As Coachella 2012 is committed to conscious and digital memory, forever to be recalled and reminisced (“Yes, I did see the hologram of Tupac, please tell me how big a fan you are”), I’m going to look at the 5  next biggest and most anticipated festivals of the summer, and why you should definitely go.

5 Bonnaroo

Manchester, Tennessee.  June 7-10

Why should you go? Bonnaroo (in recent years stepping out from Coachella’s shadow) has the honour of managing to maintain some nice little gems to itself in the swingers party that is the summer festival season. Radiohead, Phish and the Beach Boys (yeah, the Beach Boys! Like, 5 of them!! Yep, Still alive!) are the headliners, who apart from this weekend, you’ll be searching in vain for another opportunity to see at a festival. A unique band is always a valued commodity, and this combination is enough to get a lot of specialist fans very hyped.

4 Outside Lands

San Francisco, California. August 10-12

Why you should go? Outside Lands, due to its lack of camping facilities, makes this festival possibly one of the cleaner more respectable affairs. You can wake up in your bed, have a shower, pack your ‘supplies’ in various devious hiding places (cleavage and rolled up in a blanket are winning strategies), and head off for your fix of possibly the widest variety of genres in headliners in Metallica, Neil Young, Sigur Ros and Beck. The idea of sitting on a grass verge listening to Beck, maybe some Stevie Wonder while indulging in some of the local plant life in Cali (Avocados, duh…) more than convinces me that it’ll be the place to be this August.

3  Nova Rock

Burgenland, Austria. June 8-10

Why you should go? In June, Mozart and the Stooges will step aside as every band you ever listened to when you were an angsty teen mad at your dad descends for Nova Rock. Linkin Park (soon to release Living Things), Limp Bizkit, Slayer, Corey Taylor (neé No. 8 of Slipknot), the Offspring and Marilyn Manson (ahead of his much anticipated return album, Born Villain) all will be hailing Satan Lederhosen-style. Who wouldn’t want to be there?!

2 San Miguel Primavera Sound

Barcelona, Spain. May 31- Jun 2

Why you should go? This may be one of the slightly more obscure choices (I say that despite the fact that any person who has even ventured in Pitchfork’s general direction will be all too aware of their little lovechild), but this festival, I assure you, will be that weekend you look back on 6 months after and say ‘Why didn’t I see ___. They’re my favourite band now!’ Any recommendation of a new band you’ve received in the last two years will be playing this festival, along with some great renowned acts like Jeff Mangum, The Weeknd, Beach House and Björk.

My favourite set from Coachella 2012

1 Rock Werchter

Werchter, Belgium. Jun 31 – Jul 1

Why you should go? Because you can’t! That’s right! Everyone’s already beaten you to it. Weekend and day tickets have already sold out for one of the biggest European festivals in the calendar (especially now seeing as Ireland’s Oxegen and England’s Glastonbury are on hiatus for 2012). And with a lineup that includes Incubus, Pearl Jam, The Cure, Blink 182, M83, Chilis, Jack White and a stupid amount of other great bands, Belgium is what everyone’s going to talking about this summer (Let’s face it, it never is any other time…).

Which festival sounds the best to you? What have I missed?

Matthew Writer

Matthew

Matt is a 21 year old student from Dublin, Ireland. He can generally be found terrorising Irish suburbia and its residents with his silent mimed rapping and convulsive air-drum skills. He also likes ocelots.

Matt’s Twitter account.