From Cyprus, Canada and Poland to South Africa, South Korea and Japan – big and small events with many big names but even more local talents.
Here’s our latest festival compilation brought to you by beehype correspondents around the world. If you think we missed something important, let us know.
And in the case you might be already looking for ideas for 2019, take a look at our previous festival recommendations for the months of June and July.
As the soundtrack for this article, we suggest our Best of June + July playlist!
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Fengaros
August 2-4, Pervolia, Cyprus
Fengaros (in Greek Φέγγαρος) was born eight years ago in Cyprus. With more than 22 acts, this year’s ambitious line up is providing top quality music and diversity presenting some of the best bands from Cyprus and the most interesting acts of the current Greek music scene.
Alongside, it encompasses up-and-coming talents from worldwide, plus some critically acclaimed international artists like Deerhoof or Joan As Police Woman. Exciting folk music, punk rock, adventurous hip hop, electro pop and more, are all packed together for these 3 days.
The tickets are in good prices, the location is an idyllic setting by the sea, the weather should be perfect, so why not join them? (Ares Buras)
Line-up highlights: Deerhoof, Joan As Police Woman, TootArd, Σtella, Bazooka, Tau, Alice Phoebe Lou.
Info: fengaros.com
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Osheaga
August 3-5, Montreal, Canada
Event organisers Evenko are one of the dominating forces of the Montreal music scene, and they always keep their biggest guns for Osheaga. The unmissable three-days party is populated by a very diverse crowd ranging from the jaded scenesters to the over-excited out-of-towners, a day party for flower crowns aficionados.
The multiple scenes are a little far from one another, but it’s the perfect occasion to explore the beautiful man-made Notre-Dame Island. There is definitely a party vibe all week-end, and it only amplifies as the sun goes down. (P.-A. Buisson)
Line-up highlights: Blood Orange, Chromeo, Cigarettes After Sex, Essaie pas, Future Islands, James Blake, Lord Huron, The National
Info: osheaga.com
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Off Festival
August 3-5, Katowice, Poland
If there’s a festival in Poland that makes people abroad come around here, there’s quite a chance it takes place in the southern city of Katowice. Traditionally, those more into electronic music would opt for Nowa Muzyka, while indie rockers would favour Off Festival, founded back in 2006 by a (rock) musician Artur Rojek. These days both events – like most festivals – offer a mixture of genres adjusted to the recent trends, recent sentiments and artists’ availability.
This year the scenic Valley of Three Ponds, surrounded by big trees and small planes from the nearby sport airport, will host Grizzly Bear and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ariel Pink and M.I.A., Jon Hopkins and Aurora. But you can go opposite and pick the most obscure names or at least local hypes, like 1920s folk-punkers Hańba or the explorer of even earlier music Adam Strug, the winner of our Best of 2015. Or like most people – create your own mix. (Mariusz Herma)
Line-up highlights: Adam Strug, Ariel Pink, Aurora, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Coals, Daniel Spaleniak, Furia, Grizzly Bear, Hańba!, Jon Hopkins, King Ayisoba, M.I.A., Skalpel
Info: off-festival.pl
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Savassi Festival
August 3-12, Belo Horizonte / Nova Lima, Brazil
For jazz fans, there’s quite a number of obligatory events around the world and while Savassi Festival might not be the biggest or most important, it’s certainly among the most intriguing beucase of its local / regional focus. And the mix of concerts in clubs, bars, streets and public spaces (often for free), which makes it even more interesting.
This Brazilian festival was launched back in 2003, so its got some history itself already. But this year it’s paying homage to some past giants like Thelonious Monk or Nat King Cole. But there will be plenty of new music also because of a new initiative called Música Nova, dedicated to showcasing and releasing new, yet unpublished music.
So Savassi Festival, like the best festivals not only in jazz, is your chance to hear and celebrate both the past and the future.
Line-up highlights: Juarez Moreira, Túlio Araújo & Choro Amoroso, Chico Amaral Quartet, Hadar Noiberg Trio
Info: savassifestival.com.br
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Way Out West
August 9-11, Gothenburg, Sweden
Ever wanted to go to Sweden’s second biggest city but never found the right reason? Well, during Way Out West Gothenburg becomes the center of attention. This festival takes place in ”Slottskogen”, a park near city parts like Linnéstaden and Majorna. So what can you expect to happen among trees and bushes? Well, quite a lot, just walk through a venue of sponsor tents that want your attention and money, and you’ll find something really nice – if the weather is on your side that is. I’ve been to this festival during rain and my converse wasn’t happy for a long time.
