The Police to headline Isle of Wight 2008

The recently reformed Police will close next summer's Isle of Wight Festival, which runs from 13th to 15th June. It will be the band's only UK festival appearance, and indicates that their reunion will last longer than the current world tour, which has seen them play to over 1.5 million people. Tickets for the festival go on sale at 9am on 10th December.

Beer runs out for Carling Weekend

The Reading and Leeds Festivals will no longer be known as The Carling Weekend following the end of the brewing giant's sponsorship deal after nine years. This means that Carling will no longer be the official beer of the festival, so there might be some halfway decent booze on offer from next year! Bring back the Burrow Hill cider! Expect details of a new sponsor in due course.

2008 Carling Weekend rumours

As ever, artists are being rumoured for next year's festival. Candidates so far include Kasabian, The Verve, Rage Against The Machine and My Chemical Romance. I suspect The Verve are extremely likely to play, given the success of their reunion shows. Kasabian and MCR would also seem like near-certainties. Official announcements will appear when the first tickets go on sale in the spring - usually early April.
For a reminder of The Verve at Reading in their heyday (1997), click here and download part of their set that year.