Florence + The Machine call on crowd to “put your phones the fuck away” and “experience” set during Reading 2026 headline set

Florence + The Machine headlined Reading Festival for the first time tonight (August 30) – see the full setlist and footage below. READ MORE: Florence + The Machine – ‘Everybody Scream’ review: a communal exorcism of familiar pain The band appeared on the festival’s main stage – now known as The Grid – at Little John’s Farm just before 8pm, ahead of fellow Sunday headliners Chase & Status. It marked Florence Welch and co.’s first performance at Reading since 2012, and followed their headline set on Welch’s birthday at Leeds Festival on Friday (August 28). The show also brought their ‘Everybody Scream’ tour to an end, having begun with a run of UK and European arena dates in February before travelling across North America and returning to Europe for the summer festival season. Welch was on characteristically energetic form, prowling and spinning her way across The Grid’s huge stage, leading singalongs to the likes of ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’ and ‘You Got The Love’. She told the crowd that it was “the first festival I ever wanted to go to”, adding that her dad took her when she was 14. “This is my childhood dream, so thank you so much.” IDLES guitarist Mark Bowen joined her f...