Continuing our regular European festival previews, IQ gives readers a snapshot of what’s to come this weekend…

Norway’s Øya Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary between 6-10 August, with Jack White drafted in as a late replacement for Queens of the Stone Age. White joined PJ Harvey, Pulp, Janelle Monáe and Gabrielle in headlining the Oslo event, which will also feature The Kills, Vince Staples, The National, Slowdive, Big Thief, Arca, Sampha and Idles, among others.

In addition, White has stepped in for QOTSA at Sweden’s Way Out West and Denmark’s Syd for Solen (both 8-10 August).

The Way Out West lineup already boasts artists including Fred Again.., Pulp, PJ Harvey, The National, Air, Skepta, Charlotte Day Wilson, Peggy Gou, Chase & Status, Andre 3000, Big Thief, Jessie Ware, Tems and J Hus, while Fred Again.. also tops the bill at Syd for Solen, which will also welcome the likes of Jorja Smith, Michael Kiwanuka, Sampha, Air, Big Thief, Kenya Grace, Andre 3000 and The Kills.

Also in Denmark, Smukfest, which runs from 4-11 August, has Deep Purple, Sam Smith, Diana Ross, Hardwell, Icona Pop, Example, Faithless, Joel Corry, Lukas Graham, The Prodigy, Zara Larsson and Kiefer Sutherland.

In Hungary, Budapest’s Sziget (7-12 August) presents an all-star cast starring Fred Again.., Halsey, Janelle Monae, Kylie Minogue, Liam Gallagher, Martin Garrix, Sam Smith, Skrillex and Stormzy. Acts will also include Bebe Rexha, Fisher, Louis Tomlinson, Raye, Four Tet, Fontaines DC, Tom Odell, Becky Hill, Aurora and Big Thief.

Meanwhile, Halsey, Fred Again.., PJ Harvey and Pulp head Finland’s Flow Festival in Helsinki (9-11 August). The bill also includes acts such as Raye, Jessie Ware, Idles, Janelle Monae, Vince Staples, Aurora, James Blake, L’Imperatrice, Kenya Grace and Gasellit.

The UK’s Boardmasters (7-11 August) in Newquay, Cornwall, will be headlined by Chase & Status, Sam Fender and Stormzy, backed by Courteeners, Becky Hill, The Streets, Leftfield, Tom Odell, Nia Archives, Declan McKenna, Maisie Peters, Cat Burns and Mahalia.

Other acts will include The Teskey Brothers, Kenya Grace, Soft Play, Elderbrook, Holly Humberstone, Ghetts, Katy B, Kate Nash, Royel Otis, Los Bitchos and Nick Mulvey.

Boomtown 2024 – Chapter 3: Revolution of Imagination (7-11 August) brings The Pharcyde, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Ezra Collective, Viagra Boys, Marc Rebillet, Earth Wind & Fire Experience by Al McKay, Soft Play and Hak Baker to Winchester’s Matterley Bow in Hampshire.

SBTRKT, Pendulum, Ibibio Sound Machine, Children Of Zeus, Ghetts, Fish 56 Octagon, Dream Wife, Priya Ragu and  Sherelle will also perform at the event.

MEO Sudoeste (7-10 August) in Portugal is headed by Martin Garrix, Anitta, Don Toliver, Da Weasel and Alok, with the supporting cast including Charlotte De Witte, Richie Campbell, Matue, Barbara Bandeira, Lil Yachty and Mizzy Miles.

Elsewhere, the likes of Rise Against, Alligatoah, Deichkind, Beatsteaks, Nina Chuba, Giant Rooks and Feine Sahne Fischfilet will grace Germany’s Taubertal-Festival (8-11 August).

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Several festivals are celebrating anniversaries this year, including Romania’s Electric Castle, the US’s Newport Jazz Festival, and the Rolling Loud franchise, plus a raft of artists have filled out 2024 lineups across the world.

Coachella kicks off Friday, bringing 125,000 fans to the Californian desert for the first of two weekends. Vampire Weekend have been added to this weekend’s lineup, with both weekends to be led by Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat, among a multitude of other performers.

The 2024 edition will also see the expansion of the Goldenvoice-promoted event’s dance music offerings with the launch of the Quasar stage. Tickets are still available for the second weekend from 19-21 April.

Denmark’s non-profit festival Roskilde has completed its 2024 lineup, adding 21 Savage, PinkPantheress, Amaarae, Barry Can’t Swim, Belle & Sebastian, and Tinashe to its 29 June-6 July programme. Close to 200 acts will perform across the eight-day event, one of Europe’s largest festivals, anchored by SZA, Doja Cat, Kali Uchis, Foo Fighters, and Skrillex.

Several festivals will celebrate anniversaries with this year’s editions

For its 10th edition, Romania’s Electric Castle has added Paolo Nutini, Sean Paul, Todd Terje, Antony Szmierek, Kungs, Yune Pinku, and more to their non-stop lineup. The 17-21 August festival, held in Bánffy Castle, will also feature Massive Attack, Bring Me The Horizon, Queens of the Stone Age, Chase & Status, and Shaquille O’Neal as DJ Diesel.

