Benicàssim International Festival 2008

Benicàssim is the name of the small coastal town in Spain where the festival is held.

Annually since 1995 the whole town is transformed into a thriving community of music fans the world over.

Obviously the main advantage of such a festival is the better weather.

Leave behind your rain coats and boots because all you need here is shorts, sandals and sun cream.

The other less obvious benefit of the weather is the fact that the music lasts throughout the night.

With it being far too hot to do anything during the day Beni is a never ending party with music starting at 5pm and lasting until 5am.

Compared to British festivals the night does not end at 11pm dead in an anticlimax.

Once the main acts have ceased at around 2am the night still continues with high profile DJs putting on sets right up until the small hours

Similarly the festival lasts longer; with four days of music and nine days of camping it is truly a more worthwhile festival experience for the same price.

What I like most about this festival however is the general chilled out feel.

After visiting Leeds Festival (full of greasy drunken adolescents) and the psychopathic metal fest that is Download, Benicàssim offers a relaxing alternative where people are generally there to have a good relaxing time, and this is evident in the atmosphere.

Nearby is a beach where you can swim, get a tan and take part in the beach party itself.

Being lost in translation is also not a problem as all the staff can speak fluent English and the majority of festival goers are from English-speaking nations anyway.

This year saw many alternative as well as mainstream acts over its three separates stages.

My favourite band of the week was Battles, who put on such a hyperactive set that the audience along with the drummer were truly exhausted by the end

Morrissey was also his usual self, spouting out controversial comments where he slated techno music and condemned Beni for not being vegetarian, describing selling meat as 'murder'

Jack White and his band The Raconteurs powered their way through their set and his mere presence and musical genius lifted the crowd

Leonard Cohen still fighting at 74, provided such a heartwarming atmosphere with his amazing voice set against the setting sun.

Gnarls Barkley created a hip and feet shuffling set particularly surprising everyone with their interesting cover of Radiohead's Retina.

Erol Alkan and Justice were by far the best DJs of the festival and far superior to any cheesy nightclub in the entire country with their light shows and sampling.

My Bloody Valentine also did their trademark terrifyingly loud set which included 10 minutes of pure ear-wrenching white noise

Overall these acts and more culminated into the musical experience of a lifetime

Like what you hear? then why not go next year?