Summer 2015 Guide to International Music Festivals

Summer is vacation time, and for lots of people, that means a trip abroad.  Sure, you may have to miss out on some California music festivals and other events in the States, but don’t despair: Europe (and the rest of the globe) has plenty of awesome summer festivals and music conferences of its own.

From the United Kingdom’s Great Escape, to BIGSOUND in Australia, to NXNE in Toronto — Canada’s northern take on America’s SXSW Festival — the international stage is set for great music, great networking opportunities, and of course, some pretty great parties, too. If you’re a musician yourself, you may want to submit your band for a spot on the lineup, or check out the industry conferences that go hand-in-hand with some of these festivals.

Canada

Canadian Music Week

Canadian Music Week (CMW) is a massive event that features a music festival, a film festival, a comedy festival, trade shows, and even wine tours.

• Location — Toronto, CA
• Venues — Multiple (50+)
• Date — May 1 – 10
• Tickets — Vary by event
• 2015 Performers — The Jesus and Mary Chain, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Lights, Jazz Cartier, Hare Squead, Verite

21st Annual NXNE

• Location — Toronto, CA
• Venues — Multiple
• Date — June 17 – 21
• Tickets — $20 – $60
• 2015 Performers — Warpaint, Shark Week, Willow Smith, Angel Olsen, Blonde Redhead, No Joy, The New Pornographers

M for Montreal

Going into November may be cheating a little, but we have to mention M for Montreal — especially because the festival is currently accepting artist submissions.  The submission deadline is July 17, 2015.  You’ll have to use the Online Official Form on the festival’s official website.  If you’re accepted, you’ll get the chance to “play in front of more than 200 music industry professionals from 20+ countries” and “generate solid career opportunities for your band.”

• Location — Montreal, CA
• Venue — TBA
• Date — November 18 – 21
• Tickets — Vary by event
• 2015 Performers — Ben UFO, Dead Messenger, Dramatik, Les Sins, Mozart’s Sister, Syngja, Weaves

The United Kingdom (UK)

The Great Escape 2015 (TGE)

• Location — Brighton, UK
• Venue — Brighton Dome Concert Hall
• Date — May 14 – 16
• Tickets — £12 – £54
• 2015 Performers — Skepta & JME, Alabama Shakes, Kate Tempest

Isle of Wight Festival

• Location — Isle of Wight, UK
• Venue — Seaclose Park
• Date — June 11 – 14
• Tickets — £145 – £195
  • Free for children
  • Payment plans accepted
• 2015 Performers — The Prodigy, Blur, Fleetwood Mac, The Black Keys, Pharrell Williams, Counting Crows, Paul Oakenfold

Farmfest 2015

• Location — Somerset, UK
• Venue — Gilcombe Farm
• Date — July 31 – August 1
• Tickets — £49 – £219
• 2015 Performers — Lamb, Nightmares On Wax, Submotion Orchestra, Sherwood & Pinch, Portico, Stealing Sheep

Germany

Just to give you a heads up, Germany’s Rock am Ring and Southside Festivals are already sold out.  Grab your tickets while you can!

20th Annual Rock im Park

• Location — Nürnberg, DE
• Venue — Zeppelinfeld Nürnberg
• Date — June 5 – 7
• Tickets — €75 – €85
• 2015 Performers — Foo Fighters, Rise Against, The Prodigy, Beatsteaks, Slipknot, U.V.A.

Reeperbahn

• Location — Hamburg, DE
• Venues — Multiple (70+)
• Date — September 23 – 26
• Tickets
  • Conference — €102 – €175
  • Festival — €24 – €99
• 2015 Performers — Mac DeMarco, Bombay, Les Ambassadeurs, Joris, Kat Vinter

The Netherlands

Eurosonic (Noorderslag)

Eurosonic isn’t coming until early 2016, but it’s way too big not to talk about here.  Like Germany’s Reeperbahn, Eurosonic is half festival and half conference.  (The Irish Times calls it “a major draw for anyone interested in live music.”)  The conference “attracts over 3,900 professional delegates, including representatives from over 432 international festivals,” and includes more than 150 “panels, keynote speakers, interviews, workshops… dinners… pitches, parties and meetings.”

Importantly for musicians, the Eurosonic festival is accepting performer submissions until September 1.   To enter a submission, you have to use the Artist Application Form on the official Eurosonic website.

• Location — Groningen, NL
• Venues — Multiple
• Date — Jan 13 – 16
• Tickets — TBA
• 2016 Performers — Bombay, Fossils, James Bay, Intergalactic Lovers, Kate Tempest, MC Prophet, Phos, The Picturebooks, Wolvon

Best Kept Secret Festival

• Location — Hilvarenbeek, NL
• Venue — Beekse Bergen
• Date — June 19 – 21
• Tickets — €125
• 2015 Performers — The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Libertines, Earl Sweatshirt, Death Cab for Cutie, A$AP Rocky, Ariel Pink, Yung Lean & Sadboys

Lowlands Festival

• Location — Biddinghuizen, NL
• Venue — Evenemententerrein Walibi Holland
• Date — August 21 – 23
• Tickets — €195
• 2015 Performers — Tame Impala, Caribou, Interpol, The Chemical Brothers, Major Lazer, Django Django

Australia

Remember that September marks the beginning of Spring in Australia.  The average September temperature in Brisbane is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, so you may want to pack some light sweaters for cooler days and nighttime events.

BIGSOUND

• Location — Brisbane, AU
• Venue — TBA.  Past venues include Beetle Bar, Ding Dong Lounge, Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, and the New Globe Theatre.
• Date — September 9 – 11
• Tickets — $350 – $650
• 2015 Performers — TBA.  Past performers include Buckman Coe, Fieldings, Holy Holy, Kathryn Rollins, Mammals, and The Church.

If you’re an artist based outside the U.S. and you’re ready to take your career to the next level, our international music promotion team wants to hear more about your act.  Give Planetary Group a call in Boston at (617) 517-4193, or reach our L.A. offices at (323) 952-5050.