The Carling Stage @ The Carling Weekend!

THE CARLING STAGE returns to the festival for the 8th year running in 2006 and will again host the best collection of up and coming talent. The Carling Stage has become a stepping-stone for many bands as they make their way to the Main Stage. Historically the Carling Stage has seen Muse, Elbow, Ash, Kasabian and Kaiser Chiefs make their first festival appearances and has continued to prove that this is the starting place for the talent of the future. Last year rising stars such as Arctic Monkeys, We Are Scientists and The Paddingtons played on the Carling Stage, and this year will see many more of the hottest new bands take to the legendary stage. With the stage hosting 17 of NME’s recommended new bands of the summer festival season over the three days alongside some exclusive performances from some of the most interesting names in alternative rock, organisers, Mean Fiddler, are proud to announce the following names for this year.

Friday 25th August at the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival

Saturday 26th August at the Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival

BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH - TWILIGHT SINGERS - EAGLES OF DEATH METAL - HOWLING BELLS

BROMHEADS JACKET - THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND - LITTLE MAN TATE

GET CAPE, WEAR CAPE, FLY FIELD MUSIC - SCISSORS FOR LEFTY - PIGEON DETECTIVES

ZOX - MUMM RA

Saturday 26th August at the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival

Sunday 27th August at the Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival

NOUVELLE VAGUE - THE FRATELLIS - TV ON THE RADIO - THE ORGAN - THE LIKE

THE SPINTO BAND - THE NOISETTES - GOODBOOKS - TILLY AND THE WALL - RUMBLE STRIPS

SERENA MANEESH - THE MACCABEES - THE MORNING AFTER GIRLS

Sunday 27th August at the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival

Friday 25th August at the Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - HOT CHIP - LARRIKIN LOVE - THE KLAXONS - LETHAL BIZZLE

STATIK (DJ) - THE RESEARCH - GOOD SHOES - SEMIFINALISTS

YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE! - HUMANZI - SWITCHES - THE ON OFFS - KHARMA 45

BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH are an all male trio hailing from Kingston Onatario who fuse a unique mix of reggae, soul, and punk rock that conjures up echoes of Toots and The Maytals, The Police and Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’. Last year’s debut album, "Sounding A Mosaic" highlighted a potential that saw single, "When The Night Feels My Song", championed by Jo Whiley and Zane Lowe at Radio One. With a tour with The Ordinary Boys to close 2005 and rumours of new material very soon, the return of the band to the festival seems likely to be the start of a second wave of massive interest.

It’s a rare occasion that a record makes as powerful an impression as this one. Greg Dulli – known and loved by many as the leader of pioneering alt-rockers Afghan Whigs – has recorded another album (his fourth) under the celebrated moniker TWILIGHT SINGERS; and it’s a veritable masterpiece. "Powder Burns" was acclaimed by Q as a triumph and these shows are likely to be further proof that Dulli is one of the most accomplished songwriters of his generation.

The dream boys dynamic duo is back! Jesse "the Devil" Hughes has returned from a religious dance monastery as a master. After hearing his falsetto unforgetto and seeing that boy slang guitar, the funk monks gave him a new name, BOOTS ELECTRIC! And matching stride for sexy stride with Boots Electric is the groove pocket cyborg, Baby Duck (formerly Carlo Von Sexron, aka Joshua Homme). Your ears will orgasm with every glorious groove that baby duck pounds into your boom box. They are EAGLES OF DEATH METAL. You should see them.

HOWLING BELLS are already being hailed as one of the most thrilling bands to emerge this year, gathering plaudits and building a loyal following with their dazzling brand of narcotic rock. Recorded with renowned Coldplay producer Ken Nelson, Howling Bells’ debut is an intoxicating collection of killer tracks.

BROMHEADS JACKET and fellow Yorkshiremen THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND (albeit adopted being from Shrewsbury but based in Leeds) are two of the hottest names around right now and are sure to pull in a big local fanbase at Leeds but also expect a packed tent at Reading.

