The Isle of Wight festival has taken on the weekend of Glastonbury for a one off special, and this year’s line-up suggests it’s going to be very special indeed. With two of Americas biggest male artists headlining the main stage this year, Tom Petty (Friday) & Bruce Springsteen (Sunday) The IOW festival will go down as one of the greatest festivals this year. Saturdays Headliner, Pearl Jam is probably the best live band to come out of the Seattle grunge scene.

The festival starts on Thursday with a ‘campers only’ show featuring Primal Scream, The Stranglers & Penguin Prisoners in the Big Top and over on the Garden Stage is Brit Floyd, Howard Jones, Stackridge, Cerys Matthews and Tensheds.

Friday sees the main stage opened by Feeder and culminate in his first festival appearance for over 20 years the one and only Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In the Big Top on Friday sees the mighty Groove Armarda turn on the style with a very special DJ set, special guest is Lana Del Rey and a rare appearance from Kelis. Crystal Castles head up The Garden Stage.

Saturday sees Madness fresh from their roof top show at Buckingham Palace on the main stage in the coveted afternoon slot, Jessie J and Tinie Tempah play just before Scotland’s finest Biffy Clyro. The magic that is Magnetic Man heads up the big top, supported by Professor Green, Wretch 32 and the darlings of Radio 1 Clement Marfo & the Frontline. The Garden Stage takes on the nineties with a headline show by The Charlatans ‘Tellin’ Stories’.

Sunday has the wonderful Joan Amartrading, indie kings The Vaccines and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds before what is sure to be the longest set of the weekend as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (over 3 ½ Hours in Spain this week) bring their 40 years of rock to Seaclose Park. Brit rockers The Darkness headline the Big Top on Sunday before they go off around the world with Lady Gaga, Black Stone Cherry get to play some heavy southern rock mid-afternoon just after the brilliant Virginmarys. Ex Spice girl Melanie C gets a run out on The Garden Stage Sunday evening along with Christina Perri and headliners The Pierces.

All weekend camping tickets have sold out but there are some weekend tickets still available here