Arts & Culture
Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

The team behind Are You Listening Festival announce the festival will return for 2022, and line up details have been released. 

This year, it will take place on Saturday, 7 May across different venues within Reading. More information about all the venues can be found at https://www.areyoulistening.org.uk/access-information/

The festival will run between 12pm - 2am.

Are You Listening Festival is an independent one-day multi-venue music festival based in Reading that also raises money for local learning disability charity Reading Mencap; who this year celebrate their 60th anniversary. Since it’s inception in 2013 AYL? has been an event that aims to support lineup diversity and is partnered with Safe Gigs For Women in fighting sexual harassment and intimidation in live music. The event also has an art auction where local artists create bespoke and unique artworks of ten performing artists each year.

The AYL? Festival team say the festival has an amazing track record of supporting local home-grown talent before they had any industry team around them, such as Matt Maltese, The Amazons & Sundara Karma. The festival team say they recognise how important it is to provide a platform for local artists to perform and grow their audience.

Leading this year’s first line up announcement is the indie-pop performer, Alfie Templeman who has captured the attention of the leading musical establishments such as BBC Radio 1 (Sound Of 2021 nomination), NME and The Independent. He also appeared at Reading & Leeds festivals last year.

Joining Alfie on the bill and blurring the lines between Punk and Grime are the London based duo and previous Kerrang front cover stars Bob Vylan.

Du Blonde will also be performing, bringing their DIY-soaked pop-grunge after the release of their well-received and a BBC 6Music Album of the Year pick, Homecoming last year. There is also a previous winner of Scottish Album Of The Year award, Kathryn Joseph on the bill too.

Amsterdam based band Pip Blom with their brand of uplifting indie-pop and second album Welcome Break now under their belts, will be included on the line up. 

Alongside Pip Blom are unique alt pop duo Jockstrap who take listeners on a wild ride jumping from powerful pop choruses to drill-inspired breaks, from classical violin to dancehall.

Isle Of Wight’s rising sensation Lauran Hibberd whose drawn comparisons to contemporaries including Courtney Barnett and Phoebe Bridgers.

A spokesperson for the event added: “Other acts joining the announcement include 4-piece indie-pop-rock band, second thoughts. Reminiscent of Bombay Bicycle Club and Sports Team; ĠENN are a trans-national quartet intent on covering a multitude of genres with ease. Wesley Gonzalez bringing his charming wit and interesting concoction of classic 70’s pop, soul, and indie rock. Art-rock quintet and Talking Heads influenced Youth Sector. Tastemaker label Nice Swan Records newest signing Anorak Patch and Leeds based electropunk “juggernaut” Straight Girl.”

Representing the local scene are Indie-punk-math-rock inspired duo As Loud As A Mouse; the new electro-pop project Dakorra from Kate Herridge (Ocean Ruins); folk singer-songwriter Darcey Hope; Oxford’s experimental power-pop solo artist Jack Goldstein, indie-punk quintet The Mirror Pictures, Hip Hop MC Rhymestar and Reading DJ duo Twin Sun.

Ticket information

Adult Tickets - £25 plus booking fee.

Teen tickets are priced at £15 plus booking fee.

Tickets are available at http://www.areyoulistening.org.uk/tickets/

Festival wristbands will grant access to all the venues on the day, subject to capacity and age restrictions. 

Venue age restrictions vary. 

 

Online information:

Website: www.areyoulistening.org.uk

Facebook: Facebook.com/AreYouListeningFestival

Twitter: Twitter.com/aylfest

Social media hashtag: #AYLFest

 

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

    Alfie Templeman

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

    Bob Vylan

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

    Jockstrap

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

    Lauran Hibberd

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

    Pip Blom

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022

    Du Blonde

  • Are You Listening Festival is back for 2022