14 replies to this topic

[ponydog]

I've been to Glastonbury 4 years running now, so I fancy trying something else this year.

I'm looking for some tips on other festivals in UK or Europe that are worth going to please...

Any one been to Pukelpop in Belgium? It always seems to get a good line up. Or latitude maybe.

(I've Been to V it was rubbish. Been to Leeds also, good when I was 18, I'm now 26).

Thanks.

[hatethisandillloveyou]

http://www.efestival...endations &st=0

Have a look there.

[Paul ™]

Few threads lately on this past week or so

http://www.efestival...howtopic=154358

http://www.efestival...howtopic=154297

http://www.efestival...howtopic=153554

[glastofairy]

I'm doing Coachella in California next year and Electric Picnic in Ireland both by all accounts like Glastonbury. Would be slightly dubious about European festivals after reading about the Danish festival, can't remember the name, where the toilets are only in the arena and people pee in the hedges and everyone get's ill! Call me girly but I'm not really one for peeing alfresco or swallowing other peoples pee, yuck!!

[robith]

I heartily recommend Primavera in Barcelona.

It's not a camping festival but

1. It goes on to 7am
2. They get the line up perfect with all the indie bands on first then electro and dance into the wee hours
3. It's on the best soundsystems I've ever heard and if anything it gets LOUDER through the night
4. Barcelonins are f**king mental
5. The line is half curated by ATP meaning there's load of interesting bands and you don't get loads of OI OI BRITS ABROAD
6. The spirit measures are so big they make the cups melt

[StoneCrow]

ponydog, on 13 October 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:

I've been to Glastonbury 4 years running now, so I fancy trying something else this year.

I'm looking for some tips on other festivals in UK or Europe that are worth going to please...

Any one been to Pukelpop in Belgium? It always seems to get a good line up. Or latitude maybe.

(I've Been to V it was rubbish. Been to Leeds also, good when I was 18, I'm now 26).

Thanks.

Blissfields is a great little festival. I've been there twice. It mixes big names with up-and-coming acts with a beautiful setting. Its both family safe and wild enough to rave into the early hours

[karelaanzee]

Pukkelpop is very nice! Maybe try Werchter, lots of good names

[fugitive]

None

[Paul ™]

fugitive, on 14 October 2010 - 07:45 PM, said:

None

Someone better tell the rest of the festival organisers then they are wasting their time  

[Toilet Duck]

glastofairy, on 14 October 2010 - 06:03 AM, said:

I'm doing Coachella in California next year and Electric Picnic in Ireland both by all accounts like Glastonbury. Would be slightly dubious about European festivals after reading about the Danish festival, can't remember the name, where the toilets are only in the arena and people pee in the hedges and everyone get's ill! Call me girly but I'm not really one for peeing alfresco or swallowing other peoples pee, yuck!!

Coachella is nothing loke Glasto I'm afraid...Still a great festival, but a completely different experience. It's rather strict as rules go (can only drink in the beer garden, no pass outs so you have to stay at the fetival all day, no nipping back to the tent for things etc)...food isn't exactly varied (though in general food in california is great)...having said all that, the line up is generally amazing, the people are generally chilled (plenty of hipsters too, but hey, it's california), sound at the stages is fantastic, and the location is awesome (no, not like a hotdog, really awesome!)...If glasto-like festies are what you are after, then none of the American festivals shape up, but Bonnaroo would be closest...or of course if it's the mayhem at glasto that you like, then Burning Man is in a league of it's own..

...Electric Picnic 5 years was exactly like a mini glasto. Now it's changed a bit, and I've probably had enough of it (I say that now, I'll probably change my mind on the day of the festival as usual)...It has plenty to recommend, for example, the body & soul area is pretty much the heart of the festival (though they do actually now run their own festival which I shall be checking out this year, friends who went last year loved it)...and the salty dog has been a great late night venue over the last couple of years. It has Arcadia from Glasto, always has a big Lucent Dossier set, and foodwise it has many things you'll recognise from glasto (with some very good food from posh Irish restaurants available too)...on the minus side, it's expensive, they switched the rig this year so the sound wasn't as good as usual and they also signed a pouring contract with heineken, so the drink selection was severely limited (plus the bars close at 11....in Ireland, FFS!)...mind you, you can bring your own in once the bars close and things normally keep going til at least 4am...

As for European festies, Werchter is dead simple, two stages so you rarely miss anything, camping is easy (each campsite has its own toilets, shower, cafe, bar), and the lineup is generally loaded with popular bands. Drinking cherry beer gets boring really quickly, but you can bring in pretty much whatever you like so long as it's in a juice carton(I know, ????)...Haven't been to Pukkelpop yet, Lowlands is on the same weekend which is a class festival, definietly has a glasto-like vibe. For Spanish festivals, the recommendation above for Primavera is spot on, don't be tempted by Beni, it's god-awful at this stage. Not sure if your Danish horror story was about Roskilde, as I thought it was planned and laid out perfectly...It rained like mad the year I was there and it's even worse than glasto as a mudfest!...though of all the festies I've been to, it's probably the closest thing to glasto...plus if you like heavier bands you'll get them at Roskilde and not at glasto...And the only one I haven't been to that is on my wishlist is Sziget, which I've only heard great things about....maybe this year!

Anyway, there's a whole heap of great festies out there...go explore!

[Furious-Red]

Pukkelpop is great went this year and loved every single moment of it. Wide range of music although would love a bit more metal/rock but not complaining. Def gonna try hit it up next year

[glastofairy]

Thanks for the info toilet duck, fortunately my friend lives 10 minutes from Coachella so I'll be by the pool all day and won't have to worry about getting beer as I'll have a fridge. I've only done a few US festivals, The Harley festival, SXSW and clean air clear stars and don't really consider them to be festivals as all the people I know that do them don't camp and I don't consider them to be festivals if there isn't camping involved but then in 110 degree heat I wouldn't want to camp either.

My friend loves Electric picnic but as you say as with most things they are never as good as they once were, which is a shame but if you don't go now they never go back but keep changing! Ireland is always expensive and that's a reason why it's kinda bottom of my list of festivals to attend.

Your right i'm talking about Roskilde, can't remember where I read the info but I do remember that it was written for a UK festival magazine by a seasoned festival goer and it's pretty much put me off European festivals for life!

Slightly disappointing that the info I've read is so misleading about the two festivals I'm looking forward to attending but I'm sure I'll enjoy them as it's what you make of them thats important.

.

[glastovet84]

done reading 12 times always guaranteed good bands but when the last band finished thats it(which can be said for more or less every festival )
V twice full of posers ideal festival for a first timer .
done torhout twice which used to be the wertcher twin festival  , leeds /reading type of thing bands playing different nights .  was really good but not many brits there when i went
phoenix festival in stratford now long gone which was a good laugh
and felie festival in thurles that was mental

[glastofairy]

Ahhh Pheonix, thats a blast from the past but what a festival that used to be. Very fond memories of those days...

[padders]

avoid pink pop - very dull

Electric picnic great but last time I  went was in 07  and sounds like its changed a lot since then

primavera sounds absolutely spot on I must say