Reading Festival 2008 has kicked off today (August 22) with the biggest Friday capacity crowd to date.
The sun is shining on the Richfield Avenue festival site, and anticipation is HUGE for tonightโs mainstage headlinerโs Rage Against The Machine.
The newly reformed Californian band, fronted by Zack de la Rocha are due to play their first show on English soil in a decade (they played Scotlandโs T in the Park Festival last month) after reuniting last year to play the US Coachella festival.
Preceding them are Josh Hommeโs Queens of the Stone Age who are still showcasing their album โEra Vulgarisโ finishing up their European tour at the Reading/ Leeds Festivals with their rockโnโroll drawl.
Headlining the NME/ Radio One stage are Pete Dohertyโs Babyshambles finishing a strong line-up that includes New York hipsters Vampire Weekend and MGMT as well as Be Your Own Petโs last festival shows (Reading and Leeds) before they split when their UK tour finishes next week.
Over at the Leeds end of the twin-site festival, the mighty Metallica are set to headline tonight, with Arctic Monkeyโs Alex Turnerโs collaboration with Miles Kane; The Last Shadow Puppets set to headline the NME/Radio One Stage.
Stay tuned to Uncut.co.uk for updates and photos (there are some impressive t-shirts, costumes and flags!) from the Bank Holiday weekend festival, weโre very looking forward to seeing Manic Street Preachers, Jack White and Brendan Bensonโs The Raconteurs and Metallica across the three day festival.