Amongst many great things about the summer we all so dearly wait for around the year, perhaps the greatest and certainly the most entertaining, is the festival life. Hundreds of thousands of people of varied ages, classes and social statuses flock every year to the dozens of music festivals held in Europe in the summer. What do these people have in common? Well, it’s either a great adoration for music or a great knack to party, in many instances both. And where can they do this? That is, adore music and party. Fortunately, the choices are numerous.
With many of the best major music festivals – such as Benicàssim in Spain, Roskilde in Denmark and Glastonbury in the UK – having already come to an end for this year, where does one go to adore music, or indeed party for the remaining summer weeks? Sziget festival in Budapest (5-12 August) is particularly known for its hard partying, it has a great line-up including the likes of Blur, Editors, Franz Ferdinand and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds on the Main stage, and it goes on for a week. Other festivals in the forthcoming weeks with particularly good line-ups music lovers and party animals alike might want to check out include: La Route Du Rock (14-17 August) in Saint-Malo, France, Green Man (15-18 August) in the Black Mountains, Wales, Pukkelpop (15-17 August) in Kiewit Hasselt, Belgium, Lowlands (16-18 August) in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands, Reading and Leads (23-25 August) in the respective UK locations and Electric Picnic (30 Aug- 1 Sep) in Stradbally, Ireland. The point being made here at large is that where ever you are in Europe at the moment, you are very likely to be close to a great music festival.
Having said that however, if you happen to find yourself anywhere in the South of England between September 5-8, find the nearest port and hop on the ferry to the Isle of White, where one of the best music festivals, as its name so conspicuously suggests, Bestival, takes place. Bestival seems to have an uncanny talent for curating music. The line-ups there are always beyond good, or great for that matter, blending the best of Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop and Electronica in a way that might be a bit peculiar at first glance, but just works. I mean having Elton John, the former Snoop Dog (now known as Snoop Lion), Fatboy Slim, M.I.A, Franz Ferdinand, The Flaming Lips, The Knife and the Wu-Tang-Clang headlining the event together, as they are this year, is so much more than good or great, it’s just awesome.
