Singing in the rain

Hosted in the heartland of America, Bonnaroo has become the darling of the rock and blues festival circuit, with a reputation for pairing musical legends with some of the industry’s younger heavyweights. Aside from selling out in 2007, the festival saw The Police reunite and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame rocking out with young bloods Ben Harper and bluegrass band Uncle Earl. Offering a funky repertoire of fun attractions in cabaret, cinema, yoga, and a jam tent for kids, Bonnaroo pushes the envelope with quirky features such as the Silent Disco (where people dance to their own tunes on headphones), a karaoke hot spot for self-styled prima donnas, and a Brewer’s Festival for hops and ale enthusiasts.

2008 highlights: Pearl Jam, Metallica, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Willie Nelson, B.B. King and DJ Tiesto.

Tickets: From $209 (around Rs8,000) for a four-day advance weekend, camping and parking pass.

Glastonbury is the grandaddy of festivals and essentially a heady mix of camping, music, installation art, spiritual musings and avant-garde performances, all in the name of peaceful and charitable causes such as Oxfam and Greenpeace. With a reputation for rain, mud and flower power, Glasto attracts music lovers of all ages, including hippie-chic regulars such as Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. The 900-acre farm, with six stages, has hosted biggies such as Coldplay, Oasis and Radiohead, and has witnessed some particularly memorable performances from legends such as David Bowie, Shirley Bassey, Traffic and Jeff Buckley. Those requiring more of a reason than the music can look forward to smaller circus, theatre and comedy acts, including a new attraction called the ‘Shangri-La Field’, which will include free parties, DJ sets, a secret garden and hoe-downs.

2008 highlights: The Verve, Fatboy Slim, Massive Attack, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen and Groove Armada.

Tickets: From £155 (around Rs12,000) per person.