FRIDAY AUGUST 25th to SUNDAY AUGUST 27th AT BOTH SITES
If you thought last year was amazing, then this year’s Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festival is already looking like the best ever and there’s plenty more names to come. Organisers MEAN FIDDLER have spent the time since last years festivals ended scouring the music world for the biggest and best bands and the newest and most talked about acts to create the best festival bill you could ever imagine. Across this year’s initial announcement are three of the biggest bands in the world, all making EXCLUSIVE UK FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES and demonstrating between them the depth of music and talent that has become the hallmark of the festivals.
This year sees a very special moment at the twin sites as PEARL JAM return to the UK after a six year absence to play THEIR FIRST EVER UK FESTIVAL SHOWS. One of the biggest bands in the world, with a huge fanbase and masses of critical respect, THEIR ONLY UK FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES are clearly the event of the summer. With album sales over their 15 year career comparable to the biggest names in rock ever, the twin sites will be a very special place to be over the weekend as PEARL JAM take their rightful place amongst the names that have headlined the Main Stage. MUSE return to the festival as headliners of the Main Stage for the first time following an amazing three years since the release of their platinum selling album, “Absolution” that has seen them become one of the world’s biggest live acts for THEIR ONLY UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCES. FRANZ FERDINAND step into their headline slot with a clutch of huge selling singles, two massive albums and a host of BRITS and NME Awards to their name to play THEIR ONLY ENGLISH FESTIVAL SHOWS to further confirm their position as one of the UK’s best loved and most popular acts.
Joining our Main Stage headliners are a host of the biggest names and most talked about acts to create the ultimate festival bill. ARCTIC MONKEYS have already hit the headlines and the record books with the fastest selling UK album ever for their debut following last year’s packed out Carling Stage performances. KAISER CHIEFS are sitting pretty with over 1.6 million sales of debut album “Employment” and a host of already classic Top 5 singles. With both bands heralding the renaissance of Yorkshire’s music scene Leeds looks forward to welcoming back their conquering heroes for two storming sets on their home turf. PLACEBO bring a catalogue of huge hits to the Main Stage on the back of current album “Meds” for what is sure to be a timely reminder of the brilliance of one of the world’s most popular and prolific acts. 2004’s Main Stage headliner with White Stripes Jack White joins with his good friend Brendan Benson to bring their new act, THE RACONTEURS to the festivals to headline the RADIO ONE / NME STAGE for THEIR DEBUT UK FESTIVAL SHOWS. In addition to these exclusive performances, Mike Skinner, aka THE STREETS, steps on to the Main Stage with critical adulation for his forthcoming album from all quarters and another huge hit single for current release “When You Wasn’t Famous”.
And that’s just the start of this years CARLING WEEKEND: READING AND LEEDS FESTIVALS. Still to come are more bands on the MAIN STAGE and the RADIO ONE / NME STAGE, the full line-up for THE CARLING STAGE and THE COMEDY AND CABARET STAGE alongside TWO DAYS of THE LOCK-UP STAGE due to popular demand and THE DANCE STAGE.
As ever, organisers MEAN FIDDLER are making improvements to ensure that this year’s festival is the best ever. More details on the acts playing and the other additions to this years entertainment will follow in the coming weeks. Details of the bill so far and information on each band follows.
OUR MAIN STAGE HEADLINERS
Friday 25th August at The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival
Saturday 26th August at The Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival
With millions of records sold across the world FRANZ FERDINAND are one of the biggest names in the world at the moment. From smash hit second single, “Take Me Out”, Franz have gone from Glasgow arthouse secret to multi platinum global artists in the short space of 2 years and picked up a Nationwide Mercury Prize (for debut album, “Franz Ferdinand”) and two BRITS in 2006; for Best British Band and Best Rock Act. Having made one multi platinum record, the four then returned within a short space of just over a year with second album, “You Could Have It So Much Better” and another huge hit single in the form of “Do You Want To”. The band ended 2005 with a huge arena tour across Europe, culminating in four sold out shows at London’s Alexandra Palace which, if you saw them, will have you salivating at the prospect of this EXCLUSIVE ENGLISH FESTIVAL HEADLINE PERFORMANCE.
Saturday 26th August at The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival
Sunday 27th August at The Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival
MUSE return with their fourth, as yet untitled new album in 2006. It follows 2003’s “Absolution” which sold nearly 3 million copies worldwide, saw the band play to over 1.5 million around the world on a mammoth tour that included America, Japan and Europe. With headline appearances at Glastonbury, T In The Park and V2004 the band ended the year (and the tour) with two explosive sell-out shows at London’s Earls Court. MUSE have cemented their position as one of the UK's greatest live acts, “Muse are an awesome live band, putting on the kind of arena show that other bands are too shackled, by lack of imagination or too much uptight cool, to even attempt.” (The Guardian Guide), recognition of their achievements coming in the form of the BRIT for Best Live Act in 2005, Q’s Best Live Act Award in both 2005 and 2006, NME Best Live Band in 2005 and MTV’s Best International Act and Best Alternative Act at last year’s ceremony. MUSE will embark on another incendiary world tour in May of this year before touching down for these headline performances at the twin sites, THEIR ONLY UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCES THIS YEAR.
