Why Reading and Leeds 'means the most' to bands

"When you're 50, this is the moment you'll be thinking about," Mallory Knox frontman Mikey Chapman tells Newsbeat after playing the main stage at Reading.

For a lot of acts on this year's line-up, this is the festival they dreamed of performing at when younger.

"This is the one that means the most because we grew up as fans," adds Mikey.

And they're not alone in their love for Reading.

The band have played at the festival three times, including two appearances on the main stage.

Guitarist Sam Douglas says: "It's one of those shows that you can build yourself up to but when you're up there and you look out you think 'I'm not really ready for this'.

"We've been doing this for eight years but the one show in the calendar that my family ask to come to is this one.

"That kind of sums it up. They see what we do all the time but the one they want to come and see what we've achieve is this one.

"That speak volumes. This is the peak for us.

"You must be so arrogant if walking out on that stage doesn't take your breath away."

The band, who grew up in Reading, have been coming to the festival for the last 12 years.

"It was everything we wanted a Reading festival set to be," says singer Matt Thomson.

"We've seen so many cool bands here, we've been in one form or another for the last decade or so.

"To be up there it means a lot for us coming form Reading."

Bassist Elliot Briggs adds: "My first time was in 2005.

"There was a local radio station who hosted a competition.

"Iron Maiden were headlining so you had to bring something that you loved to a car park and they bought a digger along, then they smashed it to pieces and whatever made the best radio got a free weekend ticket.

"We brought our old piano, that's how we got to go.

"It made some really good sounds when it got destroyed."

Three of the members played in a previous band called Peers on the BBC Introducing stage before forming The Amazons.

"We've got the hometown factor but every other band feels the same way," explains Matt.

"Its the end of the festival season, there's a backstage area where everyone mixes.

"It's just got a different energy and a different vibe to any other festival in the world.

"It has a lot of weight this show, and a lot of significance. We were on edge the whole time but we kept a lid on it."

This is the seventh time You Me At Six have played at Reading and Leeds.

They've played every stage except the dance tent.

But frontman Josh Franceschi says "you never know" if they'll pop up in the tent at some point.

"We've grown up coming and looked at the bands on stage and thought, maybe that could be us one day."

Guitarist Max Helyer, who grew up 15 minutes away from the site, adds: "It's one of the last festivals of the season so people go all out.

"For a band to come and play to a crowd like that is great."

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