UK Festivals

Included in the lineup for 2009's Standon Calling Festival (theme: 'Space', capacity: 3000) are Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Arkestra, N.A.S.A., Femi Kuti & The Positive Force along with an appearance by Hawkwind. Standon Hertfordshire 31 July - 2 August £89/weekend camping

The British summer festival hosts performances from Pharoah Sanders, David Byrne, Spiritualized, Chris Cunningham, David Shrigley, Chrome Hoof, Gong, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Kode9, Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex, To Rococo Rot, Bass Clef and more. Eastnor Castle Deer Park, 6–9 August, £145/£110

UK weekender of freakout psychedelia, Noise, Improv and more. With Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides, Nackt Insecten, Blood Stereo, Chora, Family Battle Snake, The Piss Superstition, The Family Elan, Usurper, Bridget Hayden, Trinity, Ross Parfitt, Helhesten and more. Manchester Islington Mill, 29–30 August, £15/weekend pass, £10/day pass

The return of a two day exploration of experimental music and film, based in Luton. With Same Actor, Wounded Knee, Black Carrot, Temperatures, Elapse-O and more. Luton Old Shop, 21–22 August, £7.50/festival pass,

A festival night showcasing new variations upon Afrobeat headlined by the eight-piece horn and guitar of Nomo in their only UK appearance this Summer, supported by Eardrum and The Bonsai Big Band + DJs. London Broken Yolk, 5 July, 7:30PM - late, £7.

Two concerts curated by record producer Joe Boyd celebrating his Witchseason Productions agency with an all-star Fairport Convention concert (18 July) and The Music Of The Incredible String Band with Mike Heron and friends (19). The weekend also includes documentary films about Vashti Bunyan’s comeback and Nick Drake, plus the Incredible String Band movie Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending (including Q&A with Boyd) . London Barbican, 4pm (films) and 7:30pm, £25–£10

Festival celebrating experimental and improvised music from Cheltenham and its twin town of Göttingen, Germany with daily, free workshops in improvisation plus evening concerts. With performances by Brainville Desperados, Longstone Unplugged, Chris Cundy’s Atrocities Of A Street Busker, Short Compositions For Pigeons In English, Stuart Wilding’s Miniature Ensemble and more. Cheltenham various venues, 27–31 July, £10/festival pass, £5/concert

Second annual DIY festival for experimental music with A Band, Team Brick, Family Battle Snake, Jazzfinger, Culver, Nackt Insecten, Blue Sabbath Black Fiji, Hockyfrilla, Neil Davidson & Helhesten Trio, Atomized and more. Edinburgh above Old St Paul’s Church, 10–11 July, £15/weekend pass, machnausea@gmail.com

Festival linking poetry with other artforms featuring Polar Bear & Zena Edwards, Aidan Moffat, Benjamin Zephaniah, Michael Horovitz, Brian Catling & Iain Sinclair, Penny Rimbaud, Alice Oswald & Martin Holland and more. Ledbury various venues, 3–12 July

The city’s wide-ranging festival programme includes Kraftwerk, Steve Reich, Antony & The Johnsons with Manchester Camerata, Gustav Metzger’s Flailing Trees, Laurie Anderson & Lou Reed, De La Soul, Durutti Column and more. Manchester various venues, 2–19 July, times/prices vary