Libertines to Play Reading and Leeds Festivals

Posted on Mar 29th 2010 8:30AM by Matt Glazebrook
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The Libertines are reforming to play a pair of dates at the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, according to several media reports in the UK.

Frontmen Carl Barat and Pete Doherty are rumoured to have finally put aside their differences and, along with drummer Gary Powell and bassist John Hassell, agreed to perform as a four-piece for the first time since 2004. The band have been offered £1.5 million ($2.25 million) to reform for the two shows, the Guardian has reported.

No clues yet as to whether the Reading/Leeds slot will be a one-off reunion or the start of full on comeback for the early '2000s gutter-punk heroes -- or even whether sometime Babyshambles singer and solo artist will overcome occasional reliability issues to make it to the festival stage -- but it promises to be an interesting addition to the weekend nonetheless.

Some reports say the band -- who released two albums in the first half of last decade -- would be headlining, though this is not confirmed.

The Libertines launched the career of Barat and Doherty and helped create the latter's aura as Britain's foremost chemical poet. The band split after second album 'The Libertines' in 2004 after Doherty had served time in prison for breaking into Barat's flat and stealing some of his belongings.

The Reading and Leeds line-up is to be made public at 7.15pm on Monday. The festival takes place from Aug. 27 to 29.