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Bring forth the absurdity. Last week we told you about some of the best summer music festivals in the United States. But what happens if you're doing the backpacking thing and want to hear some fresh tunes while hostel-hopping? Here's the ultimate list of music festivals in that metro-ly advanced continent, Europe.
Prepare to see and experience things that probably only exist in your wildest dreams or nightmares. Beware of overpriced vendors, gypsies, and guzzling creepily laced substances. (Though if it looks good, down it.) Kicking off in Croatia tonight, we're festival hopping through France, England, Sweden, Poland, Serbia, Scotland, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and back to Croatia for the grand finale. Artists include Avicii, The Eagles, Snoop, Tiesto, Prince, Barrington Levy, Kanye West, Jack Johnson, Robert Plant, Coldplay, Deadmau5, and more. So grab your rubbers, recharge your Eurail pass, and let us know in the comments if you're going to or have insider advice on any of the festivals.
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INMusic
Zagreb, Croatia June 21-22 Quick, get to Croatia by tonight … all right, it already is tonight there. Then by tomorrow? INMusic features some old-school acts like Jamiroquai and Cypress Hill, and some newer ones like Grinderman and Arcade Fire. It should get your Euro Tour rolling nicely. Click here for more information.
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Glastonbury Music Festival
Worthy Farm, Glastonbury, England June 22-26 Good luck getting tickets, but seriously try. Celebrating its 41st anniversary, England’s most infamous festival headlines with U2, Coldplay, Paul Simon, Beyoncé, BB King, Don Mclean, the Chemical Brothers, Cee Lo Green, and Kool & The Gang but unfortunately Kool’s dead so it’s just the Gang. A huge campout with a great diversity in sound. Bring your Wellies. Click here for more information.
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Solidays
Paris, France June 24-26 If you’re thinking of gracing the French with your presence and hard-earned dollars it’s not a bad time to go when there’s a festival in town. The line-up includes Moby, Klaxons, The Go! Team, and Hercules and Love Affair. Look out, the websites in French. Click here for more information.
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Peace & Love Festival
Borlänge, Sweden June 28-July 2 According to the website: “The concept of the Peace & Love festival is to spread the message of Diversity, Solidarity and Understanding. It’s about crossing borders and bringing differing cultures from near and afar together and trying to get people to change their attitudes towards themselves and others.” Subliminal message: we want to drop acid for five days and forget about our useless jobs in Ikea. Listed as the largest festival in Sweden, this one’s an easy train ride from Stockholm as it’s near one of the major stops. Another versatile show, this festival boasts Kings of Leon, The Strokes, Bob Dylan, Deadmau5, M.I.A., Journey, Atmosphere, and lots more. Click here for more information.
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Roskilde
Roskilde, Denmark June 30-July 3 They did not get creative with the name whatsoever considering the town hosting it is Roskilde, Denmark. Situated on the coast, there seems to be lots of nudity and mudslides. Headlining are Arctic Monkeys, Iron Maiden, Kings of Leon, M.I.A., The Strokes, and Deadmau5. Prepare for the sun to never set and your mind to get fucked with. Other than the sun factor I’d say skip out and head to Italy to mess around for a little, because if you’re festival following there aren’t any worthy one’s there. Which I don’t understand. Click here for more information.
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Open’er
Gdynia, Poland June 30-July 3 Poland. Gdynia, Poland. I feel like Poland is the Delaware of Europe: No one really knows what the hell goes on over there and it's not typically on the backpacker’s list of must-visit countries. This festival could maybe be a reason to go (and probably leave with a legendary story). Sponsored by Heineken, headlining this event are Prince, Deadmau5, Coldplay, and Chromeo, so it could be a good time. Watch out for Eastern European slave-trade little boys and girls. Click here for more information.
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Eurockéenes
Belfort, France July 1-3 This is in Belfort, France, near the Swiss and German borders, so I’d say unless you’re over there and bored don’t go. You’d probably have more fun for less money in some dive bar somewhere followed by waking up in the back of a milkman’s truck. Nonetheless it’s still some decent music along the water including Queens of The Stone Age, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, and Tryo. Again, the website’s only in French so try Google. Click here for more information.
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Hop Farm Festival
Kent, England July 1-3 The Eagles are back! Along with Iggy & The Stooges, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and Prince. Yes, Prince. If you missed the Super Bowl show four years ago you have another chance to see the Purple Rain star get weird with his guitar. Iggy & The Stooges — when did you think you were actually going to see them? The festival includes a fairground with rides, maybe some fried dough, who knows. Of course if you’ve already been over in England then skip it. Click here for more information.
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EXIT Festival
Novisad, Serbia July 7-10 Serbia is probably the most random country in all of Europe, excluding the bizarre remains of the USSR, so this festival guarantees a good time. Word is that this isn’t one to miss, with headliners Jamiroquai, Deadmau5, Digitalism, Portishead, M.I.A., and Magnetic Man. Expect to lose all sense of sanity in the old Petrovaradin Fortress. Click here for more information.
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T in The Park
Balado, Kinross-shire, Scotland July 8-10 If you didn’t make it to Glastonbury then try to make it to this. Similar people playing, but it’d be a much wiser decision to venture to Serbia. Still, if you’re in the area and are dying to see Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Deadmau5, Beyoncé and Blink 182, go for it. Click here for more information.
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Benicassim
Costa de Azahar, Spain July 14-17 Located between Valencia and Barcelona, in a mindblowing location, right along the ocean, so it's closing in on a beach party. Artists include The Streets, The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Portishead, and Mumford & Sons. Click here for more information. information.
