So with the UK editions of V Fest are ongoing this weekend, which leaves Toronto’s franchise – set for September 6 and 7 at the Toronto Islands – as the only of Richard Branson’s big parties left for 2008. That’s just three weeks off, and with only 24 of the 32 acts announced – and that assumes the same number of bands for the two stages per day, never mind the third stage which appears to be in the plans again this year – it’s understandable that people are just a wee bit curious about who else is coming.

Starting with announcements of Foo Fighters, Oasis, Paul Weller, Bloc Party and Spiritualized, it looked like we were set for a rather ass-kicking lineup this year but since then, the roster has been filled with resolutely club-level acts, who while not necessarily bad per se, haven’t done a lot to keep the excitement – especially not when compared to the talent assembled for the Baltimore edition a couple weeks ago.

Since they announced the Moby-led lineup for the Bacardi B-Live tent, announcements have not been forthcoming and the only two new names – Mardeen and Yoav – were added to the website quietly and without fanfare. There should be one more lineup press release coming – last year’s came on August 22 – and the optimist in me is hoping they’re saving some moderate names to keep it from being too anticlimactic – but all we can do is wait. Some digging has revealed some smaller/local names who’ll be playing – Songs From A Room, Electric Touch, Winter Gloves and contest winners Secret Broadcast – but no one that’s going to sell any tickets. Oasis, that is your burden to bear. Update: Also playing: Paper Lions, Shad and The Arkells (thanks Ryan). And Lights, Jesse Krakow and The Waking Eyes (thanks Colin). And Matt Costa. And Rock Plaza Central.

But what does this have to do with contesting? Not a lot. Just thinking out loud. Here’s the giveaway bit. In case the omnipresent branding around the festival grounds aren’t reminder enough, the “Virgin” in Virgin Fest is a reference to Virgin Mobile and courtesy of Sony BMG Canada, I’ve got an indeterminate number (gotta double-check) two of these “Virgin Festival 2008 Ultimate Survival Kits” to give away. These contain a 2GB micro SD card with adapter and 9 songs preloaded, a mobile phone carrying case, some stickers, a wired headset and three CDs TBD (but almost certainly the Sony artists in the lineup) Oasis’ Stop The Clocks, Foo Fighters’ Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace and MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular. In my opinion it should also include earplugs to use during Yoav’s set, but that’s just me. But whether you’re going to V Fest or not, you may well have need of some or all of the items included in this little kit so if you do, fire me off an email to contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want the V Fest survival kit” in the subject line and your mailing address in the body. Contest will be open until August 30 and is open to residents of Canada.