There are tons of festivals all over Europe. Small, mid-sized and major festival. With local and with international acts. With electronic music, rock, pop and metal. It gets harder and harder to stay informed what’s going on in the festival landscape. And even more it gets harder and harder to decide for one of the many festivals.
That you won’t get lost this year NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION put up a list of Europe’s best festivals 2014. If you like cozy atmospheres with music loving people, who visit festivals because of the music and not because of the massive party then this is for you. If you just like to get amazingly drunk and are not interested in the music then this won’t be interesting for you, because then you should rather aim for major festivals, a club or a bar.
On the following pages you can find Europe’s best small festivals of 2014. Enjoy!
B.my.Lake Festival
Hungary’s electronic music festival B.my.Lake got awarded as Best New Festival at the European Festival Awards earlier this year. Definitely reason enough to take a closer look at the Hungarian Festival that serves as the official after party of Sziget Festival. When Sziget ends on August 18th, B.my.Lake will start with tons of amazing electronic music artists and DJs. If you’ll be at Sziget and need a massive after party, or if you are into electronic music: B.my.Lake should be your first choice.
B.my.Lake Line-Up 2014
Phase 1
AGORIA, ALAN FITZPATRICK, ÂME, BEN KLOCK, BETA, BILL PATRICK, BUDAI, CHRIS.SU, CYBERPUNKERS, DARIUS SYROSSIAN, DERRICK MAY, DINKY, DIXON, DJ TENNIS, DJ W!LD, dOP, DUBLIC, FIREDOG, GABOR KRAFT, GREGOR TRESHER, HEARTTHROB, HENRIK SCHWARZ, KOLLEKTIV TURMSTRASSE, LAURA JONES, LEVON VINCENT, MARCEL DETTMANN, MARK REEVE, MATHEW JONSON (LIVE), MATHIAS KADEN, MICHAL BREETH, MY FAVORITE ROBOT, OLIVER SCHORIES, PALOTAI, PILLOWTALK, POLI, REDSHAPE, SANFRANCISCOBEAT, SCUBA, SECRET FACTORY, SIS, STIMMING, THE MAGICIAN, TIEFSCHWARZ/ALI, TUBE&BERGER, UTO KAREM
Phase 2
ANDRAS TOTH, ANDREY PUSHKAREV, ANDRO, BERNATHY ZSIGA (LIVE), CHRISS RONSON, CROSSNINETROLL, DANNY AVILA, ELLEN ALLIEN, GAISER, GUI BORATTO, HOT SINCE 82, HOT X, JAY LUMEN, KARANYI, MAGDA, MODESTEP DJ SET, NORA NAUGHTY, NINA KRAVIZ, SASHA CARASSI, SICK INDIVIDUALS, SIKZTAH, SINKO, SPILERZ, STEPHAN BODZIN, STEREOKILLAZ, TALE OF US, WONDAWULF
Phase 3
not announced by now. Coming soon!
B.my.Lake Info
Date: August 18-21 2014
Location: Balatonvilágos, Club Aliga Beach
Homepage: bmylake.hu
Denovali Swingfest
The experimental music festival Denovali Swingfest is not just a festival, it is way more than that. Over the years Denovali Records, the record label which promotes the Swingfest, grew to one of the most important and famous ones in the field of experimental music. No matter if CARLOS CIPA (classical music) CELESTE (black metal), electronic music artist GREG HAINES (electronic music) and DALE COOPER QUARTET AND THE DICTAPHONES (dark jazz): they all are signed to Denovali Records. Since years the label has its own yearly event, the Denovali Swingfest in the label’s hometown Essen, Germany. Like last year, also the year 2014 will see the Festival in London, UK and Berlin, Germany. So there is not just one, but three Swingfests. A must-visit for everyone who is into experimental music.
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Denovali Swingfest London
Line-Up
ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF, THE HAXAN CLOAK, HIDDEN ORCHESTRA + LUMEN, JOHN LEMKE, ORIGAMBIRO, PETRELS, PIANO INTERRUPTED, PORTER RICKS, THOMAS KÖNER, ULRICH SCHNAUSS + NAT URAZMETOVA, WITXES
Date: April 18-19 2014
Location: Village Underground (Friday) & Cafe Oto (Saturday)
Homepage: denovali.com/swingfest/london/[/one_third]
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Denovali Swingfest Berlin
Line-Up
BRANDT BRAUER FRICK LIVE, GREG HAINES, HIDDEN ORCHESTRA + LUMEN, JOHN LEMKE, MURCOF, ONEOTHRIX POINT NEVER, ORIGAMBIRO, PIANO INTERRUPTED, SKALPEL, TALVIHORROS
Date: April 25-26 2014
Location: Radialsystem V
Homepage: denovali.com/swingfest/berlin/
Denovali Swingfest Berlin is presented by NBHAP
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Denovali Swingfest Essen
Line-Up
not announced by now
Date: October 02-05 2014
Location: Weststadt Halle
Homepage: denovali.com/swingfest/essen/[/one_third]
Dimensions Festival
Croatia has one of the best underground electronic music festivals on earth: Dimensions Festival. In 2012 is saw his birth and quickly gathered critical acclaim for having the most forward thinking underground electronic music line-up around. Dimensions is held at Fort Punta Christo, perhaps one of the most amazing festival locations ever, and has a higher technical specification of sound systems than most other festivals of its size. The perfect place to enjoy the deep end of electronica, the finest in techno, house, deep dubstep, drum & bass and other electronic sounds.