The US’s Newport Jazz Festival will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a star-studded lineup, led by André 3000, Nile Rogers & CHIC, Kamasi Washington, and Elvis Costello. The 2-4 August Rhode Island affair will also feature Laufey, Robert Glasper, Brittany Howard, and Samara Joy.

Also celebrating an anniversary, Rolling Loud has announced plans to return to Miami for its 10th edition in December. The hip-hop festival is also set to voyage to Austria from 5-7 July and Thailand from 22-24 November, having already held its California edition from 14-15 March.

All Points East has wrapped up its 2024 lineup with Mitski on tap to headline a day of the London concert series. She’ll be joined by Beabadoobee, TV Girl, Ethel Cain, Arlo Parks, Sir Chloe, and more. The AEG Presents-backed six-show series, set for 16-18 and 23-25 August, will also feature Kaytranada, Loyle Carner, LCD Soundsystem, Justice, Pink Pantheress, The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie as headliners.

German electronic MELT Festival, set for 11-13 August, has rounded out its programme with 25 new names including Chase & Status, Yussef Dayes, acidheaven, and DJ Swagger and the Program Jazz Busters. Previously announced names for the Goodlive-backed mainstay include Sampha, James Blake, Skepta, and Bonobo.

“Book those flights, get that time off work, pack the suitcase because we’re raving in the sunshine!”

With five weeks to go, Brighton’s The Great Escape have added a raft of new names to their hundreds-stong lineup, including Kenya Grace, Hitech, Ife Ogunjobi, Cykada, Love Remain (DJ), Swimming Paul, and Modern Biology. They’ll join the spotlight artist Faye Webster, along with previously announced Wunderhouse, Soft Play, Gia Ford, and Jalen Ngonda, from 15-18 May.

British pop group Take That has announced a four-day festival in Malta, a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to see the band perform in an intimate live setting, with an array of special guests. The Greatest Weekend, held from 17-20 October, will also feature Sugababes, Sam Ryder, Daniel Bedingfield, and Ella Henderson.

Smash!Bang!Pow!’s Syd For Solen, which will upgrade venues this year, has added Michael Kiwanuka, Rachel Chinouriri, and queen eee gee to their three-day lineup. They’ll join Fred again.., André 3000, Yussef Dayes, Queens of the Stone Age, AIR, and Big Thief for the 8-10 August instalment of the Copenhagen festival.

BBC Radio 1’s Dance Weekend is set to return to Ibiza, led by CamelPhat, Jazzy & Belters Only, Dom Dolla, Gorgon City, and Armand Van Helden. The two-stage, one-day event, which will be broadcast via BBC, will take place on 2 August. 

“It’s been a staple in the summer calendar for years and not only does it showcase the world’s biggest & best DJs but it’s been known to create the most iconic moments in dance on the white isle that are remembered for a lifetime,” says BBC host Danny Howard. “Book those flights, get that time off work, pack the suitcase because we’re raving in the sunshine!”

Robbie Williams has been unveiled as Calabash South Africa’s second headliner, joining Green Day, The Offspring, and Fokofpolisiekar during the Big Concerts-promoted event’s second edition. The touring festival will land in Johannesburg from 18-19 January 2025 and Cape Town from 22-23 January 2025.

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Organisers of Denmark’s Syd for Solen have revealed the festival is relocating to Copenhagen’s largest park.

Promoted by Smash!Bang!Pow!, the event has been staged in Søndermarken since launching in 2022 but will switch to Valbyparken for 2024.

Syd for Solen is billed as a “three-day urban festival experience”, with each day featuring “its own musical flavour”. It will take place from 8-10 August with headliners Fred Again.. and Queens of The Stone Age, with other acts still to be announced.

“Our vision, right from the beginning, has been to create a dream festival that brings international music excellence to Copenhagen, a capital that truly deserves it,” says Smash!Bang!Pow! CEO Nikolaj Thorenfeldt. “Our journey in Søndermarken has been incredible, but to elevate the overall festival experience, a new, lush, and green setting is essential.

“Valbyparken provides the perfect canvas, allowing us to enhance our offerings while retaining the intimacy and warmth that both our audience and we associate with Syd for Solen. We’re merely providing better logistical facilities.”

“The festival-in-a-day concept has been enthusiastically embraced by Copenhageners, and the change in location enables us to enhance the concept further”

The festival is being pushed back from early June to August as part of its aim to be the year’s “last summer celebration before everyday life takes over”, and “to become a beacon of anticipation” for locals returning from their summer holidays and reuniting with friends.

“Syd for Solen is designed to be a summer tradition in the capital,” adds Thorenfeldt. “The festival-in-a-day concept has been enthusiastically embraced by Copenhageners, and the change in location enables us to enhance the concept further. We aim to set the musical backdrop for the city’s internationally recognised design, fashion, food, and culture.”

Former headliners include Aphex Twin, Bon Iver, Peggy Gou, Liam Gallagher, The War On Drugs, Jungle, The National and Iggy Pop.

“We brand ourselves as ‘Music to Copenhagen’ to fill the void of a city-based music festival, aligning with Copenhagen’s international image as a place of curiosity, open-mindedness, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the entertainment and experience industry,” adds head of festival programming Xenia Grigat.

FKP Scorpio became an international partner to Smash!Bang!Pow! after acquiring a 25% stake in late 2018.

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