Reading Boss Talks Sound Problems

The discussion surrounding the sound problems at this year's Reading festival has found a new voice with event boss Melvin Benn entering the fray.

This year's Reading festival was an enormous success. Bigger than ever, tickets for the event sold out in record time with organisers confirming a stunning line up.

Headliners included the likes of Radiohead, who unveiled a never before heard track at the event. Also performing were Arctic Monkeys, whose recent album 'Humbug' soared into the charts at number one.

The final headliners were Kings Of Leon who played a stunning set drawn from their recent chart slaying album 'Only By The Night'. Further down the bill Reading festival organisers assembled a sizzling cast of support groups, including La Roux, Crystal Castles and more.

However fans have been grumbling about the sound at the event. Last year Reading was dogged by complaints over the sound system, with fans chanting 'turn it up!' during the headline set by The Killers.

This year organisers moved to improve the soundsystem, with Reading boasting a louder kit than ever. However it seems that adverse weather conditions - such as swirling winds - have combined to restrict the full impact of the sound.

"To be fair, the sound has been massively better. Last year we were having to run so low that it wasn't possible, that hasn't been the case this year," he told the NME. "Generally, we've been running between 101 and 103 decibels, sometimes 107, amazing."

"The only issue has been there have been massive gusts of winds which can pick up the sound and throw it away. That's not a sound issue per se. Some people will have noticed on Friday we had to drop the screens on the Main Stage because of the wind."

"The sound has been pretty remarkable, the gusts of winds have been difficult. It’s generally a British summer issue."