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6 moments you need to catch at Reading + Leeds 2019, according to Huw Stephens

Reading + Leeds 2019 is almost here, and Radio 1's Huw Stephens is on hand to recommend the top things to look out for during this year's big event.

And who better to ask for their recommendations than than Huw, who has been heading to Reading every year since he was 16 (that’s over 20 times for the very nosey among you)?

Huw says he's such a die-hard fan of the festival because: "There are no distractions. It’s all about the music. It’s about everybody who has made an impact in their genre over the past 12 months from dance and electronic to rap and grime and urban music through to rock and metal. I can’t wait for it."

Here are six of the many moments Huw is looking forward to this year. But that's not all, we also have the perfect playlist to get you prepped for Reading + Leeds 2019.

  • Reading + Leeds 2019 runs from 23 to 25 August. Find more information about this year's festival here.

1. Georgia getting everyone going

"One new artist who I think is going to have a brilliant year is Georgia," Huw says.

"Her second album is coming out on Domino records and it’s just her with a wall of technical equipment and she creates this huge synth, electronica wall of sound. She has got these massive hooks and About Work The Dancefloor is one of the tunes of 2019."

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  • Georgia will play the 麻豆社 Radio 1 Dance Stage on Saturday 24 August at Reading and Sunday 25 August at Leeds.

2. Dave bringing one of 2019's biggest albums

Huw says: "Black is one of the most powerful tracks of 2019, taken from his debut album Psychodrama, which is an intense and impressive listen. He performed a killer set back in 2017 and it’s brilliant that he is back."

"What I love about Dave is the depth and intensity of his lyrics, and then he’ll go and drop a track like Funky Friday, so I think you are going to have it all when he headlines [the Radio 1 Stage]."

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3. Enter Shikari playing not one but two sets

"Enter Shikari is one band I think about when I think about Reading and Leeds - they have played so many times," says Huw ahead of the band's two sets this year - Enter Shikari will headline The Pit on Friday 23 August at Leeds and Sunday 25 August at Reading and they will also be playing the Main Stage on Friday 23 August at Leeds and Sunday 25 August at Reading.

He adds: "I’ll never forgot seeing them on the Main Stage. It was one of those boiling hot Augusts and there was a massive circle pit and all the dust from the ground was going up through the crowd and creating a mosh pit storm above the audience. I have never seen anything like it."

4. The 1975 and that conveyor belt

The 1975 have said headlining Reading + Leeds is a childhood dream come true, so you know they're going to put on a good show. "They’ve promised a full-on arena show, which means that Matty Healy will be walking on that massive conveyor belt," Huw notes.

"They last played in 2016 and Matty promised that the next time they’d be back they’d be back to headline the festival - and he was right. It’s going to be epic when they take to the stage."

5. Anderson .Paak blowing everybody away

"I saw him on the 1Xtra Stage a couple of years ago and I was blown away," Huw says of Californian RnB performer Anderson .Paak. "He can rap, he can sing, he can play drums, he can dance and sometimes he does it all at the same time. He’s phenomenal and this year he’s on the Main Stage."

"So, if you have never seen him before make sure you catch Anderson .Paak. He has collaborated with everybody from Dr. Dre to Kendrick Lamar but he’ll be there with his band and it’s going to be special."

6. Foo Fighters showing how it's done

"We all may well lose our minds when Dave Grohl is on that stage at Reading," Huw predicts of Foo Fighters' headline set.

But Dave is no Reading + Leeds rookie: "Obviously, he played there back in the day with Nirvana. He’s always said he always loves seeing the trains go by full of bewildered commuters going 'oh look, it’s a festival' and one of the greatest rock bands of all time just going for it on the Main Stage."

Having , maybe Dave will be bringing a special guest to Reading + Leeds too? We can only hope!

  • You can watch Foo Fighters' Reading set on Sunday 25 August from 8.15pm.