Yikes. That really is a poor line up.

JB will be class. Saw him last year in Vicar St. The Showmanship. Oxegen have announced about 8 acts so far, out of 120 ! I generally judge having a good Witnness/Poxegen by the amount of time I spent AWAY from the Main Stage.

How can you say The Streets last album was 'iffy'! For f**k's sake, it was amazing. Green Day are also on the top of their game. Yeah, teh line-up is pretty s**t, but it also contains practically every largely popular rock band out there! is there a conclusion to be drawn from this?

Last year was the same really. But I discovered that the best acts I saw last year were on the smaller stages, more on the New Band Stage than anywhere else. There are alot more acts to be confirmed so I wouldn't slate the line-up until it's completed. Any one of the big acts already signed up could drop out (Bowie had to last year) and could be replaced by someone better or worse. Only time will tell.

I've never seen James Brown live, but I reckon this could be a real disappointment judging by the more recent live recordings I've heard and the live reviews I've read. JB has undoubtedly left behind a legacy of genius, but this is genuinely a tragic case of someone who really is "past it". Its gives me no pleasure whatsoever to say that, but I reckon that is the crushing reality. Green Day - I've never been a fan of these guys, the always seemed like an adolescent version of the Clash and Elvis Costello while lacking the wit and intelligence than either. However, I would totally disagree that they are past it, their latest work is their best yet. Maturity is usually seen as a negative thing in a punk band, but for Green Day, this new found maturity seems to have helped them improve their songwriting craft. The Streets? Just OK, nothing special. I really feel Mike Skinner is overated, but I do get what people like about him, the storytelling in his songs about everyday events that a lot of people seem to be able to relate to. He is not the new Ian Dury though and as an MC, he lacks the raw talent that can be found throughout the UK hip hop/garage underground. The production on the album doesn't "move things forward" either. OK maybe thats not a fair criticism because he neither pretends to be a super hot MC, or a cutting edge producer, but overall I just don't really find The Streets interesting. The Killers are the only band I can say I actually really like out of that lot, so yeah, pretty weak lineup alright.

It's strange how much I was about to say everything Binokular just said. Freeeky...

I actually think that 'Warning' is Green Day's best album. But that boils down to personal peference. I'm a big fan of The Coral aswell so would like to catch them live again.

Watch out for Smokie Jules. I saw the end of JB's set at Glasto last year it was ten minutes of him going "Get Up" and then his backing vocalists going "Get On Up". He's so past it he can't even say his own "Get On Up"s

The Prodigy should be good as well, I don't think their past it. I saw them in the Olympia just before Christmas and they still rocked the house!! Only thing at Poxegen though is that they shouldn't play the main stage - I thing one of the tents would suit them better.

Yeah he's still got it...I think. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/jbrownmug1.html

RE The Prodigy, they now have something to prove as they're underdogs - exactly where they were when they were on TOP form (geezah?) back in "the day"!, that being the mid ninties. So, although I walked around bored and confused during their last set at witness (or Oxegen, the years roll into one...) a few years ago, as did everyone as far as i remember, this year could be good for them. other than that, Kasabian, Audioslave, Green Day should be good. reckon the killers backlash will have started by summer though, pity, debut albums were'nt always judged so cruelly but im an old man of, er, 25 and a half! Velvet revolver again would be sa-weet.

I kinda agree with ya mutch - Whatever year is was and whatever festival form it took, the year they played Main stage was kinda boring - again I think one of the tents would suit them better than the main stage. The last album I actually like, a lot of people don't and I can see why, but it's good for me, and they did put on a wicked show last time. BTW I listened to a Breezeblock mix by Liam Howlett last night and that man can mix!! He should throw a bit of that in to spice things up. Killers - good band, very catchy, but they did play last year, even though they'll be higher on the bill this year, they have the exact same songs as last year, maybe they should play their own gig oe something rather than a festival. It wrecks my head when bands play festivals x number of years in a row and have nothing new to offer, examples: The Frames (hope this doesn't go on another frames rant), The Killers, right well thats all the examples I can think of at the moment, but you know wharimean like?

i have to agree with one of the above comments about the main stage, sound was appalling there last year and I thought all the best acts played on the other big stage or the tents. Basement Jaxx and The Zutons for me, blew every other act out of the water last year, the more dance-vibe acts on the line-up the better.... it will also be a catasrophe this year if another act like the darkness headline, for a headline act a bit of pedigree is essential,not a one-album wonder, lots of people were dissappointed by the absence of Bowie last year and Poxygen defo has alot of making up to do.... so far, in my opinion, none of the acts announced have the pulling power of a bowie or say Mccartney, Springstein..... here is livin in hope for a big gun.

2 out of every 10 people like the streets which more than u