Electric Picnic 2016 // **Discussion Only / NO Ticket Sales / Requests** //

H8GHOTI

Fugs!! wrote: »

Best thing ever. Editors were great. New order were brilliant. Not into lcd so won't comment. King kong company fantastic. Wolf Alice were ok. Smiths cover band were brilliant. Catfish were meh.. some crowd yesterday Inight jerry fish were great. Loved the chemical Bros. Trinity orchestra were wonderfull. Wife was OK.

Leave her at home next year, you'll have more fun.

Dtp1979

Guards using the breathalyser just outside Stradbally

run_Forrest_run

everlast75 wrote: »

found a purse with some cash and a card in it. I'm gonna hand it in but don't want to leave cash in case the stewards pocket it. give it to charity?

I don't think you are at liberty to donate someone else's money to charity.
How about you keep the money safe with yourself, pop your phone number or email address on a slip of paper and leave it in the purse and get the owner to contact you so they can then confirm the amount of cash in the purse and you can then post the cash to them.

chicken foot

We left Pink Moon at 7am, departed from green car park. It was rough enough, can only imagine how bad it will get as the hoardes leave.
Our first time at EP. The crowd a lot different than we expected. A lot of "young wans" and I've seen more fake tanned, cellulite covered arsecheeks than I care to remember!!
Walked through Hendrix last night, Jesus Christ, its like Calcutta down there! A complete swamp with very intense security checks. We were spoilt in pink moon.
Highlights were Jenny Greene, Avert Brothers, Rusango Family, Trinity Orchestra, Gospel Choir, Lynched and LCD were freakin amazing! A feast for the eyes and the soul watching that!!
Will we go back? Yes, probably!
Most other festivsl goers were really nice, a lovely atmosphere for the most part.
Toilets were surprisingly good!!
The three days flew by though, not enough hours in the day. Food was also really good, the price of drink is shockin, this banning drink from the main arena is the cause of the younger crowd bring mangled drunk before they come in.
Apparently the family camping and facilities Were very badly organised this year compared to others and a few parents commented that the dodgier crowd created a slightly tenser atmosphere.

Dtp1979

everlast75 wrote: »

found a purse with some cash and a card in it. I'm gonna hand it in but don't want to leave cash in case the stewards pocket it. give it to charity?

If it's a bank card then the bank will find the person for u

Mebeme

I don't suppose anybody has Daniel averys set list from Saturday night or knows where you can get it? Serious tunes, was an epic 90 mins

boardie100

how did the campsites and main arena hold up with the rain?... couldnt make it this year but will be buying tickets this friday when they go on sale

Pickpocket

Mebeme wrote: »

I don't suppose anybody has Daniel averys set list from Saturday night or knows where you can get it? Serious tunes, was an epic 90 mins

Was he DJing or was it a live set?

alastair

Not a classic EP year, and not just for the weather. Too many people concerns proven to be correct on leaving the RTE Orchestra gig (muddy sound, meh tune selection, ear-paining vocals mic level) into a dense, messy, and noticeably younger crowd on Friday. Had to give up on Chemical Brothers because of the messy crowd ruining any chance of enjoyment.

Top moments:
King Kong Company played a stormer. See you at the Academy.
The Bowie thing at the Salty Dog was both woeful and wonderful at various times. Loved it. Also loved some of the shapes being thrown by the various front men.
Brass bands and sections did the business for me.
The I Draw Slow acapella side project (Larkfield Four) in the Juke Joint on Saturday afternoon were great, and were joined by the most impressive voiced young lad for a number. Future pop star, if that's his desire.
The Fr. Ted quiz in My Lovely Horse.

Best overheard conversation (at the security gates coming in from Hendrix):
Young baseball cap 1: "Did you go to the rave in the forest thing"
Young baseball cap 2: "Yeah. It was gik"
Young baseball cap 1: "Yeah. It was full of weirdos, making faces at you"
Young baseball cap 2: "And there was really old people in there, with kids and all"
Young baseball cap 1: "Yeah. That's not right"
Young baseball cap 2: "That K was ****e too. I'm not going to get it again"

MJohnston

Just on the whole "the crowd has changed" thing - I've been going to EP for 11 years now, and that statement has always been true to a certain extent, but I've always shrugged it off because the festival itself maintained plenty of the right feeling. This year I noticed a big jump in the negative direction - there was a bit of a lack of the friendly festival camaraderie, lots of people too ****ed early in the day, and of course the worst sign: people singing Oasis songs all over the place without the snipers getting them.

