From unmissable big dates for festival goers to intimate events among trees – there’s a lot of reasons to pack your bags and hit the road in the next few weeks.
As previously, this list interesting music events taking place in the next few weeks compiled by beehype correspondents around the world. If you think we missed something important happening in your country, feel free to let us know.
*
Atlas Weekend
July 3-8, Kyiv, Ukraine
Whether you’re looking for the newest pop stars or the next indie craze, whether you’re into soul of folk, Atlas Weekend is your shortcut to the Ukrainian music scene – of course with some obligatory global imports like Placebo, The Chemical Brothers and Benjamin Clementine.
With around 140-150 artists in the line-up there’s a lot to choose from, and we’d recommend that you first check the bands that are featured closer to the bottom of the posters – and be sure to tell us what you’ve discovered.
Line-up highlights: Yeyo, DakhaBrakha, [O], Panivalkova, Vivienne Mort, Fontaliza, The Maneken, Pianoboy
Info: atlasweekend.com
*
Playtime Festival
July 6-8, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Here’s your chance to explore one of the least observed music scenes in the world, but one that doesn’t stop to surprise us. Of course, as the country’s top festival Playtime does invite internationally acclaimed artists like (this year) Ariel Pink or Japan’s The Fin. But it’s focus is the local stage, and only for the better.
So this year at Playtime you’ll see Magnolian, our favourite new artist from Mongolia, as well as local legends The Colors, who might have recorded one of the countries best pop songs ever. As well as a set of bands from other Asian countries, like Indonesia’s Bottlesmoker, China’s Antec or a couple of South Korean acts.
Line-up highlights: Surug Huch, Magnolian, The Colors, Bodikhuu, The fin., The Tourists
Info: www.playtime.mn
*
Pohoda Festival
July 5-7, Trencin, Slovakia
It has been over twenty years since Pohoda began its journey in Trenčín, a city not so far away from the capital Bratislava. During that time it has established as the biggest festival in Slovakia and overshadowed all similar events in bigger cities, not only in Slovakia. Today, Pohoda is an institution, a festival you go to just to be there and hope it won’t end that soon.
The area of the festival is big enough for a much bigger venue, but Pohoda keeps its capacity of 30000 visitors. Queuing and standing far from the stage is therefore not an issue. Pohoda is like a visit to a common place – the only thing that changes are the bands. They are getting better each year. (Filip Olšovský)
Line-up highlights: Nvmeri, Tolstoys, Isama Zingf, Coals, St. Vincent, Rodriguez, Everything Everything
Info: pohodafestival.sk
*
IndieFjord
July 14-16, Bjorke, Norway
Indiefjord is a tiny festival that takes place in Bjorke, a village with 80 inhabitants on the fjord called Hjørundfjorden. International guests can land in Alesund airport and pay for a bus transfer specifically set up by the organization. It’s a family organized festival, with the main organizer Silja helped by her parents, her siblings and a group of volunteers. 2018 marks the festival 5th edition.
The lineup is usually balanced between indie-pop and songwriting. Past editions saw the likes of Haiku Salut, The Spook School, The Tuts, Lyla Foy and Trust Fund. There is always a good exposure for local bands and artists too, and the concerts are played in different settings: the evening ones are indoor, as weather in Norway is too unpredictable, and the daytime ones are in spectacular sceneries like a boathouse, a barn, a church or a farm.
The best thing of Indiefjord is that you’re not treated as a paying customer, but as a dear guest. There are always nice activities during the day, like a hike up to the waterfall, yoga, art exibition, craft stalls, a chess tournament, a beer tasting session, a boat trip to visit other parts of the fjord, and so on. There are food and drinks served at lunch in different places and at dinner in the evening venue, and pop up café and cakes shops too. (Stefano Bartolotta)
Line-up highlights: The Burning Hell, Stars In Coma, Amanda Mair, Agent Bla
Info: indiefjord.com
*
We The Fest
July 20-27, Jakarta, Indonesia
Self-proclaimed festival of “music, arts, fashion and food”, Indonesia’s capital flagship summer event seems too big to comprehend even in the first of those disciplines.
