Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008

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Punters gather in front of the Main Stage at the Bramham Park site in Leeds. Friday night will see Metallica, Tenacious D and Feeder perform.

Pic: Danny North

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Mindless Self Indulgence opened the Main Stage in controversial fashion at the Leeds site on Friday. Frontman Jimmy Urine insulted Oasis, Blur and Coldplay during the New York band’s set.

Pic: Danny North

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Local boys Eureka Machines performing at the Bramham Site in Leeds. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: Danny North

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A punter shows off his tan in front of the NME signing tent at the Reading site. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands
nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds
Festivals review.

Pic: James Quinton

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Punters fill the streets of Reading outside the festival site on Friday morning. CSS, The Cribs and Metallica are all headlining on the opening night. All 80,000 tickets have been sold for the Reading leg.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Anti-Flag open the Main Stage at the Reading leg of the weekend’s festival. Midway through the US band’s performance, eight female backing singers â

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Future of The Left open the NME/Radio 1 Stage at Reading on Friday morning. Babyshambles will headline the stage after sets from the likes of The Wombats, Vampire Weekend, MGMT and Pete And The Pirates.

Pic: James Quinton

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The NME signing tent proves popular once more this year. MGMT, The Wombats and Dizzee Rascal were all signing posters, cards and various body parts of fans in Reading on Friday.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Fans queue to enter the Reading site on Friday morning. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to the Reading And Leeds Festivals index now.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Fans crowdsurf during Dizzee Rascal’s Friday afternoon set at Reading. The loudest cheers were reserved for ‘Fix Up Look Sharp’, ‘I Luv U’ and ‘Sirens’.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Leeds band Pulled Apart By Horses rocking out at the Bramham Park site on Friday afternoon. Other bands to perform on the BBC Introducing Stage include Dinosaur Pile Up, Fangs and The Last People On Earth.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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Knob-twiddling antics during Yeasayer’s set in Leeds on Friday. They were followed on the NME/Radio 1 Stage by Adam Green, Lightspeed Champion and Hadouken.

Pic: Jo McCaughey

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Florence and The Machine perform to a packed out Festvial Republic stage in Reading on Friday. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals now.

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The Metros performing on the NME/Radio 1 Stage in Leeds on Friday morning. The London band opened the stage which will be headlined by The Cribs, Babyshambles and The Manic Street Preachers over the weekend.

Pic: Jo McCaughey

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A triumphant Leeds punter defeats the mud monster early on Friday afternoon. The first night at Bramham Park will see Metallica headline after Tenacious D’s set on the Main Stage.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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A punter gets dirty very early in the day at the Bramham Park site, Leeds. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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A sad-faced fan at Reading Festival, possibly due to her friend’s Dizzee Rascal t-shirt making unfair accusations. Or maybe it’s just food envy. Actually… unlikely. Pic: Jacob Perlmutter.

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Hadouken frontman James Smith onstage during his band’s performance in Leeds on Friday afternoon. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Fancy dress is the order of the day as the forecast rain has stayed away from the Bramham Park site in Leeds. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Fans at Leeds get serious in preparation for Metallica’s headline show on Friday. They will headline the Main Stage following performances from Dropkick Murphys, Avenged Sevenfold, Feeder and Jack Black’s Tenacious D.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Friendly Fires frontman Ed Macfarlane meets his adoring public in Reading on Friday. The band were joined onstage by two exotic dancers clad in sparkly bikinis and enormous feather capes following their last song, ‘Jump In The Pool’, creating a euphoric party feel.

Pic: Andy Willsher

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Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro playing the Main Stage in Reading on Friday. The band arrived on stage in sunny conditions wearing tight blue trousers but stripped to the waist, much to the delight of the large crowd that had assembled to watch them.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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A stripped-off Biffy Clyro performing on the Reading Main Stage on Friday. The Scottish band played a series of crowd favourites including ‘Saturday Superhouse’ and ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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It’s all too much for one festival-goer at Reading Festival. And it’s only 7pm. The shame.