Anyway, this year proved to me that an Oxegen revival would be very popular and profitable, and they could and should bring that back and let EP return to a more balanced attendance figure of 30-40k. Otherwise the family crowd will drift away, and EP will just become Oxegen. Be a real shame if that was the case!

MGMTea

sadie06 wrote:

Home and dry. Too wrecked to type much but please tell me someone else was amongst the 70 odd people at Meilyr Jones in the Cosby tent today. Gig of the weekend for me!

Yes I was there ! So good. My new favourite band

schemingbohemia

Lotus Flower wrote: »

Did anyone catch Julia Jacklin?

Yes, hadn't heard any of her stuff beforehand but really enjoyed it. Poor enough attendance at her set. She's playing later this year in Grand Social, will probably head along.

The number of 15/16 year olds this year was shocking, no idea what their parents think they're doing letting them go and no idea how their fake id is working, just way too messy with kids.

Also, beer selection was awful, even worse than previous years where at least the bar between the main stage and body and soul had a few decent European Heineken owned beers, this year it was Moretti! At least they had Murphys but it was the only bar in the place that had anything different at all.

Will buy my ticket for next year with the loyalty bonus but not certain we'll go again, line-up was so poor this year.

Highlights were LCD Soundsystem, Whitney, Super Furry Animals, Talos. Nao were decent, enjoyed Rusangano and headed home after Bat for Lashes.

Did anyone see the crowd of kids running towards Picture This? Couldn't believe the numbers trying to get into that tent.

Bring back Oxygen and let the kids go to that.

sadie06

MGMTea wrote: »

Yes I was there ! So good. My new favourite band

I bought his cd afterwards. Really loved the gig. Delighted someone else was there!

Pickpocket

I was with a different crew of people this year. Less into their music and more into just drifting around, so I was forced to be less adventurous and didn't visit any of the literary, alternative stuff. But I heard plenty of good music and managed to break away at various points to meet my house and techno requirements.

The mix of people has become very strange. Young families strolling around, often accompanied by older parents and grandparents, alongside people absolutely smashed on pills and powders.

Something that will stay with me was the expression of a young boy near the Circus, trying to make sense of the contorted face, arms and body of some poor chap that was really struggling with whatever he'd taken. Perhaps the kid thought there was something wrong with him, in terms of a mental disorder or whatever. Ultimately I don't know what he thought but it struck me as being quite sad for the child, and possibly unfair on him.

My only major issue is with the preponderance of little bars and mini-stages pumping out the same type of house music. Unless you're up toward the front half of the main stage, or in one of the tents, the only thing you'll hear is the constant clashing of various kick drums. It sounds awful.

A related issue is the layout. The Electric Arena, Rankin's Wood, Cosby and the Little Big Tent are all in a row and very close to each other. And of course there's a number of the aforementioned vendors dotted along that route, along with Jerry Fish, so it's a constant soundclash. I hate to talk about 'back in the day' but I used to love relaxing right outside a tent at Witnness or the first EPs. Having a beer and chatting to mates but having an ear on whoever was playing inside. That's not possible anymore, at least along that stretch.

Anyway, I had a great time. EP is still a very good festival. It's not one of the best anymore. There was a time when it was my favourite in Europe, with the possible exception of Sonar, which admittedly is a very different type of experience. But that day is over. The only thing that they've kept is the name, and of course there's little pockets of creative mad-hatters that inject some of the old flavour here and there. But like Witnness, Oxegen and Garden Party, the vibe has been changed by promoters looking to make more money and/or by people that cannot handle alcohol and drugs.

I'll always return because I live so close. I'd be mad not to. But like this year, my festival quota will be met at oversees festivals and EP will be used to bring the summer to a close.

