Arctic Monkeys to headline Reading Festival

Nominated for ‘Best British Band’ at the upcoming BRIT Awards and ‘Best Live Band’ at the NME Awards, the Arctic Monkeys first performed on one of the smaller stages in 2005 prior to the release of their debut album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’.
They then took to the main stage in 2006, returning to headline the festival in 2009.
The band’s drummer, Matt Helders, said: “We’ve got a lot of history with the festival.
“It’s the first festival I ever went to – we all went together as kids, with Nick as well.
“We were 15 or 16 and it was a big deal going to a festival like that on your own”.
They will be joined by other headliner acts, Eminem and Blink 182.
Another names added to the bill in last night’s announcement and after announcing a brief hiatus back in December, Manchester’s Courteeners will be playing an exclusive festival performance.
Having first burst onto the scene with 2007’s ‘St Jude’, last year saw the band release their third top ten album ‘ANNA’ to their devoted throng of fans, as well as selling more than 100,000 tickets.
Their Reading performances in 2009 and 2012 were highlights, with the crowd going mad for hits including ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ and ‘Lose Control’, and festival goers can expect even more from their sets this year.
Other new names also on the line-up are The 1975, You Me At Six, SBTRKT, female quartet Warpaint (pictured) and DJ Netsky.