If the thought of spending a whole year without seeing any live music sends you into a guitar withdrawal induced meltdown, fear not! We've come up with some fantastic music festivals you can incorporate into your round the world trip, where you can mosh, dance or tap your foot whilst leaning against the bar (depending on personal preference) to your heart's content. Rock on!

1) The festival: South by South West
Where: Austin, Texas
When: 14th - 18th March

First held in 1987, this is a music industry favourite and is very popular with bands trying to get signed to record labels. You'll see a great mix of music and are likely to see a variety of up and coming US bands as well as established UK and other overseas acts trying to break into the massive US market. It's different to other festivals in that the performers (more than 2000 of them) play in 90 or so venues in downtown Austin over four days, so you get the chance to see some great bands in some really intimate venues.

2) The festival: Big Day Out
Where: Auckland, Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth
When: one day events, held between 20th January & 5th February

This festival was first hosted by Sydney some 20 years ago and has now expanded to several other locations across Australia & New Zealand. It's a mix of indie and rock, with some mainstream international acts thrown in for good measure. The line up for 2012 includes Kasabian, Soundgarden, Kanye West & My Chemical Romance and acts who have played there in the past include the Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Metallica and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

3) The festival: Coachella
Where: Indio, California
When: April 13-15th & 20th-22nd

This huge festival is attended by up to 250,000 people over two weekends in April. It's held at the Empire Polo Club in the heart of the California desert, which makes for warm days, chilly nights and great star gazing! The campsite includes shower trucks, a karaoke lounge and a general store. Previous acts include the Pixies, Depeche Mode, Iggy Pop and Coldplay. The line up for 2012 is yet to be announced but Radiohead are strongly rumoured to be headlining.

4) The festival: Lake of Stars Malawi Fesival
Where: Lake Malawi, Malawi
When: 2012 dates to be confirmed
This is a fantastic festival , held over 4 days on the shores of Lake Malawi, Africa's 3rd biggest lake. It's an eclectic mix of world and African music, with a really relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Some of the funds raised by the festival go to local charities and to fund local projects.

5) The festival: Blues & Roots
Where: Byron Bay, Australia
When: 5th-9th April

If blues and roots is your kind of vibe, look no further. Held in the natural beauty of Byron Bay, this festival will keep you entertained with fairground rides, bars, an international food fair, street theatre, craft stalls, and entertainment for kids. Then there's the music of course, with The Pogues, Roger Daltrey & Earth, Wind & Fire all confirmed for 2012.