Something For The Weekend: What's happening where: the festival season's upon us...

Kate Moss might still look sexy knee deep in mud with crusty filth caking up her hairstyle, (cow), but when it comes to the festival season, it’s not what’s on the outside that counts. It’s being on the INSIDE that matters.

With four months of musical blowouts coming to fields and beaches far and wide, fun in the sun (hopefully) is more affordable and accessible than ever. But what’s happening where? Who’s playing which gig? Which festival would suit you best? Here’s the lowdown:

MAY

What’s happening?

The Great Escape. Brighton. May 17-19
Isle Of Skye Festival. Scotland. May 25 & 26
Dot to Dot. Nottingham & Bristol. May 26-27

Highlights:

Well, Brighton has never been one to shy away from a party. And with The Great Escape, now’s your last chance to watch leading figures in the music industry and the very best new artists from around the globe, with over 150 bands playing 20 venues, all within walking distance of each other. You’ll have to be quick though, it ends this Saturday. The Isle of Skye festival in bonnie Scotland promises musical amazement “nestled between the spectacular shoreline and the stunning vista of the imposing Cuillins Mountain range”. Let’s hope the rain holds off then. As well as an eclectic and diverse mix of the very best in contemporary, alternative, dance and traditional Celtic artists you can also see the likes of Kasabian, Primal Scream, Echo and the Bunnymen and Seth Lakeman performing over 4 programmed stages. The Dot to Dot in Nottingham and Bristol might tempt you in with a host of bands such as Fortune Drive, Findlay Brown, The Draytones, The Thermals, Sunset Cinema Club and more. It’s the first time this festival has ever been to Bristol and you need one wristband for all venues. We’re not sure how many are actually occurring in fields but what the hell, get those wellies on anyway!

JUNE

What’s happening?

Download. Donigton Park. June 8-10
Escape Into The Park. Swansea, Wales. June 16
Hyde Park Calling. London. June 23
Knowsley Hall. Liverpool. June 23-24
Wireless. London. June 14-17

Fields Of Rock.The Netherlands. June 16-17
Bilbao BBK Live. Spain. June 21, 22, 28, 29
Oeiras Alive! 07. Portugal. June 8-10
Arrowrock. The Netherlands. June 30

Highlights:

Hyde Park is definitely calling you for this one – think Crowded House, The Feeling, Aerosmith, Jet, Jason Mraz... Don’t forget the cameras. Plus, over the weekend the concert area within the park will feature performance art, festival markets and more. Hyde Park beckons again for Wireless - 4 days of live music including White Stripes, the incredible Faithless, the mighty Kaiser Chiefs and legendary duo Daft Punk. If you’re heading abroad, Fields of Rock is exactly that –a field of…well, rock! Camp out in the Netherlands and head bang the nights away to the likes of Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Motorhead and Megadeth. Oh er. Make sure you pack enough black eyeliner to last you. If Portugal’s your destination of choice, Oeiras Alive! 07 will take place in Lisbon against the gorgeous backdrop of the Tagus River. Pearl Jam will be headlining alongside Linkin Park, Blasted Mechanism,The Used, The Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan, Beastie Boys and The White Stripes

JULY

What’s happening?

Lovebox Weekender. London. July 21-22
Fflam. Swansea, Wales. July 13-15
Global Gathering. Stratford Upon Avon. July 27-28
Latitude. Suffolk. July 13-15
Song 07. Huddersfield. July 28-29
Tower Music Festival. London. June 28-July 14

Fib Heineken. Spain. July 19-22
Dour. Belgium. July 12-15
Eurockeenes De Belfort. France. June 29-July 1
Exit. Serbia. July 12-15
Summercase. Spain. July 13-14

Highlights:

For the bootie-shaking groovers amongst us Lovebox has got to be top of the list this year. The B-52’s will be shaking up Victoria Park alongside Groove Armada, Blondie, The Rapture, Super Furry Animals and Vincent, Vincent and the Villains. It’s a Londoner’s delight guys. Arcade Fire are heading up Latitude this July - returning to the sunrise coast of Suffolk for its amazing second year. Hosted once again in the breathtaking grounds of Henham Park Estate, Southwold, organisers Mean Fiddler are promising an even more spectacular event including Damien Rice, Wilco, CSS, Jarvis Cocker and a surprisingly delightful array of comedy including Dylan Moran, Alan Carr and Steve Williams. Following their Eurovision success you might just see the winners at Exit in Serbia. Highlights at this dance and music fest include Basement Jaxx, Snoop Dogg, Lauren Hill, Wu-Tang Clan, CSS and the Beastie Boys. If it’s Rufus Wainwright playing solo that prompts you to click that ‘buy’ button – you won’t want to miss him at the Summercase in Madrid, as well as New Order, Keane, Primal Scream, The Dandy Warhols and The Divine Comedy.

AUGUST

What’s happening?

The Green Man. Wales. August 16-19
Creamfields UK. Cheshire. August 25
Belladrum. Scotland. August 10-11
Cardiff Calling. Wales. August 25
Get Loaded. London. August 26
South West 4. Wales. August 26

Sziget. Hungary. August 8-15
Creamfields Andalucia. August 11.
FM4 Frequency. Austria. August 15-17
Lowlands. The Netherlands. August 17-19

Highlights:

Hosted by Brecon indie-folk duo Jo and Danny, The Green Man Festival presents skewed, leftfield folk-based acts as far from the mainstream as you can possibly get. Featuring two music stages, theatrical performances, literature readings and a full programme of arty short films, if chilling out and resting your eyes on beautiful scenery floats your boat, then The Green Man is definitely the one for you. Alternatively London’s definitive indie-dance festival Get Loaded in the Park swaggers back into town on Bank Holiday Sunday 26th August 2007 for a 4th rock n’ roll year of live music, DJs & festival fun - on home turf Clapham Common. Hungary’s got it sorted with Sziget – it’s the place to catch The Killers, and Austria’s FM4 Frequency promises Nine Inch Nails, Interpol, Snow Patrol, Jimmy Eat World, Tool, and the Kaiser Chiefs. If Indie does your head in, dance on down to Creamfields in Andalucia, wearing all the neon spandex you can fit into your overnight bag. The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx and John Digweed await, and so do over 35,000 people!