The 7 best UK festivals for new music

It's not all about Glastonbury

Despite the Met Office trying to tell us it would snow on the hottest day of the year so far (an unfortunate but gloriously British error), summer is fast-approaching which means it’s time, if you haven’t already, to decide which music festivals you’re heading out to this year.

Outside of the big’uns - Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Isle of Wight, etc. - there are a few other UK festivals that require less hard cash and definitely less queuing in line for the toilet.

The Great Escape


 

Where: Brighton

When: 19 - 21 May

How much: Weekend pass - £65.50

Over 400 up and coming artists will rock up to Brighton for this year’s TGE, so many that all the official website can do is list them in alphabetical order.

As well as appearances from Skepta, Oh Wonder, Band Of Skulls and Craig David’s TS5 set; acts you shouldn’t miss include Khruangbin, Lady Leshurr, Milk & Bone, Rationale, Prose, Otherkin, Royce Wood Junior, Will Joseph Cook and Catholic Action.

Sound City


 Flaming Lips on the Atlantic Stage, Liverpool Sound City 2015 
 (Michelle Roberts)

Where: Liverpool

When: 28 - 29 May

How much: 2nd release 2-day pass - £82.50 including booking fee or £46.20 for a day ticket

Sound City returns to Bramley-Moore Dock for 2016 with a thrilling lineup of fresh new acts.

Bigger names include The Coral, Sleaford Mods, Pete Doherty, a DJ set from Hot Chip, The Dandy Warhols and Band of Skulls, while just some of the up and coming acts appearing to watch out for are: Holy Esque, InHeaven, Eliza and the Bear, Sky Valley Mistress, Neon Waltz, She Drew The Gun, and Kagoule.

The venue itself is set a do-able walk or short taxi ride out of the city centre and just five minutes from the rather grand Atlantic Hotel. There were a few issues with sound bleeding around the cluster of smaller tents and stages last year but not enough to distract from the performances.

Field Day

Where: London

When: 11 - 12 June

How much: Weekend pass - £94 or £54.50/£54.50 for Saturday or Sunday day tickets

Field Day has been knocking it out of Victoria Park for a good few years, and this time round is no different. After Patti Smith performed Horses in full for 2015 you’d think they’d struggle to come up with fresh ideas but nope.

This year’s headliners are James Blake and PJ Harvey, plus performances from John Grant, Mystery Jets, Beach House, Fat White Family, Roots Manuva, Parquet Courts, Skepta and The Thurston Moore Group. Newer acts you shouldn’t miss, to name but a few, are Little Simz, Fakear, DIIV, Blossoms and Loyle Carner.

Set in the expansive grounds of Victoria Park, Hackney, Field Day has decent transport links (bus routes are a mess late in the evening), an impressive offering for food and drink provided you’re not unwilling to fork out £7 for a (very good) burger or a bowl of mac n’ cheese. Last year the weather was absolutely stunning - fingers crossed for more of the same this June.

Parklife

Parklife festival (Parklife festival/Twitter/Gary Brown)

Where: Manchester

When: 11 - 12 June

How much: Weekend bundle inc. travel pass - £119 or £54 for a day ticket

Parklife caused something of a stir this year thanks to a headline announcement for Chemical Brothers, not to mention crowdpleasers like Years & Years, Stomzy, De La Soul and Circa Waves.

In between the bigger names make sure you check out Ady Suleiman, Jamie Woon, Venum Sound, WSTRN, a DJ set from Floating Points, and Black Coffee.

2000trees

Cleft on the main stage at 2000Trees Festival 2015 (Joe Singh)

Where: Cotswolds

When: 7 - 9 July

How much: Full adult weekend - £95 + booking fee

Some stellar rock acts are making their way to this year’s festival set in the rolling Cotswold hills, and then some. With a teeny capacity of just 5,000 people, expect a friendly atmosphere plus some great food, drink and an easy path to the front of the crowd.

Twin Atlantic, Refused and Mallory Knox are headlining - also check out The King Blues, Lonely The Brave, Brother & Bones, Demob Happy, Heck, Kagoule and Arcane Roots.

Festival goers enjoy the atmosphere at Green Man Festival (Gary Wolstenholme/Redferns via Getty Images)

Where: Wales

When: 18-21 August

How much: Full adult pass - £175 + booking fee

With a reliably excellent lineup each year and plenty to explore away from the music, Green Man’s 2016 event in the Brecon Beacons looks as promising as ever.

Main acts include James Blake, Belle & Sebastian, Wild Beasts, Warpaint, Jagwar Ma, Cate Le Bon, Floating Points, Ezra Furman, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Julia Holter. There’s also a horde of up and comers in the shape of Kevin Morby, Mothers, Meilyr Jones, Baba Naga and I See Rivers.

Festival No.6

(Festival No.6 (Festival No.6)

Where: Wales

When: 1 - 4 September

How much: Adult weekend camping Thursday arrival - £195 or £185 for a Friday arrival

A bespoke banquet of music, arts and culture” - The No.6 lineup, along with the absolutely stunning surroundings of Portmeirion, will definitely make your mouth water.

Main stage appearances arrive in the form of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Hot Chip and Bastille plus Super Furry Animals, Echo & The Bunnymen, Lucy Rose, and Broken Social Scene, plus a special David Bowie tribute and a DJ set from the irrepressible Craig Charles.

In between that musical smorgasbord you should check out JP Cooper, This Is The Kit, Welsh boys Yysgul Sul, Leon Vynehall, Rationale and Teen Canteen.