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Fans at Leeds take a breather in preparation for headliners Metallica and The Cribs on Friday night.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Tenacious D’s Jack Black onstage at Leeds on Friday night. The biggest cheer of the band’s set, which included an appearance by a cyborg, was reserved for 2001 smash hit ‘Tribute’.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Rage Against The Machine appeared onstage at 10pm at Reading Festival 2008, clad in orange boiler suits and black hoods, in reference to the prisoners being held by the U.S in Guantanamo Bay. Pic: Andy Willsher

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Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine plays Reading 2008. The legendary guitarist impressed the huge crowd with a series of stunning tricks, including using the plug of his power lead as a plectrum.

Pic: Andy Willsher

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The Wombats frontman Matthew Murphy onstage at Reading on Friday night. The band played the NME/Radio 1 Stage before a headline slot from Babyshambles.

Pic: James Quinton

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Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha onstage at Reading on Friday. The band used their headline slot to make a speech slamming George Bush and Tony Blair â

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CSS frontwoman Lovefoxx onstage at Leeds on Friday night. The band headlined the Dance Arena after sets from the likes Simian Mobile Disco, Crystal Castles and Holy Fuck.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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The Last Shadow Puppets playing the NME/Radio 1 Stage on Friday in Leeds. Backed by a full orchestra. A sublime version of ‘The Meeting Place’ showcased the orchestra’s full range while the band concluded the set with ‘Standing Next To Me’ and ‘In My Room’.

Pic: Tom Oxley

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Pete Doherty doffs his cap to NME after his impressive set at Reading on Friday evening. The singer ran out into the crowd at one point, before clambering over a video cameraman to get back on stage. Pic: Jacob Perlmutter

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A huge crowd gathered to watch The Cribs headline the NME/Radio 1 Stage in Leeds on Friday. Despite the heavyweight metal competition of Metallica on the Main Stage, the band packed out the tent, and the likes of ‘Men’s Needs’ and ‘Our Bovine Public’ were given a rapturous reception.

Pic: Tom Oxley

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Ryan Jarman in full flow as The Cribs headline the NME/Radio 1 Stage in Leeds on Friday night. The band closed the opening day of the Bramham Park leg following performances from The Last Shadow Puppets, Conor Oberst and Adam Green.

Pic: Tom Oxley

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Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion onstage in Leeds on Friday afternoon. Hynes tried his hand at being Friday night’s NME/Radio 1 Stage headliners The Cribs, jamming out a section of the band’s ‘I’m A Realist’ as the crowd sung along.

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An enthusiastic crowd show their appreciation for Bombay Bicycle Club on Saturday afternoon in Reading. The band opened the NME/Radio 1 Stage which will be headlined by Manic Street Preachers on Saturday and The Cribs on Sunday.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Bombay Bicycle Club onstage in Reading on Saturday. The band opened the NME/Radio 1 Stage where the biggest cheer of the set came during ‘How Are You’, as they were joined onstage by a headbanging panda.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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British Sea Power acknowldge the Reading Main Stage crowd on Saturday afternoon. Frontman Yan and bassist Hamilton finished the band’s set by performing symmetrical handstands, drawing a huge applause from the crowd. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Collapsing Cities performing at Reading’s Festival Republic Stage on Saturday afternoon. Elliot Minor and The Audition will close the stage in Reading on Saturday before The Kills, Wiley and Glasvegas wrap things up on Sunday.

Pic: James Quinton

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The Automatic performing on the Reading Main Stage on Saturday. The band ended their set with new single ‘Steve McQueen’. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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These New Puritons previewed new songs ‘Orchids’ and ‘Firepower during their appearance on the Festival Republic stage at Leeds on Saturday. The band’s set was built around tracks from the bands’ debut album ‘Beat Pyramid’ – including ‘Colours’ and ‘Swords Of Truth’.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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The many faces of the Reading And Leeds Festival. Punters give the thumbs up at Bramham Park in Leeds on Saturday afternoon which has so far seen sets from Metallica, Biffy Clyro and The Cribs amonst others.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Something for the kids on the Bramham Park site in Leeds. The Fratellis and Queens Of The Stone Age will play before headliners Rage Against The Machine close the Main Stage on Saturday.Pic: Andy Whitton
Pic: Andy Whitton

