With all the Glasto coverage at the moment, and only a few weeks until the Oasis tour kicks off (maybe literally), you’ll be forgiven for feeling a bit of FOMO, especially once the weather picks up. There’s nothing like being outside, watching the sun set while you listen to your favourite band with your friends, and after all, music has been proven to be good for our health. Festivals are a great way to see lots of different bands all in one setting, and they’re often held in interesting venues; for example, Camp Bestival is held in the grounds of Lulworth Castle.
But don’t worry, if you’re not willing to drop £1,000 for last minute tickets to see Liam and Noel, there are plenty of other festivals and outdoor gigs out there, whatever your music taste. So, grab your bucket hat, dust off your rain poncho and get your dancing wellies on as here’s our guide to the best live music to check out this summer.
5 UK MUSIC FESTIVALS
TRNSMT
- When? 11th – 13th July
- Where? Glasgow Green
- Who’s playing? 50 Cent, Wet Leg, Biffy Clyro, Fontaines DC, Gracie Abrams, The Last Dinner Party, Inhaler.
TRNSMT is a three-day festival held right in the middle of Glasgow with a really diverse line-up that’s a good mix of old and new acts. Because of the location there are no camping options, but there’s plenty of accommodation available on the Visit Glasgow website.
KENDAL CALLING
- When? 31st July – 3rd August
- Where? Lowther Deer Park, Cumbria
- Who’s playing? The Courteeners, Fat Boy Slim, The Prodigy, The Last Dinner Party, The Wombats, Frank Turner.
Often referred to as ‘The Glastonbury of the North’, Kendal Calling attracts 40,000 music fans. There are plenty of activities for children, so it’s very family-friendly with lots of areas away from the crowds. You can also camp there.
TRAMLINES
- When? 25th – 27th July
- Where? Hillsborough Park, Sheffield
- Who’s playing? Pulp, Kasabian, The Reytons, Fat White Family, John Grant, Spiritualised.
Tramlines is a real celebration of music and the Arts scene in Sheffield. Apart from a mix of both well-known and emerging artists it has comedy, poetry, DJs and family entertainment. Again, because of the setting this isn’t a camping festival, but Sheffield has great public transport, and you can get a tram from the city centre direct to the venue.
LATITUDE
- When? 24th – 27th July
- Where? Henham Park, Suffolk
- Who’s playing? Clean Bandits, Elbow, Fat Boy Slim, Air, Public Service Broadcasting, Sigrid.
Latitude is more than just a music festival, it’s a real immersive experience that includes comedy, theatre, poetry, literature, science and wellness; it even has its own podcast. There is camping available and it’s less frantic than Glastonbury, with a real family vibe and you’ll see a mix of generations. The woodland setting means you can escape the crowds and even head off for a swim in the lake.
BOARDMASTERS
- When? 6th – 10th August
- Where? Newquay, Cornwall
- Who’s playing? Raye, The Wombats, Central Cee, The Prodigy, Wet Leg, Sub Focus.
Boardmasters is spread out over five days and combines live music and, as is fitting for a festival held in the surf capital of the UK – Newquay. This festival is less about the muddy fields and more about the beach vibes – it originally started off in the 80s as a surfing competition on the legendary Fistral beach. The line-up is diverse but the crowd tends to be younger; it’s a good first-time festival and many local teens go as a way of celebrating the end of their exams. There’s camping available.
OUTDOOR GIGS
The UK is well-known for its music scene and has had some great live music venues over the years. There are also plenty of open-air venues around the UK, and while of course you take your chances with the weather, that’s all part of the fun. They’re often in interesting surroundings too, which all adds to the atmosphere.
Here are a few to check out and an example of the acts they have playing there:
- Scarborough Open Air Theatre – Faithless, Judas Priest
- Colchester Castle – Smashing Pumpkins, Texas
- Halifax Piece Hall – Paul Heaton, Echo and the Bunnymen
- Exhibition Park, Newcastle – Fontaines DC
- Pier Head, Liverpool – The Wombats
- Manchester Castlefield Bowl – Basement Jaxx, Black Keys
- Hyde Park, London – Noah Kahan, Neil Young
- Brighton ‘On the Beach’ – Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs
- Dreamlands, Margate – The Libertines, Supergrass
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS
Going abroad for a festival means you get a great holiday alongside some great music, and you’re pretty much guaranteed better weather, and maybe even cheaper beer!
LOVE INTERNATIONAL – CROATIA
- When? 9th – 15th July
- Where? The garden Tisno, Croatia
- Who’s playing? Ellie Stokes, Objekt
Croatia has become really big in the dance music scene in the last few years, but anything will sound good in this amazing setting.
DETOUR DISCOTHEQUE – ITALY
- When? 19th – 21st September
- Where? Puglia, Italy
- Who’s playing? Manchester Disco Collective so far, more TBC
This festival has a different location each year; it’s previously been held in Iceland and Scotland. It’s very disco-based and has a very intimate feel as there are only a few hundred tickets available.
OPEN’ER – POLAND
- When? 2nd – 5th July
- Where? Gdynia, Poland
- Who’s playing? Linkin Park, FKA Twigs, Raye, St. Vincent
Held on an abandoned airstrip in Poland, you probably won’t get a cooler setting for a festival than this and it always has a great line-up.
ROCK EN SEINE – FRANCE
- When? 20th – 24th August
- Where? Saint-Cloud, Paris
- Who’s playing? Jamie XX, Vampire Weekend, Kneecap, Stereophonics
The setting for this festival is amazing, without the music – with its beautiful gardens, fountains and sculptures, but throw in a mix of hip-hop, metal and electronic dance music and you get one of France’s best music festivals.
Going to a festival is something every music-lover should experience at least once, and there are plenty out there, both big and small, so there’s something for everyone. You could always try one of the many free festivals dotted around the UK first, to get a feel for one.
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