Metallica's Reading + Leeds set will be 'mind-blowing'

The festival's head of production hints special guests and insane effects

Metallica Reading and Leeds set will be mind blowing

Photo: Splash

The Head of Production for Reading and Leeds has hinted at Metallica's enormous headline set - and the potential for special guests.

Speaking to Kerrang, Dick Tee discusses the behind the scenes logistics of producing the Reading main stage and what Metallica have up their sleeves for their headline performance.

When asked about the extra difficulty of housing a band as experienced and massive as Metallica, Dick responded: "The Reading main stage has a very big stage roof; we’ve very high production values here. We’re always looking at the top end."

"But it’s really just a question of working hard on the technical side to make the space for all the extra elements that a band like Metallica bring with them – that extra space in the roof, space on the stage, or time to set it all up."

In terms of the actual set, Tee divulged: "It’s going to be mind-blowing. Obviously I can’t give away anything of the show itself, because we don’t want to spoil that for the fans, but it really is quite phenomenal. Currently, we’re looking at something like 400m2 of LED onstage – at least 100% more than any other act – so it’s a phenomenal visual sight."

He continued: "We’ve actually extended the front of the stage but 120m2 onto the normal performance area. And within that they’ve got stage risers for the band to run up and down on, play on, and to accommodate some special guests you’ll find out about…"

Watch Metallica perform 'Master of Puppets' at Glastonbury 2014

Speaking about the stage set-up for the metal legends: "We’ll have probably 100-plus crew and staff involved in the installation of Metallica’s stage overnight. We’ll start putting that in Friday night as soon as Mumford And Sons are finished, starting about 1am, and we’ll work all through the night."

Tee concludes by saying: "I spent 20 years as Head Of Production at Glastonbury and worked most of the major festivals, and without a doubt this is probably the largest individual artist production I’ve ever dealt with."

We'll see if Tee's as good as word at Little John's Farm and Bramham Park respectively, from Friday 28 - Sunday 30 August. This year's Reading and Leeds is headlined by The Libertines, Mumford & Sons and Metallica, and will also see performances from Alt-J, Jamie T, Kendrick Lamar, Wolf Alice, Bring Me The Horizon, Royal Blood, Limp Bizkit and many more.

For Reading tickets visit here, and for Leeds tickets visit here.