supergrass

I'll be heading over to Crystal Castles as well, although I don't have particularly high expectations. They're somewhere in the middle for me, I'm hoping the live experience will tip them into the 'like' category.

I suppose it leaves you with both, although the Skittles do dissolve somewhat. I'm basing it on this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Shoot-the-...Skittles-Vodka/

I have an underlying hope that my super-torch is going to be just that. If you see me looking forlorn and sat in darkness then you'll know it hasn't.

I spent last night putting Skittles into bottles of vodka, the sieving process starts tonight. I'm taking red and green. I also ordered a wind up torch/phone and mp3 charger which I would like to arrive (and should arrive today). I'm sure it won't work.

With everything else bought and packed I've now turned to these non-essential things.

Yeah, no problem.

Last year our knees-up on Sunday night lasted until about 2/3am, at which point we went and got the train home then. The year before I was up at first dawn to catch the first train out Monday morning. Either way Monday was pretty much lost, although the travelling was far more bearable while drunk on the Sunday. Had the added benefit of waking up in bed Monday morning and not in the tent.

No problem. You really won't miss it though, there will be people going that way at all hours and it's pretty much the only way to go as I recall. Plus you'll be flanked the whole way by people selling beer and tshirts on the side of the road.

For Thursday night reference I will probably be in some kind of Lightspeed Champion t-shirt. My preparation is thorough enough that clothes have already been washed and packed.

This is the best map I've seen, was somewhere on the Reading boards: http://strictlyreading.co.uk/maps/index.html

It's easily walkable if you don't go the cab route.

Follow the masses. If you're carrying luggage etc as I assume we all will be, easiest thing is to hop in a cab. Costs £4/5, considering there'll be at least 4/5 in my cab it's a bargain.

Even cheaper using the Marketplace. I am shortly to have an abundance of birthday cash, the only thing counting against the purchase is the fact e4 are running 3 episodes a day (more on a Sunday with T4).

Any UK fans own the full boxset already? Any recommendations of whether or not it's worth owning would be appreciated.

Thursday night entertainment info for Reading:

CLUB NME AT READING

Get the party started with Club NME from Thursday

Start the festival early on Thursday night with a DJ set from Pendulum and MC Verse and Club NME DJ's. The party continues on Friday from 10pm with a live performance from These New Puritans.

Which gives me something to do for the evening. There aren't many gifts my friends can bring to Reading for me, hence I think all have bought bottles of spirits.

Good luck with the tickets arriving.

Haven't worked out the times yet as I'll see half sets where bands clash or slightly overlap, but the intended plan for Reading for me will be:

Friday

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly

Blood Red Shoes

Dizzee Rascal

Florence & The Machine

Jack Penate

MGMT

Vampire Weekend

QOTSA

Rage (possibly catching the end of Babyshambles, probably won't bother though)

Saturday

British Sea Power

The Subways

Mystery Jets (hopefully they'll cram in my favourites before my favoured next band begin)

Dirty Pretty Things

We Are Scientists

Editors/food break

Foals

The Raconteurs

Bloc Party

The Killers

Sunday

Adam Green

Cajun Dance Party

Lightspeed Champion

Emmy The Great

Crystal Castles

The end of Slipknot and a bit of Tenacious D

Glasvegas

Last Shadow Puppets

The Cribs

I know I won't see all of those bands, however if I'm in the arena early enough and not busy eating/drinking then that's who I'll flock to.

I prefer that one, botht he look and the subject matter. I have black paint, stencil materials etc, everything in fact bar the skill to produce the template images on computer.

What camp are you planning to stay in? I'll see if I can spot the flags.

No idea, not sure if anything formal goes on but I assume everyone will be drinking and lighting fires. I believe a friend of mine found some kind of indie club for last year but I didn't go along. She has since gone off to New York rather than spend her time in a muddy field, quite why anybody would do that I'm not sure.

Anyone know what there is to do in the way of drinking/entertainment on the Thursday night? No idea what I've done for the last two years but as it's my birthday (well, pretty much) I want to find some kind of club/bar/non-field to go to. I usually only venture into Reading for a fried breakfast in the morning, never really paid much attention to it.

Bah.

Started work on my sisters flag at least.

Is that for tent marking or stage view blocking? It's a good design anyway, although I don't know how people commit to carrying those things all day at festivals.

I'm a Reading, heading down for when the gates are opened on the Thursday. Handy really as I had to use my holidays up at work, meaning I'm off from that Thursday until around 4th September I think.

