl, together with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and Led Zepp bassist John Paul Jones, rocked the crowd with a blistering show of guitar-driven, full-on monster rock anthems.

Given that Grohl’s day job with the Foo Fighters has seen the band play surprise shows everywhere from car parks to pizza places - and throw in the band having a new album to promote - fans would be foolish to rule out a secret slot from the Foos at Reading and Leeds. 


More: Foo Fighters - The Five Most Unexpected Live Moments


2) Green Day

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong

Having previously played the ‘secret set’ on the festival’s NME stage in 2012, pop-punk veterans Green Day would certainly know how to kick the weekend off with a bang.


The group, who headlined the main stage last year, have a long history of great performances at Reading and Leeds - not to mention an extensive back catalogue of riff-heavy festival anthems. While the band currently have nothing in their diaries, a surprise slot at the festival would be a great way to blow off the cobwebs.

3) Kaiser Chiefs 

Ricky Wilson of Kaiser Chiefs

Another band who are no strangers to the secret set, local boys Kaiser Chiefs packed out the Carling tent during their Saturday afternoon secret set at the Leeds Festival in 2007.

So far 2014 has been a good year for the Kaisers - following frontman Wilson’s appearance on BBC’s The Voice, the group has had a string of successful singles, a number one album and gave a stellar headline performance on the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury.

Having not rocked the crowds at Reading and Leeds since their Main Stage slot alongside the Black Keys and the Foo Fighters in 2012, a successful secret slot at this year’s festival could nicely cap off the summer for the band.

More: Is Ricky Wilson Really Getting His Own TV Quiz Show?

4) The Libertines

Pete Doherty and Carl Barat of The Libertines

Always known for their chaotic and disorganised nature, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to most Libertines’ fans if the band turned up unannounced to play a gig in their own bathroom!

The group, who were strongly rumoured to be performing a secret set at the year’s Glastonbury, previously played their first reunion shows here in 2010.

Following a very successful summer headlining festivals across the continent, could the fields of Reading and Leeds see an appearance from Pete and his fellow Boys In The Band?

More: The Libertines On Prostitues, Football And ‘How Pete Doherty Kidnapped Us’ 

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