Chilled beats playing during the daytime beach sessions to relax and rejuvenate, daily boat parties taking off from the harbor and of course nightly parties.
Dimensions Festival Line-Up 2014
CARIBOU, DARKSIDE, ROY AYERS, JON HOPKINS, MOODYMANN, THEO PARRISH, JUAN ATKINS & MORITZ VON OSWALD PRESENT BORDERLAND, UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE PRESENT TIMELINE (LIVE), GILLES PETERSON, METRO AREA (LIVE), NINA KRAVIZ, FLOATING POINTS, OMAR, MALA (LIVE), KODE 9, TIKIMAN (LIVE) & SCION, ANTHONY “SHAKE” SHAKIR, KARIZMA, GOLDIE, BEN UFO, MOVE D, MOTOR CITY DRUM ENSEMBLE, ROMAN FLUGEL, BLAWAN, PEARSON SOUND, DBRIDGE, FATIMA & THE EGLO BAND, DJ STINGRAY, BATHS, KAYTRANADA, VAKULA, LAUREL HALO, JESSY LANZA, VATICAN SHADOW, AUX 88 (LIVE), FRED P, EBO TAYLOR, ANDREW ASHONG, FUNKINEVEN, KARENN (LIVE), PANGAEA, RON MORELLI, COOLY G, ALEX BOMAN, Ø (PHASE), OM UNIT, JOHN WIZARDS, SAN SODA, NILS FRAHM, KWABS, ALEXANDER NUT, UNDERGROUND PARIS (MY LOVE IS UNDERGROUND), BRAWTHER (MLIU/DUNGEON MEAT), ITALOJOHNSON, ANTHONY NAPLES, SVENGALISGHOST, WHITE MATERIAL, IRATION STEPPAS, MUNGO’S HIFI, ALIX PEREZ, DJ TLR, LENZMAN, ELIPHINO, DAMIANO VON ERCKERT, LEIF, MARQUIS HAWKES, CUT HANDS, AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA, JUBEI, SKEPTICAL, ULTERIOR MOTIVE, MC GQ, SP: MC, TALL BLACK GUY, SEVEN DAVIS JNR, OPOLOPO, MR BEATNICK, JOSEY REBELLE, EXODUS, NIGHTOWL, THRIS TIAN, JAY SIMON, DOLAN BERGIN, DAN SHAKE, TOM SMITH, GILLA AND DAVID MARTIN
Dimensions Festival Info
Date: August 28th – September 1st 2014
Location: Pula, Croatia
Homepage: dimensionsfestival.com
Dunk!Festival
Every lover of instrumental and post-rock music should be in Zottegem, Belgum from April 18–20 to attend Dunk!Festival. This year the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary and brings three days of great music that can be enjoyed with passionate music lovers from pretty much all over the world. The festival and its crowd is even more atmospheric as the festival’s music. Perfect festival!
Dunk!Festival Line-Up 2014
AESTHESYS, AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR, ALIAS EMPIRE, ALRIGHT THE CAPTAIN, ARMS AND SLEEPERS, THE BEST PESSIMIST, EF, EXXASENS, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT, HALO OF PENDOR, INDIEGNU, INDUSTROIKA, KERRETTA, LE SEUL ÉLEMENT, LOST IN KIEV, LYMBYC SYSTYM, MANNHEIM, MARIUS, MOTEK, NADJA, THE SEVEN MILE JOURNEY, SLEEPMAKESWAVES, STEAK NUMBER EIGHT, SYBERIA, THISQUIETARMY, TIDES FROM NEBULA, UPCDOWNC, UFOMAMMUT, YEAR OF NO LIGHT, ZERO ABSOLU
Dunk!Festival Info
Date: April 18-20
Location: Zottegem, Belgium
Homepage: dunkfestival.be
Dunk!Festival 2014 is presented by NBHAP
FUSION Festival
Romania’s FUSION Festival should not be confused with Germany’s Fusion Festival. The Romanian FUSION was named best small festival at the European Festival Awards earlier this year. And the best small festival should definitely be on our list, right? Especially because FUSION is distinguished by its laser and 3D projections and acrobatics, with the motto ‘See the Music’. FUSION Festival is a multimedia show held in a natural setting. An electronic dance music event featuring large scale visual effects, lasers, projections, architectural lighting, pyrotechnics, and dance performances, realizing a multimedia show unique in Romania. Let’s travel to Transylvania to see music, hear the nature and feel the light!
