European festival summer takesshape

Sun 4th Mar, 2007 in International News

It might just be worth heading to your travel agent to ask about getting to Europe later this year. Lineup announcements are pouring in ahead of the northern hemisphere summer and even though we’re several months away, there are some absolute crackers. From the end of May right through to the end of August, the biggest and best acts on the planet will do the rounds.

Things kick off on the weekend of May 26-28 when Marilyn Manson, Muse, Snow Patrol and more perform at Pinkpop in the Netherlands. Though things get going on the Friday night, all eyes will be on the third and final night when the re-formed Smashing Pumpkins hit the stage. The band broke up in 2000, with the various members working on various other projects over the past seven years.

From June 8-10, the biggest names in punk, metal and hard rock visit Donington in England’s midlands for the Download festival. Linkin Park, Iron Maiden, My Chemical Romance and Marilyn Manson are confirmed for the three-day festival so far, with many more still to be confirmed.

Grammy-winning Aussies Wolfmother will play the main stage at Isle of Wight on the same weekend, joining names such as Muse, Kasabian, Ash, Snow Patrol and Keane. Organisers have confirmed the final headliner is still TBC, with reports claiming The Rolling Stones will perform.

Arguably the world’s most renowned festival, “Glastonbury”http://www.glastonburyfestivals.com will run from June 22-24. As previously reported on FasterLouder, punters were required to register for an online account to have any chance of getting tickets when they go on sale on April 1. Amazingly enough, tickets are expected to sell out in a matter of minutes despite the lineup not due for release until June. Arctic Monkeys (Friday), The Killers (Saturday) and The Who (Sunday) are widely tipped to headline the festival’s Pyramid Stage, with Kasabian, Kaiser Chiefs and Bjork also pencilled in.

Also on the weekend of June 22-24, the Hurricane and Southside festivals in Germany will offer their fair share of international superstars as well. So far, Hurricane (near Hamburg) and Southside (near Munich and Stuttgart) will host Pearl Jam, Queens of the Stone Age, Sonic Youth, Interpol, Bloc Party, *Beastie Boys*and many, many more.

The following weekend, the travelling circus will head to Leuven, in Belgium for Rockwerchter. With Muse, Marilyn Manson, Bjork and the Beastie Boys all appearing on the opening night, this is one of the ones you’ll want to sell your house to get to. From June 28 to July 1, a lineup also including Metallica, Tori Amos, Faithless, Pearl Jam, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party and Interpol will head a stellar bill that’s set to hit the town otherwise known as the home of Stella Artois.

Just a few days later, things will get going over in Denmark, where those crazy vikings will be celebrating all things rock at Roskilde. While the bulk of this year’s lineup is still to be confirmed, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer, Basement Jaxx, Bjork and The Who have already been confirmed to appear between July 5-8.

Across the North Sea, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and Snow Patrol will headline T in the Park, just outside Perth in Scotland. Tickets for the event sold out in 40 minutes last week, but organisers have confirmed another 5000 tickets will go on sale on March 9. Lily Allen, Scissor Sisters, Kings of Leon and Kasabian have also been confirmed to play in front of the 80,000-strong crowd.

T in the Park will swap its lineup overnight with that of Oxegen, which is held in County Naas, an hour out of Dublin in Ireland. Though the festival shares its headliners with its Scottish cousin, the lineup so far includes a couple of noteable exceptions; namely, Daft Punk and Muse.

Muse are also confirmed to play at Benicassim in Spain, from July 19-22. Also headlining the bill are Iggy and the Stooges and Arctic Monkeys. Bright Eyes ’ live return will grace the bill, as will !!!, Calexico, Klaxons and Peter Bjorn and John.

If you thought the lineup for Australia’s V Festival was impressive, have a look at the list of bands confirmed for its big brother. Foo Fighters and The Killers will headline in Staffordshire and Chelmsford, with Pink, Kanye West, Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream and the Happy Mondays also set to play on August 18 and 19. Though tickets are selling fast, there are still some remaining – contrary to reports in the British press.

The festival season will go out with a bang on August 24-26 with the Carling Weekend. For three days, the biggest names in rock will invade England, taking in Bramham Park (Leeds ) and Little John’s Farm, in Reading. No bands are confirmed at this stage but Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins have been named as hot tips to headline the three-day event.