It is this time of the year again. The time when people are ready to spend a lot of money on one weekend to live a magic experience — and live under a tent. The time when you start crying your eyes out realising that the tickets are sold out or too expensive. The time when online shops and high-street fashion stores put up front their flowers crowns, 1970s jewellerly, and every kind of clothes, bags, shoes, hats, and other accessories that scream ‘Flower Power’. It is also the time when the official line-ups are released, where big names of the music industry are forced to share a stage with smaller and more local ones. As the festival season is getting closer and closer everyday, it is this time of the year again which announces the beginning of what I call the festival euphoria.
As a student, I do not have enough money to go to a few of the main festivals, I will share with you the feelings I have when reading the line-ups of the biggest music events of the summer, but not only. I will also share with you the line-ups of the festivals in the UK or around Europe that are cheaper and less famous on the international platform.
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• Glastonbury
(Wednesday 24th to Sunday 28th June 2015)
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| www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ |
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The European equivalent of Coachella, Glastonbury is considered THE festival in the UK. Each year, the tickets for the event are sold out in less than an hour... more than six months before the shows. In a way, each year, people are attending the festival for the name rather than the line-up.
But what are the big names performing this year? A few weeks ago, the name of Kanye West was announced. I have to admit that I am not really a huge fan of his music; therefore, reading his name in the official line-up was followed by a profound incomprehension.
But let's not forget that the name of West figures there along with the great Lionel Richie and the amazing Foo Fighters. The rest of the line is still to be announced, and you can find more information here.
• V-Festival
(Saturday 22nd to Sunday 23rd August 2015)
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| instagram.com / VFestival |
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Calvin Harris, Kasabian, Sam Smith, The Kooks, The Script, Tom Jones, Kodaline, Hozier, James Bay. These are a few names from the exceptional line-up of the V-Festival.
To me, the V-Festival is the second biggest festival in the UK. If I had to choose one festival to go to, it would be this one. The reason? For as long as I can remember, I have never been disappointed by the line-ups of this event.
If I had two extra wishes for this summer, it would be (i) to get tickets to attend this festival, and (ii) to meet the acts to be able to interview them — or just talk to them (and post a review of it on Pastime. and Frenchie Fringe). Let's dream that one day this can happen.
For more information about the festival, and the line up, please visit the festival's website.
• Leeds & Reading Festival
(Friday 28th to Sunday 30th August 2015)
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| www.leedsfestival.com/ |
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The concept of this festival is simple: two cities in England welcoming the same artists over the same three days. By that I mean that when Leeds has group of artists A, B & C on respectively Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Reading will have C, A & B on the same days.
This year's line-up has almost manage to make cry of envy and jealousy. I envy the people who will attend this festival so much. And here is why: Mumford and Sons, Metallica, The Libertines are the three biggest names of the festival. They will share the stage with Bastille, Panic! At The Disco, Royal Blood, and some other big names.
For more information, please visit the website for the festival.
• Hyde Park Festival
(Thursday 18th to Saturday 27th June 2015)
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| facebook.com / BSTHydePark |
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| facebook.com / BSTHydePark |
The Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in London. For years now, this very beautiful and calm space of London become during a couple of weeks during the summer one of the biggest open-air stages in the country.
The Rolling Stones, Queen, Blur, Pink Floyd; all of these huge name of the music world have played on the stage located in the middle of the park. This year's line-up is pretty amazing as well. The Strokes, Blur, Kylie Minogue, The Who and Taylor Swift are the biggest names of this show.
And the good thing with this festival is the fact that you can find yourself walking in the park during the rehearsals and, therefore assist to a free concert while enjoy the sun — yes! We can have sunny days in London. And I speak from experience, I was chilling in the park when the first notes of the Rolling Stones playlist where played. For about 30 minutes, I had the chance to hear the Stones live, for free.
But if you want to see the act in addition of hearing them, here are all the informations you need.
• Wireless Festival
(Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July 2015)
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| instagram.com / WirelessFest |
And another London festival! Another festival in a park from London, but this time the venue is Finsbury Park. With a line-up is more electronic than any other festivals I have presented to you, the Wireless festival is the festival that a lot of Londoners are waiting for — because of the line-up but also, because of the advantage of the location.
David Guetta, Stromae, Drake, Jessie J, Nicki Minaj, Chalie XCX, Avicii, Kendrick Lamar, Labrinth and many others will share the stage of this festival in the beginning of July.
Get your party outfits ready and enjoy this open-air and day-time nightclub. And don't forget it will happen in London, you should include wellies and raincoat to your checklist prior the event.
For more information, you can visit the website for the Wireless Festival.
Get your party outfits ready and enjoy this open-air and day-time nightclub. And don't forget it will happen in London, you should include wellies and raincoat to your checklist prior the event.
For more information, you can visit the website for the Wireless Festival.
• Isle of Wight Festival
(Thursday 11th June to Sunday 14th 2015)
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| instagram.com / IsleOfWightFest |
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Have I said that the V-festival would be the one I would choose from the list to go to? Could I have an ex-aequo to my favourite festival? If so, the Isle of Wight festival would be this one.
