Reading Festival’s ‘TikTok stage’ pulls in the crowds

Down at a slightly damp Reading Festival site, ponchos are very much in fashion.

Young music lovers are braving the unpredictable weather to watch headline sets from the likes of Fred Again, Lana Del Rey and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

But this year, there’s a new type of performer pulling in the crowds: TikTokers.

For the first time, the festival has introduced the Aux stage, which features some of the UK’s most recognisable internet personalities.

Its line-up includes Chunkz and Filly, who have over 8.7m followers between them on TikTok – the sort of numbers some of the bands here could only dream of.

Then there’s the likes of The Useless Hotline’s Max Baledge (3.6m followers) and George Clarke (2m followers), and Ayamé – host of the In Ayamé We Trust podcast – who has 3.8m followers.

A place for audiences to sit back and laugh in between music isn’t exactly a new thing for Reading & Leeds – its comedy stage had big names like Joel Dommett, Russell Kane and Fern Brady on the bill last year.

But it feels like a new generation of stars, ones who are arguably more familiar to Gen Z festivalgoers, are in the ascendancy this year.

“The impact of content creators on our culture, especially with young people, is undeniable,” Reading and Leeds organiser Melvin Benn told the BBC in a statement.

“They spend countless hours with them online and the Aux stage was created to bridge the gap, offering them a live platform to connect beyond the screen.”

He said that “Reading and Leeds will always be a music-first festival” but that there was space for “other innovators who are redefining entertainment”.

The introduction of this innovation hasn’t gone entirely smoothly.

At Reading’s sister festival in Leeds, the Aux stage had to be closed and most of the performances cancelled after it was hit by Storm Lilian on Friday.

Max Baledge – one of those due to perform – said he was heading to Leeds anyway and organising a meet and greet for his disappointed fans.

Writing on his Instagram story a few hours after, Baledge said the amount of people who attended was deemed a health and safety hazard and he was told to leave the scene.

Meeting fans at Reading isn’t new for Balegde, which is why he thinks the stage was a good booking by organisers Festival Republic.

“I’ve been to Reading Festival for two years, and every time we’ve been shocked at the amount of people that come over and recognise us and ask for pictures, it really is mesmerizing,” he said.

“So, when you think about the fact that, all of these Gen Z people that want to go to Reading and Leeds, in their day to day lives, they’re absorbing people through TikTok, YouTube, all of the social medias.”

Ayamé – who was due at Reading on Saturday – started her “chaotic” podcast in 2023 with just a microphone and a camera.

And while she says a lot of her under-30s demographic go to festivals, she does not think performers like her will overtake musicians.

“I wouldn’t say that it’s competing with the main stage, like I wouldn’t say that people would come and watch a podcast at a festival instead of watching like a musical artist.

“But I think it definitely sets a purpose for people that want to take a break and see something different to just music.”

On Saturday, Sephy and Wing – the hosts of the Goes Without Saying podcast – opened the Aux stage.

There was a good-sized audience stood by the stage, with the hosts inviting people to share dilemmas and embarrassing moments.

Nothing is off limits – there’s a lot of talk about excruciating toilet-based mishaps, relationships and friendship betrayal.

One girl shares how her best friend convinced her to leave her boyfriend, only for the best friend to then get together with her boyfriend the next day.

Another reveals she was getting on with a boy yesterday, before she learned that he was attempting to secure “Reading points” – a so-called “game” where men attempt to tally up sexual encounters while at the festival.

Eliz, 24, and Lilyemma, 23, who are in the audience, have their own podcast. Lilyemma says it is “really inspiring” to see the performance.

Some audience members are just there to shelter from the rain.

Ellie, 25, and Barry, 27, are waiting for a secret set from rapper Niko B.

“It’s interesting there’s a stage like this,” Ellie says, “but we’re more just here for the music.”

Hannah and Jade came to Reading for the day and have just been to see indie rock band The Last Dinner Party – but they told me they’d be checking out the Aux stage later.

“Have you heard the amount of girls here who are saying ‘very demure, very mindful’?” Jade jokes, referencing a recent social media trend.

“Everybody watches TikTok,” Hannah says, “so to then actually see some people, and to take a break from live music – it’s great times.”