Also in the Yorkshire corner and making the day at Leeds even more of a local celebration, Sheffield quartet LITTLE MAN TATE have quickly become one of the most exciting new guitar bands in the UK, aided by a growing legion of avid fans who’ve turned the band’s demos into word of mouth classics and their gigs into all-inclusive celebrations . Debut single, The Agent sold out of all 2000 copies in a matter of days and new single "What? What You Got" recently went top 40.

Born and based in the Essex seaside town of Southend, GET CAPE, WEAR CAPE, FLY (Sam Duckworth to his mates) comprises one man, a guitar and a laptop. Opinionated and political with the hedonistic streak of a 20 year old given the chance to escape hometown life, Get Cape’s music is passionate and life affirming, layering socially aware lyrics over acoustic guitar and laptop driven samples and beats .

From the other end of the England (Sunderland), FIELD MUSIC are something of a North East supergroup. Peter was The Futureheads’ original drummer; Barry Futurehead was in one of the many early Field Music line-ups and sometime drummer Tom English is on loan from Maximo Park.

Originating from San Luis Obispo, and now stationed in San Francisco, Californian four piece SCISSORS FOR LEFTY are already picking up attention. Current UK dates have seen NME declare the band "quite possibly awesome".

With hotly tipped newcomers and part of the Leeds based Dance to The Radio set up, PIGEON DETECTIVES are all set to be one of the names to watch for the rest of the year with support from Zane Lowe and Steve Lamacq already evident.

ZOX and MUMM RA open the stage.

In 2004 NOUVELLE VAGUE’s eponymous debut introduced French duo Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux’s singular take on post punk nuggets by the likes of Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Tuxedo Moon and the Undertones, recasting them as svelte, sophisticated bossa nova-inflected chansons, given wing by a succession of breathy-voiced, guest Left Bank chanteuses. Second album, "Bande A Part", takes up where the debut left off and with singers Melanie Pain, Camille and Phoebe Killdeer to add to the glamour this is sure to be a great ending to the day.

THE FRATELLIS have rapidly progressed from independent release, "Climbing Up The Back Stairs" to an album deal with Island Records. Very much a one to watch, the Glasgow based three piece have seen both Radio One and Xfm (amongst others) pin their colours to their mast. Check out their website at www.thefratellis.com for details of their Budhill Singles Club, where they'll give away songs for free through their website to get a taste of what is certain to be one of those shows on this year’s Carling Stage.

Brooklyn five-piece TV ON THE RADIO are a band in the ascendancy. Releasing their excellent second album, Return To Cookie Mountain, on July 3rd and are coming back to the UK, after spending most of the summer touring the States, to play a handful of European festivals with their only UK stops being at Reading and Leeds.

THE ORGAN, a Canadian all-girl quintet, are one of the most exciting new bands around. Recent debut album, Grab That Gun, has been doing brisk business ever since its release a few months back and NME declared them the best band at this years SXSW festival, no less.

THE LIKE transcend all the easy labels that one may be inclined to attach to them: all girl band, teenage band, LA band, etc. They simply write beautiful music, and possess an irresistible collective personality.

Utilizing an indie-pop sensibility that brings to mind the Flaming Lips and Pavement, THE SPINTO BAND play songs that can send you careening into the heights of lysergic bliss or provide the catchiest vibes to shake your tail feather.

Lead by Shingai, a stunning front women with a raw energy reminiscent of Grace Jones, THE NOISETTES have been described by the NME as ‘One of rock n roll’s best kept secrets’ and by The Guardian ‘Britain’s best live band’.

Ages 21 and under, the artfully tuneful and lounge –core Kent foursome GOODBOOKS were one of the NME’s top-ten bands to look out for in 2006.

