lowlands/benicassim

[jonzpellz]

hi, me and a group of friends are looking to go to a festival in europe this year. we have narrowed it down to benicassim in july or lowlands in august.

just wondering if anyone had any personal experiance of either to help us decide which festival

cheers

[choadus]

Did lowlands this year. Its a massive festival site with abour 9 tent stages, and lots to see and do other than music.

Good crowd of people in the festival site which stays open till 5 am most days with dance acts.

They use a token system for food and beer which soon burns money which is really annoying but theres allwas a good choice and i never queued for more than 20 seconds to get anything, even at the Alpha tent bars.

Lineup announced normally has a good range of big key acts abut some of the random ones are actually what makes it great. I chose to see a random chinese band playing on a tiny stage sunday night, rather than artic monkeys. They played mongolian folk and honnestly the whole place was jumping around by the end of it. Easilly a highlight of the festival!

Campsire 4 was v chilled out, but i've heard it varies, and theres obviously a fair few drugs around.

This festi is very near amsterdam so a few days there are well worth the treck!

Havnet been to Beni but i hear its full of Reading/Leeds festival style douche bags, so be careful.

hope this helps.

Edited December 24, 2009 by choadus

[Teamjarman]

Have been to both and i'd say it depends what you want in a festival really, both totally different experiences.

Obviously Benicassim is guaranteed the good weather (putting aside the freakish storms of this year), plenty to do during the day, beach, town etc. There is more of a party atmosphere at Beni, a lot more people on drugs and really friendly crowd barring a few pricks which you'd get at any festival, helps if you try to mingle with the spanish they are really nice people, learn a bit of spanish before you go if poss. All night festival so you can stay on the site til the sun comes up, main acts don't come on til 1am and dance tents stay open til 8am i think, there is usually a rave organised by the local gypsys somewhere near the site tho these lot do look like extras from Mad Max!. Beer and food are reasonably priced for a festival.

Lowlands is a bit more laid back, the weather can be as dodgy as British weather, a lot more younger people 16 - 20 years old, saw hardly any drug use, a Dutch guy was telling us they have really cracked down in the last few years, most people drinking coffee. Most of the action is finished by midnight with just the dance tents open, campsites fairly quiet, you can actually sleep if thats what you want, hot showers, good food

[alexmole]

hi, me and a group of friends are looking to go to a festival in europe this year. we have narrowed it down to benicassim in july or lowlands in august.

just wondering if anyone had any personal experiance of either to help us decide which festival

cheers

[Wm.!]

Lowlands, hands down. (haven't been to Beni though)

Lowlands simply is my type of festival: Why?

- Maximum laidback atmosphere, easy to get in contact.

- All stages are indoors (Even the mainstage)

- Loads of new bands to discover alongside proper headliners.

- Proper xtc and weed. ;-)

Lowlands is inspired on Glastonbury, so that kind of says it all.

Good luck with your decision.

[choadus]

yea defo reminded me of glasto :-) Good times