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Vieilles Charrues Festival
Carhaix, France July 14-17 Kicking off on Bastille Day, the largest music festival in France promises to be nuts. Just gonna throw some names out there: David Guetta, Chemical Brothers, Snoop, Lou Reed, and Jack Johnson. A versatile line up, it will sate anyone’s music palette. Once again, the site’s only in French. Click here for more information.
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Sea of Love
Freiburg, Germany July 15-17 Making your way over to Germany, there are some beer festivals to complement this music festival. And they all start after the show ends. Situated on some body of water, by the looks of it, this one’s pretty much a free-for-all. Moby, Tiesto, and Guetta are just a few artists on the list. Click here for more information.
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Secret Garden Party
Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England July 21-24 Ever heard of Burning Man? This is England’s version of it, only it’s at a castle. Obviously. If you’re not dedicated to going to yet another standard festival and yet again do feel like returning to the UK, then go to this. More so about foolishness than music, prepare to see an even odder crowd than you would at any other festival this summer. They’re weirdly strict with arrival times so make sure to check out the website. Click here for more information.
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TomorrowLand
Boom, Belgium July 22-24 A hedonist’s dream. If you’re still looking to get the worst, this is a must. Located in Boom, Belgium — easily accessible from Brussels, Antwerp, and Mechelen — the name alone says you may not come out alive. You won’t want to miss this, featuring Swedish House Mafia, Kaskade, Tiesto, Avicii, Afrojack, David Guetta, and Wolfgang Gartner. The website’s video alone made me nut my pants. Click here for more information.
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Monegros
Fraga, Spain July 23 Termed “The Desert Festival” this one could get barbaric. Listed as one of Europe’s top raves, with acts like David Guetta, Busta Rhymes, and Boys Noize, it’s a one-day event back in Spain. Fraga, Spain to be exact. Fraga Rock anyone? Site’s in Spanish. Click here for more information.
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Norberg Festival
Vastmanlands, Sweden July 28-30 Want to head back up to Sweden? Here’s your chance. This electro-fest features The Field, Reso, Lustmord, and Sickboy, it’s rumored to be a great time. Key word, rumored. This photo proves that rumor to be false. Looks like this medieval jousting pit is raging! Good luck to anyone who decides to trek up there. Click here for more information.
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Global Gathering
Stratford-upon-Avon, England July 29-30 Between this and Norberg, it’s your call. With sounds from Boys Noize, Benny Benassi, Pendulum, and a roaming group of Shakespearean lute players, it’s looking to be a pretty ludicrous Friday and Saturday. Yet again, unless you’re in the area, keep on trucking. Click here for more information.
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Big Chill
Herefordshire, England August 4-7 Another castle: The British clearly have established a festival motif. Get slayed in style I guess. At the Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire, England, you won’t want to miss Kanye West, Flying Lotus, Empire of the Sun, and Robert Plant. Or maybe you will, who knows. Click here for more information.
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Nature One
Rocket Base PYDNA, 56288 Kastellaun/Hunsruck, Germany August 5-7 Deutschland. It'll be beer festival season so make sure you hit up at least one: Forchheim, a short ride from Bamber and Nuremberg, runs July 23-August 1; Hamburger Dom in Hamburg runs July 29-August 28; Berlin Beer Festival runs August 5-7, and Kulmbacher Beer, north of Bavaria, runs July 30-August 7. This festival was rated number one among many websites, so it’s probably pretty insane. Rush, Paul van Dyk, ATB, Markus Schuls, and Sander van Doorn are headlining this event. Go wild, drink beer, freak out. Click here for more information.
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Dance Valley
Spaarnwoude, Amsterdam, Netherlands August 6 Designated “The Woodstock of Dance” this is an epic one-day festival right outside of Amsterdam (Spaarnwoude). Looking to get absurd a week later, there’s another event right outside Amsterdam called Loveland. If you can’t make it to Dance Valley because Nature One’s got your soul then hit up Loveland, but if you’re ambitious, stick out the week in Amsterdam and hit up both. Including Eric Prydz, Steve Angello, Above & Beyond, Avicii, and Cosmic Gate. Click here for more information.
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Loveland
Sloterpark, Amsterdam, Netherlands August 13 A week after Dance Valley, this is an extraordinarily senseless day. Twenty minutes from Amsterdam in Sloterpark, which surrounds a large lake, so you’ll be in sheer bliss (while scrolling through the site’s photos I came across lakeside massages). It just didn’t make any sense, and neither does this event. Featuring Axwell, Fedde le Grand, Gui Boratto, Carl Craig, and Dubfire. Click here for more information.
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Creamfields
Daresbury, Chesire, England August 27-28 I’m sure by this point you all will be heading back home if you’re not already there, but by chance you’re still overseas this should be an epic conclusion to an unruly summer. With Tiesto, David Guetta, Chemical Brothers, Armin Van Buuren, and Benny Benassi to name a few. Bonus: if you're from the States, your flight back won’t be as long if you end in the U.K. Click here for more information.
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Outlook
Pula, Croatia September 1-4 True, it’s sold out; however, if you’re lucky and are decided to stay in Europe indefinitely (sorry Mom and Dad), consider this ultimate end to your summer and start to your fall. A four-day climax in an abandoned fort along the Adriatic, prepare to get slapped silly with a handful of bass. The venue looks insane, with one of the stages actually in the old dungeon of the fort. Featuring artists Skream, Pharoahe Monch, Benga, Barrington Levy, and so many more, just go on the website. Click here for more information. What European music festivals did we miss? Let us know in the Comments below.
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