Beside big imports like Lorde, Alt-J, Miguel, Sza and Odesza, there’s a very diverse line-up of local bands with some you might already know from beehype and as many we should have introduced long time ago. Tell us what you find!
Line-up highlights: Polka Wars, KimoKal, White Shoes & The Couples Company, Efek Rumah Kaca, Basenji, Barasuara
Info: wethefest.com
*
Oakenfest
July 20-22, Lehfed, Lebanon
Just having a chance to see the post/avant rock group Kinematik live on stage would be a sufficient reason to visit Lebanon’s Oakenfest this year. But there’s plenty more arguments – including the festival’s 5th anniversary.
Apart from great music (and audience), the event always delivers relaxed atmosphere, especially valua ble in these tense times. And Lehfed Country Club as its venue adds, not just literally, fresh air and great scenery to the whole experience.
Line-up highlights: Hello Psychaleppo, Kinematik, Jad Atoui, Ziad Nawfal
Info: Facebook page
*
Summit of Braille Satellite
July 20-22, Grybu viensedis, Lithuania
An inexhaustible underground of undiscovered music of all genres invites you to join the music gathering under the name of Braille Satellite. The idea of this festival is to hear the artists, totally independent of music industry standards and to meet like-minded people. Organizers promise a weekend full of undiscovered music acts.
In a relaxed environment you will be able to meet an old friend or an amusing character, while being immersed in an unparalleled soundscape of uniquely curated underground music. Untouched nature and naked swimming is also included. Just come to Grybų Dvarvietė – the lands of Mushroom Manor. (Giedre Nalivaikaitė)
Line-up highlights: Miguel A. Ruiz, Vilkduja, Ziguri, La Redada, MCH Band, Arma Agharta, Coletivo Vandalismo
Info: emptybrainresalt.us
*
Good Vibes
July 21-22, Gohtong Jaya, Malaysia
Good Vibes Festival over here is really starting to be quite an unmissable date for festival goers in this part of the world. Initially starting out as a broad-taste festival with headliners such as The Smashing Pumpkins and Modest Mouse, the festival over the last three years has started taking more liberties with the curation of its artist list.
This year sees the critically acclaimed and equally popular Lorde headlining the festival alongside more discerned artists such as Alt-J, Odesza and Nick Murphy. The festival is then buffed up by some of the more swash-buckling names in the local music scene such as Noh Salleh and Altimet and the Kawan Band alongside up-and-comers such as Lunadira. (Adrian Yap)
Line-up highlights: Noh Salleh, Altimet, Kawan Band, Lunadira, Alt-J, Lorde, Odesza, Nick Murphy
Info: goodvibesfestival.com
*
Ilmiö
July 28, Turku, Finland
Even in the rich landscape of festivals in Finland at this time of year – check out the list at the bottom of this article for some more suggestions – Ilmiö is really quaint and special and the location is very nice too.
And for a one-day event, its line-up seems pretty impressive with almost 50 bands on the poster. Ilmiö is (rightly) focused on the local scene, but as always it brings a couple of talentes from elsewhere – this year even from Japan. (Erkko Lehtinen)
Line-up highlights: Broen, Draama-Helmi, Flamingods, Grimm Grimm, Gurr, Innercity Ensemble, Lauri Ainala, Maija Kauhanen, Rome Is Not A Town, TV-resistori
Info: ilmio.fi
*
Circadélica
July 28-29, Sorocaba, Brazil
For a festival that started at the beginning of this century, Circadélica still feels like a young event. That’s surely thanks to the careful programming that always brings many of the most important and intriguing current Brazilian acts from the variety of genres, many of them also celebrated here at beehype.
