Rock in Rio Lisboa-2018 preview: The Killers, Bruno Mars, Muse, Katy Perry and more

A diverse line-up combining the best of rock and pop with world class dining and Michelin star chefs

(Rock in Rio)

Let's be honest: British festivals can be hard work. All that camping, unpredictable weather and stale beer doesn't always make for the most enjoyable of experiences. It could be why the popularity of music festivals on the continent is seemingly on the rise, giving fans the opportunity to combine the thrill of live music with the relaxation and comfort of a European city break.

But there's more to the European circuit than heavyweights like Nos Alive, Melt! and Primavera Sound. One of the more intriguing line-ups of this year's circuit can be found at Rock in Rio-Lisboa in Portugal.

While the festival first began in Brazil back in 1985, over the last few years it's made a name for itself in the Portuguese capital for combining incendiary line-ups made up of some of the biggest names in music, with world-class dining, all in the sun-kissed setting of Lisbon.

Split across two weekends - 23 and 24 June, and 29 and 30 June - this year's musical offering is a sublime blend of both rock and pop. Weekend one, day one, sees stadium-botherers Muse bring their well-oiled interstellar show (lasers, fireworks and guitar solos - oh my!) to the City of Light, flanked by two modern pop juggernauts in Bastille and Haim. The second day of the first weekend will be brought to a close by the incomparable showman Bruno Mars, whose credentials surely speak for themselves, who headlines a day which also includes Demi Lovato and Brazilian sensation Anitta.

Weekend two, day one will be headlined by a band who are in the prime of their career - The Killers. And considering the career they've had, that's outstanding to consider. While the band will be arriving in Portugal off the back of what is perhaps a career-best album in Wonderful Wonderful, there's going to be little that can rival singing along - sangria in hand - to a back catalogue packed with hits like 'Somebody Told Me', 'Read My Mind' and, of course, 'When You Were Young'. Oh, and if that's not enough, day one also features The Chemical Brothers and the continued resurgence of Mancunian alt-rockers James.

Speaking of career-best albums, the festival will be brought to a close by none other than Katy Perry - bringing Witness: The Tour to Rock in Rio-Lisboa as a European exclusive. While it's been ten years since 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Hot n Cold' were first released, Katy's Witness includes perhaps some of her more intriguing and bold works in 'Chained to the Rhythm', 'Bon Appétit' and 'Swish Swish' - although the less said about that music video, the better. Day two will be rounded out with Jessie J and Hailee Steinfeld, hitting Lisbon with more pop hits, flawless vocals and key changes than a Eurovision live final.

What makes the Rock in Rio-Lisboa line-up so intriguing though is that, yes, half of the headliner are white guys with guitars, but the third headliner is a woman - headlining a day which only features female artists, no less - and the other is a man of colour. While European festival line-ups have often been more diverse and inclusive than the ones we get here in the UK, and while last month in London, All Points East festival demonstrated some real progress in that area, Rock in Rio-Lisboa still puts to shame many of the festivals here in the UK which remain dominated by white men.

This year, Rock in Rio-Lisboa debuts the first-ever Pop-up Time Out Market - a 400-seat food arena serving exquisite cuts of the best Portuguese cuisine crafted on-site by 14 world-famous chefs and restaurants, including Michelin Star-winner Alexandre Silva, Henrique Sá Pessoa, Vitor Sobral and Marlene Vieira, as well as restaurants Sea Me, Prego da Peixaria, and Lisbon’s own Manteigaria dos Pastéis de Nata.

More information and tickets are available here.