Although this time next week the pessimist in me says I'll be in the pissing rain, water seeping through the holes in my shoes, awaiting the arrival of Dizzee Rascal. Hopefully the weather will pick up from the recent slump and be more like last year. Didn't the fields flood shortly before last year? It was still rather sunny regardless of that.

Of all the Muse riffs 'Stockholm Syndrome' is my favourite - which goes for the entire song too. Other favourites would be 'Death On The Stairs' by The Libertines, 'Men's Needs' by The Cribs and the outro of 'Midnight Surprise' by Lightspeed Champion.

How many bands make Keane look positively edgey? One. This one.

Hated.

How pecuiler that Supergrass doesn't pick Supergrass.

They made the shortlist of 12. Concessions had to be made. Perhaps a name change is order.

This is the current running order for me. I was bored enough to put pictures in.

1. The Libertines

2. Lightspeed Champion

3. Oasis

4. The Cribs

5. Rilo Kiley

6. Dirty Pretty Things

7. Hello Saferide

8. Kings Of Leon

9. Muse

10. The Strokes

Arriving at midday last year on Thursday was bad enough when hunting for a space for 4 tents that wasn't in a path, next to the toilets or a 30 minute walk from the arena. Going to do as I did the year before be there when the gates/door/hedges open.

If you're going with anyone you could hand your tent over and bribe them into pitching it for you on Thursday.

I've left out 85-92, mid-nineties were where my interest in music began. While I've gone back and discovered a lot of things from the 70s, 60s, 50s, there isn't really anything about the 80s I enjoy so I've left it out.

1985 - 1992: n/a

1993: Suede - Suede

1994: Oasis - Definitely Maybe

1995: Supergrass - I Should Coco

1996: Ash - 1977

1997: The Carlatans - Tellin' Stories

1998: Oasis - The Masterplan

1999: Muse - Showbiz

2000: The White Stripes - De Stijl

2001: The Strokes - Is This It

2002: The Libertines - Up The Bracket

2003: Athlete - Vehicles & Animals

2004: The Libertines - The Libertines

2005: The Cribs - The New Fellas

2006: Dirty Pretty Things - Waterloo To Anywhere

2007: Jamie T - Panic Prevention

2008: Dirty Pretty Things - Romance At Short Notice or Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge

My 2008 choice will be finalised once Oasis have released and I can weigh up the three option (or unless something else comes along).

Can't wait to see them this year at Reading. Judging by the sets they've been doing at Glasto/T recently there's a good amount of With Love & Squalor being thrown in. I think every will agree (and it appears as though they have above) that it's the better album, but I'm slowly getting into the second, not as instant an impact but it grows with time.

The best way I found to learn was via lessons. That way you know you're getting the best technique and for me it motivated me to practice as I didn't want to turn up to the next one without improving. For guitar, before you got to lessons I would say looked up the chords and learn them (barre and F will take time), even if it's just E/Em, A/Am and work at changing between them. At least them the teacher has something to work with.

I also found a good way to see what I was learning was to put it into song-form as soon as possible. After one lesson I could play C, G and D. Doesn't sound a lot, but then I found Love Me Do by The Beatles, which only had those chords. I felt better then knowing I could play songs.

You don't need that many lessons. Get the basics, practice it alone and get the hang of it, then go back to learn more. It's good to play and talk with other musicians too, you'll learn a lot and it'll help you keep time etc.

I own an two acoustic guitars, two electrics (including my Gibson Melody Maker which is my most cherished item), a bass, two harmonicas and an accordion. And a ukelele.

I've been playing guitar for about 3/4 years now, can't remember how long exactly and done a few gigs. Last year took advantage of the 'turn up and play' Nokia tent at Reading festival, which is probably the largest crowd my "band" ever played to - with less than brilliant consequences. Still, will do it again this year now that we have better material.

I've never been searched or even looked at when entering the camping site - bar a quick glance at the wristband to make sure you're a camper. Entering the arena they'll have a look at what you're taking in, but if you're entering at a busy time they can't check you properly.

Entering the arena I'll take a clear bottle of vodka in a water bottle and then just buy cokes to mix it with.

Elsewhere or costs, a 2/3 man from Tesco is only £20 or £30 I think and is quite good quality. Sleeping bags can't be any more than a tenner (I splashed out on a good one for twenty, though that's because I left it to the last minute and it was all I could get in London). You can get an air bed to sleep on on-site for about another tenner.