Think festivals!

Jun 16 2008 by Katie Campling, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

FESTIVAL season is upon us and music lovers everywhere are praying for the sun to shine on the gigs of their choice this summer.

Download, the heaviest of the festivals, kicked things off at the weekend.

So if you’ve not yet got your ticket for the ones still to come, here’s a rundown of the biggest British festivals to help you decide which to head for.

Then all you’ve got to do is track down a ticket and splash your cash.....

Reading and LeedsThese twinned festivals – held on August Bank Holiday – have been the fastest growing in recent years. The same main acts play both sites on different nights. They cater for many tastes – rock, pop, hip hop and indie – without ever being too niche or ‘mainstream’. This year’s line-up includes headliners Metallica, Rage Against The Machine and The Killers, with support from Tenacious D, Queens Of The Stone Age and Bloc Party among many others. Both festivals have sold out. Find out more at www.leedsfestival.com or www.readingfestival.com.

Glastonbury fans usually face the biggest scramble to get tickets. But not this year. Sales for the June 27 to 29 event have been slow. Some say there’s simply more competition now than when Glastonbury first began in 1970. Others have blamed the choice of acts or say Glasto is becoming more about celebrities than bands. The criticism may be unfair – Glastonbury was the original big British festival and still boasts one of the most varied line-ups. Headliners include Kings Of Leon, Jay-Z, The Verve, Panic At The Disco, Massive Attack and Groove Armada and there are a plethora of stages catering for everything from indie to jazz, acoustic and dance. Find out more at http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

V Festival Another twin festival with sites at Hylands Park in Chelmsforth and Weston Park in Staffordshire. It takes place on August 16 and 17 and is by far the most mainstream and chart-friendly of all the festivals. This year’s festival line-up includes Muse, Stereophonics, The Kooks, Maximo Park, Alanis Morissette, Lenny Kravtiz and Girls Aloud. Check it out at www.vfestival.com.

T In The Park Scotland’s big festival, held from July 11 to 13 in Balado, Kinross-shire. T In The Park covers all tastes from alternative groups to chart-bothering acts. On the line-up this year are The Verve, Chemical brothers, Kaiser Chiefs, Rage Against The Machine, The Prodigy, REM and Ian Brown. Check out http://www.tinthepark.com.

Oxegen Ireland’s festival offering takes place at Punchestown Racecourse in County Kildare from July 11 to 13. There’s six stages, offering the best in rock, dance, indie and even a little bit of pop. This year, taking the stage will be Kings of Leon, Interpol, Editors, Paddy Casey, The Coronas, Amy Macdonald, The Verve, R.E.M., Stereophonics, Amy Winehouse, Newton Faulkner, Scouting For Girls and Aphex Twin among many others. Visit www.oxegen.ie