As another summer appears in our midsts, it's time to start considering at least one thing: Where shall I be heading to this summer? With many of the festival stalwarts triumphantly announcing their return post-Pandemic last year, listed below are 8 chosen European festivals with truly enticing line-ups: ones which capture the best in popular music and hold an integral diversity in their facade. Get ready to travel over Europe and make the most of a promising festival season ahead.
Location: Barcelona & Madrid, Spain
Dates: Barcelona: 1st-3rd June / Madrid: 8th-10th June
Notable acts: Blur, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Darkside, Turnstile, Pusha T, Depeche Mode, Skrillex, Four Tet, Channel Tres, Swans, FKA Twigs, St Vincent, Caroline Polachek, Death Grips, JPEGMafia, Bleachers
Bio: Since its inception in 2001, the titanic Spanish festival has made a name for itself as one of the leading, ahead-of-the-curve music facilitators in the realms of pop, electronic, rock, punk, hip-hop. After their noisy return to the scene post-pandemic last year, they’ll look to solidify their status as they attempt to unite Madrid and Barcelona under one festival.
Location: Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands
Dates: 9th-11th June
Notable acts: Aphex Twin, Alvvays, Black Country, New Road, Caroline Polachek, The Comet is Coming, Crack Cloud, Haai, Interpol, Jockstrap, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Silvana Estrada, Sudan Archives, Young Fathers
Bio: Celebrating their 10th anniversary, this Dutch festival is held within the village of Hilvarenbeek in the south of the country showcasing a versatile array in the best of popular music across 3 days in early June. Imagine taking a dip in the fresh waters of the lake as you witness Aphex Twin's set.
3. Roskilde
Location: Roskilde, Denmark
Dates: 24th June-1st July
Notable acts: Kendrick Lamar, Queens of the Stone Age, Fever Ray, Armand Hammer, Billy Woods, Lil Nas X, Denzel Curry, Rina Sawayama, Indigo De Souza, Soul Glo, Sudan Archives, Blur, Rosalía, Code Orange, Japanese Breakfast, Jockstrap, Caroline Polachek, Weyes Blood, Big Freedia
Bio: “Music, Art, Activism, Camping and Freedom” declares itself as Roskilde’s mantra - an enticing invitation for those looking to engross themselves in one of Europe’s largest music and arts festival, along with 130,000 visitors across 8 days due West of Copenhagen.
4. Pohoda
Location: Trenčín Airport, Slovakia
Dates: 6th-8th July
Notable acts: Wet Leg, Jamie xx, Arca, Caroline Polachek, Slowthai, Perfume Genius, Shygirl, Viagra Boys, Sampa the Great, Genesis Owusu, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Shame, Arooj Aftab, Yard Act, Pussy Riot, O.
Bio: Having alternated venues on multiple occasions since it first began in 1997, the Slovakian festival now finds itself situated at Trenčín Airport near the Czech border. An idyllic description enchants those attending: “every seat is within sight of the stage and castle topped mountains”, along with a vibrant array of genres to be showcased from a myriad of continents: Venezuela’s Arca; Sweden’s Viagra Boys; Belgium’s Charlotte Adigéry; Pakistan’s Arooj Aftab; Russia’s Pussy Riot.
5. Dour
Location: Dour, Belgium
Dates: 12th-16th July
Notable acts: Aphex Twin, Denzel Curry, Lomepal, Lous and the Yakuza, Mall Grab, Yung Lean
Bio: 5 days, 9 stages, more than 280 acts, and up to 225,000 people make up the DNA of this Belgian festival located in the municipality of Dour. Noted for its diverse line-up and set times spanning 17 hours each day, there’s bound to be something to suit each and every music taste at this festival nicknamed the quintessential “European Alternative Music Event”.
6. Øya
Location: Tøyen Park, Norway
Dates: 8th-12th August
Notable acts: Amyl & The Sniffers, Blur, Caroline Polachek, Dry Cleaning, Jockstrap, Obongjayar, Pusha T, Shygirl, Snail Mail
Bio: Standing as Norway’s largest music festival, this experience lasts 4 days, preceded by a club night where the festival holds concerts in more or less all of Oslo's central clubs. Showcasing the best in predominantly indie and rock music, one can invariably enjoy the idyllic wonders of the Norwegian outdoors whilst revelling in some of the most popular acts currently around.
7. Flow
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Dates: 11th-13th August
Notable acts: FKA Twigs, Shygirl, Jockstrap, Amyl & The Sniffers, Blur, Caroline Polachek, Sudan Archives
Bio: As if an airport wasn’t obscure enough to play host to a music festival, Finland’s Flow festival invites up to 85,000 to its urban power plant site - where converted gas holders illuminate the landscape and function as cultural arenas in the former industrial area of Suvilahti. Lending many of its stages to emerging artists, there’s a plethora of exciting new music to be discovered here.
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Dates: 31st August-3rd September
Favourite acts: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Wilco, Angel Olsen, Ezra Furman, Arooj Aftab, Yeule, They Hate Change, Horse Lords
Bio: Forever marking the ultimate closure to the U.K’s festival season each year, End of the Road is hosted at Larmer Tree Gardens, bordering on north Dorset and Wiltshire, showcasing the very best in independent folk and rock music. Critically acclaimed for its consistent creative instalments and artistic flair, this festival will. most likely provide a memorable finale to see out these heady summer days.
All links to each festival can be found in their unique header - visit there for more info, including tickets, accommodation and travel.
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