the countdown to reading begins

So today is just 6 weeks until Reading Festival 2010!!  My favourite weekend of the year!  and this year will be extra special as it will make a decade of Reading for me :-)  Over the next 6 weeks I'll introduce the bands I'm looking forward to seeing this August bank holiday weekend, as well as reminisce about the years past!

In case any of you don't know, Reading Festival is the best music festival in the world (second to glastonbury if i'm honest).    The world's oldest popular music festival first started as the National Jazz Festival in 1961, before moving to Reading in 1971, by which time it had moved over to rock music.  It has gone from strength to strength ever since!

So the lineup this year is excellent (as usual) and as often happens the real fun is to be had away from the headliners (who this year aren't amazing).  The obvious stand-out name for me is the return of the Libertines, my favourite ever band, but i'll try to also give you a run down of the other must see acts.

So for all who know me, it will be little surprise that I'd pick Frank Turner as a must see.  The singer-songwriter from my hometown, Winchester, plays acoustic (almost folky) indie with a punk attitude!  I was first introduced to Frank's music at Reading two years ago, when a friend of a friend took us along to see him in the Lock up stage.  Before the set was even finished i was sold.  The lyrics, the music, the energy and the togetherness with the crowd won me over!!  Lyrics that make you think, inspire and comfort.  Here are the recent single 'Try this at home' and one of the most sad-yet-uplifting songs ever, 'Long love the queen', which was written about a friend who died of cancer, the chorus gets me every time!!

Try this at home - Frank Turner
Long live the Queen - Frank Turner

And here's a video of Frank from Reading last year.  Playing to a packed NME/Radio1 tent he blew everyone away and the crowd sing-along to set closer 'The ballad of me and my friends' was my personal festival highllight!!

Another must see for me is a band i saw at the festival last year, although at that point i hadn't heard any of their stuff before.  The Gaslight Anthem from New Jersey, sound a little like Springsteen for the 21st century (the Boss is a fan).  They exploded onto the music scene last year and have their third album out this year.  They should be epic!!

The '59 Sound - Gaslight Anthem
Miles Davis & the Cool - Gaslight Anthem

So who else is coming to Reading this year??  its gonna be fun!!