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Fans at Bramham Park in Leeds take advantage of the sunny weather on Saturday afternoon. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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A punter at Leeds gets over excited at the prospect of the ferris wheel. Saturday night will see Rage Against The Machine headline the Main Stage, while The Killers will headline Reading.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Crowds relax at the Leeds site on Saturday afternoon. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Serj Tankian eyes up the Leeds crowd on Saturday afternoon. The Armenian-American singer played a set comprising mainly of tracks from 2007’s ‘Elect the Dead’ album.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Serj Tankian bows down on the Leeds Main Stage on Saturday afternoon. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: Andy Whitton

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Esser performing at the Bramham Park site in Leeds on Saturday. The Festival Republic Stage will be headlined by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip on Saturday night night following sets from Late Of The Pier and Does It Offend You, Yeah?

Pic: Jo McCaughey

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Dirty Pretty Things performing on Reading’s Main Stage on Saturday. Guitarist Anthony Rossomando, right, ended the band’s set by diving headfirst into the crowd, much to the security’s annoyance. Eventually, after making it back to the stage, he collapsed to his knees.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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Cardiff band Los Campesinos! performing on Reading’s Festival Republic Stage on Saturday. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: James Quinton

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Foals frontman Yannis Phillipakis, far right, emerges from the crowd during the band’s NME/Radio 1 Stage set in Reading on Saturday. His stagedive caused chaos as security guards struggled to ward off crowd members, with at least 50 fans breaching the barriers in the space of a few minutes.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha salutes the huge Leeds crowd during the band’s headline set on Saturday night. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Tom Oxley

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Gallows frontman Frank Carter onstage on the Lock Up Stage at the Reading Festival on Saturday. The band previewed three new songs from their forthcoming album, which Carter told the crowd would be out in February 2009.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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Reading Festival 2008 – Berkshire

The Killers headlining the Reading Festival on Saturday night. The Las Vegas band wrapped up their show by inspiring a loud crowd sing-a-long with ‘Mr Brightside’, before returning for an encore that included ‘Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine’, ‘This River Is Wild’ and ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’.

Pic: PA Photos

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The Killers headlining the Reading Festival Main Stage on Saturday night. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Tim Cochrane

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Joe Lean backstage at the Reading Festival on Saturday afternoon. His band performed on the NME/Radio 1 Stage along with Seasick Steve, Mystery Jets and Santogold.

Pic: Jacob Perlmutter

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Bullet For My Valentine’s spectacular stage show during their Reading Festival set. The Welsh rockers played to a packed NME/Radio 1 Stage on Saturday night after sets from Justice, Foals and The Ting Tings. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: James Quinton

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Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield onstage during The Manic Street Preachers’ headline show at Reading. The Welsh band played the NME/Radio 1 Stage on Saturday night and dedicated ‘La Tristetta Durera (Scream To A Sigh)’ to his former band-mate, guitarist Richie Edwards, who disappeared in 1995.

Pic: Andy Willsher

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The Manic Street Preachers waiting in the wings at the Reading Festival on Saturday night. The Welsh band were playing to a packed-out crowd on the second day of the festival while The Killers played on the Main Stage at the other end of the site.

Pic: Andy Willsher

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Kele Okereke of Bloc Party at Reading on Saturday. The band were playing the Main Stage just days after releasing third album ‘Intimacy’. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Andy Willsher

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Bloc Party performing on Reading’s Main Stage on Saturday night. Frontman Kele Okereke started the show with a short speech saying it had been a few weeks of "new members, new babies and a new record" – referring to bassist Gordon Moakes, who is on extended paternity leave and his stand-in Daniel Lindegren.

Pic: Andy Willsher

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A huge crowd gather to watch We Are Scientists on the final day of the Leeds Festival. Chris Cain and Keith Murray joked with the masses during their set on the Main Stage which will be headlined by The Killers tonight.

