Paris

Rendez-Vous at Queen

Every month 2012

Queen

11.30pm-dawn

It's party time at Queen every first Saturday of the month, when international stars come to the Parisian club for guest nights and themed nights for a predominantly gay crowd.

Festival Chorus

Mar 2012 (annual)

Magic Mirror

Paris' Festival Chorus brings Pop and Chanson to venues across the western Hauts-de-Seine suburb with 120 artists taking part in 80 different concerts. The main stage is the Magic Mirror - an old-fashioned, circus-style big-top set on La Defense's esplanade.

This is where you’ll catch the biggest bands, so make sure you buy tickets in advance, either online or on the day of the concert you've chosen.

Banlieues Bleues

Mar - Apr 2012 (annual)

Seine St Denis

More than a simple jazz festival, Banlieues Bleues brings together the old and the new in a celebration of music in Paris' Seine-St-Denis suburb. Every year the festival attracts big Jazz and Blues names to venues throughout the area.

It’s a fine way to discover lesser-known theatres and cultural centers as your feet swing to the sound of top-notch international musicians.

Planètes Musiques

Apr 2012 (annual)

Maison de la Musique de Nanterre

Planètes Musiques presents a fine selection of traditional music from across France and further afield at the Maison de la Musique de Nanterre. Watch out for concerts of Occitane and Auvergnate music, plus music from Spain and the Middle East.

Villette Sonique

May - Jun 2012 (annual)

Parc de la Villette

The Villette Sonique music festival at Paris' Parc de la Villette is synonymous with up-and-coming independent labels and artists who forged their own particular path to stardom. A handful of gigs on Saturday and Sunday night are free to enjoy.

Performers in previous years have included The Jesus Lizard, Liquid Liquid and Ebony Bones.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival

May - Jun 2012 (annual)

Paris

The Rive Gauche swings as local and international musicians perform at Paris' Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival. Playing everything from boogie woogie to blues, free concerts are held in Saint-Germain square with ticketed concerts taking place in local libraries, cafes and hotels.

Vienna

Batman Live - World Arena Tour

1 - 5 Feb 2012

Vienna Stadthalle

After the comic books, the TV series and the films, Batman now comes to dominate an arena near you. Batman Live brings all the action and excitement of Gotham City to Vienna Stadthalle to entertain all the family this winter.

This giant production features a 30-metre stage for nearly 100 actors and acrobats. The show promises to be a real adventure.

Sting - Back to Bass

19 Feb 2012

Gasometer

Sting extends his Back to Bass tour, to celebrate 25 years as a solo artist, with more European dates. His hits are stripped down and played as they haven't been heard for many years, or ever. This date is at Vienna's Gasometer.

Vienna Accordion Festival

Feb - Mar 2012 (annual)

Vienna

The International Accordion Festival is held at venues throughout Vienna, from theatres to jazz clubs. A host of stars from around the world provide enchanting music, from folk to classical.

Barcelona

International Percussion Festival of Catalonia

Feb 2012 (annual)

L'Auditori

Staged at Barcelona's L'Auditori, the International Percussion Festival of Catalonia is dedicated to the humble triangle, booming bass drum and everything in between. Performers from all over the world showcase their skills in both traditional and more unusual percussion instruments.

Tradicionàrius - Catalan Folk Music Festival

Jan - Apr 2012 (annual)

Barcelona

Tradicionàrius brings more than two months of live folk music to venues across Barcelona. Audiences can enjoy 17th-century songs performed at concerts, and learn new skills at workshops focusing on specific aspects of the folk genre.

Barna Sants Festival of Song

Jan - Apr 2012 (annual)

Barcelona

The Barna Sants Festival of Song sees talented singer-songwriters perform gigs across the Sants district of Barcelona. The extensive programme spans three months and a range of venues from intimate jazz bars to the grand Palau de la Musica Catalana.

Festival Mil·lenni

Dec 2011 - May 2012 (annual)

Barcelona

Barcelona's most elegant music venues host the Festival Mil·lenni, a star-studded programme of one-night performances from top recording artists, choirs, opera singers and flamenco artists. Venues include the Palau de la Música Catalana, L'Auditori and the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

The 2011/2012 four-month programme brings performances from Dianne Reeves, Anoushka Shankar, Michael Nyman, Philip Glass, Las Migas and Niña Pastori to the Catalonian capital.

Barcelona Guitar Festival

Apr - May 2012 (annual)

Barcelona

Mesmerising strums and plucks ripple through Barcelona's large concert halls and intimate bars during the city's annual Guitar Festival. The programme never disappoints, with its mix of master musicians and groups from both Spain and abroad.

The 2011 festival features concerts by Ariel Rot, Rafa Pons, Standstill and Lax 'n' Busto. The host venues are the ornate Palau de la Musica Catalana, Razzmatazz, L'Auditori and the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

Primavera Sound Festival

May - Jun 2012 (annual)

Parc del Fòrum

Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum hosts the massive five-day, open-air Primavera Sound Festival, where top rock bands, DJs and leftfield acts get everyone's hands in the air. There's no camping, so festival-goers retreat to hotels when they're all danced out.

Milan

Vinilmania

Feb & May 2012 (various dates)

Parco Esposizioni Novegro

Daily 10am-6pm

The Vinilmania record fair at the Parco Esposizioni Novegro makes Milan a magnet for record buffs and collectors from around the globe. Visitors come from as far as Japan to buy and sell their cult LPs and 45s.

Rome

Dissonanze

May 2012 (annual)

Palazzo dei Congressi

Dissonanze is a festival of electronic and digital music held at Rome's Palazzo dei Congressi. Offering a 360° vision of modern sound drifts with a range of exclusive acts, the festival impresses even the most clued-up followers of club culture.

Music Festival of the Nations

Apr 2011 - Dec 2012 (annual)

Teatro Marcello

Held at Rome's Teatro Marcello on most nights throughout summer, Music Festival of the Nations offers a varied repertoire of performances from solo recitals to chamber music and polyphonic choirs. The programme touches on Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism and the avant-garde.

Florence

Fabbrica Europa

May 2012 (annual)

Stazione Leopolda

Dance, theatre, music, architecture and visual arts take over Florence's old Stazione Leopolda during the Fabbrica Europa festival. Every year a new theme addresses a different aspect of the intercultural dialogue made possible by art.

The festival has grown in notoriety in the past few years and has featured well-known DJs, musicians and theatre companies from all over the world, including performances by Odin Teatret with Eugenio Barba, Lucinda Childs, Les Ballets C de la B, Erna Omarsdòttir and many others.

Staff Correspondent - Connoisseur Magazine