The Governors Ball this weekend in New York comes as 2016’s summer festival season launches into high gear.Fans at California’s Coachella in April, always the first big event, got a hint of what to expect with three members of the original Guns N’ Roses reuniting and shows by Chvrches, Sia and others who are still doing the festival rounds. Coachella also was the first to pay tribute to Prince, whose passing had just been announced. Other events are likely to include more, as well as homages to David Bowie and Lemmy, who also died this year.There are a lot of festivals out there – depending on how you define them, more than 3,000 in Europe alone. Whether your preference is a city or country location, here’s a pick of the world’s better fests coming up.1 - Governors Ball, New York, June 3-5. In just a few years this city event has grown up and it now has an ever-serious line-up, right on the doorstep of Manhattan. In 2013, we festival-goers remember torrential rain resulting in the Kings of Leon headline show being cancelled on Friday and serious mud for the next two days. Kanye West was among the headliners. This time, he is back, for better or worse, supported by the Strokes, the Killers, Beck, Haim and the indefatigable Eagles of Death Metal. Information: http://governorsballmusicfestival.com/lineup/2 - Glastonbury, UK, June 22 through June 26.In years when the biggest greenfield festival in the world turns into the biggest brownfield sea of mud, veteran festival goers vow never to return, though of course we usually do. If there is a reason for coming back, above all, it is probably because it is the best in the world. This year’s eclectic lineup has Adele as the Saturday headliner – a coup when she doesn’t do festivals normally. The other headliners Muse and Coldplay have been here before but if they leave you cold, there are many hundreds of other acts to choose from – from ZZ Top to New Order, Wolf Alice to Beck. Of the less well known performers, Rat Boy, Tired Lion, Car Seat Headrest, and Explosions in the Sky all make music as intriguing as their names. Information: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/3 - Benicassim, Spain, July 14-17. The Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, better known as Benicassim or just FIB, is one of the coolest, with a beachside location and bands that play throughout the night until dawn. The music varies from electronica and dance to pop, with plenty of names you’ll see on other line-ups: Jamie XX, Muse, Skepta, and Massive Attack. But there are some innovative names such as Kendrick Lamar, and the sandy location is to die for. Come on in, the water’s lovely. Information: http://www.fiberfib.com/4 - Lollapalooza, Chicago, July 28-31.Grant Park is a great site because urbanites can head home at night without camping worries and the lineup is stellar. Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, LCD Soundsystem, and Lana Del Rey for starters. Lollapalooza was started in 1991 by Jane’s Addiction leader Perry Farrell and after a hiatus is now as much about pop and rap as its alt-rock origins. Information: http://www.lollapalooza.com/5 - Fuji Rock, Japan, July 22-24.This jamboree is the ski resort of Naeba, Japan, far from Mount Fuji. It aims for coolness and almost succeeds with its breathtaking backdrop. Its eccentric roster varies from the-same-as-everyone else (Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sigur Rós) to local heroes such as Ken Yokoyama and local exports Babymetal. Information: http://fujirock-eng.com/6 - Bonnaroo Music Festival, Manchester, Tennessee, June 9-12.It’s not the oldest or the largest, and not everyone is a fan, but camping event Bonnaroo is still a quintessential American music festival. Band of Horses, Father John Misty, LCD Soundsystem, Macklemore & Lewis… you get the idea. Information: http://www.bonnaroo.com/7 - Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, July 1-16. The Swiss event has less to do with jazz and more with being willfully perverse. The crazily diverse roster includes Muse, Herbie Hancock, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Van Morrison, Lana Del Rey, Quincy Jones, Jean Michel Jarre, Neil Young and Deep Purple (whose biggest hit “Smoke on the Water” was inspired by Montreux). Anyone who has been to Montreux knows the fest is an outstandingly well-organized event, but it is worth checking dates carefully because it is spread out over a number of weeks. Information: http://www.montreuxjazzfestival.com/en/program168 - Wilderness, UK, August 4–7 2016.This is a “posh” festival with gourmet food by celebrity chefs, set in the stately Cornbury Park estate in Oxfordshire. Robert Plant is making it the only UK stop on his tour with the Sensational Space Shifters. The Flaming Lips join in the fun. Wilderness is a good place to get up close to stars before they make it huge: Sam Smith was there two years back just before his career rocketed skyward. You could stand within a couple of feet of the stage in a crowd of just a few hundred. Information: https://www.wildernessfestival.com/9 - Lakefest and more (Small is beautiful: the best of the rest)A closely kept secret among festival-goers is some of the larger events get the best-known acts but there are plenty of others which are often on a more manageable scale. The UK’s Truck and Y Not for example offer acts including the Manic Street Preachers, Editors, Catfish & the Bottlemen, Noel Gallagher, and Madness, all for less than £100 (about $144) a ticket, a fraction of the cost of some of the major events.Hideout Festival, Pag, Croatia, June 26-30. Jamie XX headlines in an electronic festival set on Zrce Beach. Information: http://www.hideoutfestival.com/Way Out West Festival, Gothenburg, Sweden, August 11-13.Now 10 years young, the event at Slottsskogen Park has an impressive line-up of festival regulars and crowd-pleasers such as Grace Jones, Sia, PJ Harvey and Massive Attack. Information: http://www.wayoutwest.se/en/Lakefest, Ledbury, UK, August 11-14.The festival is moving to Eastnor Castle, one of the most beautiful sites in Europe and formerly home of the much-missed Big Chill. The roster includes Primal Scream, Cast and Big Country. Information: http://lakefest.co.uk/Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire, UK. August 11-13.This Oxfordshire weekender is one of the friendliest. Many local people and long-time supporters of folk rock pioneers Fairport Convention set out the deckchairs for a few days with fine music and pints of real ale. The bill is always topped by Fairport, this year with some varied supports: Madness, the Bootleg Beatles, and Ralph McTell. Information: http://www.fairportconvention.com/10 - Rock Werchter and more (Runners up)Rock Werchter, Belgium, June 30-July 3.Belgian sausages, beer, shuttle buses and award-winning organization at one of the biggest countryside fests. This time round, Paul McCartney tops the bill on the main stage, following the ubiquitous Elis Goulding who seems to be on about half the festivals on this list. Information: http://www.rockwerchter.be/en/line-upIn London: The British capital is blessed with parks ideal for music events. British Summer Time, Lovebox and Wireless are especially recommended.More Spanish fun: For those unable to get to Benicassim, Ibiza Rocks offers much, including LCD Soundsystem. Sonar, the electronic festival in Barcelona from June 16-18, stars Jean Michel Jarre.Other Europe: Danish festival Roskilde (June 25-July 3) and Rock en Seine in Paris (August 26-28) also have their fans. Iggy Pop is playing at the French event.Ticket availability to these festivals differs. Many of the above have places, but do note that some events sell out months in advance. Many have returns, competitions for places or premium latecomer VIP tickets. If tickets are bought online, caution is urged because organizers sometime insist on ID checks to confirm ticket have not been sold on.
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