Pic: Danny North

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Leeds Festival – 2008

Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty adjusts his tie during the band’s headline set at the Leeds Festival on Saturday night. Singles ‘Killamangiro’ and ‘Fuck Forever’ sparked riotous scenes amongst fans, while Doherty dedicated ‘Unstookietitled’ to black civil rights activist Marcus Garvey.
Pic: PA Photos

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Leeds Festival – 2008

Billy Lunn of The Subways onstage at the Leeds Festival on Sunday. The band performed on the Main Stage along with British Sea Power, The Automatic and We Are Scientists. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: PA Photos

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Alice Glass meets her fans during Crystal Castles’ set in Reading’s Dance Arena on Sunday. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass rocks the Cretaceous look during the band’s Main Stage set at the Reading Festival on Sunday. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: Guy Eppel

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Bloc Party performing at the Leeds Festival on Sunday evening. The band played two tracks from third album ‘Intimacy’; ‘One Month Off’ and new single ‘Mercury’. US stars The Killers will headline the Main Stage to wrap up the festival.

Pic: Danny North

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Reading Festival 2008 – Berkshire

Glasvegas frontman James Allan on the final night of the Reading Festival. The Scottish band performed tracks from their forthcoming debut album on the Festival Republic Stage on Sunday before The Kills wrapped things up with a headline set.

Pic: PA Photos

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Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield of The Manic Street Preachers on the final night of the Leeds Festival. With a backdrop of the Welsh flag, the band closed the NME/Radio 1 Stage after performances from Justice, Bullet For My Valentine and Bombay Bicycle Club.

Pic: Danny North

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Reading Festival 2008 – Berkshire

Metallica’s James Hetfield points to the Reading sky during the US band’s headline performance. The heavy metal outfit closed the Main Stage after final day sets from Feeder, Tenacious D and Dropkick Murphys. NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to NME.COM/Festivals.

Pic: PA Photos

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Reading Festival 2008 – Berkshire

Metallica closing the Reading Festival on Sunday night. The band headlined the Main Stage with an epic career-spanning set. Make sure you get next week’s issue of NME – on newsstands nationwide from Wednesday August 27 – for the ultimate Reading And Leeds Festivals review.

Pic: PA Photos

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On sale now: the huge 100-page Reading and Leeds special issue of NME. Featuring reports and interviews from all of the bands that matter, plus free posters, including aerial photos. It’s the definitive review of the festival!

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We Are Scientists at Reading Festival 2008. A special guest, Editors’ guitarist Chris Urbanowicz, joined them on stage and Keith Murray followed suit by joining Mystery Jets when they made their live return late in the weekend. Pic: Ben Cannon

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Hadouken! signing someone’s pants in the NME/Radio 1 Signing Tent at Leeds Festival 2008. They covered The Prodigy’s ‘Breathe’ during their NME/Radio 1 set on Friday. Vocalist James Smith told the crowd: "We’re going to play a cover now, it’s by the best fucking band in the world!"

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Glasvegas’ James Allan and a Rage fan in the NME Signing Tent at Leeds Festival 2008. The Scottish singer and guitarist told NME exclusively backstage that he loved The Last Shadow Puppets but was "uneducated" about headliners Metallica.

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Seasick Steve in the NME Signing Tent at Reading Festival 2008 shaking hands with a slightly bewildered young punter. During his set he not only dedicated a song to his dead dog, Boss, he also got a woman up onstage to serenade after revealing: "I need a woman". Pic: Jamie Roberts

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Seasick Steve at Reading Festival 2008. The veteran Californian bluesman dedicated a new, untitled song to his dead dog, Boss. He sang: "I miss my dog/He was my one true friend". Pic: Ben Cannon

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Bullet For My Valentine in the NME Signing Tent at Leeds Festival 2008. The heavy-metallers played the NME/Radio 1 Stage on Saturday (August 23). Manic Street Preachers dedicated ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ during their Leeds headline set to the rockers.

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