2021 marks fifty years of Reading Festival, the iconic event that put Reading on the map for music lovers across the globe. This anniversary forms the heart of our latest exhibition, ‘The 1971 READING FESTIVAL: For the First Time’, which tells the story of that first festival, and of the musicians, sounds and crowds that brought it to life.
The Rory Gallagher family have loaned to the exhibition Rory’s 1966 Fender Telecaster and his VOX AC30 amplifier, both of which he used for his performance at the festival. The 1971 READING FESTIVAL: For the First Time’ is free to view and runs from Thursday 26 August 2021 to Saturday 29 January 2022 in the Sir John Madejski Art Gallery. https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/1971-reading-festival-for-first-time
Dónal Gallagher was interviewed by BBC Radio about his memories of the festival and Rory’s performance which you can listen to via https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09t8nzq