March 31, 2008 13:23

Reading and Leeds Festivals: 'We'll blow other festivals out of the water'

Boss claims 2008 will trump rivals like Glastonbury

Melvyn Benn, head of Festival Republic - the company behind the Reading and Leeds Festivals - has claimed that this summer's event will trump rival festivals like Glastonbury.

Speaking to the Observer, Benn also revealed that he had been looking into putting on a new festival in Australia.

"Reading and Leeds will blow everything else out of the water," he said. "Festivals have become part of British culture. I don't know any other country that's as obsessed as Britain."

Benn went on to reveal that he had looked into launching a brand new festival in Australia, but had been put off by the natives' attitudes to weather.

"I looked at putting on a festival in Australia in March," he said. "I was told no one would come because it might rain. In this country it doesn't make a ha'porth of difference."

As exclusively revealed by NME.COM, The Killers will headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals this year.

NME.COM will announce more of the line-up and sell tickets at 6:45pm (BST) tonight, so keep your browser here all day.