[News] Initial Leeds & Reading Festival Line-Up Announced Incl. Deftones & Alt-J

Leeds & Reading take place on a *usually* sunny bank-holiday weekend in August. For me it was my first ever Festival experience and next year will be my 9th in a row. Yeah, I know, 9. I feel a little older just for typing that. With 2012 being a raging success with sets from The Black Keys, Foo Fighters, The Cure, At The Drive In and Florence and the Machine, 2013's initial line-up has just been announced. It's a break from tradition as the festivals normally announce a large portion of the acts in March along with tickets immediately after. The line-up announcement so far, 4 acts, is a pretty mixed bag  but it should definitely get some people pretty excited. Deftones, Alt-J, Sub Focus and Boy Better Know are those 4.

Organisers of the festival have stated they're looking to broaden the horizons of the event with more stages and a re-shuffle of the main arenas, so I'm expecting this mix of acts to be a preview of something far bigger, covering many people's musical tastes.

Weekend tickets will go on sale tomorrow and they'll be doing a deposit scheme in which you can pit down £50 and then pay the rest before 31st March next year. Pretty neat huh?! 

[Watch] Palma Violets - "Best of Friends" Live on Jools Holland

We introduced you to Palma Violets back in August via their highly infectious single "Best of Friends" and they've gone from strength to strength. With that in mind, last night they were one of the guests on Later... with Jools Holland and performed that aforementioned catchy track and they put in a stellar performance. It was energetic and attention grabbing from start to finish.

The band also announced yesterday that their debut album is set for release on February the 25th next year and they're recording it with Pulp's Steve Mackey. Watch this space.

[Watch] The Weeknd - "Wicked Games" Live on Jools Holland

It's been a solid line-up of guests this season for Later... with Jools Holland and last night's mid-week broadcast didn't disappoint either. British viewers got to enjoy the sensual vocals of The Weeknd who performed his track "Wicked Games" which featured on the recently released Trilogy. Rewatch the magic up at the top.

Tonight on Radio One, Zane Lowe will be playing back a live session from Abel too that was recorded earlier in the week and the legendary Maida Vale studios so look out for that tomorrow too.

[Watch] Soundgarden - "By Crooked Steps" x "Been Away Too Long" Live on Kimmel

We've Soundgarden make several late night appearances since the release of their album King Animal. We first got to enjoy them drop several performances on Later... with Jools Holand, and then pop in to David Letterman's slot. They made it a trio in a month last night with two tracks being played on Jimmy Kimmel Live! First up they performed "By Crooked Steps" followed by "Been Away Too Long". Stellar renditions as always. Props to The Audio Perv as always for the video support.

I must say I've really been enjoying the new album the past few weeks so if you've not picked up King Animal yet I'd highly recommend it.

[Watch] Tame Impala - "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" Live on Jools Holand

Tame Impala performed another track on the extended Friday edition of Later... With Jools Holland following up their great performance of "Elephant" earlier in the week. This time we get to enjoy "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" from their album Lonerism too and it was just as great a way to end a week as it is to start one so hit play and check it out up at the top. Happy Monday.

[Watch] Biffy Clyro - "Black Chandelier" x "Opposites" Live on Jools Holland

Last Tuesday evening we got to enjoy Biffy Clyro drop by for the first broadcast of Later... with Jools Holland and they performed recent single "Stingin' Belle". On Friday the band performed another two songs from their forthcoming album Opposites. They performed the newly unveiled "Black Chandelier" and the double LP's title track "Opposites". A slower number that tugs on the heart strings a little. You can check that out after the jump with the new single "Black Chandelier" up at the top. 

The band are set to embark upon an arena tour in 2013 following the release of their album on January the 28th.

[Watch] Alt-J - "Tessellate" Live at Electric Lady Studios

I've made my feeling about Alt-J pretty clear over the past few months and it's always a pleasure to see them in a live setting. This session recorded at Electric Lady Studios in NYC was laid down for The Wild Honey Pie and above you can see the end result; A brilliant version of the An Awesome Wave featuring "Tessellate". Check out the hair raising performance at the top and be sure to pick up a copy of the Mercury Prize winning album if you haven't already.

[Watch] Cloud Nothings - "Stay Useless" (Live Take Away Show)

Yesterday we got to enjoy Jessie Ware performing a delightful Take Away show in Paris for Pitchfork and La Blogothèque. Today we get to enjoy Cloud Nothings performing the Attack on Memory featuring track"Stay Useless" inside an abandoned bus. Again it was recorded during Pitchfork Music Festival Paris at the start of November.