Maybe it’s the tapdancing, maybe it’s the beaming grins (onstage and off), maybe it’s the cheerleader chants but, whatever works for you TILLY AND THE WALL are a band worth seeing.

A timeless rush of sax and trumpet, pounding piano and drums, and sweet melody, RUMBLE STRIPS are fast picking up fans whilst SERENA MANEESH have emerged from Norway with a blend of everything from Southern blues via Neu! to Gershwin.

THE MACCABES rapidly built a fervent following of raggle-taggle indie urchins and uber pixie band aids delighted to have stumbled across a band of such genuine promise whilst THE MORNING AFTER GIRLS come all the way from Melbourne, Australia to open the stage.

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE make challenging modern pop - music that defies easy classification or lazy pigeonholing. Their mixture of electronics and traditional instrumentation, of songform and soundscape integrate brilliantly into a coherent, logical whole. Bubbling, rippling instrumental playing coheres into fluid song structures that seem to swell and ebb, building a throbbing, shimmering wall of sound. With a host of celebrity fans numbering David Bowie, Bjork, Beck, and Franz Ferdinand, Animal Collective are one of the most ambitious and forward-thinking modern bands around.

If you want something which evokes the textures of Aphex Twin recordings, Madlib’s sense of deranged hip-hop holiday, the intimacy of Prince’s fantastically claustrophobic parades, and more than merely the spirit of certain wonderful Paul McCartney experiments in disco then you should be watching HOT CHIP. With next single, " Colours " and previous singles , "Over and Over" and "Boy From School" from their acclaimed sophomore album, "The Warning" ruling the nations airwaves, this is likely to be a short stop for the band on their way to the bigger stages.

With debut single, "Six Queens" and follow up "Happy As Annie", LARRIKIN LOVE marked out new territory for ‘indie bands’. Led by singer Edward Larrikin, the band draw on their second generation Irish roots, Twickenham upbringings and wide ranging influences to create a live show that swings from punk to indie, dub to rousing ceilidh moments. Hotly tipped by those in the know including Xfm’s Jon Kennedy and the festival’s own Steve Lamacq, this is one of NME’s sets to see this year. It should also be one of yours.

Touching down in 2006 from a place undetermined to wrestle the hearts and minds of the nations music lovers from last year’s seemingly all-pervading po-faced, post-punk moroseness, THE KLAXONS come to the stage with critics praise from all corners.

Ex More Fire Crew member LETHAL BIZZLE is one of the most prolific, exciting grime stars to emerge from the UK underground. He has established himself as one of the leaders in the UK scene, and is certainly the most dynamic. Accompanying him will be STATIK on DJing duties - dubbed the 'Godfather of Grindie, Statik has been credited with creating "The acest, wierdest, and most ridiculous compilation ever commited to wax." [NME] and will unveil his 'Broadband' album shortly.

THE RESEARCH’s wryly observed songs of love and loss will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. In a Sunday Times review of their debut album "Breaking Up" (At Large Recordings) the writer said 'See if you can find a flaw. I've tried, and I can't".

With their first 7" selling for £20 on ebay, and their second sold out in a week, south London kings of teen angst and suburban malaise GOOD SHOES are making early waves in all the right places.

SEMIFINALISTS have come a long way to these shores, vocalist Ferry Gouw coming from Indonesia whilst Chris Steele-Nicholson and Adriana Alba crossed the Atalantic from their native USA. It was worth it though as debut album "Semifinalists" is finding friends in all the right places.

Canada’s YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE! started with an indepdent album release in their home country in 2004 but recent UK shows have seen the band hotly tipped to be one of the big names of next year.

HUMANZI are four disgruntled, illegitimate children of the Dublin City Party scene. "(the) Ramones bedded by Kasabian: The Stooges clashing with the Mondays, and the sound of angular, hedonistic rock ‘n’ roll smashing head in into feverish electro punk" (NME).

SWITCHES, the driving guitar pop of THE ON OFFS and Northern Ireland’s KHARMA 45 start the stage off with a blast of new music for the early afternoon.