The festival started out in 2007 and from start the strength of the festival lies in the booking of really good acts from different genres. They mix small with big, broad with more rare and superstars with locals. Another great feature is that they offer a club programme on different smaller venues around Gothenburg after midnight when the lights gone out in Slottskogen. This year you can watch acts like John Maus, Dream Wife and Superorganism on really small scenes, if you get in, that is.
During day-time you can find several different day-parties, some is hosted by companies and some is hosted by different magazines but the best ones is hosted by different indie-labels that offers free live-music and good vibes only during the days. So, if you want to explore Gothenburg during day, evening and night together with good music and happy people, I do think that Way Out West can be your festival. (Fabian Forslund)
Line-up highlights: Anna von Hausswolff, Arcade Fire, Fever Ray, Fleet Foxes, Hurula, Kendrick Lamar, M.I.A, Lykke Li, Patti Smith, Sarah Klang, Thåström
Info: wayoutwest.se
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OppiKoppi
August 9-11, Northam, South Africa
This festival in the Limpopo province, in the very north of the country, is as original as its motto: “Turn the chaos of being a South African into a beautiful dusty necessity.”
As always, the line-up of this year’s OppiKoppi is long and crazy diverse, with over a hundred names and abour half of them you might have not even heard about yet, exploring completely new sounds, reinventing the past nad mixing local with global.
And if you give them a few clicks, and if you come near the stage, you’ll discover they’re often as original as their names.
Line-up highlights: Find your own ones!
Info: oppikoppi.co.za
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Ypsigrock
August 9-12, Castelbuono, Italy
Ypsigrock is one of the oldest festivals in Italy. 2018, in fact, marks its 22nd edition. The location is the tiny and beautiful town of Castelbuono, in Sicily, and usually, Ypsigrock goers take the opportunity of being already in this wonderful island to arrange a holiday before or after the festival and enjoy the beauties and the food of Sicily’s territory.
There are 3 stages: the main stage is in a square, the second one is in a cluster, and the third one is in a church. All of them allow the audience to enjoy beautiful surroundings whilst listening to the live music. Ticket holders can enjoy a high quality selection of food and there’s also a dedicated camping 6,5 km far away. Castelbuono can be reached with public transport, and there’s a shuttle bus between the town and the camping, but it’s definitely easier to have your own car.
Ypsigrock doesn’t allow anyone to perform more than once under the same moniker, and this is one of the reasons why the organization is always attentive to new and emerging bands/solo artists. Lots of project who performend at Ypsigrock when they were still unknown enjoyed a gain in popularity later on. This happens both with international and Italian music, as there are always good examples of what’s trending inside the country.
This year, among others, we have Mr Everett’s performative cyber pop and Her Skin’s slowcore. At the same time, the line-up never fails to feature more popular artists with bigger fan bases. (Stefano Bartolotta)
Line-up highlights: Girls Names, Her Skin, Mr Everett, The Horrors, The Radio Dept., Trail Of Dead
Info: ypsigrock.it
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Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival
August 10-12, Incheon, South Korea
13th annual rock festival in this tiny country of South Korea. That’s quite remarkable achievement for Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, one of the longest-lasting festival in the nation. Started in 2006, it has been the ‘standard’ rock festival for South Korean music scene, with colossal headliners from all over the world.
This year, they are shoegazing giant My Bloody Valentine, industrial titan Nine Inch Nails, and South Korean rock heroes Jaurim.
Of course, you can also check smaller but promising act like Hyukoh, Life and Time, Se So Neon and many other. And whoever you see on the stage, brace yourself for fanatic crowd all across the festival site. South Korean audience always hang out like there’s no tomorrow left for them. And beside music, be sure to check kimchi-mari noodle if you feel hungry. It tastes good. Believe me. (Guwon Jeong)
Line-up highlights: My Bloody Valentine, Nine Inch Nails, Jaurim, Hyukoh, Life and Time, Se So Neon, Adoy, Say Sue Me, Glen Check, Mike Shinoda, Starsailor
Info: pentaportrock.com
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Flow Festival
August 10-12, Helsinki, Finland
In 15 years Flow has grown from hipster heaven into a monster of a festival, yet still retaining a lot of its cutesy charm. The internationally acclaimed event takes over the sprawling but accessible Suvilahti powerplant area, which provides a variety of spaces from open ground to all kinds of nooks and crannies and even a hint of greenery.