But the festival’s atmosphere seems as important, giving you a chance either to contemplate the intricate music some of the 28 bands offer – or to simply forget yourself in a dance. Oh, and beside sounds and food you can also get a tattoo. (Lafaiete Junior)
Line-up highlights: Baleia, Bike, Flora Matos, O Terno, Tagore, Emicida
Info: circadelica.com.br
*
Other recommended festivals:
• 3-8.07 – Sajeta Art & Music Festival – Tolmin, Slovenia – sajeta.org
• 4-7.07 – Kongsberg Jazzfestival – Kongsberg, Norway – kongsbergjazz.no
• 4-7.07 – Etno Kraków – Kraków, Poland – etnokrakow.pl
• 5-7.07 – Tabor Film Festival – Tabor Castle, Croatia – taborfilmfestival.com
• 5-7.07 – Peace and Love – Borlange, Sweden – peaceandlove.se
• 5-7.07 – Portamerica – Caldas de Reis, Spain – portamerica.es
• 5-8.07 – Trænafestivalen – Træna, Norway – trena.net
• 5-8.07 – Les Ardentes – Liege, Belgium – lesardentes.be
• 5-8.07 – Warsaw Summer Jazz Days – Warszawa, Poland – adamiakjazz.pl
• 5-8.07 – Les Eurockéennes – Belfort, France – eurockeennes.fr
• 5-8.07 – Boskovice, Czech Republic – boskovice-festival.cz
• 6-7.07 – Festival Rio Babel – Madrid, Spain – festivalriobabel.com
• 6-8.07 – Ruisrock – Turku, Finland – ruisrock.fi
• 6-8.07 – Bygda Larm, Oystese, Norway – bygdalarm.no
• 6-8.07 – D Festival – Dorjan, Macedonia – dfestival.mk/eng/
• 6-8.07 – Hello Birds Festival – Etretat, France – hellobirdsfestival.fr
• 6-8.07 – Balaton Sound – Lake Balaton, Hungary – balatonsound.com/en/
• 6-8.07 – Alkotótábor – Szántód, Hungary – alkototabor.info
• 6-15.07 – Copenhagen Jazz Festival – Copenhagen, Denmark – jazz.dk
• 6, 19-20.07 – Rockwave Festival – Athens, Greece – rockwavefestival.gr
• 6.07-14.08 – Poolbar Festival – Feldkirch. Austria – poolbar.at
• 7.07 – Rock um Knuedler – Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – link
• 7.07 – Overdrive Festival – Kapfenberg, Austria – overdrivefestival.com
• 7-9.07 – Outernational Days – Bucharest, Romania – the-attic.net
• 7.07-11.08 – Locus Festival – Locorotondo, Italy – locusfestival.it
• 10-11.07 – Stereoleto – St. Petersburg, Russia – bestfest.ru
• 10-14.07 – Latin Alternative Music Conference – NYC, USA – latinalternative.com
• 11-15.07 – Dour Festival – Dour, Blegium – dourfestival.eu
• 11-14.07 – Bánkitó Fesztivál – Nograd, Hungary – bankitofesztival.hu
• 11-14.07 – Resurrection Fest – Viveiro, Spain – resurrectionfest.es
• 11-14.07 – Eistnaflug – Eistnaflug, Iceland – eistnaflug.is
• 12-14.07 – Mad Cool – Madrid, Spain – madcoolfestival.es
• 12-14.07 – Bilbao BBK Live – Bilbao, Spain – bilbaobbklive.com
• 12-14.07 – G! Festival – Göta, Faroe Islands – gfestival.fo
• 12-14.07 – Nos Alive – Lisbon, Portugal – nosalive.com
• 12-14.07 – Pete The Monkey – Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, France – petethemonkeyfestival.com
• 12-14.07 – Cruilla – Barcelona, Spain – cruillabarcelona.com
• 12-15.07 – Exit – Novi Sad, Serbia – exitfest.org/en
• 12-15.07 – Turku Modern – Turku, Finland – turkumodern.com
• 13-14.07 – Voinegovtsi Wrong Festival – Sofia, Bulgaria – wrong-fest.com
• 13-14.07 – Stepping Stone – Jeju Island, South Korea – ststjeju.wixsite.com
• 13-15.07 – Melt! – Gräfenhainichen, Germany – meltfestival.de
