Music & Festivals
Spain
Wouldn't it be great to be able to say 'Hola!' from the country that brought us Enrique Iglesias and hosts some of the best festivals in the world? More than just a place with great football and sunshine, Spain is just as crazy for music as Britain. For example, just check out the Spanish ballad singer, Nubla. In fact, music sung in Spanish has been the second biggest seller after English for years, with JLo, Christina Aguilera and the gorgeous Shakira all releasing Spanish-only albums.
We've picked out some of the best events to go to for some fun in the sun.
Benicassim Festival - Mixing beaches, big bands and other cool stuff starting with B, this festival has an international reputation for being a mega-chilled favourite. Like Glastonbury, but with warm sand instead of wet mud (brr), loads of great acts have turned up to entertain the 'senores' and 'senoritas', including Amy Winehouse, Goldfrapp, Muse and Radiohead.
>Find out more about Benicassim
Bilbao Live - This festival loves to rock – get your devil horns in the air! You'll catch bands such as My Chemical Romance, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and, most infamously, it will host the first reunion concert for Guns 'N Roses. Set in a beautiful port teeming with young trendy people, it is the perfect place to practice your Spanish language skills.
>Find out more about Bilbao Live
Sonar - With its combination of fashion, film and music, this event sees over 80,000 people (¡ay, caramba!) descend on Barcelona to hang out and watch acts like The Chemical Brothers, Hot Chip and M.I.A.
Check out some life-saving phrases below:
Do you know the latest weather forecast?
¿Sabes qué tiempo va a hacer?
Can I have your number?
¿Me puedes dar tu número?
Are you sure Girls Aloud are playing?
¿Estás seguro de que tocan Girls Aloud?
What time are The Wombats on stage?
¿A qué hora actúan los Wombats?
Please take your hat off as I can't see the band.
Podrías quitarte el sombrero, no puedo ver el grupo.
Where are the toilets?
¿Dónde están los servicios?
France
France is known for its love for all things cultural and music is no exception. Air, Daft Punk, Camille and some great French Rap/Hip Hop have all come from the land of the baguette.
Germany
Germany is not all about an unabashed love of David Hasselhoff you know. In fact, their music scene is amazingly eclectic; a fact reflected in their many music festivals which pay heed to their love of cheesy techno.