Festi-gasm

With most of us resigned to failure in the next few weeks academically and socially, we all look to the 'summer' ahead as a 7 week holiday filled with intoxication, camping, nights out, sex, more intoxication you name it! What comes with summer is one of it's best attributes and that is festivals. All of the list above plus more and not returning being a very large possibility but we love it. So, I'm going to write shit about my chosen four. 

DOWNLOAD 2012

Where else to start than the most famous rock festival on the planet and the place where I shall be spending 5 days in less than 4 weeks (this shit just got real). With it's nearest rival Sonisphere's more classic rock line-up of the likes of Queen and KISS all being in vain as...well...nobody bought tickets it was cancelled. Download is set to sell out yet again and in it's 10th year everybody can see why I mean have you seen the line-up? Friday includes While She Sleeps, Gallows with new front man Wade McNeil formally of Alexisonfire, Slash and the headliners on the main stage blow a Friday night spent up paps out the water. Chase & Status start things off before The Prodigy finish the night, many argue they shouldn't be headlining or even there but the festival is simply branching out and creating an even bigger party atmosphere, will be some night of 'smacking bitches up' and starting fires and so on. It's really difficult to really explain how good Saturday looks...Fozzy, Halestorm, Lower Than Atlantis, Kids In Glass Houses, You Me At Six (headlining the 2nd stage), Black Veil Brides. Now, if anyone can name a better headlining 3 on one night than Tenacious D, Biffy Clyro and Metallica please say because you will be defeated no doubt about that. Best night of the festival on paper anyway and arguably the best out of every night at any festival this summer. Sunday closes the weekend with bands such as August Burns Red, We Are The Ocean, Soundgarden and Ozzy (minus that wee Sharon, how did she even manage to achieve fame of any sort?) with Black Sabbath. Overall, a very sexy looking festival and line-up and making it back in one piece will be a personal achievement for myself. 

ROCKNESS 2012

The, if not the most, underrated festival in the UK. Always manage to catch highlights of it and always looks a brilliant weekend at a great location with a solid line-up every year. However, this year I think the line-up beats all previous ones at that. Headliners being Mumford & Sons and Ed Sheeran for the Friday night which is a very impressive opening night with Noah & The Whale being just under the headliners, a band who I feel should be headlining but just shows the quality when they aren't I guess. DeadMau5 and Justice on the Saturday night will be immense for those attending and also Annie Mac DJ set is a very good booking. Saving the best for last I believe with Biffy Clyro and Friendly Fires headlining the Sunday night. With others just announced including Pigeon Detectives and Tim Minchen doing his thing over the weekend I'm gutted it's actually the same weekend as Download and everyone who is attending...should sleep on the beach. 

T In The Park 2012

How could I forget T? For 3 days Balado transforms into a land of teenagers let out cages, dudes losing their hands and acts always thinking their in Edinburgh. Anyway, with the Olympics pretty much ruining the good English folks musical enjoyment taking away their 'big' festival, T has done well to pounce and this line-up really is the 'elite'. Just looking at it widens the old eye sockets. Snow Patrol, The Stone Roses, Kasabian all headlining is very good itself nevermind the likes of Skrillex, Calvin Harris, Example, Two Door Cinema Club etc etc etc all included. With it set to sell out yet again just like every other year it is set to deliver the goods just the same but like us all...it's the pictures this year we all keep an eye out for eh?

Reading & Leeds 2012

Also pouncing from the Olympic damage but from a whole other perspective. The best R&L line-up I've seen like many other festivals it appears this year. Paramore making a return to the UK after an extended break from writing their new album is a particular high for all attending and with Foo Fighters closing the show on the Sunday with Enter Shikari, The Vaccines, You Me At Six, Bombay Bicycle Club, Deaf Havana and so many more all thrown in between I think when summer finally leaves us for another year I think this will be the festival everyone will be talking about come September when all the rain returns and hits us like a car going over 30mph. 

DM.