MUSIC festivals are like buses at this time of year, you wait for one to come along and the next thing you know you are trying to budget your booze and CD allowance to accommodate three. But more of that in a while.

WSTR might sound like a radio station from Cincinnati, but it isn’t.

Well, it might be but it is also the name of a really cool pop-punk band from Liverpool and they will be at Level III tonight.

This warm up show for Truck Fest also features With Ghosts, Vexxes and the seemingly ubiquitous Heartwork...

Check out his recent album, Things I Wish I’d Said, it might be the best album you purchase this year.

Kitchen Sink Dramas are back at The Beehive, not only the first full band show of the year but a full electric one two.

Main man Steve Leigh does a neat line in the emotive, the poignant and the political and with a cracking rhythm sections behind him for this show it is definitely one to catch.

The Riven can be found at The Groves Company Inn, heavy rock with an inherent soulfulness and even though fans of rock and metal have quite a few options to quench their musical thirst over the weekend, this is definitely one to mark on your dance card.

Before I delve into Friday’s regular music options, I should mention that Festival on The Farm takes place this weekend and tickets are being snapped up fast.

Three days of so much music that I can’t hope to mention it all but they really have the basses covered.

From tributes such as The Faux Fighters through seasoned circuit cover bands, Bleep Machine, Lads, Lads, Lads, Hooch and Young Vintage to original acts such as The Shudders and Billy In The Lowground.

Check the website for full details and get your tickets fast.

As I said earlier, there is a lot of rock and metal on offer this weekend and the biggest show comes at Level III with the local, and indeed not so local, circuit’s most popular rock tsunami, Shepherds Pie.

The whole genre represented via songs delivered with the fire and passion of the originals and joined by melodic and electro tinged Luxembourg rockers My Own Ghost.

Rorke’s Drift also cover the rock bases at The Queen’s Tap from the lighter stadium sounds of Bon Jovi to the more intense strains of Metallica.

Who’s Next aim to capture that point along The Who’s timeline when the mod upstarts were evolving into the rock superstars, where their pill popping pop past was merging with an acid laced progressive future.

The fact that they are regarded as the number one Who tribute band in the country is testament to just how well they do that.

Catch them in all their glory at The Victoria.

Peloton pay tribute to power-pop, new wave, mod and northern soul at Groves Company Inn and at The Castle, Black Cat and Terra 45 bring their strange and mind bending musical visions to bear on an unsuspecting audience.

Stratton Festival kicks off on Saturday and amongst the myriad of activities and stalls there is also plenty of music to be had.

A rare outing for folk maestros Missin’ Rose, The Ukey D’Ukes giving the ukulele an image over-hall, Down and Dirty bringing the rock and Sloe Train with a set of Bonamassa-esque blues.

Proceedings are rounded off by Kova Me Badd, a parody tribute band like no other.

Saturday is also where the rock fraternity have to either invent time travel or make some tricky choices.

At The Victoria, a metal double header comes in the form of Moretallica and Rammlied whilst Priest Unleashed at The Groves Company Inn will also appeal to the same fan base.

Chuggaboom, at Level III inject something different into the metalcore genre, a parody which throws in growls, silliness, rapping and questionable lyrics; more conventional metal comes from Ursus, Bearpit and Next Stop Olympus before it all takes a turn for the brilliantly surreal.

The Chaos Brothers will be at The Queen’s Tap to deliver punchy punk and riotous rock covers delivered in their trademark incendiary style meets tongue in cheek attitude.

Finally on Wednesday, Aussie electro-trance gypsies, Loonaloop head their extensive European tour towards The Beehive for that authentic 2am in the dance tent at a festival experience.