The organisers of Reading and Leeds festivals are facing fierce criticism from music fans after just one female performer was included in the current line-up.
American band Against The Current, fronted by Chrissy Costanza, is the only act to include a woman of the 20 announced so far.
On Thursday, Kasabian were revealed as headliners alongside the previously announced Muse.
EEZ-EH EEZ-EH ?? @KasabianHQ will be headlining #RandL17 plus more acts announced ???????????? pic.twitter.com/SFG2URC1Ar
— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL) January 26, 2017
Other acts announced by organisers include Two Door Cinema Club, Fatboy Slim, Jimmy Eat World and Wiley – as well as Australian DJ Flume, indie rockers Circa Waves and Rat Boy.It means the line-up currently features 57 men and one woman, a figure initially reported by music blog Crack In The Road and confirmed by the festival.Fans criticised the festival on social media, with Sami Chaerin telling organisers they should call it the “we hate women festival 2017″.
"It's about the music not the gender" – There are plenty of female acts that provide music worthy of festivals and there are NONE here
— sami (@samchaerin) January 26, 2017
@samchaerin @OfficialRandL I've become so conditioned to seeing male lead acts dominate festival lineups that I didn't even notice this
— mairi ella ? (@perrypositive) January 26, 2017
I see Reading & Leeds have gone with the male dominated route again, how original.
— Matthew Gordon (@matthewbwfc85) January 26, 2017
The joint festivals, organised by Festival Republic, have faced similar criticism in the past. They have been contacted for comment.
Reading and Leeds festivals 2017 will run in the respective locations between August 25 and 27.
