Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction (NME/RADIO ONE STAGE)

READING FRIDAY/LEEDS SATURDAY
NME/RADIO 1 STAGE
BABYSHAMBLES
Young scallywag Peter Doherty returns to Reading once again with the rest of Babyshambles. While some say he is a tragic genius, and others say he is a scrounging waster, their show will be interesting. Probably.

THE WOMBATS
While the only of their songs that I ever listened to and vaguely enjoyed was "Let's Dance To Joy Division", I was surprised to learn that they had previous released an album in Japan. Weird. I'll be on the main stage.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND
The latest in a long line of New York hype bands and the booking that will arguably fill out the NME tent.
Can't Wait To Hear: Walcott

MGMT
The duo bring their spaced-out stylings to Reading for the first time, and will hopefully be as electrifying as they have been on TV.
Can't Wait To Hear: Time To Pretend

READING SATURDAY/LEEDS SUNDAY
NME/RADIO 1 STAGE
MANIC STREET PREACHERS
They may be past it even more than U2 and REM combined, but the majority of their set is well worth the headlining set they've earned, even if its in the tent rather than on the main stage.
Can't Wait To Hear: If You Tolerate This...

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
BFMV tour their new album Scream Aim Fire. Yes.

JUSTICE
French electro house duo try out their best Daft Punk impression in the NME tent. Let's hope they're a bit more spectacular than when I saw them, but a festival crowd may yet be more favourable for them.

FOALS
Having done the now typical "release-an-album in march then play Brixton in October" that has been exemplified in recent years by We Are Scientists, Kaiser Chiefs and Klaxons, its not a shock either for them to have been pushed up to the NME stage after their electrifying set on the Carling Stage last year. While they arguably won't be as big as Klaxons, the early signs are promising and it may well end up being one of those albums that hangs around in the top 20 for a while.
Can't Wait To Hear: Mathletics

READING SUNDAY/LEEDS FRIDAY
NME/RADIO 1 STAGE
THE CRIBS
I have to say I've never really seen the appeal of the brothers Jarman and although their songs aren't unlistenable, and possibly even preferable to Metallica, I both don't know enough and don't want to know enough to make a judgement.

CONOR OBERST
Okay, this is a bit weird. Conor Oberst, who I always assumed was the only "real" member of Bright Eyes, is playing a solo set under his own name, with Rilo Kiley's drummer, amongst others. But Wikipedia tells me that Bright Eyes was always a group project. Either way, he'll probably chuck in a couple of Bright Eyes tracks anyway.

PENDULUM
When they first appeared, they were frequently referred to as being "the new Prodigy", probably by those who thought their remix of Voodoo People was an original song. To be honest, past Slam I'm not that familiar with anything of theirs, past the fact that people always seem to want to request some when they don't like a DJ at a club.

More bands announced soon...

Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction (MAIN STAGE SATURDAY/SUNDAY)

Friday's line-up
Part 2:
SATURDAY READING/SUNDAY LEEDS
THE KILLERS
Since their, from my point of view, unspectacular headlining set at Glastonbury last year, it was almost inevitable that they would eventually headline Reading and Leeds. It would seem they've joined the exclusive set occupied by, among others Muse, Foo Fighters and The White Stripes that means they'll all headline a major UK Festival at some point through the years. Barring no one awesome on the Radio 1 Introducing... stage, I'll probably be at the Manics.

BLOC PARTY
Moving exactly one spot closer to that elusive headlining slot on the same day as last year despite only releasing their now traditional trans-album single "Flux" since then. Even though it's probably better than most of A Weekend In The City, the crowd will be massive. I may be elsewhere.

THE RACONTEURS
Two years and one album ago, the Detroit supergroup headlined the NME stage when Muse were on which must be the largest Indiephile clash since Peter Doherty and Carl Barat turned up to the pub wearing the same outfit. I've been a bit slow on getting the new album, but the the material from Broken Boy Soldiers should be good enough for me.
Can't Wait To Hear: Store Bought Bones. Again

EDITORS
"Hey, we couldn't do as good an impression of Joy Division as Interpol, so do you mind if we play some Snow Patrol B-sides?"

WE ARE SCIENTISTS
A welcome return to these guys, now a drummer short, but making their first appearance on the main stage at Reading with a new sound somewhere between traditional British Indie and Duran Duran. While the new album hasn't made such an impression on me yet, their live shows are always great fun and I look forward to seeing them for a fourth (?) time.
Can't Wait To Hear: After Hours

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
Slipping down the line-up to sixth (but still out of the tent and away from all the Babyshambles fans - I know, some people really like them, don't ask me.) but should be playing some new material from their second album This Is Where The Truth Begins, due for release shortly after the festival.

