(image borrowed from: SoundoftheDay.co.uk)

Here at The Leap we’re mad for music festivals.

Mad for them. How mad? Up-at-the-front-of-the-crowd-waving-our-hands-like-we-just-don’t-care-mad, that’s how mad. So mad we even keep an eye on festivals in the northern hemisphere whilst it’s petty cold down here in deepest darkest Cape Town. So, without any further ado, we bring you: the Springleap Festival Report 2012.

First up, Tennessee’s finest: Bonnaroo! OK, sure, it’s already just taken place, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t warrant a mention – after all, it’s pretty much up there as far as Big Festivals go, considering it attracts such Big Names as Radiohead, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Beach Boys. OK, enough about them, we’re starting to get all teary eyed. I mean, The Beach Boys? Have some mercy, it’s not fair. Moving on…

Let’s skip back over the pond and check out Lollapalooza, which runs over August 3 - 5 in Chicago, USA. Now in its 20th year, this one’s always going to pull very serious heavy hitters into its lineup and this year doesn’t disappoint. Jack Black. The Black Keys. Black Sabbath. (that’s a lot of black) Bassnectar. Chilli Peppers. Oy vey, enough already, have a look the lineup if you can handle it!

Watch the line-up video here:

Next up, England’s finest - Glastonbury! Or as it happens, not, this year. Every so often Michael Eavis has to let the farm recover. Too right.

Next? Bestival! Yep, the annual reason for an army of nutters descending on the Isle of Wight is back again from 6 – 9 September and better than ever, featuring…oh lord….New Order, Florence & The Machine, The XX and some guy named Stevie Wonder and a whole lot more. Possibly one of this year’s best lineups, hands down. It hurts to talk about it, so let’s not.

Back to home turf.

Sure, it’s pretty cold and wet down South right now, but the darling buds of spring will return soon enough and you know what that means – festival mania all over again!

Kickstarting the season, tickets to one of our favourites – Rocking The Daisies  – have already gone on sale, and their headliner of last year (Band of Skulls) is being topped by UK band, Bloc Party this year. The Daisies rolls from 4 – 7 October outside Darling, South Africa.

Check out the 2011 video by local blog DON'T PARTY for a taster of what can be expected:

And that, for the time being, should see you through until the end of the year, when we’ll be rounding up the likely lineup of events over the southern half’s summer season.