Pinkpop

Coldplay, Elbow, Lifehouse (Jun 11), Kings Of Leon, White Lies, Wolfmother (Jun 12), Foo Fighters, Kaiser Chiefs, Volbeat (Jun 13) Forty-two years in and still going strong, the 60,000 capacity Pinkpop fest is Holland's biggest music event and as always the bill is packed with a stellar blend of mainstream pop and rock, and a clutch of smaller acts. Plus the Dutch are super nice and their English is impeccable so that always helps. Good pancakes too, which make the sleek hook-filled, nu-metal and classic, riff-stacked rock of FF even sweeter and the sensitive indie rock of Chris Martin and co all the more tolerable.