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User:MIDI/sandbox/Culture of Reading

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Music

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The Reading Festival main stage in 2013

Reading is known for the Reading Festival which has been held in the town since 1971. The three-day event takes place annually across the August bank holiday weekend. One of the most notable performances at the festival was Nirvana's 1992 headline appearance.[1][2] Their set was released as a live album which Will Hermes described as "one of the greatest live rock records ever made".[3]

In 1988, 2000, and 2004 respectively, Meatloaf, Daphne and Celeste, and 50 Cent left the stage after having plastic bottles thrown at them.[4][5]

Notable popular acts from Reading include Mike Oldfield,[6] Slowdive,[7] and The Cooper Temple Clause.[8] Tom Rowlands and Fraser T Smith are alumni of Reading Blue Coat School,[9]

Classical

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Reading's 592-seat concert hall is situated within the Town Hall, and was built to a design by Thomas Lainson.[10][11] The concert hall is home to a Father Willis organ.[12] A second Father Willis organ is in Reading Minster church, which is the home to a number of choirs and choral foundations.[13][14]

World

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Reading was home to the WOMAD festival between 1990 and 2006.[15]

Theatre

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The largest theatre in the town is The Hexagon. The venue, which was built in 1977,[16] has a maximum capacity of 1,686.[17] The South Street Arts Centre is housed in the town's former labour exchange building,[18] and has staged comedy acts such as Mark Thomas[19] and Dave Gorman.[20]

The independent Progress Theatre is located in the Redlands area of the town. Notable alumni of the theatre include Peter Strickland,[21] Elize du Toit,[22] Marianne Faithfull,[23] and Kenneth Branagh.[24] Branagh became the theatre's patron in 2011.[24]

Art

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In March 2021, a graffito appeared on the east wall of Reading Prison showing an inmate escaping by climbing down knotted bedsheets emanating from a typewriter.[25] Commentators drew parallels between the individual in the painting and Oscar Wilde who was imprisoned at Reading in the 1890s.[25]

Literature

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Media

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GLAM sector

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References

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  1. ^ Smith, Thomas (24 July 2019). "Reading and Leeds: The story of the festivals in 10 iconic headline sets". NME. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. ^ Carter, Emily; Coare, Sam; Morton, Luke; Ruskell, Nick (27 August 2020). "The 11 Greatest Reading Festival Headline Sets". Kerrang!. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. ^ Hermes, Will (10 November 2009). "The Best Live Rock Record Ever?". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. ^ Brannigan, Paul (14 August 2014). "Eight Unforgettable Reading Festival Performances". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  5. ^ "The greatest Reading & Leeds Festival moments". Radio X. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  6. ^ Buckley, Jonathan (1999). Rock : the rough guide (2nd ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 1893. ISBN 9781858284576.
  7. ^ Buckley, Jonathan (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd, expanded and completely rev ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 956. ISBN 9781843531050.
  8. ^ Buckley, Jonathan (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd, expanded and completely rev ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 225. ISBN 9781843531050.
  9. ^ Bryant, Toby (2019). "1646". www.rbcs.org.uk (1): 14–15. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Concert Hall". Reading Town Hall. Reading Borough Council. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  11. ^ Norman, John (1984). The organs of Britain : an appreciation and gazetteer. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. p. 149. ISBN 9780715383131.
  12. ^ Historic England, "Small Town Hall (1321989)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 June 2021
  13. ^ Bennett, David. "Music". Reading Minster. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  14. ^ Bennett, David. "Choral Foundation". Reading Minster. Reading Minster. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Womad festival to leave Reading". BerkshireLive. 3 October 2006. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  16. ^ Barron, Mike (2005). Auditorium acoustics and architectural design (2nd ed.). London: Spon. p. 431. ISBN 0419245103.
  17. ^ "Venue Hire". What's On Reading. Reading Borough Council. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  18. ^ Fort, Linda (23 February 2016). "South Street Arts Centre is to stay open". BerkshireLive. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  19. ^ Davis, Clive (17 September 2015). "Mark Thomas at South Street, Reading". The Times. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Dave Gorman tests material for new TV series". Maidenhead Advertiser. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Reading film maker scoops award". 9 February 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Biography". Elize du Toit Official. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  23. ^ Cook, Caroline (5 July 2013). "New biography reveals Marianne Faithfull's early life in Reading". BerkshireLive. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Kenneth Branagh becomes Reading Progress Theatre patron". BBC News. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Banksy confirms escaping prisoner artwork at Reading Prison". BBC News. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
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