Festival season is here!
Coachella has already past, what’s left you wonder? Plenty we’ll tell you!
This year is extra exciting with Swedish House Mafia back together and international bookings like top artists Cardi B and J Balvin or if you prefer super cool and really hyped DJ Nina Kraviz. We give you the creme de la creme of festivals around Europe this summer. Enjoy!
May
Primavera Sound
Festival lineup: Erykah Badu, Tame Impala, Solange, Future, Cardi B, J Balvin, Interpol, Janelle Monáe
Indie King and forceful supporter of new music, Primavera Sound prides itself on pushing the alternative scene forward. Creativity is paramount, with headliners often standing out from the festival crowd.
When & where: 30 May – 1 June 2019; Barcelona, Spain
Photo: Unsplash
June
Isle of Wight Festival
Festival lineup: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, George Ezra, Biffy Clyro, Courteeners, Fatboy Slim, Richard Ashcroft, Lily Allen, Jess Glynne
Isle of Wight Festival is renowned for exclusive, legendary headliners – Fleetwood Mac, The Stone Roses, Bruce Springsteen – and eclectic lineups that pay homage to its own incredible history. Now 50 years on from the original edition, IOW is as strong as ever.
When & where: 13-16 June 2019; Isle of Wight, UK
Awakenings Festival
Festival lineup: Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Charlotte de Witte, Dixon, Jeff Mills, Nina Kraviz, Richie Hawtin, Sven Väth
Awakenings’ iconic Gashouder venue in the heart of Amsterdam is left behind for the yearly festival, morphing the luscious Dutch countryside into an all-out natural dancefloor.
When & where: 29-30 June 2019, Spaarnwoude, Netherlands
Photo: Awakenings festival
July
EXIT Festival
Festival lineup: The Cure, Carl Cox, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tom Walker, Jeff Mills, Maceo Plex, Amelie Lens, Greta Van Fleet
Titans of dance are scattered with the occasional note of indie and pop – or even heavy metal, in the case of Motörhead in 2015 – at Serbia’s EXIT Festival. Sister festival Sea Dance keeps the party going at the beautiful beach-side location of Budva, Montenegro.
When & where: 4-8 July 2019; Novi Sad, Serbia
EXIT Festival
Wireless Festival
Festival lineup: Cardi B, Travis Scott, Migos, A$AP Rocky, Future, Rae Sremmurd, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert
Rap and dance music form the perfect partnership at Wireless Festival, creating a distinctive weekend that embodies one of London’s many subcultures with perfection.
When & where: 5-7 July 2019; London, UK
Mad Cool Festival
Festival lineup: The Cure, Bon Iver, The National, The 1975, The Smashing Pumpkins, Greta Van Fleet, Robyn, Jorja Smith
Only two editions in, Mad Cool is already one of Europe’s most glittering, glaringly popular festivals. True, it doesn’t have the history and reputation for breaking ground that its Barcelona rival Primavera Sound commands, but in Mad Cool, Spain finally has another festival that stands a chance of challenging the Primavera might.
When & where: 11-13 July 2019; Madrid, Spain
Mad Cool Festival
Lovebox
Festival lineup: Chance the Rapper, Solange, Four Tet, Brockhampton, Loyle Carner, H.E.R., Action Bronson, Kaytranada
Nestled in the heart of London, Lovebox champions creative programming and a positive sense of fun. Just like with Wireless Festival, it’s no surprise that urban and electronic music has found such a good home in the UK capital.
When & where: 12-3 July 2019; London, UK
Ultra Europe
Festival lineup: Swedish House Mafia + more artists to be announced
Transported across the Atlantic from Miami’s glamourous city centre, Ultra Europe wasted no time in establishing itself as a worthy successor to the original UMF. The biggest DJs in the world bring Croatia’s stunning Adriatic coast to its feet.
When & where: 12-14 July 2019; Split, Croatia
Tomorrowland
Festival lineup: The Chainsmokers, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, Martin Garrix, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, A$AP Rocky, David Guetta, Adam Beyer
Tomorrowland is, simply put, the biggest electronic music show on earth. Massive lineups cherry-picked from any artist they could want, allied to an intense attention to detail, create an unrivalled wonderland that keeps on mesmerising the world.
When & where: 19-21 July & 26-28 July 2019; Boom, Belgium
Photo: Tomorrowland
August
Boomtown
Festival lineup: Ms. Lauryn Hill, The Streets, Prophets of Rage, Chronixx, Chase & Status, Groove Armada, Slaves, UB40
Incredible music laying down a soundtrack for an entirely purpose-built themed city and ongoing mythology – BoomTown Fair takes the idea of a unique festival to a whole new level. Leave your civilian clothing at home and buckle up for a wild ride.
When & where: 7-11 August 2019; Winchester, UK
Sziget Festival
Festival lineup: Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters, Florence + the Machine, Twenty One Pilots, Martin Garrix, The 1975, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Jungle
Sziget is one of those festivals that could never spend another cent on marketing and still sell out every single year. Its reputation precedes it by almost a decade, and Budapest makes an incredible host city.
When & where: 7-13 August 2019; Budapest, Hungary
Creamfields
Festival lineup: deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, Cirez D & Adam Beyer, The Chemical Brothers, Martin Garrix, Calvin Harris, Carl Cox, Tiësto
One of the two or three most prestigious dance festivals on the planet, Creamfields is always full to bursting with worldwide stars. Whatever flavour of electronic music you’re into, you’ll find more than you could ask for at Creamfields.
When & where: 22-25 August 2019; Daresbury, UK
Photo: ANTHONYMOONEY.COM for Creamfields