Music Festival Guide 2016 – England & Wales

'Here comes the summer,' as The Undertones once sang. Now, of course, we've got a few more holiday options than the Derry punks did back in 1979 – for one thing, those theoretically sunny months are now synonymous with festival season, as acres upon acres of land are given sturdy endurance test in the face of earth-shaking volume and hundreds of thousands of drunken punters. Planning to partake in one of these 'festival' things? Not sure where best to splash your cash? Fear not. We've weighed up the options and surveyed the best the summer has to offer, so behold! Our summary of unmissable festivals in England and Wales!

Download

Donington Park, East Midlands (10-12 Jun) £104.50 for full weekend + camping 

Deftones, photo: Vito Andreoni

The best and brashest rock festival in the UK has a predictably heavy-hitting line-up. The newly crowned Lemmy Stage will witness Rammstein, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Korn and Deftones leading the pits, with Pennywise, Napalm Death and NOFX heading up the smaller stages. You’ll find the likes of Glassjaw, Disturbed, Neck Deep and Don Broco making appearances across the weekend too, completing a who’s-who of punk, hardcore and metal across the generations. Fearsome confirmation that Download remains on top for a reason.

Field Day

Victoria Park, London (11-12 Jun) £94 weekend, £54.50 Saturday, £49.50 Sunday

The Brian Jonestown Massacre, photo: Sam Huddleston

Field Day is an evergreen source of hotly tipped indie favourites; it’s guaranteed to leave you sounding knowledgeable enough to moan about the Mercury Prize shortlist via social media, when the time is right. Headlined by James Blake on Saturday and PJ Harvey on Sunday, you’ve got similarly statuesque support in the form of Beach House, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Deerhunter, Four Tet, Gold Panda, Holly Herndon, Parquet Courts and the legendary Thurston Moore. Younger blood is represented by NAO, Novelist, Girl Band and Kelala – just don’t blame us when Field Day release their clashfinder.

Parklife

Heaton Park, Manchester (11-12 Jun) from £95.00 for a full ticket

Wolf Alice, photo: Leah Henson

Parklife bests itself this year. Headed by the Chemical Brothers and Major Lazer, what follows is a proper bounty of contemporary music: Jamie xx, Years & Years, Annie Mac, Wolf Alice and DJ EZ hold up the rest of the top slots. Pushing grime’s mainstream revival is Stormzy, Novelist and Skepta, with Daniel Avery, Todd Terje and Ben UFO leading the nightlife. Fat White Family, De La Soul and Pusha T complete a thorough booking of the UK’s favourite party starters. There’s also a very impressive selection of street food, ready to provide some much needed TLC.

Latitude

Henham Park, Suffolk (14-17 Jul) £197.50 full weekend

Grimes, photo: Ryan Johnston

Possibly the loveliest festival on this list, Latitude is turning into something of a gentle giant. With curators ranging from BBC 6 Music to Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, there’s music, theatre, poetry and film to suit all tastes and interests. The Maccabees have bagged their first ever headline slot, backed up by the eternally capable New Order and The National. Grimes, Kurt Vile, Beirut, M83 and Chvrches have second-in-command duties on lockdown, with Father John Misty, Courtney Barnett, Frightened Rabbit, Perfume Genius, John Grant and Protomartyr in slightly smaller letters. Really, Latitude, there’s no need to be so modest.  

Green Man 

Brecon Beacons, Wales (18-21 Aug) £175 “normal” ticket, £220 for a week long “holiday”

The Green Man

Green Man fully blooms for its 14th birthday. 20,000 discerning festival goers will nestle in amongst the beautiful Brecon Beacons, with a line-up that easily bags this year's the indie crown. Belle & Sebastian, James Blake, Wild Beasts, Warpaint and Grandaddy take the leading roles, with Battles, Julia Holter, Cate Le Bon, Emma Pollock, The Besnard Lakes and Awesome Tapes from Africa representing just a handful of the genres on offer. The festival site takes place on the cross-hair of mystical ley lines – and, as extra proof of the magic in the air, there’ll be 99 Welsh ales and ciders flowing freely. Even a week-long holiday won’t feel long enough.

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All Tomorrow’s Parties 2.0 curated by Drive Like Jehu *CANCELLED*

Victoria Warehouse, Manchester ( 22-24 Apr) £35 per day, £100 full weekend

METZ, photo: Jelmer de Haas

[Drive Like Jehu's ATP 2.0 weekend has been cancelled – the band have made a statement, which can be read here via Facebook]

ATP recently announced that Drive Like Jehu’s curated weekend of punk rock chaos would be held in Manchester, rather than Pontins, but the line-up remains consistently right-on. Brace up for METZ’s formidable live show and the rhythms of cult favourite Omar Souleyman, but the major slots are claimed by post-hardcore legends Drive Like Jehu (obviously), and John 'Speedo' Reis’s later bands Rocket From The Crypt and Hot Snakes. All three are reuniting for the occasion – as are The Monkeywrench (with Mudhoney's Mark Arm centre stage). Don’t miss out on a true rarity.