Get ready to rock!
By Julie-Ann Sherlock
The colder weather has me dreaming of warm summer days and indulging in one of my favourite pastimes—going to gigs! With big events looking likely to make a comeback, I rounded up a few of the best festivals due to happen all over Europe this summer to inspire you to don your festival finest and hotfoot it to some of the most exciting shows of 2022.
Primavera Sound
Massive Attack, Tame Impala, The Strokes, Gorillaz, Dua Lipa,
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2-12 June; Barcelona, Spain
One of Barca's biggest summer events is the Primavera Sound festival. With ten days of music, sunshine and beaches, what's not to love!
Photo Kevin Kummer, courtesy of Tempelhof Sounds
Tempelhof Sounds
Muse, The Strokes, Interpol, London Grammar, alt-J, Wolf Alice,
10-12 June; Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, Germany
With the tagline "Uniting people through music", this new festival on the calendar is sure to be epic. Catch Irish acts such as The Fontaines DC, Pillow Queens and Two Door Cinema Club amongst the fab lineup.
Pinkpop festival
Metallica, Pearl Jam, Royal Blood, Queens of the Stone Age, Måneskin,
Twenty One Pilots
17-19 June, Megaland, Landgraff, The Netherlands
One of Europe's most established music festivals returns with some of the biggest names in rock and one of Dublin's latest exports—Inhaler.
Photo Andres Iglesias, courtesy of Mad Cool Festival
Mad Cool Festival
Metallica, The Killers, Muse, Kings of Leon, Faith No More, Pixies
6-10 July; Madrid, Spain
With such a great lineup over the five days, you would be mad to miss this one. Acts as diverse as Seasick Steve and Florence & the Machine share the stage with rock gods Metallica to ensure fun in the Spanish sun!
NOS Alive
The Strokes, Inhaler, Two Door Cinema Club, Florence & the Machine,
Metallica, Imagine Dragons
6-9 July, Lisbon, Portugal
The same weekend as Mad Cool and sharing some acts, NOS gives you the excuse to enjoy the glorious Portuguese sunshine with the sounds of Modest Mouse, Alt-J and Haim floating on the breeze. Perfection!
Rock en Seine
Arctic Monkeys, Idles, Fontaines DC, Inhaler, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Rage Against the Machine
25-28 August; Paris, France
Summer + Paris + two of my favourite bands (Arctic Monkeys and the Fontaines DC) = Excited Julie-Ann. Yes, this is my personal highlight of the festival season. See you in Paris!
cinch presents TRNSMT Festival
The Strokes, Lewis Capaldi, Paolo Nutini, Foals, Fontaines D.C., The Snuts
8-10 September 2022; Glasgow, UK
Winding up the season, this weekend in Glasgow will be special! I can't wait to sing along with local lads Paolo and Lewis and funk out to Niles Rodgers!
While these are some of the coolest vibes to be found across Europe in 2022, Ireland will also have some fantastic festivals with the expected return of Forbidden Fruit, Sea Sessions and Electic Picnic.
So, pack your sunscreen, shades and festival fit clothing, grab a ticket, prepare to shake off the COVID blues and rock your way through the summer!