Sunday 27th August at The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival
Friday 25th August at The Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival
It's been six years since they last toured Europe, so it's no great surprise that organisers Mean Fiddler are overjoyed to announce that PEARL JAM will be here to headline the Main Stage at the twin sites of Reading and Leeds. This will be PEARL JAM’S ONLY FESTIVAL APPEARANCE IN THE UK THIS YEAR and, as such, is sure to be one of the most talked about and highly anticipated sets of the year, never mind the festival. From first arriving on UK shores in 1991 with huge hit single, "Alive", the band have gone on to sell over 60 million albums worldwide and attract a huge fanbase from Europe to Australia and all points in between. With new material due in the form of limited edition single, "World Wide Suicide" (April 24th) and eighth studio album, "Pearl Jam" (May 1st), this year's headline performances will re-affirm PEARL JAM's standing as the pre-eminent voice of US alternative rock.
ON THE MAIN STAGE
Friday 25th August at The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival
Saturday 26th August at The Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival
When KAISER CHIEFS played the Carling Stage in 2004, few could have predicted the monumental rise to stardom that awaited them although anyone who heard first massive hit single, “I Predict A Riot” may have hazarded a good guess. Debut album “Employment” currently stands at a UK sale of over 1.8 million copies, the band are the owners of three BRIT Awards (Best Group, Best Live Act and Best Album), one NME Award (Best Album) whilst lead singer Ricky Wilson is a guest presenter on BBC’s “Never Mind The Buzzcocks”. KAISER CHIEFS even managed to fit Live 8 into their packed schedule last year, opening the US leg of the event, the only British band on the US bill. After two years of amazing success, the Leeds lads come home for one day of the weekend and take to the Reading Main Stage for the first time also in what is THEIR ONLY ENGLISH FESTIVAL APPEARANCES. With work currently underway on tracks for their second album, these shows may be a first chance to hear what comes next.
When word spread that three of the greatly missed Rage Against The Machine were working with former Soundgarden singer, Chris Cornell, the rock world rightly held it’s breath. Then in 2002, AUDIOSLAVE released debut single “Cochise” and all the anticipation was justified at a stroke. Blending Cornell’s stunning rock voice with the groove of Rage and Tom Morello’s unique guitar stylings, the eponymous debut album that followed was rightly acclaimed as one of the great rock records of the year. In 2005, the band returned with second album, “Out Of Exile” and made history by being the first US band to play in Cuba, thus continuing a history of political activism and engagement that had been a hallmark of all the individual members in their previous bands. With million selling records, a fanatical fanbase and a recent decision to play highlights from both Rage and Soundgarden history alongside their own songs, AUDIOSLAVE’s ONLY UK FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES are a guaranteed highlight of the weekend.
Recent NME cover stars and holders of “the most anticipated album release” award, YEAH YEAH YEAHS have, in their short career, become a byword for creativity and innovation in the alternative music scene. Debut Ep, “Bang” was a particular favourite of Radio One’s Zane Lowe and debut album, “Fever To Tell”, was released to hyperbolic reviews on both sides of the Atlantic, cruising past the gold mark in both the UK and the US. First noted for not having a bass player, the YEAH YEAH YEAHS story has grown considerably, lead singer Karen O’s mesmerising stage presence and Nick Zinner’s guitar alchemy welding to drummer Brian Chases’ steady presence to create one of the most visceral and exciting bands of recent years. With new album, “Show Your Bones” already heralded by NME as “the greatest American album this year”, YEAH YEAH YEAHS are set to become a huge global band and justifiably take their place on the Main Stage for a clear contender for set of the weekend.
It is a great pleasure to welcome BELLE AND SEBASTIAN to the twin sites for the first time. Following 2004’s Trevor Horn produced “Dear Catastrophe Waitress”, the band with the biggest cult following in the UK have become a mainstream concern and this years stunning follow up, “The Life Pursuit” is sure to further their appeal. Initially put together by front man Stuart Murdoch for a college music project in Glasgow, the band’s 1996 debut “Tigermilk” became one of the word of mouth successes of that year and the release of second album “If You’re Feeling Sinister” later that year confirmed that here was a band that would go on to write their own unique story. Fiercely independent, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN won even more friends when they triumphed over Steps at 1997’s BRIT Awards due to their fanatical online fanbase to win Best New British Act much to the chagrin of Pete Waterman. Over six studio albums, countless EP’s, a film soundtrack and various superb B side and rarities collections, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN have proved themselves one of the UK’s most vital bands and these performances are just as vital; a must see.