So well done to everyone for making it a good weekend, and thanks to the rain and wind for renewing an age-old rivalry that on some level I quite enjoy.

sadie06

Pickpocket you seem like the person to ask for a recommendation of a truly family friendly festival in Europe.

princemuzzy

Family camping was a cluster**** with the Carpark in the middle of town and the new walk around the lake to get in

Great weekend though

Do agree about the crowd it's not quite oxygen yet but getting there

Will have a serious think about bringing the kids next year becoming the sort of place they shouldn't be which is a real shame

princemuzzy

sadie06 wrote: »

Pickpocket you seem like the person to ask for a recommendation of a truly family friendly festival in Europe.

My experience with European festivals is they are all family friendly as people don't drink as much

Pickpocket

sadie06 wrote: »

Pickpocket you seem like the person to ask for a recommendation of a truly family friendly festival in Europe.

I'm not. I don't have kids and the majority of festivals I attend are dedicated electronic festivals and absolutely not suitable for children.

However if you've ever been to a festival in Europe, particularly Spain or France, you'll know that the attitude to alcohol and drugs is totally different. Hell, even Amsterdam, of all places, can be quite composed when compared to the Irish crowd at EP.

So I'm sorry I can't be of more help. But I suspect that if a European festival is marketed as 'family friendly' that claim would have a lot more substance. That's not to knock EPs efforts in that regard because I know young families that have been very complimentary of EPs efforts over the years.

However (and correct me if I'm wrong), 'family friendly' shouldn't just mean a quieter campsite and a shorter walk. It should focus on how appropriate it is for children. That's for every parent to decide. As I said, I don't have children, but as an uncle that plays a big role in the lives of my nieces and nephews, I have issues with how EP is being marketed as family friendly when the festival has been pushed to its current size, and given our attitude toward alcohol and drugs.

But please correct me. I'd love to hear from some parents detailing their most recent experience.

scruff monkey

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Guards using the breathalyser just outside Stradbally

I did put one on the list of stuff to bring, clean slate from mine this morning but i did take it very easy yesterday and only a few well spaced pints last night with lots of water and no shorts.

skD13

Pickpocket wrote: »

But please correct me. I'd love to hear from some parents detailing their most recent experience.

I really enjoyed it but I think it was better in previous years with a smaller capacity and therefore less "messin".

I am relieved to hear some parents on here now reconsidering its suitability as a family friendly event. I'm a parent myself and attended with many other parents. None of us brought the kids and we were all quite amazed at how so many parents seemed to think this event was OK for kids. I saw children being dragged, tired and cranky, around in carts at close to midnight. I mean, if it's not OK to have kids in a pub after 8pm how can it be OK at EP? And people were a lot more off their faces by 8pm at EP than they would be in most pubs. I was also concerned to see parents with their kids at comedians and artists who were throwing out F bombs every 2nd sentence. And no, they didn't move on when the inappropriate language kept flowing. Then of course there were the kids exposed to contorting wrecks of humans off their heads on whatever, as mentioned above. So yeah, the consensus among my group was that it is completely unsuitable for kids.

With all that said, and notwithstanding the at times messy crowd, I still don't feel there was anything in the way of a menacing crowd for adults. There was very little in the way of a criminal "skanger" type element that I've seen at other festivals in the past.

P.S. Whoever mentioned Lemaitre on here, thanks. They were a highlight for me along with Jack Garratt.

seachto7

Why would anyone bring kids to a festival.

scruff monkey

seachto7 wrote: »

Why would anyone bring kids to a festival.

cos if the weathers decent it's an interesting day/weekend out. Think the full weekend is too much for small kids though (cousins kid was dead on his feet midday yesterday and he'd had a benefit of sleeping in his own bed).

There were a lot of mashed out of it young'uns and a lot more kiddies of suspect age there this year but that said, especially round the main stage, there were less aggressive tossers than in previous years but still loads of the pushy coming through "i don't care if you're in my way" gits which are everywhere at Irish events (we really are a nation of self entitled little ***** (insert the c word there) on that front).

Found it really funny last night that a bunch of utter knuckle draggers beered out of their tiny little minds were repeating a chant of "waaaaan maaare choooon" over and over again at the tops of their voices and they looked like they'ed do well in a one on one with a gorilla, as soon as Miss Lana started singing, they knew every word.

Pickpocket

seachto7 wrote: »

Why would anyone bring kids to a festival.

