AllTogetherNow Festival 2018

Amirani

Really enjoyed the festival, probably my favourite Irish festival experience.

The Good:
- Atmosphere around the place was great, both from the security and the festivalgoers. Nobody seemed aggressive or annoying.
- Setting was fantastic. Good weather helped, but the place was aesthetically very pleasing.
- Value. Was consistently surprised at the prices charged for some of the drinks. Found myself happily paying €7 for a nice G&T or €6 for a solid IPA despite having a load of cans available. Really didn't feel like a rip off.
- Everything was very close together, felt like a breeze moving between the campsite to the main stages.

The Less Good:
- Overall, the lineup I don't think was incredible, or at least not balanced enough. The only really enjoyable acts I saw on Friday/Saturday were Mogwai and Underworld. Sunday was better, but I think overall it lacked a bit of depth and diversity. Still pretty good overall.
- Food. Feels to be nitpicking, but I had really high expectations in food terms, but it was just about par for the course with EP and Body & Soul. Probably a bit spoiled at this point compared to your old burger van at a festival, but I just thought there would be more. Nothing of the level of Kinara Kitchen at EP for me.

Even my less good bits were still good.

Homesick Alien

maximoose wrote: »

On the food front - after popping my cherry I am now a massive fan of Corn Dogs.



Yeah I was very impressed. Had heard great things about their live performance and they lived up to it. Christ he can hold a note.

Corn Dogs are amazing. Perfect little snack for 3 euro. First came across them at body and soul a few years back and was delighted to see them!

fuzzyduck4

Overall an unreal weekend, still fairly shook today! First Aid Kik and Villagers my highlights, along with the extra friendly/interesting/ cool people  knocking about the place who made the festival really. Also the general estate itself with the backdrop of the comeragh mountains makes it the most scenic festival by a long way. Only improvement would be more regular cleaning of the toilets. Also there was no lighting in the general campsite so couldnt find my tent so had to spend Friday night drinking with a sound group from Dundalk. I wont be going back to EP after this incredible experience, bring on next year. 

mojesius

Had a fantastic weekend from start to finish. Staff and volunteers were all so helpful and up for a laugh. No hassle at all getting in Saturday lunchtime and plenty to see and do. Thank jaysus for the ketel one tent selling bloody marys, enjoyed Saul Williams having a few to level me out on Sunday morning

Thankfully, most of our crew were down Friday and got a good spot in general camping, further down the field and close to londis/entrance etc. Managed to squeeze in another tent, thanks to the neighbours who moved theirs in a bit. The crowd were all lovely, very friendly.

Underworld were class, saw them at EP 6 or 7 years ago but enjoyed this set more. Bootleg Beatles, this is the kit and NPG also great. Did a bit of Arcadia sat night but crashed early enough on Sunday as I was the designated driver Monday and didn't want to take chances.

Only gripes were a few set times being off, they need big screens in the yards for the comedy tent and definitely need to expand the camping areas. Annoys me that people just dumped their rubbish on Monday morning, but a lot did clean up after themselves. Showers toilets etc were grand but they need more toilets and more taps around the place

Think I'll do boutique or camper next year, I'm just too old for waking up baking in my tent first thing in the morning and all night music thumping etc. A fantastic weekend for me. Delighted we went!

ILIKEFOOD

MJohnston wrote: »

[*]The Ambition. Feck me, you could smell them chasing down EP in the air from minute one. Very, very obvious that they were testing the waters of the scale of the place this year for next, as there was a tonne more space than there were crowds. Have it on very good authority that it'll be 30k capacity next year, and it was very clear that this was always a plan. I think it can probably survive the expansion but it all feels a little bit too calculated and clinical to me. There's a genuineness to Body and Soul that you can sense, like the organisers really put their heart and (pun) into it, and I didn't feel that at all here. Don't get me wrong, I think the people decorating the site and the various stages were really working their hardest and their best, but just not the people up above them, you know? It's not that I think the festival will go the way of EP quickly, I would just feel more confident about it with different people at the helm. I do think EP is going to be massively challenged by this festival, anyone saying that they're competing with Body and Soul or whoever is way off - they're gunning for their old festival big time, and with the way EP has gone, I wouldn't be surprised if they succeed.
[/LIST]

Does anyone know if POD are still stakeholders in EP?? If so would that make a difference to their expansion plans? as for being genuine or not - it's a business after all - having been to this festival and madcool in madrid two weeks ago - I would say one is 100% more genuine than the other... but then compare ATN to small festivals where bands play for free and not a penny is made...are they even more genuine??? I think POD take a lot of pride in delivering quality, as they did when EP first arrived on the scene, as they have done for decades.. when I first saw that house lit up, that sold it for me personally, I think a lot of heart went into it... maybe I just don't have time for all the little quirky things anyway so it wouldnt make a huge difference to my own experience..