Recent Kerrang cover stars FALL OUT BOY look all set to join the big leagues this year. Their major label debut, ‘From Under The Cork Tree’ has now gone multi platinum, a new version of the album has just been released on Mercury Records and features five extra tracks. The first single from the album, ‘Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down’, entered the UK singles chart at # 8, a second single ‘Dance, Dance’, follows on April 17th. FALL OUT BOY are all set to be the new saviours of American rock and can even count Jay-Z, who brought Beyonce to their New York show, as a fan. Having seen the band live, he said that the crowd were “like a cult”. Surely it’s time to join yourself?
PLEASE NOTE, FALL OUT BOY ARE PLAYING READING ONLY
It’s been an incredible year on both sides of the Atlantic for THE SUBWAYS. Having already made a huge impression in the UK with the release of debut album “Young For Eternity” via a punishing touring schedule, the trio have been making waves in the USA with a live appearance on David Letterman’s show and a special guest appearance on the current series of “The OC”. Signature tune, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Queen”, is currently familiar to all as the theme of the Kate Moss Rimmel advert whilst they have recently taken possession of gold albums in the UK. From their first headline grabbing appearance at Glastonbury in 2004 as an unsigned act to the highest rated chat show in the US and gold albums in two short years; for a band barely out of their teens it seems the future is THE SUBWAYS for the taking.
Brace yourself for one of those Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festivals moments as PANIC! AT THE DISCO come to the festivals for the first time. Already attracting a large amount of attention due to their Number 1 position on the MySpace chart (no mean feat given the amount of bands on the site), tours with labelmates Fall Out Boy (who actually signed the band to their Decaydence / Fueled By Ramen label) and good notices across the UK media. Every year a clutch of bands go stellar after coming to the twin sites and PANIC AT THE DISCO look likely candidates for 2006. With debut album, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” now on street and picking up fans on a daily basis, these are performances that shouldn’t be missed by those looking for the big names of the coming years.
ON THE RADIO ONE / NME STAGE
If you were looking for a history of cutting edge British music in the last twenty years then PRIMAL SCREAM would pretty much answer all your questions. Appearing with the wonderfully brief “Velocity Girl” on the NME’s seminal C86 compilation in 1986, PRIMAL SCREAM went on to make a sleazy rock record in 1989 (“Primal Scream”) which spawned an Andrew Weatherall remix in the form of “Loaded” that pretty much is the benchmark of the second summer of love that was 1990. Through landmark album “Screamadelica”, whose collaborators read like a who’s who of the acid house and dance scene to working with Memphis Horns on 1994’s “Give Up But Don’t Give Out” and on to the recruitment of first Mani, of Stone Roses fame and Kevin Shields, My Bloody Valentine Godhead, PRIMAL SCREAM have been consistent sonic innovators and, live, put bands half their age to shame with a show that can only be described as sonic assault of the best kind. Returning on May 22nd with new single “Country Girl” from new album “Riot City Blues”, all of which was recorded live in 10 days, PRIMAL SCREAM are one of those bands that are always a must see and these shows are no exception.
ON THE MAIN STAGE
Saturday 26th August at The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival
Sunday 27th August at The Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival
If there’s one band above all others that have captured the attention of pretty much the whole of the UK this year, then that band is ARCTIC MONKEYS. Their performance last year on the Carling Stage was one of the busiest ever seen and so it is right and proper that this year they make the leap to the Main Stage. With the fastest selling UK debut of all time in the form of Number 1 album “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’ Not” and two attendant Top 5 singles, “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” and “When The Sun Goes Down”, this is likely to be a set that everyone wants to see. Expect mass sing-a-alongs, singer Alex Turner’s sardonic humour and the opportunity to say that you too have seen the most exciting UK band of the moment.
With new album, “The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, Mike Skinner, aka THE STREETS, seems sure to continue his inexorable rise to superstardom. When “Original Pirate Material” heralded the arrival of THE STREETS in 2002, going on to win the Nationwide Mercury Prize, Mike Skinner saw himself compared to Dostoevsky amongst others. 2004’s “A Grand Don’t Come For Free” continued the high critical praise but also delivered a Number One album and Number One single in the form of “Dry Your Eyes”, a song that seemed tailor made to soundtrack England’s departure from that year’s European Championship and sold in excess of 3 million albums whilst also being nominated for an Ivor Novello alongside multiple BRIT Awards. Firmly established as the voice of the real middle England, of Barratt Homes and Barcardi Breezers rather than cricket and tea, Skinner returns on April 10th with “The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living”, already being heralded by the press as one of the greatest albums of any year, never mind 2006. With it’s lurid tales of life in the maelstrom of fame, THE STREETS third album is also their finest to date and these performances are a sure fire must see for those who understand the pivotal importance of Mike Skinner and his band in the UK music canon.