Happening on the Isle of Wight, an isle in the South of England located in the English Channel, going to this festival is literally like going on holiday. Accessible from ferries from Southampton, Portsmouth, Lymington or Southsea.
The line-up? My favourite — and I believe (and hope) that Buba would love this one as well. Blur, The Black Keys, James Bay, Kodaline, You Me At Six are some of the big names performing at one of the first UK festivals.
Get ready for it, and get more information on the website.
Happening on the Isle of Wight, an isle in the South of England located in the English Channel, going to this festival is literally like going on holiday. Accessible from ferries from Southampton, Portsmouth, Lymington or Southsea.
The line-up? My favourite — and I believe (and hope) that Buba would love this one as well. Blur, The Black Keys, James Bay, Kodaline, You Me At Six are some of the big names performing at one of the first UK festivals.
Get ready for it, and get more information on the website.
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All of these events, though completely mind-blowing because of their names, reputations, or line-ups, are extremely expensive for the student that I am, as well as people earning minimum wage. So, for those of you, of us, who have the chance to come from another country, or going abroad for the summer, here is a small selection of the wonderful festivals happening in Europe.
• Main Square Festival (France)
(Friday 3rd July to Sunday 5th July 2015)
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| facebook.com / MainSquareFestival |
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Happening in the North of France, in Arras, the Main Square festival has manage to grow a good reputation in the music world, enough to enable the festival to welcome on its stage world's biggest name, such as Muse, Metallica, Coldplay, Placebo, or even Depeche Mode.
This year's line-up is once again very impressive and mind-blowing. Lenny Kravitz, Muse and Shaka Ponk are the three têtes d'affiche. They will be joined by Mumford and Sons, The Script, Hozier, George Ezra, Kodaline, James Bay, Royal Blood, Pharell Willliams, Lily Wood & The Prick, Sam Smith, and many others.
Not only is the line-up amazing, but the price is also extremely interesting. Indeed, this festival is only 49€/day and 8€/night. For more information, you can visit the English version of website for the festival.
• Rock Am Ring (Germany)
(Friday 5th to 7th June 2015)
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| www.rock-am-ring.com/ |
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Located in North West Germany, Vulkanefel, the Rock Am Ring festival celebrates its 30 years this year. Twenty-years ago, a parallel festival called Rock Im Park was created in Munich and happens every year since in Nuremberg (South of Germany).
A German and rock version of the Leeds-Reading festival, the line-up on this association of two festivals has recently been made official, and is once again this year an amazing one. Foo Fighters, Marilyn Manson, Hozier, Mallory Knox, Sliplknot, Motörhead and many others big names will perform on the stage of the Rock Am Ring festival.
Only 180€ for the 3 days, the festival is still less expensive than the ones in the UK. You should grab your tickets and fly over there. For more information, please visit the Rock Am Ring website.
• Pukkelpop (Belgium)
(Thursday 20th to Saturday 22nd August 2015)
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| www.pukkelpop.be/ |
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The Pukkelpop festival, created 30 years ago, is located in Hasselt, Eatern Belgium, since 1991. With a line-up mixing many kind of music (electro, rock, pop, indie, dance, hip-hop, heavy metal and punk), the festival is one of those which can please everyone.
Linkin Park, Charlie XCX, George Ezra, Kodaline, Limp Bizkit, Mark Ronson, Passenger and others will share the stage of this festival which announces a weekend of great fun.
The tickets are not yet available to sales, but for more information, you can visit the website of Pukkelpop festival, where the tickets will later be on sale.
• Longitude (Ireland)
(Friday 17th to Sunday 19th July 2015)
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| www.longitude.ie/ |
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Hozier, Alt-J, Metronomy, The Chemical Brothers, Jose Gonzales. Here are some of the big names who will share the stage of the Longitude festival located in the Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland.
The tickets, already on sale on ticketnet are 59,50€ for a one-day ticket, 149,50€ for a three-day pass. Cheap and with an exceptional line-up, the festival is announced on the paper to be great; add on that the fact it is located in Ireland, it is to be exceptional.
For more information, please visit the Longitude website.
• Rock in Roma (Italy)
(Sunday 14th June to Sunday 6th September 2015)
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| www.rockinroma.com/ |
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The festival Rock in Roma is more like a series of concert in the capital of Italy happening from the 14th June to 6th September.
Alt-J, Mumford and Sons, Muse, Sam Smith, Stromae, Linkin Park and a dozen of other acts will perform their most famous songs in front of Italians (and tourists) seeking for great open-air performances, as well as the culture from this great country.
With tickets from about 25€ per day, you will just have to choose between the acts and purchase the ticket(s) for the show you were waiting for for ages. For more information, please visit the Rock in Roma website.
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Of course, there are many other festivals I wish I could have shared here, but I thought the article was already long enough. If you wish for us to share one of the non-too-expensive festivals for the summer, please comment on this post or on our twitter account.
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Have a good day,
Emilie
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