Because it can be a fun and enriching experience for them. I used to bring my nieces and nephews out for a day when they were under 12. Getting their face painted, dancing around to odd music, having them see people that look and sound different than themselves, trying unusual flavours and just generally witnessing a bigger and more colourful part of the world, yet still being back with their parents for 8pm.

We need more children at festivals as far as I'm concerned. It will do them good. We just don't have the festivals for them.

EoineyM

Had the kids with us this year. We all enjoyed it but will probs not do it next year. Although I didn't see any fights etc. when we were heading back to the campsite at around 9 it was getting a bit messy (as in drunken/drug fuelled messy, not muddy messy which it also was). Maybe it was just me, but the gangs of girls were worse than the lads - screeching, cursing, falling over. I agree with the comments re the strange mix of the crowd. It seems in Ireland people just like attending events - when planning out the year its like - "well we will go to bloom in June, EP in September, Oktoberfest in October....."because that's where everyone else is going. I was chatting to quite a few people who weren't there to see any music which is a bit weird. In general I thought it was well run. One major annoyance was that none of the staff working there seemed to have the slightest clue where anything was. Also, they could have put down some boards between the family campsite and the car park - those stones were a nightmare.

scruff monkey

nocoverart wrote: »

She's lovely alright, till you put her close to the fire. An abomination of a artist but I guess that's just my opinion , right?

It's an opinion alright, she's pure style over substance but it's a bloody nice style and her set was unexpectedly good, like actually really good and entertaining.

Not every act can be a left field indie darling and a festival full of them would be an utter circle jerk of taste fascism wankery.

Anyway, highlights for me were (in no order)
Super Furry Animals (I am now a fan, wonderful), Aurora (little firecracker of a voice and just full of bouncy joy), Editors (yes, as he promised, he cheered us up with some miserable music), Cathy Davey (swoon), LCD Soundsystem (yisser not losing yer edges), Lana Del Rey (I really enjoyed this, **** the begrudgers) and New Order (though the bastards didn't do Atmosphere)

Broken Social Scene I thought were alright, Todd Terje I didn't think I'd enjoy but really did, Ezra Furman (meh, just found him annoying), Lightning Seeds were not bad at all and I had a ball during Noel Gallagher (his stuff is not exactly ground breaking but he did a decent show and it was a great singalong in the rain). Saw a couple of others, but meh to them.

Pickpocket

scruff monkey wrote: »

Found it really funny last night that a bunch of utter knuckle draggers beered out of their tiny little minds were repeating a chant of "waaaaan maaare choooon" over and over again at the tops of their voices and they looked like they'ed do well in a one on one with a gorilla, as soon as Miss Lana started singing, they knew every word.

File those alongside the legion of spoiled brats to the 'roysh' of the stage for LCD Soundsystem, aggressively pushing their way to the front to see a band they'd never heard of 2 weeks ago.

scruff monkey

Pickpocket wrote: »

File those alongside the legion of spoiled brats to the 'roysh' of the stage for LCD Soundsystem, aggressively pushing their way to the front to see a band they'd never heard of 2 weeks ago.

We were kinda worried that these would kick off and not in a good way, but they were transfixed by her (totally out of their gourds but grand once they had her)

EoineyM

seachto7 wrote: »

Why would anyone bring kids to a festival.

I think you should be able to bring kids to festivals. My eight year old loved it and she had her own list of bands that she wanted to see. The soul kids area was great and they all had a blast there. EP should be a great introduction to music and all in all I think it is. The problem isnt having kids at the festival - its the overindulgence in drink and drugs that is par for the course for pretty much every event in Ireland.

scruff monkey

didn't hear any alan or steve this year, but did witness a classic where some girl was running between seated area and the food stands, cue a bunch of lads shouting "FENTON FENTON FENTON!"

Pickpocket

scruff monkey wrote: »

We were kinda worried that these would kick off and not in a good way, but they were transfixed by her (totally out of their gourds but grand once they had her)

Well not everyone with a working-class accent is a knuckle-dragging scumbag with a tiny mind.

Indeed, not everyone with a so-called posh accent is a spoiled brat.

But class is very much alive in Ireland and not even the love and positivity of a soggy Laois forest can make us leave it at home.