"Hello, Phoenix, Arizona!" says singer James Mercer. It truly is boiling here in Reading. There's no shade anywhere and people are flat out (as our previous blog shows) soaking up the sun. A perfect time for the summery pop of The Shins?

Reading. Sunny? All threats of having to traverse the site via some form of boating service have thankfully gone unfounded. The sun is gracing us with some intense heat. Maybe it's some idea of a joke from the Higher Powers, who're having a laugh at seeing rockers donned head to toe in black get blistering sunburn.. who knows! Anyway, this afternoon's pic blog involves those all rocked out and catching an afternoon snooze...

Jesse 'The Devil' Hughes raises his hand to the sky. "This is the biggest and coolest rock and roll show we've ever played in our motherfucking lives!"

Sun is out in force for Eagles of Death Metal and The Shins, ahead of headline sets by RHCP and Arcade Fire

While Razorlight headline the main stage, we caught up with some of the brighest talents this festival has to offer - Patrick Wolf and Albert Hammond, Jr.

Having seen Kings Of Leon at T In The Park last month we knew what to expect. There's no pyrotechnics, no acrobatics - just some great songs, brilliantly performed.

Kings Of Leon and The Gossip triumph

My girlfriend is Interpol's biggest fan. In the morning, I get 'Antics'. In the afternoon, 'Our Love To Admire'. In the evening 'No I In Threesome'. It's a good day which doesn't involve the 'Heinliech Manouevre'.

Finally making it onto the Carling Weekend: Reading Festival site, we ran and caught two new(ish) groups, The Horrors and The Enemy. Despite both being bigged up by the NME, the groups share little in common and have slagged each other off in the press. A fan standoff awaits?

The rockers to play two sets at each site, they talk us through new album exclusively here