THE SUBWAYS
Playing Reading for the fourth time in five years, the trio from the mean streets of Welwyn Garden City will play tracks from their upcoming album All Or Nothing. Despite the ironic truth of the album title, The Subways do attract a modest following and have a fairly respectable live reputation. I used to be a fan, but I'll probably be elsewhere when they grace the main stage.

READING SUNDAY/LEEDS FRIDAY (THE "METAL" DAY)
MAIN STAGE
METALLICA
They may be so metal it's 6/10 of their name, but I've never really been bothered by much of their stuff except the odd track hear and there. One of those bands I could never see myself making the effort to listen to because A) I'm not hairy enough and B) I don't know enough about computers.

TENACIOUS D
Hey Jack Black, you used to be cool, what happened? Ok, Tenacious aren't that bad and the songs are pretty funny, but should they really be 2nd headliners?

SLIPKNOT
Hey remember when everyone went through that phase of listening to Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory and Slipknot's Iowa while wearing their hoody with the big S on the back? Well those eight guys with the jumpsuits and back with a new album and returning to Reading for the first time in six years, since their apparently blistering performance in 2002.

FEEDER
Some would say this is a strange choice for the "metal day", as I did at first, but they headlined Download a couple of years ago, and are one of the few bands to have relative crossover success as both a Rock and an Indie act. Plus while their last album was "more mature" - code for "a bit boring" - their older albums have a much heavier sound, especially Swim and Polythene, which they occasionally like to dig out for the festival fans. They are Reading veterans, and usually get a big crowd.
Can't Wait To Hear: Lost & Found

AVENGED SEVENFOLD
I don't know a lot about the band some refer to as "A7X", just that those kids who wear their hoodys today tend to be the same sorts who wore the Slipknot hoodies when I was still in school.

DROPKICK MURPHYS
An ever-popular Reading band, these Celtic punks are playing for the first time since 2005, when the entire Arena was filled with the sound of punked-up bagpipes played to within an inch of their lives. Ska music for the bigger lads whose blood type is Jack Daniels.

I should probably stress at this point that this is not necessarily the running order on the day, and that more acts are due to be announced.

Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction (MAIN STAGE FRIDAY)

I got my ticket for this year's festival in the earlybird sale after last year's festival. 2008 will be my fourth Reading Festival. Now I'm going to go through the line-up and speculate what bands I might see. Purely for my benefit, really.

FRIDAY READING/SATURDAY LEEDS
MAIN STAGE:
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
-Oh dear god yes, I've been hoping for this since their announcement for Coachella last year. I was one of those people who only got into them after they split up, and was having an interesting conversation with someone who had seen them before and was wondering if they are still as good as they were. if the footage on Youtube is anything to go by, they haven't lost it yet. Quite possibly looking to be my band of the weekend, and I've not even gone yet. But that's bias for you.
Can't Wait to Hear: "Freedom"

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
I've seen them a couple of times before, and they are one of those bands whose live sound is so tight and skillful, despite the line-up changing every time Josh Homme gets his hair cut. I'm looking forward to hearing the stuff from Era Vulgaris, but their best song live has always been No One Knows. (Performed at 2005's festival here)
Can't Wait to Hear: "Sick, Sick, Sick"

THE FRATELLIS
I think this was one of the early bookings, made when people still remember this band. It's 2008 now, and everyone's (unfortunately) still talking about...

THE ENEMY
The baton has been passed and "This year's Fratellis", hopefully short of their decimation of a Bowie classic, are fourth down the list on the main stage moving up from halfway through the NME Stage last year. They will attract a big crowd, although are up against the duo of hype bands MGMT and Vampire Weekend on the NME stage.

BIFFY CLYRO
Just like Steven Gerrard for England, Biffy are always one of the first names on the teamsheet for the big game, and 2008 is no exception. They were at 3 of the 4 last festivals plus many before, yet somehow I've always managed to miss them. Although the new album is not quite to my taste, its worth seeing them for "Joy.Discovery.Invention".
Can't Wait to Hear: Anything from Blackened Sky, except "Christopher's River", obviously.

SERJ TANKIAN
System Of A Down's joint-frontman Serj, continues his solo world jaunt with a stop at Reading and Leeds. I saw him supporting Foo Fighters at the O2 and although I've never been a SOAD fan, his set was fun, if all a bit too much like his main band.

DIZZEE RASCAL
Returning after playing before Primal Scream on the NME Stage in 2006, Dizzee returns with some new material from his upcoming untitled album.

TAKING BACK SUNDAY
I'm alright, thanks.

GET CAPE, WEAR CAPE, FLY
I've not heard much, but I didn't like what I'd heard. Plus I've been told bad things about the new album.

ANTI-FLAG
Legendary modern day punk outfit anti-flag, complete with frontman Justin Sane, prop up the Main Stage bill, and will probably be playing yet another face-shattering set in the Lock-Up Tent, much as Jimmy Eat World did last year.