The scope of the festival also offers a multitude of different experiences. Everything from indie rock to jazz is presented, and while it’s easy to focus on the international headliners and the best local bands, there’s also an ever growing electronic music program as well as a strong experimental music lineup. The art program is also worth a mention. It’s not cheap to visit but the production and services are all extremely high quality. (Erkko Lehtinen)
Line-up highlights: Alma, Arctic Monkeys, Detroit In Effect, Fever Ray, Helena Hauff, Joensuu 1685, Kamasi Washington, Kendrick Lamar, Lena Platonos, Lxandra, Patti Smith
Info: flowfestival.com
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ONE MUSIC CAMP
August 25-26, Hyogo, Japan
It takes just one hour to go ONE MUSIC CAMP from Osaka, the second big city of Japan. After that short trip, you’ll have a chance to see acclaimed local indie musicians and some international acts. And besides music, you can enjoy the camp, athletic facilities and pool in a forest – also with your children!
You will be more than welcome wherever you come from. In an interview for the magazine Festival Life, ONE MUSIC CAMP’s organizers said: “We need more audience and bands from overseas. And we want to expand our events globally.”
You can see what you might experience at One Music Camp in the 4-minute introduction movie made during its 2017 edition. (Toyokazu Mori)
Line-up highlights: The Steve McQueens, 雀斑freckles, YeYe, Yuta Orisaka (折坂 悠太), Kim Wooyong (金 佑龍), Otoboke Beaver
Info: onemusiccamp.com
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Other recommended festivals:
• 1 – 5.08 – Ferragosto Jam – Orahovacko Jezero, Croatia – ferragostojam.com
• 2 – 5.08 – Folk Music Festival – Malang, East Java, Indonesia – folkmusicfestival.id
• 2 – 4.08 – Appletree Garden Festival – Diepholz, Germany – appletreegarden.de
• 2 – 4.08 – Santander Music – Santander, Spain – santandermusic.es
• 2 – 5.08 – Untold Festival – Cluj-Napoca, Romania – untold.com
• 2 – 5.08 – Szene Openair Festival – Lustenau, Austria – szeneopenair.at
• 3 – 4.08 – Absolutely Free Festival – Genk, Belgium – kissmyaff.be
• 3 – 4.08 – Intsikurmu Music Festival – Intsikurmu, Estonia – intsikurmu.com
• 3 – 4.08 – Kanalrock – Horten, Norway – kanalrock.no
• 3 – 4.08 – Beseda u Bigbítu – Tasov, Czech Republic – besedaubigbitu.cz
• 3 – 5.08 – Dranouter – Heuvelland, Belgium – festivaldranouter.be
• 3 – 5.08 – Fat Fat Fat – Morrovalle/Corridonia, Italy – fatfatfatfestival.it
• 3 – 5.08 – Esperanzah! – Floreffe, Belgium – esperanzah.be
• 4.08 – By the Lake Festival – Berlin, Germany – bythelake.co
• 6 – 8.08 – Super Uho – Sibenik, Croatia – Facebook page
• 6 – 10.08 – Punk Rock Holiday – Tolmin, Slovenia – punkrockholiday.com
• 7 – 11.08 – Oya – Oslo, Norway – oyafestivalen.no
• 8 – 11.08 – Storm Festival – Copenhagen, Denmark – stromcph.dk
• 8 – 12.08 – Smukfest – Skanderborg, Denmark – smukfest.dk
• 8 – 12.08 – Sonorama Ribera – Aranda de Duero, Spain – sonorama-aranda.com
• 8 – 12.08 – Dreambeach – Villaricos, Spain – dreambeach.es
• 8 – 13.08 – Medusa Festival – Valencia, Spain – medusasunbeach.com
