Five To Catch At Reading and Leeds

As the summer draws to a close, The Reading and Leeds Festivals bring the curtain crashing down on the mainstream festival circuit. Here are the five bands we think that you need to catch at this year's event.

The Menzingers
Formed around 2006 from the ashes of various Scranton punk bands, The Menzingers are now four albums into their career and their star is still ascending. Last year's 'Rented World' full length toned-down their aggressive streak a little and the resultant anthems have finally forced the band onto the stages they've always deserved. They will play The Lock Up Stage at this year's festival, but we'd hazard a guess that their next Reading and Leeds appearance will see them on the main stage.

Single Mothers
Canada's musical output is consistently high and Single Mothers continue that trend. Last year's 'Negative Qualities' is a bristling beast of a record which explodes from the speakers in a stream of intensity. Their live show is a spell-binding balance between ferocity and melody. No matter what you think of Single Mothers, there's no way that their festival set will fail to move you in some way.

Manchester Orchestra
Manchester Orchestra have had a number of line-up changes in recent years but the transient status of the members hasn't slowed-down the creative process and their last album was actually released in two separate versions. 'Cope' saw the band turn up the amps and 'Hope' saw those same songs reinterpreted in a more mellow guise. With tracks like 'Wolves At Night' still present in the set, their performance is sure to showcase the full breadth of their five albums to date.

Hippo Campus
Minnesota's Hippo Campus deliver their indie gems with a heavy dose of melody and a set of killer choruses. Taking the lead from bands like Vampire Weekend, their debut EP contains more memorable tracks than some bands achieve in their entire recording career. It's hard to see Hippo Campus being destined for anything but the main stage in years to come.

Ducking Punches
They may be appearing on the BBC Introducing stage this year but Ducking Punches have already clocked-up around 1,000 shows. Their tireless work ethic and the catchy melodies which line their guitar-led sound have set the band on a course for the big time. Make sure you catch them at this year's event before the venue sizes increase exponentially.