One of the UK’s best loved bands, FEEDER are classic festival favourites, and this year with the release of ‘The Singles’ in May their set is sure to be full of all the sing-along hits everybody knows and loves. With a clutch of Top Ten singles including “Tumble and Fall”, “Just The Way I’m Feeling” and “Buck Rogers”, and current brand new track ‘Lost & Found’ all over radio FEEDER are rightly recognized as a band of the people. Over 5 studio albums (plus debut mini album “Swim”) the band have grown from an early constant touring schedule into a stadium sized rock band and sold over 3.5 million albums. The band are currently working on album number six for early 2007 so will possibly be giving some new tracks a first time airing.
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS are understandably known as much for Carl Barat’s former band The Libertines as much as for their own work at this point. However, that is sure to change this year as Barat’s new band have stormed into the year with a clutch of frenetic gigs, including a recent headline slot on MTV’s Brand Spanking New Music show in Birmingham which reminded many of the sheer excitement and energy of the early days of his former band. Debut single, “Bang, Bang You’re Dead”, is already a fixture on MTV2 and Radio One and is sure to be a big hit on it’s release on 24th April. With the band working on a debut album for release later in the year, it seems that Carl and drummer Gary Powell have shrugged off the bad times and, in concert with former stand in Libs guitarist Anthony Rossomando and ex Cooper Temple Clause bassist (and local Reading lad) Didz Hammond, are all set to lead the UK’s alternative scene all over again.
Currently gearing up to the release of their second studio album, THE FUTUREHEADS come to the festivals on the crest of a wave. With 250,000 copies of their eponymous debut album sold in the UK, the band find themselves very much at the forefront of a UK music scene in rude health. From debut single, the infectiously jittery “A to B”, through to their unique and brilliant cover of Kate Bush’s “Hounds Of Love”, THE FUTUREHEADS toured the UK spreading an infectious brand of agit pop to eager audiences throughout 2005, also supporting the Godheads of the respective alternative camps in the form of Oasis, Pixies and Foo Fighters in the last year. With a new single, “Skip To The End” released on May 15th and second studio album, “News And Tributes” to follow on May 29th, THE FUTUREHEADS are a sure fire bet for even greater success second time round.
With four Top 30 singles last year and critical acclaim for their second album, “The New Fellas” THE CRIBS are rightly becoming one of the UK’s big names. Currently on tour in the US with Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab For Cutie, the Wakefield trio have spent two years of hard gigging including supports with big fans The Ordinary Boys and Kaiser Chiefs amongst a host of others in the UK. Building a fanbase through word of mouth, that hard touring is paying off whilst lead singer Ryan made an extra special impact at this year’s NME Awards, celebrating his default win of the Best Live Award (‘proper’ winners Franz Ferdinand weren’t there so the award ended up in Ryan’s hands courtesy of Kaiser Chiefs) with a somewhat dangerous dive across a glass packed table. With a live show that is every bit as energetic and sometimes as dangerous, THE CRIBS are guaranteed a huge crowd for these shows and more Top 30’s and critical acclaim seem assured.
WOLFMOTHER were the biggest act to emerge from the US South By South West festival and one of the best new live rock bands in the world; The Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festivals awaits the calling of "The Wolf". With fans as diverse as Foo Fighters, Flaming Lips, Iron Maiden, DFA 1979, White Stripes & Franz Ferdinand their massive sound drives crowds into a frenzy. Lazy comparisons are made to Sabbath, Zeppelin and White Stripes but as demonstrated by their last release and Zane Lowe single of the week - 'Mind's Eye' - their sound is resolutely their own. One definitely to watch.
ON THE RADIO ONE / NME STAGE
Playing their first UK festival shows, old friends Brendan Benson and Jack White bring their band, THE RACONTEURS to the twin sites. As two of the most talented songwriters around, the combination of Benson and White on paper was a mouth watering prospect to those who know their music but the proof, in the form of debut single, “Steady As She Goes” and debut album, “Broken Boy Soldiers” (May 15th), exceeded the most optimistic expectations. A recent show at London’s Astoria was received in suitably hysterical fashion whilst a late addition to MTV2’s Brand Spanking New show at Birmingham’s Barfly club nearly brought the roof down. Whilst THE RACONTEURS may have had a long gestation period since the four members first got together to write “Steady As She Goes”, that time has undoubtedly been worth the wait and these shows, like many other appearances on this year’s bill, are a special moment in the history of the festivals.
David Jensen Photography:
https://www.davidjensen.co.uk/
