Reading Festival 2008

This year’s bill is the best ever with a host of new names to announce and extra special performances across the six stages:

This year’s DANCE STAGE sees the resurgence of the genre reflected in the bill with a line-up that shows that electronic music and dance in its widest sense is returning to rude health:

CSS, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco, Chromeo, Crystal Castles, Lethal Bizzle, Holy Fuck, The Whip, Robots In Disguise, The Death Set, The Shoes

Swapping venues with the Dance Stage, THE LOCK UP STAGE returns to the twin sites for another two days of the best punk, hardcore and ska. Always a massively popular stage from the start of the day to the last note, this year sees two very special headliners backed up by a host of great names. Host Mike Davies of the BBC Radio One ‘Punk Rock Show’ is looking forward to this year more than ever:

‘Every year we stress out about trying to outdo the previous year. And for the last four years it's always happened. This year’s line-up is no different. Instead of having a headliner for each night we have 5 huge bands playing each day. Plus some great younger and newer bands who are guaranteed to put on great sets. There is something for everyone on The Lock Up Stage at Reading and Leeds 2008’.

Less Than Jake, Pennywise, Goldfinger, The Unseen, H2O, Frank Turner, The Loved Ones, Hexes
Gallows, Alkaline Trio, Thrice, Flogging Molly, MXPX, Cancer Bats, Set Your Goals, The King Blues, Fucked Up, The Gaslight Anthem, Random Hand.

And there’s still more great bands being added. With the RADIO ONE / NME STAGE already boasting a very special headline from NME Godlike Genii MANIC STREET PREACHERS, a debut headline for THE CRIBS and THE WOMBATS and a return for BABYSHAMBLES the latest additions point to possible headliners in future years:

Jack Penate, One Night Only, The Duke Spirit, Be Your Own Pet, Blood Red Shoes, Make Model, Seasick Steve, The Ting Tings, The Mystery Jets, Santogold, Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong, Kids In Glass Houses, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Music, hadouken!, Lightspeed Champion, Cajun Dance Party, Adam Green, Yeasayer, The Metros.

Yet, still there’s more. With THE MAIN STAGE already boasting the massively anticipated return of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE to their UK spiritual home, METALLICA playing their ONLY UK FESTIVAL DATES and THE KILLERS playing their ONLY UK DATES THIS YEAR, there are more additions to the biggest and best festival stage in the country.

British Sea Power, The Automatic, Alexisonfire.