If you rate your summer by how many festival wrist bands you accumulate, you might want to hotfoot it to Manchester, UK, for FUTURESONIC 2005 (July 22nd to 24th) and obtain another! Although in addition to wrist-wear, FUTURESONIC, the International festival of electronic music and media arts, in partnership with Manchester's premiere international concert venue the Bridgewater Hall, boasts a huge and impressive line up of events. There are performances by Robert Lippock, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra and A Guy Called Gerald, amongst many more. There is also Low Grade, an "interlinked exhibition, workshop, music event and symposium on technological obsolescence" curated by Jackie Passmore and Michael Connor, which includes projects by the likes of Alexei Shulgin, Olia Lialina, Sadie Plant and Cory Arcangel. And your wristband will also gain you entry to a network of events (EVNT showcase) happening right across Manchester. However, if you rate your summer by how muddy you get, I'm sorry to report that you have missed Glastonbury! - Charlotte Frost