Further Afield

PRIMAVERA SOUND
Where: Parc del Forum, Barcelona
When: 27-29 May
What: Popular and uber-cool Spanish fest on Barcelona’s coast, with a host of alternative acts and underground DJs. Performances this year from Pixies, Pavement, Sunny Day Real Estate, Broken Social Scene, Pet Shop Boys and Gary Numan. Price: €150 w/e. Web: www.primaverasound.com

PINKPOP
Where: Megaland, Landgraaf, Holland
When: 28-30 May
What: Big three-day rock fest Dutch style, situated about 130 miles from Amsterdam. Green Day, Rammstein and electropunks Prodigy headline, with Kasabian, Editors, Biffy Clyro, Pixies, Wolfmother and Florence and the Machine also appearing. Price: €140 w/e camping, day tickets. Web: www.pinkpop.nl

ROCK AM RING
Where: Nurburgring, Nurburg, Germany
When: 3-6 June
What: One of the world’s bigest dedicated rock festivals and a Reading rival, located in world-famous racetrack the Nurburgring. Christmas number one usurpers Rage Against the Machine headline along with Kiss, Rammstein and Muse. Other acts appearing include Jay-Z, Them Crooked Vultures, Alice in Chains, Dizzee Rascal, Slayer, The Hives and Kasabian. Price: €250 w/e camping. Web: www.rock-am-ring.com

BONNAROO
Where: Manchester, Tennessee, USA
When: 10-13 June
What: Premier American music and arts fest with comedy and entertainment tents in addition to the four music stages. Pretty much every style of music is covered from the mainstream to the brain-strainingly obscure: big names include Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z and Kings of Leon in a home state show. Price: sold out. Web: www.bonnaroo.com

CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL
Where: Nashville, Tennessee
When: 10-13 June
What: The world’s rootinest, tootinest and biggest country music festival, deep in its spiritual homeland. With performances from Keith Urban, Josh Turner, Randy Houser and the highest concentration of attendees packin’ heat of any fest in this guide. Price: $167. Web: www.cmafest.com

SONAR
Where: Barcelona, Spain
When: 17-19 June
What: Another Barca fest, this one hovering around the dance sector. Chemical Brothers, Dizzee Rascal, LCD Soundsystem and French legends Air play. During the day there are exhibitions, live bands and video installations in the Centre of Contemporary Culture and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Price: €155 w/e & 2 nights. Tel: 0844 277 4321, web: 2010.sonar.es

HURRICANE
Where: Eichenring, Scheessel, Germany/Neuhausen ob Eck, Tuttlingen, Germany
When: 18-20 June
What: The Germans love a good rock and indie fest, so here’s another. Acts playing include Deftones, on the back of new album ‘Diamond Eyes’, Vampire Weekend, The Specials, Faithless, Prodigy and The Strokes. Price: €120. Web: www.hurricane.de

HOVE FESTIVAL
Where: Tromoy, southern Norway
When: 29 June-2 July
What: You’ll be travelling a lot further than Sussex for this Hove Festival, though it is on a remarkable island just off the coast and you will get to see the likes of Muse, Arcade Fire and Bristol’s very own Massive Attack. Price: NOK 2115 w/e. Web: www.hovefestival.com

ROCK WERCHTER
Where: Werchter, Belgium
When: 1-4 July
What: The usually straight-laced Belgium loses the plot for this massive rock festival which attracts all the biggest names from the guitar-toting world. This year it’s Muse Green Day, Rammstein and Pearl Jam rocking it up, though ‘edgy’ popster P!nk has also somehow managed to sneak on the bill. Price: €188, day tickets. Web: www.rockwerchter.be.en

ROSKILDE
Where: Roskilde, Denmark
When: 1-4 July
What: The continent’s biggest festival that likes to think of itself as a Danish Glasto (pull the other one). Muse, Kasabian, Motorhead, Gallows, Pavement and NOFX have confirmed to play so far. Price: DKK1675 w/e camping. Web: www.roskilde-festival.dk

MAIN SQUARE FESTIVAL
Where: Arras, France
When: 2-4 July
What: Pop, indie, dance and rock all represented at this non-camping fest in the main square of Arras, France. Black Eyed Peas headline on Friday, Pearl Jam on Saturday, and Rammstein on Sunday: P!nk, Ben Harper and Relentless7 and Jamiroquai also play. Price: €69 Fri, €59 Sat and Sun. Web: www.mainsquarefestival.fr

MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
Where: Montreux, Switzerland
When: 2-17 July
What: Almost certainly the world’s most famous and prestigious jazz festival, which stretches over two weeks on the shores of Lake Geneva. In recent years the line-ups have expanded well beyond jazz, and while this year’s programme is still being compiled, Mumford and Sons and Mark Knopfler have already been confirmed. Price: various. Web: www.montreuxjazz.com

POHODA
Where: Airport Trencin, Slovakia
When: 8-10 July
What: A festival in an airport? That’s how they do it in Slovakia. Top-quality line-up, though: expect Ian Brown, The xx, The Klaxons, The Stranglers and lots of other bands you could probably see in England, though not for €59. Price: €59 w/e. Web: www.pahodafestival.sk

EXIT FESTIVAL
Where: Novi Sad, Serbia
When: 8-11 July
What: Genuinely superb festival that’s very popular with British music lovers looking for something a little less familiar. Set in the dramatic environs of Novi Sad Castle, The Chemical Brothers, Mika, Royksopp, Placebo, Missy Elliott, David Guetta and LCD Soundsystem are amongst the acts appearing. Price: £85 4-day festival, £25 camping. Web: www.existfest.org

RUISROCK
Where: Ruissalo, Turku, Finland
When: 9-11 July
What: Happy ruby anniversary to Ruisrock, forty years going strong and one of Europe’s oldest festivals. And in accordance with its seniority, Friday night is to be headlined by the grandfather of shock rock, Ozzy Osbourne. Sharon! I’m in fucking Finland! Price: €110. Web: www.ruisrock.fi

OXEGEN
Where: Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co Kildare, Ireland
When: 10-12 July
What: Not much further afield but not the UK, Ireland’s Oxegen festival offers a lot of the same acts that playing festivals on this side of the Irish Sea; if you do fancy a visit to County Kildare though, Eminem, Muse, Kasabian, Arcade Fire, Fatboy Slim and Jay-Z will be just some of the bands greeting you. Price: €220.50 w/e camping. Web: www.oxegen.ie

DOUR FESTIVAL
Where: Dour, Hainaut, Belgium
When: 15-18 July
What: Medium-sized indie fest that features a slightly more eclectic line-up than Belgium’s main attraction, Rock Werchter. There are four full days of music across a wide spectrum of genres: weirdo rockers Faith No More, shock rockers GWAR and old school hip-hoppers De La Soul look to be particular highlights. Price: €94 w/e camping. Web: www.dourfestival.be

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE BENICASSIM
Where: Benicassim, Spain
When: 15-18 July
What: More and more like an English festival that happens to be in Spain with every successive year, Benicassim nonetheless attracts some excellent talent: Kasabian, Ian Brown, The Specials, Public Image Ltd., Echo And The Bunnymen and Hot Chip are just some of the acts playing at this year’s beach bonanza. Music runs through the night rather than through the day, so be prepared for a really screwed-up sleeping pattern by the time you get home. Price: £150 w/e camping. Web: www.fiberfib.com

MELT! FESTIVAL
Where: Ferropolis, Germany
When: 16-18 July
What: Exciting and eccentric German fest housed in an industrial museum, proving that Germany’s festivals aren’t all about rock and metal. Miike Snow, The xx, Massive Attack, Foals and Goldfrapp have been confirmed to play. Price: €93 w/e camping. Web: www.meltfestival.com

SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL
Where: Petrcane, Croatia
When: 23-25 July
What: Croatia is busy establishing itself as one of the best festival hotspots in Europe, especially
when they’re hosted, like this one, on the remarkable Dalmatian Coast. Soundwave is a (relatively) sedate affair, with the Cinematic Orchestra, Zero 7 and Toddla T appearing. Price: £75. Web: www.soundwavecroatia.com

FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL
Where: Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
When: 30 July-1 Aug
What: The land of the rising sun boasts one of the best rock festivals in the world in the form of the Fuji, held in a breathtaking mountain range. If you’re looking to go a bit further than Europe, then Fuji Rock is hosting Air, Broken Social Scene, The Cribs, Foals, Hot Chip, MGMT, Them Crooked Vultures and Yeasayer. Oh, and Kula Shaker - Govinda! Price: ¥39,800 (around £290) w/e, ¥3000
camping. Web: www.fujirockfestival.com