• 13-15.07 – Regius Festival – Sibenik, Croatia – regius-festival.com
• 13-15.07 – Rainforest Festival – Sarawak Cultural Village, Malaysia – rwmf.net
• 13-15.07 – Ilosaarirock – Laulurinne, Finland – ilosaarirock.fi
• 13-29.07 – Pirineos Sur – Sallent de Gállego, Spain – pirineos-sur.es
• 14-15.07 – Wetterleuchten – Innsbruck, Austria – wetterleuchten.at
• 14-15.07 – Afropunk Paris – Paris, France – afropunkfest.com
• 14-18.07 – Rural Festival – Nagano, Japan – ruraljp.com
• 14-20.07 – Valkhof Festival – Nijmegen, Netherlands – valkhoffestival.nl
• 14-22.07 – Pori Jazz Festival – Pori, Finland – porijazz.fi
• 16-21.07 – Moldejazz – Molde, Norway – moldejazz.no
• 18-22.07 – Electric Castle – Banffy Castle, Romania – electriccastle.ro
• 18-21.07 – Colours of Ostrava – Ostrava, Czech Republic – colours.cz
• 19-21.07 – Slottsfjell – Tønsberg, Norway – slottsfjell.no
• 19-21.07 – Bukta – Tromsø, Norway – bukta.no
• 19-22.07 – FIB Benicassim Festival – Benicassim, Spain – fiberfib.com
• 19-21.07 – Acoustic Lakeside – Sonnegger See, Austria – acousticlakeside.com
• 20-21.07 – Rock Herk – Herk-de-Stad, Belgium – rockherk.be
• 20-21.07 – Backyard Art Festival – Donji Miholjac, Croatia – FB Page
• 20-22.07 – AfroBanana Festival – Kiti, Cyprus – afrobananarepublic.com
• 20-22.07 – Splendour in the Grass – North Byron Park, Australia – splendourinthegrass.com
• 20-22.07 – Positivus Festival – Salacgriva, Latvia – positivusfestival.com
• 20-23.07 – Timeshift Music Festival – Bucharest, Romania – timeshift.ro
• 20-22.07 – Atlantic Fest – Isla de Arosa, Spain – atlanticfest.com
• 20-29.07 – Művészetek Völgye – Kapolcs, Hungary – muveszetekvolgye.hu
• 21.07 – Blues’n Jazz Rallye – Luxembourg – luxembourg-city.com
• 22-28.07 – Metal Days – Tolmin, Slovenia – metaldays.net
• 25-29.07 – Iboga Summer Festival – Tabernes de Valldigna, Spain – ibogasummerfestival.com
• 25-29.07 – Globaltica – Gdynia, Poland – globaltica.pl
• 25-29.07 – Heineken Jazzaldia – Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain – heinekenjazzaldia.eus
• 26-29.07 – Sfinks Mundial – Boechout, Belgium – sfinks.be/sfinks-mundial
• 26-28.07 – Rocklive – Koprivnica, Croatia – rocklive.hr
• 26-28.07 – Meda + – Guarda, Portugal – medamais.pt
• 26-28.07 – Norbergfestival – Norberg, Norway – norbergfestival.com
• 26-29.07 – Siren Festival – Vasto, Italy – sirenfest.com
• 26-30.07 – Soundwave – Tisno, Croatia – soundwavecroatia.com
• 26-29.07 – Popfest Wien – Vienna, Austria – popfest.at
• 27-28.07 – Storsjöyran – Östersund, Sweden – yran.se
• 27-29.07 – Low Festival – Benidorm, Spain – lowfestival.es
• 27-29.07 – Festival Kometa – Riga, Latvia – festivalskometa.lv
• 27-29.07 – Fuji Rock – Naeba Ski Resort, iNiigata, Japan – fujirock-eng.com
• 27-29 .07 – Mundaka Festival – Mundaca, Spain – mundakafestival.eus
• 28-29.07 – FSP Festival – Minsk, Belarus – artpicnic.by / fspfestival.com
• 29.07-2.08 – Dimensions Festival – Pula, Croatia – dimensionsfestival.com
• 30.07-5.08 – Ozora Festival – Dadpusta, Hungary – ozorafestival.eu
• 31.07-5.08 – Arenal Sound – Burriana, Spain – arenalsound.com
Anytyhing we missed? Let us know!
*
Photos: Festivals’ PR/FB pages