Spotify might accompany on your daily commute, but every music lover knows that no recorded sound can compare with a live performance. Whether your tune of choice is by Beethoven or the Bombay Bicycle Club, we have rounded up the best concerts and festivals for the year ahead. Grab tickets whilst you can, book a train or a plane, and get ready for your summer of music.
What: Europakonzert classical music concert
Where: Georgia
When: 1 May, 2024
Europakonzert
The Europakonzert is the biggest event in the Berliner Philharmoniker’s calendar. For more than 30 years this annual classical music concert has toured across the continent, and in 2024 it is coming to Georgia for the very first time. Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili, the orchestra’s Artist-in-Residence for the 2023/24 season, will be performing Johannes Brahms’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The programme also includes Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Partner Silk Hospitality is hosting the Europakonzert not in a city concert hall but in the amphitheatre at the historic Tsinandali Estate, one of the country’s leading arts venues. Conveniently for concert goers who enjoy the finer things in life, Tsinandali is also a regional hub for wine tourism.
Fly: Turkish Airlines to Tbilisi via Istanbul.
Stay: Tsinandali Estate, a Radisson Collection Hotel
—
What: Cheltenham Jazz Festival
Where: Cheltenham, England
When: 1-6 May, 2024
A trip to Cheltenham is a pleasure at any time of the year, but the Georgian spa town is particularly buzzing during Cheltenham Jazz Festival when 20,000 music fans descend on Montpellier Gardens over the week. This year Gregory Porter, the festival’s Artistic Curator, will be headlining, and other acts not to miss include Dionne Warwick, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, Morcheeba, and Courtney Pine. It’s also a chance to hear up and coming jazz artists, such as the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), as the festival has an active talent development programme.
Get there: Take the train to Cheltenham, then walk the short distance from the station into town.
Stay: Ellenborough Park
What: Stihia (photos)
Where: Muynaq, Karakalpakstan
When: 5-8 June, 2024
The quirkiest music festival in Central Asia brings together electronic music fans and environmentalists in Muynaq, a town which was once on the shore of the Aral Sea, in Karakalpakstan. Since the 1960s, the sea has shrunk, creating the world’s newest desert and a dystopian backdrop for multiple stages and dance crowd which party hard. Stihia attracts big name DJs and other performers from Europe and Asia, as well as platforming local acts from Uzbekistan, so you’re guaranteed to hear something new. In addition to the music there are talks on environmental issues, day trips to the Aral Sea, contemporary art installations, and some of the best star gazing you’ll ever see.
Fly: Uzbekistan Airways flies to Nukus via Tashkent.
Stay: In a yurt at the festival campsite!
What: Arena di Verona Festival
Where: Verona, Italy
When: 7 June-7 September, 2024
Verona amphitheatre
Verona’s Roman amphitheatre has been hosting live spectacles for the best part of 2,000 years, and as the building is in a good state of repair, the Veronese see no reason to stop. There are concerts here throughout the year, but the highlight is the summer opera festival, which has itself run for more than a century. Aida draws the biggest crowds, and the stage set really does give the pyramids of Giza a run for their money; but this year’s programme also includes classics like Carmen, Tosca, and the Barber of Seville. Be aware that the original stone seats can aren’t all that comfortable: the best seats, which have backs, are towards the front; otherwise, being a cushion.
Fly: British Airways flies direct from London Gatwick to Verona.
Stay: Palazzo Victoria
What: InMusic (photo)
Where: Zagreb
When: 24-26 June, 2024
Zagreb is often overlooked as a city break destination, but Croatia’s capital is steadily building its reputation on the back of a thriving cultural scene. InMusic is the highlight of the summer, with big names like Hozier and The Smashing Pumpkins taking to the stage. Paolo Nutini and the Bombay Bicycle Club are performing this year, too, so you’re in for a treat. The festival happens at Lake Jarun, known as the Sea of Zagreb, so you can easily combine city sightseeing and nature in a single weekend.
Fly: British Airways flies direct from London Heathrow to Zagreb.
Stay: Esplanade Zagreb Hotel
What: Lounge Music Festival (photo)
Where: Les Gets, France
When: 31 July-5 August, 2024
Think that the French Alps are only for skiing? Think again! The ski resort of Les Gets takes on a whole other life in the summer, attracting hikers, mountain bikers, and also live music lovers. The week-long Lounge Music Festival in Les Gets village mixes around 30 free outdoor concerts with picnics, barbecues, and walks. Most musical genres are represented in the programme, so whether it is blues, soul, rock, folk, or electronic music that gets you up on the dance floor, there will be plenty to keep you entertained until late at night.
Fly: to Geneva with British Airways, then transfer to Les Gets by road.
Stay: Hotel Marmotte
What: AMF Festival
Where: Amsterdam
When: 19 October, 2024
Amsterdam is a much cooler city than it lets on. These days, the red light district and cannabis cafes are so passé: the real reasons to visit are the art and music scenes. The biggest and boldest spectacle of the year is AMF, a blinding combo of electronic music, groundbreaking technology, and pyrotechnics. The festival is a multi sensory experience which attracts arena-size crowds: the only disappointment is that AMF happens for just one night a year.
Get there: Take the Eurostar direct from London to Amsterdam.
Stay: The Dylan