Worldwide music festival guide: Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the cradle of some of the world's most sombre music genres, from abrasive metal to über-minimal techno. And the line-ups of its festivals reflect this to some extent – not to mention some of the venues, such as Exit's brooding Petrovaradin Fortress. But it's not all doom and gloom in the former Soviet heartlands; quite the opposite, when you factor in the hordes of festival partiers who flock here every summer, glow paint on face and shutter shades in hand. 

Serbia's Exit is the star of the scene – it's regularly voted the best major European festival on account of its magnificent setting and even more impressive line-ups. But neighbouring countries have their fair share of the fun: Germany's Melt leads the market for hipster-friendly dance music, while Poland's Open'er spreads its net wider, featuring everything from art installations to theatre. Wunderbar!

Worldwide festivals home