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The Non-Glastonbury Festival Guide

The Non-Glastonbury Festival Guide

16 April 2015

Glastonbury has announced its line-up, with plenty of speculation over who will fill that final headline slot alongside Kanye and Foo Fighters.

Which is hugely interesting for those lucky people who managed to hit F5 more quickly than everyone else. But for the remaining 99.9% of us not travelling to Somerset who still want to get messy in a field, or perhaps prefer a more rarefied experience where the ground beneath you doesn't turn into a quagmire when the heavens inevitably open, do not fear - there are plenty of excellent alternatives out there.

Also, see our list of Glastonburys greatest ever Headliner Performances


The Great Escape

14-16 May

Brighton

Confirmed acts: SOAK, Slaves, Jack Garratt, Django Django, Tobias Jesso Jr.

What's it all about: Discover all the hot up-and-coming acts from the UK and across the globe with this multi-venue city festival in Brighton. It's got a beach and everything so you can't go wrong can you?

www.greatescapefestival.com

Slaves play The Great Escape in Brighton

Glastonbudget

22-24 May

Turnpost Farm, Wymswold, Leicestershire

Confirmed acts: Mercury, Oasish, Four Fighters, One Step Behind

What's it all about: Glastonbury may be sold out, but you'll see bigger and better acts at Glastonbudget - the world's best tribute act-only festival. We went a few years ago and saw fake Madonna, Queen, Michael Jackson, Meat Loaf and Pet Shop Boys. Can Worthy Farm match that? No it can't.

www.glastonbudget.org


We Are FSTVL

30-31 May

Upminster, Essex

Confirmed acts: Sven Vath, Steve Angello, Knife Party, Mark Knight, Carl Cox, Gorgon City

What's it all about: Try to avoid TOWIE members as you head into deepest, darkest Essex for FSTVL, now in its third year. A seriously impressive line-up but watch out, no camping here so head down for each day.

Ticket and hostel options available here.

www.wearefstvl.com

Carl Cox heads to Upminster for We Are FSTVL

Isle Of Wight Festival

11-14 June

Isle Of Wight

Confirmed acts: Blur, Fleetwood Mac, The Prodigy, Pharrell, Paolo Nutini, The Black Keys

What's it all about: A heavyweight lineup for the first festival of the summer on the famous Isle. You cannot really beat Fleetwood Mac, now with added Christine McVie, for a headliner - it's the stuff Dreams are made of.

www.isleofwightfestival.com

Return of the Mac at Isle of Wight festival

Download

12-14 June

Donington Park, Derby

Confirmed acts: Muse, Slipknot, KISS, Judas Priest, Faith No More, Slash

What's it all about: No Sonisphere this year so Download stands alone as the biggest rock and metal festival of the year. You won't find a nicer crowd, so pack your air guitars and get rocking at Castle Donington with Muse's comeback and a sure-to-be-spectacular set from KISS.

www.downloadfestival.co.uk

Muse make their much-anticipated rock return for Download

Wireless Festival

3-5 July

Finsbury Park, London

Confirmed acts: Drake, Avicii, Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, David Guetta, Nicki Minaj

What's it all about: Now in its new home of Finsbury Park, the three days of city festival Wireless are dominated by dance and hip hop with a bit of pop thrown in for good measure. This will be party central.

www.wirelessfestival.co.uk


British Summer Time

20/21/26/27 June

Hyde Park, London

Confirmed acts: Blur, Kylie, The Strokes, The Who, Taylor Swift

What's it all about: A series of one-off mini-festivals, BST has landed the big names with Kylie, The Who and Taylor Swift all sure to sell out, but the most anticipated of them all could be Blur's fourth time here, playing tracks from their first studio album in 12 years.

Current price:Various Prices

www.bst-hydepark.com

Hopefully Blur will have cheered up by the time they play at Hyde Park

Calling Festival

4 July

Clapham Common, London

Confirmed acts: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Ryan Adams and the Shining, Modest Mouse, The Hives

What's it all about: A one-day rock festival, it'll be fascinating to see Noel have a stab at a headline set for the first time. He's always been a crowd-pleaser, so don't be surprised to hear a good few Oasis classics in there - he did write them all, to be fair.

www.callingfestival.co.uk

Flock like high flying birds to Clapham to see Noel in action

T in the Park

10-12 July

Strathallancastle, Perthshire

Confirmed acts: Kasabian, Avicii, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Prodigy

What's it all about: What can you say about Scotland's premier festival? Three days of pure hedonism together with all the Tennent's you can drink plus a great lineup. We're in.

www.tinthepark.com


NASS Festival

10-12 July

Bath and West, Somerset

Confirmed acts: Public Enemy, Enter Shikari, Sigma, Roots Manuva

What's it all about: A novel festival combining action sports - including skateboarding, freerunning and BMX - and music. Its a shame Survivor aren't around any more, otherwise they could have been booked to constantly play Eye Of The Tiger.

www.nassfestival.com

Flavor Flav will tell you what time it is at NASS

Electric Daisy Carnival

11 July

The National Bowl, Milton Keynes

Confirmed acts: Ferry Corsten, Hardwell, High Contrast

What's it all about: Massive long-running one day dance festival in Milton Keynes; a huge show and big names guaranteed. We particularly like their use of L8r owl (following early bird) ticket. It's the little things for us.