CARLING

Carling has been supporting live music through an extensive music programme for many years now via a whole host of unique music events from Carling New Kings to Carling Sessions to Carling Live 24 through to the ultimate festival experience. Last year Carling introduced Cold Beer Amnesty to both festival sites and following the success, it will be back even bigger and better this year. Carling’s Cold Beer Amnesty ensures that warm beer is a thing of the past by replacing ANY unopened can of warm beer with a cold can of Carling. The Carling Stage will be returning to the festival for the 8th year running and will again host the best collection of up and coming talent.

http://www.carling.com

ALSO ADDED TO THE BILL ON THE LOCK-UP STAGE....

Friday 25th August at the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival

Saturday 26th August at the Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival

BODY COUNT who have signed a worldwide deal with Escapi Music, bring their controversial, yet innovative brand of crossover Rap and Metal to the masses once again. Rap legend ICE T, Ernie C and the rest of the band have recorded a brand new album, the monstrous "Murder For Hire", their first album in nearly nine years will hit the streets this summer.

BOOKING INFORMATION

THREE DAY WEEKEND TICKETS ARE NOW SOLD OUT FOR BOTH SITES

A limited number of day tickets, not including camping and parking, are priced £60 each subject to booking fee and are available from selected outlets. See below.

Car parking passes (subject to booking fee) must be booked with event tickets. One pass is available per household.

National Credit Card Hotline: SEE Tickets, Wayahead: 0870 060 3775

Online: DAY TICKETS ONLY

www.meanfiddler.com

www.readingfestival.com

www.leedsfestival.com

www.seetickets.com

In Person: DAY TICKETS ONLY

Tickets can be bought at face value, when paid for in cash, at all Mean Fiddler Box Offices. Please note that picture ID may be requested at the time of booking.

Mean Fiddler Box Offices: DAY TICKETS ONLY

The Astoria, 157 Charing Cross Road, WC2

The Garage, 20-22 Highbury Corner, N5

Mean Fiddler Head Office, 16 High Street, Harlesden, NW10

In person at HMV: DAY TICKETS ONLY

Tickets are also available from selected HMV stores: (subject to booking fee, in person only, maximum two tickets per person, whilst stocks last, subject to availability, at participating stores only):

Reading tickets:

Bath, Basingstoke, Bracknell, Bristol (Broadmead), Guildford, Kingston, Newbury, Oxford, Portsmouth (Commercial Road), Reading (Oracle Centre), Reading (Friar Street), Slough, Southampton, Staines, Swindon, Trocadero Centre, Winchester, Windsor, Woking.

Leeds tickets:

Barnsley, Birmingham (High Street), Bradford, Doncaster, Grimsby, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds (Birstall), Leeds (Headrow Centre), Leeds (White Rose Centre), Liverpool, Manchester (90 Market Street), Newcastle, Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Sheffield (High Street), Sheffield (Meadowhall), Wakefield, York, York (Monks Cross).

Tickets are strictly limited to a maximum of eight per household - for those booking by telephone or online - or a maximum of four per person for those purchasing tickets at the Mean Fiddler booking offices.

Children under 13 (12 and under) are admitted free but MUST be accompanied by a ticket holding adult. Please note there is no seperate children's area at this event.

ON SITE FACILITIES INCLUDE:

Bars, Cash Points, First Aid & Paramedics, Food & Non Food Stalls, Information Tent, Left Luggage, Meeting Point, Market Stalls, Merchandise, Showers, Welfare Tent.

DISABLED FACILITIES

Mean Fiddler produces a guide to Disabled Access and Facilities for all its festivals, which includes details of the 2-for-1 ticket scheme. Applications for the Reading 2-for-1 scheme must be received by Friday 29th July

Please request a booklet and application form on 020 8961 5490.

Mean Fiddler Information Hotline (Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm) 020 8963 0940

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