WACKEN OPEN AIR
Where: Wacken, Schleswig-Hostein, Germany
When: 5-7 Aug
What: The biggest open-air dedicated metal fest in the world had to be hosted in Germany, really. Pretty much every shredder, screamer and growler worth his or her salt has played here over the years, and 2010’s edition features everyone from the scary (Cannibal Corpse) to the classic (Iron Maiden). Price: sold out. Web: www.wacken.com

OYA
Where: Medieval Park, Oslo, Norway
When: 10-14 Aug
What: Norway’s biggest open-air event offers a staggering 200 artists over four stages. Iggy Pop drags himself on stage, alongside slightly younger blood like MIA, Marina and the Diamonds, The xx and the rather marvellously named Cumshots. Price: NOK 1940. Web: www.oyafestivalen.com

SZIGET
Where: Obudai Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 11-16 Aug
What: Long-popular with sandal-wearing backpackers, Budapest is now a top destination for festival-goers too, especially since this fest is held on an island in the Danube River. Muse, Iron Maiden and Kasabian headline: Bad Religion, The Specials, and Faithless also appear. Price: €170 w/e camping. Web: www.sziget.hu

LA ROUTE DU ROCK
Where: St Malo, Brittany, France
When: 13-15 Aug
What: That’s right, the French like to rock too. This festival has been going strong for 19 years and this edition hosts Massive Attack, indie teen sensations The xx, The Horrors and the delightfully named Jackie-O-Motherfucker. Price: €73. Web: www.laroutedurock.com

PUKKELPOP
Where: Kiewit, Belgium
When: 19-21 Aug
What: Another top Belgium fest second only in size to Rock Werchter. Classic heavy metallers Iron Maiden play alongside Blink 182 and Queens of the Stone Age - a rare appearance this year since Josh Homme is expending most of his energy with Grohl and Jones outfit Them Crooked Vultures. Price: TBC. Web: www.pukkelpop.be

ROTOTOM SUNSPLASH
Where: Benicassim, Spain
When: 21-28 Aug
What: Clearly deciding it was daft to hold the world’s biggest festival in Italy, Rototom Sunsplash has moved to Spain. Which is still thousands of miles from Jamaica. Price: €120. Web: www.rototomsunsplash.com

ELECTRIC ELEPHANT
Where: Petrcane, Croatia
When: 27-29 Aug
What: Occupying the same site as Soundwaves on Croatia’s stunning Dalmatian Coast, Electric Elephant boasts parties on the beach and boats where you can drink away those long Mediterranean evenings. Fuck Buttons, The Phantom Band, Soundstream and Jesca Hoop play live: Francois K, Andrew Weatherall, Todd Terje and Juan Maclean from the Death From Above imprint also appear. Price: £80 w/e camping. Web: www.electricelephant.co.uk

BURNING MAN
Where: Gerlach, nr Reno, Nevada, USA
When: 30 Aug-6 Sept
What: “Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who
has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular colour looks like to someone who is blind,” claim the organisers of Burning Man, which makes this listing pretty difficult. Burning Man is a community event that crops up in the middle of the desert, encouraging radical self-expression and creativity, with every participant becoming part of a huge, living art project. Entertainment leans toward the rather weird, and the event climaxes with the burning of a giant man. Web: www.burningman.com

STOP MAKING SENSE FESTIVAL
Where: Petrcane Festival, Croatia
When: 3-5 Sept
What: The newest addition to Petrcane’s festival portfolio, organised by former Big Chill director Chris Greenwood. Club promoters from London, Glasgow and Paris come together to host live music and DJs on the Dalmatian Coast. The Very Best, Django Django and Nathan Fake play live. Price: £80 w/e. Web: www.sms-2010.com

ICELAND AIRWAVES
Where: Reykjavik, Iceland
When: 14-17 Apr
What: Probably one of the coolest festivals in Europe (no pun intended): trendspotters visit from all over the globe to get an early, intimate glimpse of the next big thing. Well over 150 gigs are put on in venues all over Reykjavik. Don’t expect this to be a cheap one, though. Price: TBC. Web: www.icelandairwaves.is

LAKE OF STARS
Where: Chintheche Inn, Northern Malawi, Africa
When: 15-17 Oct
What: For a truly memorable festival experience, head to the idyllic shores of Africa’s third biggest lake in Malawi for Lake of Stars. Calling itself a “musical, social and cultural exchange like nothing you’ve ever seen before” and taking inspiration from WOMAD, Live Aid and Glastonbury, the line-up is yet to be announced but “is going to be brilliant”, according to website. Fair enough. Price: around £55. Web: www.lakeofstars.org

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