Now Hear This…Festival Express

Pink Mafia is 100% committed to bringing you the very best in new music and the most exclusive interviews, but what we really live for are those months between March and September when we get so close we can taste the sweat to bring you in-depth festival coverage.

While our own gem of a country has its fair share of renowned festivals, PinkMafia is looking to broaden your horizons and help guide you to the awesomeness that awaits you in this big, beautiful world. Our festival guide will help you find the very best in rock, hip hop, electronic and even metal, whether you wish to stay local, cross the boarder, or skip across the pond.

Since it’s still early in the year most festivals have only released a few headliners (like The Stone Roses who are trying to break the record for most festivals headlined in a single year) to bait potential goers. No problem! Check out the previous line-ups to gauge if they typically book artists you’re in to. I would also highly recommend adding Festival Outlook (via Consequence of Sound) to your “favourites” for the most exclusive breaking news and updates on the World Wide Web.

C A N A D A

Slacker Canadian Music Week
Where: Toronto, ON
When: Mar 21st-25th
Artists: Slash, The Temper Trap, Passion Pit, The Apache Relay
Official Website: http://www.cmw.net/

North by Northeast
Where: Toronto, ON
When: June 11th-17th
Artists: TBA – last year featured The Dodos, J. Mascis, Middle Brother, Dawes
Official Website: http://nxne.com/

Sled Island
Where: Calgary, AB
When: June 20th-23rd
Artists: Feist, The Hold Steady, Andrew W.K., Grimes

Official Website: http://sledisland.com/

S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival
Where: St. Catharines, ON
When: June 24th
Artists: TBA – last year features Cancer Bats, Dead and Devine, The Flatliners, USS,
Official Website: http://scenemusicfestival.com/

RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest (the festival formerly known as Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest)
Where: Ottawa, Canada
When: July 4th-15th
Artists: TBA – last year featured The Flaming Lips, Rise Against, Metric, Yukon Blond
Official Website: http://www.ottawabluesfest.ca/

Edgefest
Where: Toronto, ON
When: July 14th
Artists: Death From Above 1979, Young the Giant, Library Voices, Hacienda, Indian Handcrafts, The Coppertone
Official Website: http://www.edge.ca/concertsandevents/edgefest.aspx

Hillside Music Festival
Where: Guelph Island, ON
When: July 27th-29th
Artists: TBA – last year festured Shad, Rural Alberta Advantage, Dan Mangan, Sweet Thing, Hollerado
Official Website: http://hillsidefestival.ca/#/home/

Osheaga Festival
Where: Montreal, QC
When: Aug 3rd-5th
Artists: TBA – last year featured Elvis Costello, Death Cab For Cutie, City and Colour, Bright Eyes
Official Website: http://www.osheaga.com/en

Heavy MTL + Heavy T.O
Where: Montreal, QC
When: Aug 11-12th
Artists: TBA – last year featured Kiss, Motorhead, Billy Talent, Godsmack, Rob Zombie, Slayer
Official Website: http://www.heavymtl.com/fr/ and http://www.heavyto.com/

Other Festivals Of Note:
Pride Toronto: June 22nd-July 1st
Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto: July 10th-Aug 6th
Pop Montreal: Sept 19th-23rd
Halifax Pop Explosion: Oct 16th-20th
M For Montreal: Nov 14th-17th

U S A

Noise Pop
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: Feb 21st-26th
Artists: The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, Sleigh Bells, Archers of Loaf
Official Website: http://2012.noisepop.com/

South by Southwest
Where: Austin, TX
When: Mar 13th–18th
Artists: Chairlift, The Apache Relay, Veronica Falls, Friends, Tennis, YATCH, Zola Jesus
Official Website: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/

Coachella
Where: Indio, California
When: April 13th-15th and April 20th-22nd
Artists: The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
Official Website: http://www.coachella.com/

Austin Psych Fest
Where: Austin, TX
When: Apr 27th-29th
Artists: Brian Jonestown Massacre, Black Angles, The Black Lips, Woods
Official Website: http://www.austinpsychfest.com/

Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Fest (Curated by The National)
Where: Brooklyn, New York
When: May 3-5th
Artists: The Walkmen, Beirut, Sharon Van Etten, Twin Shadow, The Antlers, St. Vincent, Atlas Sound
Official Website: http://crossingbrooklynferry.com/

The Bamboozle
Where: Asbury Park, New Jersey
When: May 18th-20th
Artists: Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Skrillex, Blink 182
Official Website: http://2012.thebamboozle.com/

Hangout Music Festival
Where: Gulf Shores, Alabama
When: May 18th-20th
Artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack White, Wilco, The String Cheese Incident
Official Website: http://lineup.hangoutmusicfest.com/

