music festivals
Which is better: i) the chance to don your wellies (now become oddly trendy) in the hope that you won’t actually require them to slosh through the rivers of mud that are an inevitable occurance at many of the northern European music festivals or ii) ditching the rain-wear and heading out with lashings of suncream to attend one of numerous Spanish festivals instead? Easy choice, right?
This year there’s a lot to choose from and July seems to be one of the best months to get out there. Bilbao BBK (9th to 11th, www.bilbaobbklive.com) has a dazzling line-up with the likes of Depeche Mode, Bassment Jaxx, Editors, Ting Tings and Jane’s Addiction so far confirmed.
Nearer to home and with a decidedly harder edge is Sonisphere (11th, www.sonispherefestivals.com) with rock gods Metallica, Slipknot and Lamb of God attending; expect some serious mosh pit action. Gaining in international popularity every year is Benicàssim (16th to 19th, www.fiberfib.com): Oasis, The Killers, Kings of Leon and Franz Ferdinand are headlining and not doing a bad job of supporting are Glasvegas, Gang of Four, Television Personalities, and TV on the Radio.
Want to attend the biggest rave in Spain? Then collect your whistles, get out your neon and book tickets for the Monegros Desert Festival (18th, www.monegrosfestival.com). Invade Huesca with around 40,000 others and see the likes of Carl Cox, Tiga, Dubfire, Ben Sims and Josh Wink.
If all those seem a little too chaotic for your tastes, head to Lagatvajunto (24th and 25th, www.lagatavajunto.es) to chillax to the music of Jamaica. All in all a month to rejoice in the fairer climes and fantastic music.