22 ? 24 August 2008

Sister festivals Reading and Leeds are geared up and hotter than ever this year. The Reading festival celebrates 20 years this August, with standout musical acts, the Silent Disco, a funfair and lots more, the festival offers an entire weekend of entertainment. Sister Leeds Festival is in its 10th year, which makes for a spectacular holiday weekend event.

The 2008 line up includes acts like Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Bloc Party, Dirty Pretty Things, Queens of the Stone Age, The Womabats, Babyshambles and many more appearing on six stages.

Weekend and day tickets are available, but perhaps the most fun is had by those who choose to stay the weekend and camp out. Campers can stay in one of several campsites at the Reeding festival and bring their own tent or campervan, or they can opt for the Tangerine Fields answer and have it all taken care of for them with a ready pitched and fully equipped tent.

It's a Celebration!

This year is special for the sister festivals. Reading is in its 20th year and Leeds in its 10th. Their line up is specially crafted to make this a banner celebration year with some stellar headliners in exclusive performances. Outside of the super stars on the main stage are the NME/Radio One and Lock Up Stages featuring a full array of punk, hardcore and ska. You can expect to see established headline acts gracing the main stages as well as headliners of tomorrow wowing the crowds at the smaller stages.

It's three days and more than 150 acts over the Bank Holiday weekend; that would be Friday, 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th August. You can expect to find the main stage featuring major rock, indie and alternative acts; the NME/Radio One stage will host some hot up and comers and alternative headliners and the Lock Up Stage is where you'll find the underground and hardcore acts.

Another milestone in 2008 is the Festival Republic's parting with Carling. For nine years, Carling has been the headline sponsor and official lager at the festivals and by mutual agreement, that successful partnership has ended and the Reading Festival reclaims its own prestigious name.

The Reading Festival is on Richfield Avenue, Reading and it's a good idea to plan on taking public transport or liftshare. There are shuttle busses from the train station, which is also walking distance, taking only 15 minute to reach the site. A variety of private coaches and services are available as well.

All-Star Line Up

Friday's line up includes Rage Against the Machine, Queens of the Stone Age, The Fratellis, The Enemy, Biffy Clyro, Serj Tankian, Dizzee Rascal, Taking Back Sunday, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Anti-Flag, Babyshambles, The Wombats, Vampire Weekend and MGMT.

On Saturday featured acts include The Killers, Bloc Party, The Raconteurs, Editors, We Are Scientists, Dirty Pretty Things, The Subways, Manic Street Preachers, Bullet For My Valentine, Justice and Foals.

Sunday rounds out the festival with Metallica, Tenacious D, Slipknot, Feeder, Avenged Sevenfold, Dropkick Murphys, The Cribs, Conor Oberst and Pendulum.