Sasquatch! Music Festival
Where: George, WA
When: May 25th-28th
Artists: Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Pretty Lights, Girl Talk
Official Website: http://sasquatchfestival.com/

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Where: Manchester, TN
When: June 7th-10th
Artists: Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, The Beach Boys, The Avett Brothers
Official Website: http://lineup.bonnaroo.com/

The Governors Ball Music Festival
Where: Randall’s Island, New York
When: June 23-24th
Artists: Beck, Passion Pit, Modest Mouse, Duck Sauce, Fiona Apple
Official Website: http://governorsballmusicfestival.com/

Camp Bisco 11
Where: Mariaville, New York
When: July 12th-14th
Artists: The Disco Biscuits host again, lineup TBA – last year featured LCD Soundsystem; Cut Copy, Wiz Khalifa
Official Website: http://www.campbisco.net/

Lollapalooza
Where: Chicago, IL
When: Aug 3rd–5th
Artists: TBA – last year featured Eminem, Coldplay, Muse, My Morning Jacket
Official Website: http://www.lollapalooza.com/

Other Festivals Of Note:
**SOLD OUT** Ultra Music Festival: Mar 20th-25th
Forecastle Festival: July 13th-15th
Pitchfork Music Festival: July 13th-15th
Outside Lands Music Festival: Summer 2012
CMJ Music Marathon: Oct 16th-20th

E U R O P E

The Great Escape
Where: Brighton, UK
When: May 10th-12th
Artists: Friends, Grimes, We Are The Ocean, Com Truise, The Darcys
Official Website: http://escapegreat.com/

Pinkpop Festival
Where: Landgraaf, Netherlands
When: May 26th -28th
Artists: The Cure, Bruce Springsteen, Mumford & Sons
Official Website: http://www.pinkpop.nl/2012/

San Miguel Primavera Sound
Where: Barcelona, Spain
When: May 30th – June 3rd
Artists: Björk, Jeff Mangum, Franz Ferdinand, Yo La Tengo, Girls
Official Website: http://www.sanmiguelprimaverasound.es/cartel

Open’er Festival
Where: Gdynia, Poland
When: July 4th-7th
Artists: Björk, Franz Ferdinand, Justice
Official Website: http://www.opener.pl/en

T in the Park
Where: Balado, Kinross-shire, Scotland
When: July 6th-8th
Artists: The Stone Roses
Official Website: http://www.tinthepark.com/content/

Roskilde Festival
Where: Roskilde, Denmark
When: July 5th-8th
Artists: Bruce Springsteen, Wiz Khalifa, Bon Iver, Björk
Official Website: http://roskilde-festival.dk/

Sziget
Where: Budapest, Hungary
When: Aug 6th-13th
Artists: The Stone Roses, Friendly Fires, Crystal Fighters
Official Website: http://www.sziget.hu/festival_english/-press/performers_2012

Øya Festival
Where: Oslo, Norway
When: Aug 7th-11th
Artists: Refused, The Stone Roses, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires
Official Website: http://oyafestivalen.com/

Reading + Leads Music Festival
Where: Reading and Leads, England
When: Aug 24th-26th
Artists: Foo Fighters, Green Day, The Prodigy
Official Website: http://www.readingfestival.com/ and http://www.leedsfestival.com/

Bestival
Where: Robin Hill Country Park, The Isle of Wight
When: Sept 6th-9th
Artists: New Order, Sigur Ros, Friendly Fires, Justice, Two Door Cinema Club
Official Website: http://www.bestival.net/

Other Festivals Of Note:
The Isle of Wight Festival: June 22-24th
INmusic Festival: June 29th-30th
The Festival Internacional de Benicàssim: July 12th-15th
Exit Festival: July 12-15th
Pukkelpop: Aug 16th -18th

S O U T H  A M E R I C A

Lollapalooza Chile
Where: Santiago, Chile
When: Mar 31st – April 1st
Artists: Foo Fighters, Arctic Moneys, MGMT, Skrillex
Official Website: http://lineup.lollapaloozacl.com/

Sónar
Where: Sâo Paulo, Brazil
When: May 11th-12th
Artists: Justice, Bjork, James Blake
Official Website: http://www.sonarsaopaulo.com.br/en/what-is-sonar.html

A S I A

Fuji Rock Festival
Where: Niigata, Japan
When: July 27th-29th
Artists: Radiohead, The Stone Roses
Official Website: http://www.smash-uk.com/frf12/

*Headlining photo from CBC Radio 3, taken by Stephanie Keating