Foo Fighters have been confirmed to headline next year's Oxegen festival, which takes place at Punchestown Racecourse on July 9 and 10.

The news comes as event organisers MCD announce a special "Early Bird" ticket offer, whereby punters can purchase Oxegen 2005 tickets at this year's rates.

The Early Bird prices are €59.50 (one day pass), €110 (weekend pass) and €130 (weekend camping pass).

These tickets will be made available for a strictly limited period from this Friday, December 3, until December 24.

Remaining tickets will go on sale at a later, unspecified date, where punters can expect to pay at least €5 more for a day pass and €10 more for a weekend pass.

Like this year’s Oxegen (full coverage of which is archived at hotpress.com/oxegen), the 2005 event will feature five stages and over one hundred acts. No details as to performer's line-up have been revealed, other than Foo Fighters to headline on one of the nights.

For their part, Foo Fighters have been busy this year on their fifth studio album, only taking time out to perform free gigs in support of John Kerry’s Presidential campaign.

And while they might not have had great powers of political influence, the band appears to have had great success in the studio. With reportedly five hours of music set for pre-production, Foo Fighters have described the album-in-progress as “half acoustic and half rock”.

The as-yet-untitled album is due for release in early 2005, with David Grohl stating, “This is the album that we’ve always wanted to make, having a year to write a demo and things at your own pace sure makes for better song.”

In other gig news, Australian garage band gods The Saints have confirmed a March 5 visit to Whelan's, Dublin. To whet appetites, we've an interview with mainman Chris Bailey in our first issue of 2005.