So, the ads say SPECIAL GUESTS half way down the stage and them there guests have been revealed already. No, it ain't a reformed Meanswe@r nor Gary Barlow, instead Mean Fiddler have pulled out all the stops and got us The Distillers (Friday Reading, Sat Leeds) whom we're sure no-one gave a crap about until a few months ago when they had that good single and Brody had been gettin' jiggy with a Queen of the Stone Age. But who are we to say what's SPECIAL. Brody will be a punk warrior princess oozing sex appeal, which isn't unspecial, but it's hardly the long awaited return of Tool or some crazy Marilyn Manson side-project with Suicide Girls and Soulwax.
Where were we... Yes, more bands have been announced. Lots more. Interestingly Sony's hyped band of the moment, Modest Mouse are a new addition to the Radio 1 Stage in Reading on Friday and Leeds on Saturday.
The Carling New Bands tent has been announced too. Manc-indie lovers Kasabian co-headline with the lushness of The Shins at Reading on Friday and Leeds on Saturday. Mark Lanegan (who cancelled last year!) and Mondo Generator (featuring Nick Oliveri) co-headline at Reading on Saturday and Leeds on Sunday. And The Kills play the very same stage for the third year in a row, still on Domino, still featuring Jamie from Scarfo and his girlfriend VV they headline Reading on Sunday and Leeds on Friday.
Also playing across the weekend are The 45s, Agent Blue, Amplifier, Autolux, Danko Jones, The Departure, Dios, Do Me Bad Things, The Duke Spirit, The Features, The Golden Virgins, The Glitterati, Infrasound, Kaiser Chiefs, The Living Things, McClusky, My Red Cell, Pink Grease, Riff Random, Roxy Saint, Terra Diablo, TV On The Radio and YourCodenameis:Milo.
Last week, we forgot to tell you that joining the Radio One Stage are The (International) Noise Conspiracy, The Walkmen and The Open (Friday Reading, Sat Leeds), Stereolab (Sat Reading, Sun Leeds) and The Fiery Furnaces, The Futureheads and Eastern Lane (Sun Reading, Fri Leeds).
Lastly, the Concrete Jungle stage has been announced, it's headlined by top 10 skater-rockers 'A', with a supporting cast of , Sick of it All, Goldfinger, Dillinger Escape Plan, Bouncing Souls, The Starting Line, Coheed and Cambria, Flogging Molly, Alexis On Fire, Allister, Alexisonfire and The Holiday Plan.
For more info head on over to VirtualFestivals.com, which is where we stole the photo above from.
DiScuss: Happier now? Do we sound as bitter, cynical and jaded as Pitchfork yet?