Festival 2010
The UK and Europe are a-wash with some of the world's best festivals, so why stick to your mainstream festivals like Glastonbury and Reading when there's a whole world of festivity to be exploring?
2010 is really a time for you to get back in touch with nature and be at one with the earth, pack up your tent with last years scribblings on it, grab your wellies and head off to the pick of the festivals we have lined up for you below:
ATP
You expect good things from a festival named after a Velvet Underground song, All Tomorrow's Parties was founded purely as an alternative to the mainstream, more corporate festivals like Glastonbury and Reading.
The festival is curated by different artists - the artist invites their favourite performers to play at the festival - allowing us ordinary music lovers to dip into the curator's 'record collection'. The festival has now expanded to New York and will be playing three weekends this year.
7-9 May at the Butlins site will be curated by The Simpsons legend Matt Groaning, the next weekend at the same site will be curated by Pavement.
If you fancy an excuse to blow all your wages on a trip to NYC then, 3-5 May will see the event being hosted in New York with appearances from Iggy and The Stooges and The Scientists.
Latitude
The baby of all festivals, Latitiude was a festival thought up by the company who also run the Reading and Leeds festivals, in 2006.
It has been compared to the more continental European festivals as it comprises art, comedy, cabaret, poetry, politics and dance. The fifth edition of the festival will take place between 15th and18th July at Henham Park in Southwold.
The line up for this year has not yet been announced but for a general idea of the bands that Latitude favour - previous perfomers have been: Sigur Rós, Nada Surf, Interpol and Death Cab For Cutie
Electric picnic
Brilliantly named, Electric Picnic does as it says on the tin, hosts a weekend of electric bands whilst you frolic in the fields. It is an arts and music festival that has been staged since 2004 in the Republic of Ireland, described as Ireland's very own version of Glastonbury. It began just as a one day event but quickly expanded into a weekend long adventure. Early bird tickets went on sale on 4th December 2009, make sure you get tickets fast because each year the event has sold out faster as it's popularity rises.
Bands that have played previously include, Kraftwerk, Nick Cave, Sonic Youth, New Order, Beastie Boys, The Stooges and The Chemical Brothers.
Benicassim
If you're struggling to choose between a beach holiday and a festival over your summer break, you may have just found the answers to your prayers.
What could be better than turning up to see all your favourite indie tykes, sleeping on a beach and catching some sun rays at the same time? Just make sure you take your sun cream! Bands also start later on in the day, around 5pm-8pm, giving you more time to sleep off your hangover.
Spain's annual music festival is held in the port town of Benicassim, and takes place this year between the 15th and 18th July. Tickets and flights tend to not be much above your standard Leeds or Glastonbury ticket, maybe Spain hasn't cottoned onto the rising population of the music festival and the potential money to be made!
Female First
Jennifer Dixon