uk.electricdaisycarnival.com


Latitude

16-19 July

Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk

Confirmed acts: Alt-J, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Portishead, Manic Street Preachers

What's it all about: Probably the UK's nicest festival - you won't find too much hedonism here - but a deservedly excellent reputation built up over several years. It boasts a fantastic lineup and, like Secret Garden Party and Bestival, will offer you a full festival experience rather than just a load of bands in a field. Although we like loads of bands in a field too, we're not fussy.

www.latitudefestival.com


Truck Festival

17-18 July

Hill Farm, Oxford

Confirmed acts: Basement Jaxx, Saint Raymond, Peter Hook & The Light, Pulled Apart By Horses

What's it all about: A little festival with a ton of attitude, head here if you want to reconnect with a place where you don't have to walk five miles from your car to get to the campsite. You can also always count on Basement Jaxx to deliver an amazing headline slot: they've done Glastonbury, so they should destroy Truck (hopefully not literally).

www.truckfestival.com

Peter Hook brings his dinosaur impression to Truck Festival

Lovebox

17-18 July

Victoria Park, London

Confirmed acts: Rudimental, Snoop Dogg, Hot Chip

What's it all about: Groove Armada's city festival continues to go from strength-to-strength. Snoop, Jessie Ware and more Hunter wellies and hipsters than you can shake a stick at will be there. Though not on the scale of Field Day. Nowhere near.

www.loveboxfestival.com


Secret Garden Party

23-26 July

Mill Hill Field, Abbots Ripton

Confirmed acts: Jungle, Caravan Palace, Kate Tempest, Jack Garratt

What's it all about: Secret Garden Party has grown substantially since its early days but it remains a quirky jewel in the crown of the UK's festival scene. Much more than just the sum of its line-up, you'll have a great time here.

www.secretgardenparty.com

Jungle bring their show to Secret Garden Party this summer

Wilderness

6-9 August

Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire

Confirmed acts: Björk, Ben Howard, George Clinton, Hercules & Love Affair

What's it all about: Possibly even more chilled than Latitude is Wilderness festival. Yes, it's middle-class, but it's excellently run and boasts an interesting and varied lineup. We wouldn't expect too much in the way of metal bands though, there is a limit.

www.wildernessfestival.com

Will Björk top the porcupine hat when she plays Wilderness?

V Festival

22-23 August

Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire

Confirmed acts: Calvin Harris, Kasabian, Stereophonics, Sam Smith

What's it all about: Yes, it's corporate as hell, but you can't argue with the consistent strength of the lineups at V each year. If you want to catch up on the latest and greatest in pop, as well as a few old indie bands that are always inexplicably on the bill, head to Chelmsford or Stafford.

www.vfestival.com


Reading & Leeds

28-30 August

Little Johns Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading & Bramham Park, Leeds

Confirmed acts: Metallica, The Libertines, Jamie T, Mumford & Sons, Bastille, Royal Blood, Deadmau5

What's it all about: Again, it'll be full of kids, but if you want to educate yourself in one weekend on the latest and greatest indie and rock, with a bit of hip hop and dance thrown in for good measure, then you can't go wrong with Reading and Leeds. Plus, have Metallica ever disappointed? No, they have not.

Current price: weekend ticket £205 Reading / Leeds

www.readingfestival.com / www.leedsfestival.com

Get those devil horns out for Metallica at Reading & Leeds

Creamfields

28-30 August

Daresbury Estate, Halton, Cheshire

Confirmed acts: Hardwell, Armin Van Buuren, Avicii, Chemical Brothers, Tiesto, Fatboy Slim

What's it all about: Creamfields is now a worldwide concern, but its heart will always be in the UK. Still the standard by which dance festivals are measured, head down to hear the hottest DJs and tracks around.

www.creamfields.com


SW4

29-30 August

Clapham Common, London

Confirmed acts: Faithless, Eric Prydz, Luciano, Secondcity

What's it all about: After a few years finding its identity, the annual Clapham Common festival seems to have found its niche as a city dance festival. It will be scientifically impossible for Eric Prydz and Faithless to disappoint, so get your rave on in South London on the bank holiday weekend.

www.southwestfour.com

Maxi Jazz and the crew head down to Clapham Common for SW4

Festival No.6

3-6 September

Portmeirion, Gwynedd, North Wales

Confirmed acts: Grace Jones, Belle & Sebastian, Young Fathers, The 2 Bears

What's it all about: For those of you looking for something a little different, then head on over to the beautiful setting of Portmeirion, the Italian village in North Wales. A gloriously eccentric weekend awaits for those of you making the trip, with Grace Jones always unmissable - she should fit in perfectly.

www.festivalnumber6.com

Head to the incredible setting of Portmeirion for Festival No.6

Bestival

10-12 September

Isle Of Wight

Confirmed acts: Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Duran Duran, Jurassic 5, Tame Impala

What's it all about: Like Vanessa Williams sang, you go and save the best for last - and that's certainly true in the case of Bestival. Rob da Bank's creation is like Glastonbury on a smaller, more manageable scale, and boasts the same combination of heavyweight headliners, Sunday afternoon spirit raisers, and hotly-tipped newbies. You will not be disappointed.

www.bestival.net

Good time hip hop from J5 at Bestival

(Images: Rex)