• 9 – 11.08 – Haldern Pop – Haldern, Germany – haldernpop.com
• 9 – 12.08 – Bons Sons – Tomar, Portugal – bonssons.com
• 8 – 15.08 – Sziget – Budapest, Hungary – szigetfestival.com
• 9 – 11.08 – Made in Esbjerg – Esbjerg, Denmark – madeinesbjerg.dk
• 10 – 11.08 – Picture On – Bildein, Austria – pictureon.at
• 10 – 12.08 – Les plages électroniques – Cannes, France – plages-electroniques.com
• 10 – 11.08 – Grape Festival – Piešťany, Slovakia – grapefestival.sk
• 10 – 11.08 – Rising Sun Rock Festival – Sapporo, Japan – rsr.wess.co.jp
• 10 – 12.08 – Festival CoMA – Brasilia, Brazil – festivalcoma.com.br
• 10 – 12.08 – Busan Rock – Busan, South Korea – link
• 10 – 17.08 – Malmö Festival – Malmö, Sweden – malmofestivalen.se
• 12 – 18.08 – Oslo Jazz Festival – Oslo, Norway – oslojazz.no
• 14 – 18.08 – Stockholm Culture Festival – Stockholm, Sweden – kulturfestivalen.stockholm.se
• 15 – 18.08 – Pukkelpop – Kiewit, Belgium – pukkelpop.be
• 16 – 18.08 – Gutter Island – Vordingborg, Denmark – gutter-island.dk
• 16 – 18.08 – Pstereo – Trondheim, Norway – pstereo.no
• 16 – 19.08 – Frequency Festival – St. Pöltens, Austria – frequency.at
• 16 – 19.08 – Festival Aquasella – Arriondas to Cangas de Onis, Spain – aquasella.com
• 16 – 19.08 – Hviezdni Noci – Bytca, Slovakia – hviezdnenoci.sk
• 16 – 20.08 – Wonderfestiwall – Bornholm, Denmark – wonderfestiwall.dk
• 16 – 22.08 – Rototom Sunsplash – Bennicassim, Spain – rototomsunsplash.com
• 17 – 19.08 – La Route du Rock – Saint-Malo, France – laroutedurock.com
• 18.08 – Seoul Sold Out – Seoul, South Korea – facebook.com/seoulsoldout
• 18 – 19.08 – Summer Sonic – Tokyo / Osaka, Japan – summersonic.com
• 18 – 19.08 – My Life festival – Sète, France – facebook.com/mylifefestival
• 18 – 20.08 – Rock Al Parque – Bogotá, Colombia – rockalparque.gov.co
• 22 – 23.08 – Strand – Zamárdi, Hungary – strandfesztival.com
• 22 – 25.08 – B.my.Lake – Zamardi, Hungary – bmylake.hu
• 23 – 25.08 – Crossover – Nice, France – festival-crossover.com
• 23 – 26.08 – Todays Festival – Torino, Italy – todaysfestival.com
• 23 – 26.08 – Cabaret vert – Charleville-Mézières, France – cabaretvert.com
• 24 – 25.08 – UHORT – Copenhagen, Denmark – uhoert.dk
• 24 – 25.08 – Hoomstock – Hum na Sutli, Croatia – hoomstock.com
• 24 – 26.08 – Rock en Seine – Paris, France – rockenseine.com
• 24 – 26.08 – Dancity Festival – Foligno, Italy – dancity.it
• 25.08 – Hellow Festival – Monterrey, Mexico – hellowfestival.com
• 29.08 – 2.09 – C/O Pop – Cologne, Germany – c-o-pop.de
• 30.08 – 1.09 – Festival Gigante – Guadalajara, Spain – festivalgigante.com
• 30.08 – 2.09 – Street Mode Festival – Thessaloniki, Greece – streetmode.gr
• 30.08 – 2.09 – Moscow Music Week – Moscow, Russia – musicweek.moscow
• 30.08 – 2.09 – III. Ubikeklektik – Zsámbék, Hungary – facebook page
• 30.08 – 9.09 – Jazz à la Vilette – Paris, France – jazzalavillette.com
• 31.08 – 1.09 – Sonograph Festival – Vöcklabruck, Austria – sonograph-festival.at
• 31.08 – 2.09 – Ohmydeer Festival – Nagykanizsa, Hungary – ohmydeer.hu
Anytyhing we missed? Let us know!
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Photos: Festivals FB/www
Lead: Ra2nski/Off Festival