Fusion Festival Line-Up 2014
No announcements so far. FUSION is not about the line-up. It’s about the experience.
Fusion Festival Info
Date: July 11-12 2014
Location: Sibiu, Romania
Homepage: fusionfestival.ro
Haldern Pop Festival
Haldern Pop Festival started in 1984 and goes into it’s 31st round this year. With a capacity of only 5.000 visitors the festival is a familiar and beautiful one. A festival that could be way bigger, but decided years ago to stay small. So it is mostly sold-out within a very short time after the ticket pre-sale started. A must-visit festival for every real lover of indie music. At Haldern Pop Festival you have the chance to see discover new artists, and see well-known ones in a familiar atmosphere at the same time.
Haldern Pop Line-Up 2014
ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD, AUGUSTINES, BENJAMIN CLEMENTINE, BERNHOFT, BLACK LIPS, BOY & BEAR, CHAMPS, CHARITY CHILDREN, CHET FAKER, CONNAN MOCKASIN, ENNO BUNGER, EWERT AND THE TWO DRAGONS, FINK, FIRST AID KIT, GEORGE EZRA, HOZIER, KWABS, MARIAM THE BELIEVER, PATTI SMITH, ROYAL BLOOD, RY X, SAM SMITH, SUN KILL MOON, TOM THE LION, TRAMPLED BY TURTLES
Haldern Pop Festival Info
Date: August 7-9 2014
Location: Haldern, Germany
Homepage: haldernpop.com
Iceland Airwaves Festival
Iceland Airwaves Festival might be one of the most special European festivals. The annual event takes place in the very North of Europe: Iceland. Since the festival’s first edition in 1999, Iceland Airwaves has become one of the premier annual showcases for new music – no matter if Icelandic and otherwise. Some of the world’s most exciting artists have performed there: THE SHINS, THE RAPTURE, TV ON THE RADIO, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, KLAXONS, HOT CHIP, FLAMING LIPS, WOLF PARADE, BLOC PARTY amd FATBOY SLIM – and of course Icelandic acts like BJÖRK, SIGUR RÓS, FM BELFAST, GUSGUS, MÚM, OF MONSTERS AND MEN and SEABEAR. When the live sets are over the party goes on, with tons of dj sets.
But Icelance Airwaves is way more than music. Reykjavík might be the most perfect festival city on earth – it is small enough to be welcoming and sophisticated enough to offer cultural. Historical and nightlife diversions to rival cities. Not to speak of the fact that Reykjavik is surrounded by some of the most unique and astonishing natural beauty ever. You have to be there, at least once in a lifetime!
Iceland Airwaves Festival Line-Up 2014
ARNI2, BALLETT SCHOOL, BERNDSEN, BLAENAVON, CELL7, DÍSA, EAST INDIA YOUTH, FURA, FUTUREGRAPHER, GOOD MOON DEER, GRÍSALAPPALÍSA, HERMIGERVILL, HIGHLANDS, INTROBEATS, JAAKKO EINO KALEVI, JOHN WIZARDS, JUNGLE, JUST ANOTHER SNAKE CULT, KLANGKARUSSEL, LA FEMME, MAMMÚT, MUCK, NOLO, PINS, SAMARIS, SNORRI HELGASON, THE FLAMING LIPS, THE VINTAGE CARAVAN, TINY RUINS, TOMAS BARFOD, TONIK, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA, VÖK
Iceland Airwaves Festival Info
Date: November 5-9 2014
Location: Rejkavik, Iceland
Homepage: icelandairwaves.is
Immergut Festival
Some festivals already hint a certain quality within their name. Immergut translated means ‘always good’ and that’s basically the credo and very own being of this German festival in Neustrelitz. It’s one of the constants when it comes to atmospheric and lovable indie music festivals that aren’t out for the biggest crowed, the most expensive headliner and everything else. It’s about the music, a unique and familial mood throughout the whole weekend. Immergut Festival is a classic and it has it’s own tradition, far away from the masses on giant festivals. Or rather, yes it is exactly this small and lovely festival, that you can visit with your friends without getting lost after a 30 minutes walk from one stage to another.
It’s also always one of the first festivals of the year and so it is the perfect start for everyone who likes to begin the open air season a bit more relaxed. Based in a green landscape, surrounded by fields, woods and tiny lakes you can already sense the close bounding to nature. Even the camping area lays on a sandy ground between pines, and the stages are build in front of giant trees, which gave a really special setting for all the artists. Small and funny pieces of installation art around the stages invites you to take a walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. And if you aren’t satisfied by the special acts, Immergut Festival‘s own soccer championship (called Immergutzocken), you can still dance into the night with the dj-sets in the tent.
