Here's a list of music festivals we like around the UK, plus a handy resource to find even more.
Glastonbury Festival
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Who's there? Every kind of music imaginable. In 2009 - Bruce Springsteen, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Neil Young, Lily Allen, Blur, Nick Cave, Regina Spektor, Kasabian, Status Quo, Franz Ferdinand, Jarvis Cocker, even Tom Jones!
Isle of Wight Festival
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Who's there? You might see Neil Young, Prodigy, Bananarama, The Stereophonics and Razorlight at the same festival as Sting, the Rolling Stones, Groove Armada, Amy Wineouse, Kasabian, Mel C and the Fratellis.
The Big Chill
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Who's there Dance music - Aldo Vanucci, Benny Page,Congo Natty,Futureboogie DJs,In Flagranti; live acts - Amadou & Mariam, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, James Yuill, Kathryn Williams and Joana & The Wolf. Also bizarre special events - in 2009, Warp Films and Film4 organise the world's biggest, mass participation Zombie Walk.
RockNess
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In 2009, second year running, The Big Issue named RockNess Best Music Festival in Scotland, calling it a "stellar festival that's fast becoming a Scottish summer institution" and praising the site and the "unbeatable mix of huge rock and dance acts plus many other standouts on another monster bill."
Who's there? Among the acts in 2009 - The Prodigy, Dizzee Rascal, Orbital, Pete Tong, Placebo and the RockNess Ceilidh AllStars.
The Leeds and Reading Festival
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Who's there? Among the 2009 acts - Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, Kings of Leon, The Prodigy, Glasvegas, LostProphets, Jamie T, plus loads of dance acts and a BBC Introducing stage.
The V Festival
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Who's there? In 2009 Oasis, Lily Allen, The Killers, The Human League, Razorlight, Peter Doherty, Fatboy Slim and Scottish pop musician Paolo Nuttini were among those lined up.
Bestival
The first self-described boutique festival, Bestival is small and perfectly formed. Just like some of the other big time UK festivals, it features top commercial and indie acts, past and present, but it's a bit more upmarket. First off, it's "curated", and it's held in a lovely country park which almost never turns into a muddy field. There are ready pitched tends, a Tipi Field, caravan camping and free or "pay per poo" Comfy Crappers - sorry that's their brand name.Who's there? In 2008, headliners scheduled included Amy Winehouse, My Bloody Valentine, The Cuban Brothers, Gary Numan and The Human League. It usually has a fancy dress theme as well, with extra goodies for your costume available in the Dressing Up Field.
The Wickerman Festival
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Who's there? The huge 2009 line up included The Human League, The Zutons, The Magic Numbers, Candi Staton, Idlewild, Bad Manners, Joe Goddard & Felix Martin (HOT CHIP) DJ Set, Danny Rampling, Casiokids.
Mathew Street Music Festival
The Mathew Street Music Festival in Liverpool is Europe's largest free music festival. It began as a kind of outlet for Beatles tribute bands, other pop tribute bands and reinterpretations. That's all changed now. Though you'll still find plenty of Beatles music and tribute bands, you'll also find Soul, Diva, BritPop, New Bands, Big Bands and Country & Western.Who's there? At least 95 bands from all over the British Isles and as far afield as the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, France, Italy, Finland, Poland and Turkey perform in the main festival, carried across the crowds by huge LED screens so no one misses anything. A a supporting indoor program of live music fills pubs, clubs and venues all over town.
In the City, Manchester's Global New Music Event
This is a chance to get some insight into how the music business works. In the City is a combined public performance event and insider trade show. You get to see the latest unsigned indie bands strut their stuff before the pros. In the City, Manchester's new music conference, is a daytime trade convention and a series of nighttime showcases and performances by established and unsigned indie bands. Indie artists from around the world apply to perform. Those chosen get a chance to appear before an audience of record labels, publishers, broadcasters, concert organizers and venue managers as well as music fans.Who's there? The best of this year's crop of new indie bands..
