June 29, 2012 17:26

The Stone Roses' Heaton Park weekender gets underway - watch

Stay tuned to NME.COM all weekend for full coverage of their epic homecoming

Video: The Stone Roses At Heaton Park - Fans Arrive

UPDATE - read our report on the first night of The Stone Roses' Heaton Park shows

Check out NME's photos from the first Heaton Park show here.

More on The Stone Roses at Heaton Park

Fans have flocked into Manchester's Heaton Park today (June 29) as The Stone Roses' epic homecoming weekender gets underway.

The reformed icons are playing their first major UK shows in 16 years, after a test run at festivals across Europe. 75,000 fans have flocked from all over the country, hotly anticipating their chance to witness the band's resurrection, with extra trains to Manchester laid on. You can watch NME's video of fans warming up for the biggest music weekend of the year so far at the top of the page.

Today, local ska boys Kid British kick off the weekend, with The Vaccines continuing their festival run, having completed their second album 'The Vaccines Come Of Age'. The Wailers will be performing the classics of Bob Marley on all three nights, at the personal request of super-fan Ian Brown. And the final act warming up for the main event is Primal Scream, who are debuting their new bass player Debbie Googe, who replaces Mani.

Tomorrow sees Beady Eye warm up for the Roses, even though Liam Gallagher said last year he would be happy to sell hot dogs at these shows. Completing the bill alongside The Wailers, Professor Green and Hollie Cook, daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook.

Sunday sees locals Dirty North, who were hand-picked by Reni, alongside the Mick Jones-led Justice Tonight Band, and Plan B, unveiling tracks from new album 'iLL Manors'.

Formed in Manchester in 1983, The Stone Roses were the heroes of the baggy era. They made history with their 1989 debut, widely considered to be one of the greatest of all time. But it took them until 1994 to release its follow-up 'Second Coming', and they eventually dissolved in 1996. After years of insisting they never would, they finally announced their reunion in October last year. They made a surprise live comeback at Warrington's Parr Hall last month.

NME will be coming live from Heaton Park all weekend. For the definitive review of the Stone Roses homecoming shows will hit newsstands next Wednesday (July 4) – if you want your photos to be included in the issue, tweet us your Heaton Park pictures or post them to Instagram using the hashtag #heatonparknme.

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