They’ve gone and done it again, you know. Beyond The Pale 2024 was a festival to remember, with the third instalment of the Wicklow soirée underlining why it has become a yearly must-attend for anyone in search of positive summer vibes and an expertly-curated musical montage.
With the curtain now drawn on this year’s festival, 909originals reflects on our five stand-out performances from over the weekend.
Kruder & Dorfmeister, Sunday
It’s been a while since Kruder & Dorfmeister‘s DJ Kicks and K&D Sessions were essential soundtracks for after-hours club sessions, but Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister have lost none of their zest for crafting cutting edge beats – as evidenced by their stormer of a set at Cirrus Garden on Sunday afternoon.
Featuring stone-cold classics such as High Noon and Count Basic’s Speechless, alongside newer tracks, theirs was possibly the stand-out set of the weekend – if the reaction of the crowd was anything to go by. Fantastic.
808 State, Friday
The sad death of Andy Barker in 2019 could have spelled the end for 808 State, but thankfully original member Graham Massey (and his fellow bandmates) has kept going, with a show that blends live percussion, scything electronic beats and, of course, Massey’s soprano saxophone, which provided the backdrop for a blissful, extended version of Pacific State, one of Friday evening’s most euphoric moments. Closing track Cubik, meanwhile, took things to another level entirely.
Romy, Saturday
Ok, we admit it, we hadn’t planned on attending Romy’s pop-perfect performance, but The xx alumna set the main stage alight with some iconic hands-in-the-air moments, in particular her Binary Finary-Ariana Grande mashup, debuted during her Boiler Room last November.
Romy describes her sound as ’emotional music to dance to’, and judging by the beaming faces on those present, the main ’emotion’ on display was pure exuberance.
David Holmes, Sunday
We had considered including Richie Hawtin’s stomping Saturday evening set in our top five, but David Holmes just pipped him to the post with a four-hour set that showcased just how musically ambidextrous the Belfast native can be.
Reclining on the grass during Kruder & Dorfmeister’s performance, 909originals asked Holmes what sort of set he had in store – the resulting blend of Balearic funk, trip hop and smooth grooves demonstrated why he’s still rocking the party close to four decades on from his first DJ performances.
Jungle, Friday
It’s been five years since we last saw Jungle, at the BeatYard festival in 2019, and by god have the UK-based neo-soul group honed their sound in that time.
So much so, we would argue, that tracks that defined their sound, such as 2014’s Busy Earnin‘, seem somewhat quaint, such was the high standard set by last year’s Volcano. A joyous experience.
Honourable mentions: 2 Many DJs, Houseplants, Richie Hawtin, Sunil Sharpe, Orbital, Thievery Corporation, Irvine Welsh, Primary Colours Love Ball, Kelly Lee Owens, the f**king amazing weather, and ten thousand of the absolute soundest individuals you’re likely to bump into at a festival.
Roll on Beyond The Pale 2025! Feel free to share your highlights from the weekend in the comments below. 🙂
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