Plan your alpine party pilgrimage
Winter festivals mix electro line-ups with snowboarding. FHM’s pick of six mountaintop festivals, from Rock The Pistes in France to Kasauli Rhythm and Blues.
Picture every morning wake up you’ve ever had at a festival. Let’s not mess around here: you look like you’ve been exhumed, smell like a bin, wonder if your hangover is going to kill you, realise you’ve pitched your tent downwind from the portaloos, and can’t find your shoes. There’s a reason we accept overpriced, warm cider in a summer field: to survive.
But imagine waking up and instead of festering in your self-loathing, you head into clouds, strap yourself to a plank, take a breath of air so clean it instantly purges last night’s party from your soul, and bomb down a mountain at 30mph with a frosty, frothy reward of snow-chilled lager waiting for you in a fire-warmed bar. Yeah, it’s really not hard to see why more of us than ever are jetting out to winter festivals to party our balls off. And we didn’t even have to mention the untouchably good electro line-ups and cool-as-ice, hot-as-hell snowboarding chicks…
The best news, though, is that we’re now spoilt for choice when picking which alpine knees-up to hit. Joining the party, one undisputedly led by the giant of the festy-at-altitude, Snowbombing, which has just celebrated its 15th year, is this month’s fledgling Rise, put together by Ibiza Rocks, who know their biscuits when it comes to persuading you to lose your shit. And when you can get a week of sleepless partying and gnarly snowboarding for little more than the price of a Reading and Leeds ticket, it’s damn hard to find an excuse not to. Check our pick of the six mountain top festivals, and see you out there…
Ride and seek at Rock The Pistes
RTP has roped in Babyshambles and The Klaxons in the past to play their stunning mountaintop stages. What’s more, it won’t cost you a dime: it’s free. Portes du Soleil, France, 14-21 March 2015, rockthepistes.com
Party like it’s Switzerland at Hill Top Music Festival
A scenic hilltop location gives this music fest a niche status. The three-day event features three stages, and besides psy trance, it also offers techno music to patrons. Vagator, Goa, India, 13-15 February 2015
Party in style at Kasauli Rhythm and Blues
Held among the beautiful valley of Himachal Pradesh, the three day fest lends tranquil and laid back vibe, featuring bands from across the country. Kasauli, India. Mid-April 2015, www.genesis-foundation.net
Survive carnage at Snowboxx
Moving from Andorra to France but keeping a wallet-friendly price makes this a bargain, especially when you know the coolest dance acts will be there. Alpe d’Huez, France, 21-28 March 2015, snowboxx.com
Watch the slopes at The Brits
Do your best not to turn into a fan boy when you watch the Brit pro snowboarders compete, before partying alongside them into the wee hours of the morning. Tignes, France, 21-28 March 2015, the-brits.com
Discover new music at Horizon Festival
For the past three years, this boutique dance fest has always found the best new DJs. And when a pint costs only £1, you can drink the bar dry on a micro budget. Bansko, Bulgaria, 7-13 March 2015, horizonfestival.net
From the January–February 2015 issue of FHM India.
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