Gigslutz Festival round-up part 3: International Festivals

In the final part of our look at whats happening with this summers festivals, this week we focus on whats happening in internationally….  

Rock Werchter: 3-6th July – Werchter, Belgium

£170 Adult Weekend, £69 Adult Day (Thursday and Saturday waiting list), Camping £15 advance ticket

As Belgium’s biggest festival enters its 40th year, it can safely say it has a firm positioning as one of Europe’s most popular rock festivals- right up there with Glastonbury. Over 4 days it brings some of the best acts in Rock and Music to this small town in Belgium- with past headliners ranging from The Cure and Bob Dylan to David Bowie, Daft Punk, The Black Eyed peas and even Blur. It’s no shock that this festival has one the Arthur Award for best festival in the world numerous times, and manages to continue to get around 80,000 festival goers each year.

Confirmed:

  • Thursday= American heavy-metal band Metallica, Placebo, newly solo Damon Albarn, Robert Plant and American EDM DJ Skrillex.
  • Friday= British rockers Arctic Monkeys, solo artists Ellie Goulding and Jack Johnson as well as Crystal Fighters, The 1975, Major Lazer and The Naked and Famous.
  • Saturday= Pearl Jam, Indie rockers The Black Keys, Irish band Kodaline, Pixies, Imagine Dragons, Triggerfinger, Agnes Obel and the Haim girls.
  • Sunday= American band Kings Of Leon, Stromae, Franz Ferdinand, MGMT, Foals, Babyshambles and solo acts Birdy and Metronomy.

Sziget festival: 12th-17th August – Budapest

£174 Week with camping, £150 5 days no camping, £42 Day ticket

In 2011 this festival beat Glastonbury, winning the award for Europe’s Best Festival. It came as a shock for many- but it’s easy to see its’ appeal. Why trek through mud and rain when you can bask in 30 degree heat with Budapest just a short hop away and even a pool on sight? Furthermore, it always has an incredible line-up, with past headliners including: Iggy Pop, Green Day, The Prodigy, the Stone Roses and even Snoop Dogg. Once again this Hungarian festival will open its doors to nearly 400,000 people over 5 days and is sure to thrill.

Confirmed: Performers that have been confirmed are: American rockers Queens of the Stone Age, Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, Placebo, Bastille, Imagine Dragons, Stromae, Klaxons, Laidback Luke, Starlight Girls and many more to be announced.

Roskilde Festival: 29th June – 6th July- Roskilde, Denmark

Approximately £213 8 days Adult, Under 10s FREE

This Danish festival, started in 1971, has become one of Europe’s largest music festivals. It offers four days of international pop and rock acts, bringing the greatest in the field to the main stage for always memorable sets. It’s famed for not only for its musical line-up, but also for the wide range of activities available onsite; ranging from a cinema, swimming, dancing and even if its legendary ‘Naked run’ which will have its 15th anniversary this very year.

Confirmed: Arctic Monkeys, Damon Albarn, Major Lazer, A$AP Ferg, Haim, Pusha T, Warpaint, Interpol, Earl Sweatshirt and many acts still left to come.

Exit Festival: 10th-13th July- Novi Sad, Serbia

£95 Adult Weekend, £25 Camping pass

If the low prices at this festival, less than half than that of Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds, don’t attract you, then perhaps I should tell you that this Serbian festival has won an EU award for ‘Best Major Festival in Europe’- enticing right? Oh, don’t let me to forget to drop in the fact that you are guaranteed hours of sunshine, temperatures of around 30 degrees and only the best in international music acts. What started as a government protest in 2000, set up by a group of students, has become one of the most acclaimed festivals in the world and is expected to bring nearly 200,000 music-lovers together over three days for unforgettable weekend.

Confirmed: So far confirmed are Rudimental, Skrillex, Dub FX and Koven. However, you can expect more than 500 performers, both international and Serbian, across 20 stages ranging from rock to reggae and everything in between.

Coachella: 11th-13th April & 18th– 21st April- California, USA

SOLD OUT

Think of Coachella as America’s answer to Glastonbury; it sells out in record time, brings together the best in the music business and just offers that exclusive feel (something you can definitely flaunt about to your friends for the next year). Coachella seems such a staple in the American Festival circuit that it’s strange to think that just 15 years ago this festival was only just starting up; however, in that time it has managed to make itself one of the most famous music festivals in the world. Coachella, officially known as the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival, offers more than just a world-class musical line-up, it offers a variety of arts activities ranging from theatre to poetry and more. It offers something for everyone whether your taste is rap, rock, pop or even a form of art, and thus it deserves its position as one of the world’s best festivals.

