3 Music Festivals You Need to Experience in Your Lifetime

It’s nearly April, and with the appearance of a bleary-eyed Spring come thoughts of sunshine and festivals, cold beers and good vibes.

If you’re planning a pilgrimage to see your favourite bands this year, here are three festivals you need to experience at least once in your lifetime.

Coachella

Where: Indio, California

When: April 10-12 and 17-19

What started as a weekend party in the desert 15 years ago has become one of the biggest highlights on the global festival calendar.

Coachella now sprawls over 2 weekends (the second weekend a carbon copy of the first) and there was even a cruise, an event that is somewhat hard to imagine.

It might be the top of every bright-eyed teen’s travel wish list, but Coachella still offers plenty for the serious music lover, with acts this year spanning the old, the new, and the cult favorite.

Headliners include crusty Australian rockers AC/DC, muso favourite Steely Dan, oh, and er, Drake. Other highlights to look out for are Raekwon and Ghostface Killah performing together, and Scottish darlings Belle and Sebastian.

The festival also boasts a number of art installations which seem to get grander every year. Just don’t forget your sunscreen.

Sonar

Where: Barcelona, Spain

When: 18-20 June

Looking for a reason to head to Europe this summer? You’ve just found it.

Sonar is a mainly an electro festival, which organizers describe as ‘The link between creativity and technology’.

Sonar prides itself as being at the forefront of digital music, so expect light shows, performance pieces and lots of lasers.

Heavy hitters at this year’s edition include the Chemical Brothers – who always bring the noise, plus the relentless beats of Skrillex, the crazy genre-defying sound of Die Antwoord, and Duran Duran, just because.

What sets Sonar apart from the other events in the list is the large number of industry types that attend.

That number is set to increase since the inception of Sonar +D in 2013, which features panel discussions on the subjects such as the future of music and technology, perfect for the music tech head.

Remember to leave a day or two to explore Barcelona, one of the most vibrant cities in the Med.

Ibiza

Where: Ibiza, Spain

When: June – October

If you prefer to get your EDM fix with a side of sun, sea and sand instead of sweaty festival tents, then Ibiza is for you.

Long considered the mecca of dance music, a weekend to Ibiza is guaranteed to provide great Insta opportunities and enough drunken tales to last a lifetime.

The legendary party island hosts international DJs all summer long – this year residencies from likes of Avicii at Ushuaia and island giant Carl Cox at Space promise to keep the party going 7 days a week.

The closing parties in the first week of October are legendary for their decadence, and even entice the Ibizan locals out for a few nights.

If it’s your first time on the island, ease into the experience with a couple of sundowners at the legendary Cafe del Mar before hitting the club.

Share this article:

Jenny Cahill-Jones is Editor at Luxury Retreats Magazine. An avid traveller and music fan, she's visited 24 countries and checked off festivals including Glastonbury and Coachella. The next destinations on her wish list are St Lucia and Hawaii.

@Jenny Cahill-Jones