Reading and Leeds: Lana Del Rey and Blink-182 to headline festivals

By Bonnie McLarenBBC Newsbeat

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It's the first time Lana Del Rey is headlining the festivals

Fred Again, Lana Del Rey and Catfish and the Bottlemen have been announced as headliners of next year's Reading and Leeds festivals.

Blink-182 and Liam Gallagher will also be rocking the main stages.

The festival will take place on 21 to 25 August, returning to Richfield Avenue, Reading, and Leeds' Bramham Park.

It will be the only time Lana, Fred Again and Blink-182 will play UK festival sets in 2024.

Festivalgoers will also have the chance to see Gerry Cinnamon, American DJ Skrillex, band Spiritbox, rapper Digga D and Mercury Prize nominee Raye.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Oasis' Definitely Maybe, Liam Gallagher will be playing the album in full.

"The most RnR [rock and roll] festivals we have left in the UK. Be there or be square LG x," the Oasis star posted online.

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Fred Again played at Glastonbury in June 2023

For Fred Again, like many teenagers, he says it's "the first festival I ever went to".

Fans have expressed excitement about the return of indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen, who last headlined in 2021, but have "disappeared" for the last two years.

Melvin Benn, managing director of promoter Festival Republic, says it's "very rewarding" to see Catfish And The Bottlemen headlining the festival for a second time.

He also describes the 2023 edition as being "a hugely successful year for attendance".

At Leeds Festival 2023, more people were arrested for drug offences, compared to the previous year, as part of a police crackdown following the death of a teenager.

David Celino, 16, died after taking drugs at Leeds Festival in 2022.

Both Festival Republic and West Yorkshire Police have said safety planning for the 2024 festival had begun.

Tickets go on general sale on 30 November.