雷丁音乐节一直努力强调音乐的多样性，从重金属到传统爵士到流行，但当一种类型音乐的歌迷无法忍受他们所唾弃的音乐时就会发生严重的摩擦冲撞。最出名的一次是昙花一现的流行二人乐队Daphne & Celeste在重金属乐队“活结”表演结束后按照预定计划登台时，有疯狂的歌迷向他们扔重物比如轮椅，导致他们被迫下台。这形成了雷丁的一个传统，就是向垃圾乐队扔东西，经常是用塑料瓶或者杯子装的小便。乐队偶尔也会在台上吵起来。

    Like all greenfield festivals, Reading has always been at the mercy of the weather, and has had major problems with storms and floods. It's also had problems with government – citing traffic disruptions, bad crowd control, and problems with drugs, the local conservative council effectively banned it for two years, and it was only with a Labour victory at the regional elections that the festival was restarted. Performers at Reading have spanned every generation of British music, with one of the first being the late, great Humphrey Lyttelton, jazz musician and comedian.More recent line-ups have heavily featured American bands, including famous performances by Nirvana and the Beastie Boys.

    像所有的户外音乐节一样 ......