For all music enthusiasts and true lovers who appreciate music on a higher level, being limited to a set of headphones or a sound system is not something they are content with. Therefore, they go to concerts, live shows, studio sessions and unplugged recordings in order to show appreciation for their favorite band and satisfy their need for good music. Some of them travel all around Europe in search of the best music festivals, so here is a guide to the best festivals the continent has to offer.
For all music enthusiasts and true lovers who appreciate music on a higher level, being limited to a set of headphones or a sound system is not something they are content with. Therefore, they go to concerts, live shows, studio sessions and unplugged recordings in order to show appreciation for their favorite band and satisfy their need for good music. Some of them travel all around Europe in search of the best music festivals, so here is a guide to the best festivals the continent has to offer.
InMusic, Exit and Sziget
In successive order, these three festivals are held in the neighboring countries of Croatia, Serbia and Hungary, from the end of June to the middle of August. It is possible to visit all three and just move from one location to the next, finding something you like in every single one.
Held on the Youth Island right in the middle of Lake Jarun in Zagreb, InMusic Festival has welcomed a number of great names since 2006, from Nick Cave, The Black Keys and Jamiroquai to The Prodigy, Serj Tankian and Massive Attack. This year’s line up includes Paolo Nutini, Florence + the Machine, Mike Skinner, and many others.
Started in 2000 as a student movement, Novi Sad’s Exit Festival has won many international awards and its appeal comes from the specific location – an 18th century fortress that hosts numerous stages with various music genres. Previous headliners were Guns N’ Roses, the White Stripes, Portishead and dozens of others, while the popular Dance Arena welcomed famous DJ names. This July, visitors will have a chance to see Emeli Sandé, Hardwell, John Newman and Motörhead.
Budapest’s Sziget Festival is held in August on an island on the river Danube and also started as a student program in 1993. It gained fame by hosting artists like Snow Patrol, Prince, Thirty Seconds to Mars and others, while this year’s set includes Robbie Williams, Avicii, Ellie Goulding, Limp Bizkit and Gentleman.
Glastonbury
As probably the most famous festival in Europe, England’s Glastonbury has been active since 1970, but with hiatuses and gap years that are intended to provide the organizers and the local community a break. It started in the tradition of major festivals held during the hippie movement and soon reached popularity and cult status. The list of previous performers seems to include every influential band and singer of the modern era, but Glastonbury has a tendency to surprise and combine unexpected genres. That is why it hosted artists like Simply Red, Sinéad O’Connor, Lou Reed and Johnny Cash, but also Jay-Z, Gorillaz, Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker and Metallica. 2015 notable acts include the Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Lionel Ritchie and Hozier, so the festival’s diversity clearly continues.
Wacken Open Air
This heavy metal festival held in northern Germany attracts, unlike others, a quite specific kind of music lovers and is a real Heaven on Earth for all metal fans. Since 1990, it has featured Iron Maiden, Nightwish, Deep Purple, Rammstein, as well as Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne. Current lineup for the 2015 festival held at the end of July and beginning of August includes Rob Zombie, Cannibal Corpse, Sepultura, Judas Priest and others.
Rock am Ring
Another German festival held early in June, Rock am Ring, together with the brotherly Rock im Park, attracts fans of different music genres, from indie rock to hip-hop. Being active since 1985, this event has always been a commercial success and has a constantly rising number of attendees. Again, with its tradition being so long, it hosted artists like U2, Pearl Jam, Carlos Santana, Linkin Park and hundreds of others, while this year it will welcome Slipknot, Papa Roach, Marilyn Manson and others.
The Plan
What true music fans appreciate the most is the fact that these festivals do not overlap, so they can visit several successively. It is important to make a plan in advance and you will be able to see all your favorite acts one after the other.
