DANCE TO ANNIE MAC ON MALTA’S GOLDEN SANDS, PARTY TO THE BEST MUSIC IN BARCELONA AND CHILL WITH GILLES PETERSON AND FRIENDS IN THIS GUIDE TO THE BEST SUMMER FESTIVALS
Excerpt – Oisin Lunny
PRIMAVERA SOUND
Once again Primavera Sound delivers one of the most exciting, diverse and high-quality festival lineups on the planet, not least thanks to their pioneering adoption of a 50/50 gender ratio for performers, rightly christened “The New Normal.” You can expect world-class headliners like Janelle Monáe, Cardi B, Robyn, Rosalía, Solange, Erykah Badu, Kali Uchis, Christine and The Queens, Interpol, Tame Impala and Sigrid alongside tastemaker favourites Yaeji, Stereolab, Mykki Blanco, Aldous Harding, Nina Kraviz, Peggy Gou, Big Thief, Róisín Murphy, Kate Tempest, Kurt Vile, Drab Majesty, Modeselektor and FKA twigs. Wall to wall brilliance under the Spanish sunshine.
Barcelona, Spain, 30 May – 1 June, €195
ANNIE MAC PRESENTS: LOST & FOUND
DJ and Radio 1 tastemaker Annie Mac knows how to throw a party. This May you can join her on the stunning Mediterranean island of Malta for four epic days and nights of house, techno, bass and grime. Her typically discerning selection includes The Black Madonna, Chase & Status, Peggy Gou, Haai, Octavian, Heidi, Honey Dijon, Lady Leshurr, Horse Meat Disco and Shy FX. Get yourself lost (and found) in the main castle party as well as the beach, pool & boat events and the world-class nighttime site. There are plenty of inclusive travel packages available on their website.
Malta, 2 – 5 May, £130.90
WORLDWIDE FESTIVAL
DJ Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival brings thousands of people to the picturesque fishing village of Sète every summer. It has a reputation for ticking all the boxes (sun, sand, top-notch music curation, villa parties, and pretty side streets to explore) with returning visitors booking tickets and accommodation way in advance of the lineups being announced. Daytime concerts and DJ sets take place on the streets, beach and in smaller venues around the fishing port. At night, the centrepiece is the iconic Theatre de la Mer, an open-air amphitheatre overlooking the Mediterranean. Book early if you want a magical week of great music under the sun and the stars.
Sète, France, 28 June – 6 July, €260
Originally published in PHOENIX Magazine.
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