Tuesday, 29 July 2008 |

In the midst of festival season, The Cool Hunter thought it timely to
highlight the world's greatest festivals. Some of them you may have
heard of, others you most certainly haven’t. Regardless, all of them
are essential for the worldly music lover.
Sonar – Barcelona, Spain
It
would seem that going to a music festival doesn’t necessarily mean
duking it out for three days in conditions not fit for human
habitation. Sonar is the festival for the discerning type, swapping
mud-swamped squalor for the beautiful Ramblas village district of
Barcelona.
Exit Festival – Novi Sad, Serbia
Held
in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, Exit began life as a softly-softly
political protest against the Milosevic regime. Now staged within the
grounds of an eighteenth century fortress, Exit has grown into a
massive four-day cauldron of music and mayhem.
Aldrei For Eg Sudur (I Never Went South) – Isafjordur, Iceland
Forget
rockstar egocentrics and drift to the north of Iceland in the fist thaw
of the Easter weekend for a music festival that concentrates on
Icelandic talent. With conditions that scare off the average festival
monkeyman, Aldrei For Eg Sudur is the most communal of music festivals.
Fuji Rock Festival – Naeba Ski Resort, Japan
Set
amongst the lush forest of a summer ski field, Fuji Rock takes the
music festival’s need for a large outdoor area and runs with it,
providing one of the most spectacular and tranquil settings you could
possibly imagine for a major rock festival.
Splendour In The Grass – Byron Bay, Australia
Australia
isn’t as cheap to visit as it used to be, but suck it up to make it to
Splendour In The Grass. Great line-ups are complemented by a relaxed
vibe and the spectacular beach surroundings of Byron Bay. - Matt Shea
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