7 European Festivals Not to Miss This Autumn

The team at Record-Play has put together a small list of events in Europe that you can not miss.

Events are taking place in cities all over the continent from Spain to Germany and further afield. 

Have a read below to discover them for yourself. 

Nordik Impakt. Caen, 24-27 Oct.

The name might suggest a Scandi-fest but Nordik Impakt actually takes place in the Norman city of Caen, a few kilometres from the English Channel. This long-running electronic event celebrates its 20th birthday this year and the organisers have put together a bill befitting the occasion, featuring big names from independent dance culture such as Daniel Avery, Laurent Garnier, Jennifer Cardini, Maceo Plex and Blawan.

In-Edit festival. Barcelona, 25 Oct - 4 Nov. Madrid, 1-4 Nov.

Autumn is all about getting cosy and enjoying the indoors, so what better than a music documentary festival? Beefeater In-Edit has been providing the most cutting edge music documentary premieres since 2003, spreading to South American and other Spanish cities ever since. Don’t miss MIA’s Matangi / Maya / M.I.A., George Michael’s Freedom or Grace Jones’ Bloodlight and Bami.

Primavera Club. Barcelona - Madrid, 26-28 Oct.

Primavera Sound’s little sibling has earned the credentials of future tastemaker and headliner finder. From Beach House to Health, many bands have played intimate shows at Apolo’s venues before going on to perform on one of Primavera Sound’s bigger stages a year or two later. This edition’s line-up showcases a variety of genres, defining the current musical panorama and the future of its consumption trends. Watch out for the likes of Tirzah, Jimothy Lacoste and Boy Pablo.

Pitchfork Music Festival. Paris, 1-3 Nov.

As a perennially popular destination for a weekend city trip, Paris has the perfect connections via train, bus or plane for a brief getaway. And if we add another reason to visit, such as Pitchfork Music Festival, then the deal becomes impossible to turn down. The music platform’s cross-genre selection mirrors their website’s content and focuses on the most relevant artists of each year, such as Blood Orange, Peggy Gou and Mac DeMarco.

Jazzfest. Berlin, 1-4 Nov.

Berliner Festspiele has been promoting cultural events in the German capital since 1951. The promoter’s Jazzfest debuted in 1964, making it one of the oldest and most prestigious festivals in Europe. Under the new artistic direction of Nadin Deventer, this year’s edition focuses on creative border-crossings and collective visions from both established and emerging talents in the global jazz scene. Keep an eye on Moor Mother, Roscoe Mitchell and a panel about afrofuturism and empowerment.

Iceland Airwaves. Reykjavik, 7-11 Nov.

Nordik Impakt isn’t the only festival celebrating its 20th birthday in 2018; the latest edition of Iceland Airwaves also marks a score of November weekends spent raving in Reykjavik. One of the music industry’s favourite events, this year’s Airwaves bill once again features an array of local talent alongside selected international picks from 30 different countries. Flamingods, Countess Malaise, Smerz, Tommy Cash and Rejjie Snow are some of this year’s choice picks.

Le Guess Who? Utrecht, 8-11 Nov.

Taking place across a range of venues in the thriving Dutch city of Utrecht, Le Guess Who? is one of Europe’s most musically distinctive festivals. With a focus on cutting edge sounds from around the world, the Le Guess Who? line-up is kept extra fresh by special guests who help to curate the bill each year. The curators for November’s edition include Devendra Banhart, Asia Argento and Shabaka Hutchings.