Daniel Radcliffe Calls Arctic Monkeys' 2006 Reading Festival Show His 'Best Concert' Ever

The actor recalls witnessing the British rock band's rise to global fame just before their breakout.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Daniel Radcliffe, best known for playing Harry Potter, has named Arctic Monkeys' 2006 performance at the Reading Festival as the "best concert" he's ever seen. Radcliffe, who was 16 at the time, remembers watching the band on the cusp of their meteoric rise to global fame, playing in a small tent despite already having a devoted fanbase eager to see them. The actor has since gone on to establish himself as a respected theater performer on Broadway.

Why it matters

Radcliffe's recollection of Arctic Monkeys' breakout performance provides a unique firsthand account of the band's rapid ascent to stardom, highlighting their ability to captivate audiences even before the release of their debut album. His perspective as a young fan witnessing this pivotal moment in the band's career offers insight into their early days and the excitement surrounding their emergence as one of the biggest British rock acts of the 2000s.

The details

In a 2026 interview with Rolling Stone, Radcliffe recalled attending the 2006 Reading Festival and seeing Arctic Monkeys perform in a small tent, despite the fact that their debut album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" had not yet been released. He described the experience of "watching this band right on the cusp of becoming massive, where they were in a tent that was probably for a few thousand people, and there were probably like 10,000 people trying to cram in there." Radcliffe, who was illegally downloading the band's music at the time, was able to witness their rise to fame firsthand, an experience he still considers the "best concert" he's ever seen.

  • Radcliffe attended the Reading Festival in 2006 when he was 16 years old.
  • Arctic Monkeys' debut album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" had not yet been released at the time of the 2006 Reading Festival performance.

The players

Daniel Radcliffe

A 36-year-old actor best known for his role as Harry Potter, who has also established a successful theater career on Broadway.

Arctic Monkeys

A British rock band consisting of singer and guitarist Alex Turner, drummer and vocalist Matt Helders, guitarist Jamie Cook, and bassist Nick O'Malley. They have become one of the biggest rock acts in the world, with three of their albums topping the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart.

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What they’re saying

“Watching this band right on the cusp of becoming massive, where they were in a tent that was probably for a few thousand people, and there were probably like 10,000 people trying to cram in there, that was really cool.”

— Daniel Radcliffe (Rolling Stone)

The takeaway

Radcliffe's recollection of witnessing Arctic Monkeys' breakout performance at the 2006 Reading Festival provides a unique perspective on the band's rapid rise to global fame, highlighting their ability to captivate audiences even before the release of their debut album. This firsthand account offers insight into the excitement surrounding the emergence of one of the biggest British rock acts of the 2000s.