Confirmed: The headliners for both weekends are: Muse, Outkast and Arcade Fire. Also featured are: MGMT, Nas, Calvin Harris, Queens of the Stone Age, Lorde, Foster the People, Pharrell Williams, Lana Del Rey and many more acts.

http://youtu.be/-LPaqAQ4u48
Governor’s Ball: 6th– 8th June- New York, USA

£153 Adult Weekend (no accommodation), Under 5s FREE

Despite first opening its’ doors only three years ago, this festival on Randall’s Island New York has fast become not only a hotspot for great acts, but also one of the best festivals in a city (taking after the likes of Wireless, Parklife, Optimus Alive, etc.). Not only does this festival bring together the best in rock, electronic, hip-hop, indie and pop music- it offers an array of enticing activities such as: lawn games, face painting, photo booths and more to do while running between the four stages on offer. Let’s not forget this festivals main perk: it is bang in the middle of New York, nestled between Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx, giving you the opportunity to visit the city that never sleeps as well as a top notch festival. As if that wasn’t enough- New York averages about 26 degrees in June, so you’ve got plenty of opportunity to top up that non-existent tan you’ve got from all the British sunshine

Confirmed: Headliners are Outkast, Jack White and Vampire Weekend. Also performing are: New York born and bred The Strokes, Phoenix, Skrillex, Axwell Ingrosso, Foster the People, Interpol, Julian Casablancas, Disclosure, J. Cole, Damian Marley, Damon Albarn and so many more.

A Camping Flight to Lowland’s Paradise (Lowlands): 15th-17th August- Walibi, Holland

£162 Adult Weekend Camping

This moderately sized Dutch festival, with approximately 55,000 visitors, prides itself on its emphasis on alternative music as well as theatre, comedy, science and a multitude of other offerings. It has a great indie vibe; with global restaurants and bars, an international market, numerous hangout spots and even its own currency. Situated just 42 miles from Amsterdam and adjacent to famous theme park Walibi Holland, the festival is able to offer more than just great indie, rock and electronic music.

Confirmed: American rockers Queens of the Stone Age, Skrillex, James Holden, Imagine Dragons and more to be confirmed very soon.

Eurockeennes festival: 4th– 6th July- Belfort, France

£92 Adult Weekend

France’s biggest rock festival returns again this year and is set to be bigger than ever as it enters its 26th year, with nearly 130,000 people set to attend. The festival boasts two stages set around the stunning Belfort where the festival is set on the peninsula of the lake Malsaucy. As always it will offer the best in rock, indie and some pop- past years having seen the likes of Blur, The Vaccines, The Cure and Babyshambles in past years.

Confirmed: So far confirmed are: The Black Keys, Stromae, Skrillex, Pixies, Franz Ferdinand, Foster the People, Shaka Ponk, Detroit, Casseurs Flowers, Robert Plant and more to be announced.

Optimus Alive!: 10th-12th July- Lisbon, Portugal

£90.30 Adult Weekend/ £104.10 with camping, £45.60 Day ticket, No under 3s

‘Think Glastonbury with guaranteed sun and pool’ – that’s what The Times newspaper had to say about Optimus Alive and they couldn’t be more right. Situated in the heart of Lisbon in July, where temperatures can hit 30 degrees, this festival brings together the best in rock, pop and alternative for three days to entertain 50,000 festival goers. It’s hard to find any faults with this festival; it always has a fantastic line-up, some of Europe’s most pristine beaches are a 10 minute train journey away and it’s situated 5 minutes from Lisbon’s wealth of culture. Unusually, this festival starts at 6pm and ends at 6am which is fantastic, as it means you can tan by the beach or pool during the day then dance too your hearts’ desire all night. It’s clear to see how in just seven years Optimus Alive has become one of the most enjoyed festivals in Europe.

Confirmed: Arctic Monkeys will open the festival on Friday with The Black keys headlining Saturday. Also set to play are: Imagine Dragons, Bastille, Interpol, The Lumineers, MGMT, Daughter, Buraka Som Sistema, The 1975 and more to be announced.

Corrine Corrodus

Corrine Corrodus

Hi, i'm Corrine. I'm 16 and from London. My hobbies include blogging (chaoticcorrine.blogspot.com), spending all my money on vinyl and clothes, gig-going and avidly procrastinating. I would love to be a journalist, but my main wish is for The Smiths and Oasis to reform.