Ok, I admit it, I was a bit apprehensive going into this year’s Electric Picnic festival…
The initial lineup announcement earlier this year – featuring pop heavyweights such as Dua Lipa and Kendrick Lamar – seemed more akin to Longitude than Picncs of yore (several bands that were touring this summer, such as My Bloody Valentine, Fischerspooner and Mogwai were conspicuous in their absence), and I may have vented somewhat about this on social media. 🙂
But then again, the Picnic never fails to surprise, and as I write this on a Monday night, nursing a three-day hangover with a glass of Malbec (I reckon my liver might need a rest after this), it’s fair to say that my initial apprehensions were proven wrong. And then some.
Here are some of my highlights from the three days…
#1 – Downpatrick’s finest, Ash, getting things off to a flyer on Friday evening
#2 These incredible homemade ‘stick men’ costumes… not sure how they coped with the rain, however…
#3 The generosity of the people manning the Slane Whiskey bar in the Trailer Park area… that’s a decent sized drop of the cratur for a fiver!
#4 Rewinding the clock back to 1998 listening to Gomez play pretty much every track from ‘Bring It On’…
#5 Massive Attack stealing the show on Saturday night with a moody, bass heavy stormer of a gig…
#5 The krautrock-influenced genius of Davy Kehoe… the best ‘accidental’ discovery of the festival. Note to music fans, check this guy out, you won’t regret it…
#6 The Orielles… Belly meets Sonic Youth meets The Sundays meets early 90s indie pop… lovely.
#7 Garbage getting Sunday off to a flyer… Shirley’s still got it!
#8 Ethereal Twin Peaks-style magnificence from Cigarettes After Sex… even made REO Speedwagon sound sexy as hell…
#9 The Gullery… and the discovery that most of the famous people I know are actually seagulls in disguise. IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW..!
#10 Jiving and jitterbugging at The Haunt stage in the Body & Soul area… loved the gramophone speakers and Barbarella visuals…
#11 Erol Alkan lashing it out at the Heineken Stage…
#12 The Prodigy closing Sunday night in style. I wouldn’t have minded a few more oldies though…
And finally #13… the fact that this grumpy old man finally came to his senses and had the TIME OF HIS LIFE!
Roll on Electric Picnic 2019!
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