Immergut Festival Line-Up 2014
CLOUD NOTHINGS, DIE! DIE! DIE!, FEINE SAHNE FISCHFILET, FELIX SCHARLAU, FM BELFAST, FUTURE ISLANDS, HUNDREDS, JUDITH HOLOFERNES, JUSTUS KÖHNCKE, LUCY ROSE, MOZES AND THE FIRSTBORN, OUM SHATT, RAH RAH, REAL ESTATE, SLUT, SVEN REGENER
Immergut Festival Info
Date: May 30-31 2014
Location: Neustrelitz, Germany
Homepage: immergutrocken.de
Immergut Festival 2014 is presented by NBHAP
Indiependence Festival
Indiependence Festival is a music and arts festival based in Mitchelstown, Cork, Ireland. A festival that is all about fun atmosphere and having a great time. The line-up consists of some of Ireland’s best live acts mixed with international acts. Indiependence Festival is an independent festival weekender with five stages and a capacity of 5.000 people. Sounds fun, right? It is!
Indiependence Festival states:
INDIEPENDENCE Music & Arts Festival strives to make you the most important person at the event. At the end of the day, we want you to have the weekend of your lives!
Indiependence Festival Line-Up 2014
THE ACADEMIC, CHLOE HOWL, DAMIEN DEMPSEY, DAVID HOLMES DJ SET, DEEP SHIT, DELORENTOS, FUN LOVIN CRIMINALS, FYFE, HORSE MEAT DISCO, JACQUES RENAULT, LISA O’NEILL, ORLA GARTLAND, PUBLIC ENEMY, SCROOBIUS PIP VS DAN LE SAC, THE SULTANS OF PING, TOM ODELL, WALKING ON CARS, WE CUT CORNERS, WHITE LIES
Indiependence Festival Info
Date: August 1-3 2014
Location: Mitchelstown, Cork, Ireland
Homepage: indiependencefestival.com
Festival Pantiero
France’s Festival Pantiero brings the alternative sound for indie minded people. With a rich and broad line up, the festival is dedicated to emerging contemporary music and the best internation acts in the fields of electronic music, indie rock, hip-hop, techno, groove, trip-hop and jungle. And if you ever have been in Cannes or the area around then you know that the area is worth a visit for itself. Definitely a place you should visit once in your life. So why not combining it with a great festival visit? It’ll be worth it. Promised!
Festival Pantiero Line-Up 2014
BONOBO, BRETON, COMING SOON, FACTORY FLOOR, ISAAC DELUSION, ORGASMIC & FUZATI, WOODKID
Festival Pantiero Info
Date: July 8-10 2014
Location: Cannes, France
Homepage: festivalpantiero.com
Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka
Back in 2006 the promoters of Poland’s Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka had the idea of putting together their very own music festival. ‘Honestly speaking the idea behind it was very simple from the very start. We wanted to show the Polish public (at that time only them) what’s according to our choice and taste the most interesting and valuable in the world of jazz, nu-jazz, electronics and dance music. Our goal was to seek out and showcase genders and artists which were not, at that time, present in the polish media and public knowledge of the listeners. Our dream was to create an event which would attract audience from the whole Poland and maybe the entire Europe. The name Nowa Muzyka (New Music) became a byword for what we’ve set out to achieve.’
Over the last six Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka became Poland’s probably most important small festival in the field of electronic music, and promising upcomers. The aim is to showcase artists that incorporate in their music the new, fresh and avant-garde ideas and influences and have the power to reach and inspire a huge audience.
Furthermore Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka has become the first and only outdoor festival in a post industrial surrounding of a closed down coal mine with its entire infrastructure pretty much intact and available for all visitors. Contemporary music gets combined with architectural heritage of Katowice’s location as well as the entire Upper Silesian Region. In 2010 Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka was named ‘Best Small European Festival’ and was awarded with a European Festival Award. Sounds great, right? It is.
Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka Line-Up 2014
BEN UFO, BOKKA, CHET FAKER, COOLY G, DIXON, ELEKFANTZ, GONJASUFI, IKONIKA, JACKON AND HIS COMPUTERBAND, JAGA JAZZIST & AUKSO, KELELA, KODE9, LAUREL HALO, MOUSE ON MARS, NOZINJA (SHANGAAN ELECTRO), SCRATCHA DVA, SORRY BOYS, TERRANOVA, WHOMADEWHO
Tauron Festiwal Nowa Muzyka Info
Date: August 21-24 2014
Location: Katowice, Poland
Homepage: festiwalnowamuzyka.pl