Loved the whole thing - hope it doesn't change drastically. Nearly 40 festivals under my belt and this was right up there..everything was nicely balanced. Arcadia noise bleed was a bit annoying. No problem with the kids, maybe don't force them to hang out so late.

MJohnston

roll wrote: »

The only real issue they have to prove now is how the site deals with rain... Sin é

Oh yeah, this was the one thing I forgot to mention in my review of it all. I was thinking about this a bit one of the days and I would have to imagine it would be a bit of a disaster in the current layout with the usual heavy August rains. That tree-lined avenue down the hill would have almost certainly turned into a mudslide as it was quite dusty and bare. And the paths around the house would have been very shallow mud rivers too I reckon.



Fingers crossed the sunny south-east holds true!

eplady2017

MJohnston wrote: »

Oh yeah, this was the one thing I forgot to mention in my review of it all. I was thinking about this a bit one of the days and I would have to imagine it would be a bit of a disaster in the current layout with the usual heavy August rains. That tree-lined avenue down the hill would have almost certainly turned into a mudslide as it was quite dusty and bare. And the paths around the house would have been very shallow mud rivers too I reckon.



Fingers crossed the sunny south-east holds true!

Also those toilets & showers at the bottom of the hill in main campsite would be a disaster... Front of the main stage too as it had that sort of amphitheatre effect sloping down to the front

Harry Palmr

Amirani wrote: »

I think overall it lacked a bit of depth and diversity. Still pretty good overall.
- Food. Feels to be nitpicking, but I had really high expectations in food terms, but it was just about par for the course with EP and Body & Soul. Probably a bit spoiled at this point compared to your old burger van at a festival, but I just thought there would be more. Nothing of the level of Kinara Kitchen at EP for me.

Goodness me, we used to be glad of burgers and coke, now people are complaining it's not Michelin star grade! :pac: Why did you have "really high" expectations as a matter of interest?

bodhrandude

Arrived down on Thursday from dreary wet and windy Galway with a lift from the Eye Cinema to the festival car park. It being dry in Portlaw but cloudy, got the tent up and done the health and safety briefing and then the site tour with all the other volunteers, this is where I got the chance to take some of these photos, which I hope got ye all into the mood for the fest.

I done the late shift on the Friday from 4 PM - 12 AM but having not slept the night before I missed Friday's entertainment as was just too shattered to party, I watched a bit of the Arcadia show which was good fun. Some posters were complaining about the distance from the general campervan field to the main arena, I agree with this as I was working there on Friday and Saturday doing eight hour shifts. Once you get down by the big house its mostly uphill all the way, so depending on your physique, it could be a ten - twenty minute walk. I would have been the latter and this proved problematic when we got our breaks, twenty minutes to reach an eating area, queuing to order and select and then the wait for the actual grub would practically use up all the allocated time for the break, so they will need to rethink that one.

Saturday I was like a zombie as I didn't sleep a wink on Friday, due to the volunteers who done the early shift on Friday partying like fcuk as they had the late shift on Saturday. Our job basically to direct arriving traffic to the parking attendants and answer queries. There was other teething problems for the campervan area too, such as the drinking tap placed at the showers at the boutique area and lack of bins up near the campervan loos. Generally there were complaints of no bog roll and hand sanitiser, I basically said complain to Handy Huts who handled the loos.

After the shift was chilling at the tent and one of my neighbours buddies showed up with some extremely good coke, so a perfect boost for the tired blues. Loaded with tins, green headed to main arena, Roisin Murphy put on a brilliant set, she has a super husky sexy voice and some serious backers up there and I liked some of her new electronic dancey stuff too. Caught the last fifteen minutes of Maribou State who were also extremely good. I just noticed that the Something Rather Wonderful tent is almost identical to the Cosby tent at EP apart from the colour.

Hung around that general area for most of Saturday night having seen Underworld three times now I opted for some different stuff. I went for Mos Def next who was absolutely superb and I felt was better than his EP performance from a few years back, judging by the whirling Dervish's in his back screen footage I figure he must of converted to being a Turkish Muslim.
Booka Shade who I've caught two times before at RockNess and Life Festival (I wouldn't really count the Life Festival one as I was tripping on strong acid and had no idea at the time who was on stage.) But Booka Shade were freaking fcuking excellent and I was right up the barrier for this one. After this though my energy was completely shot so called it a day and the crew camp was lovely and silent that night because the partiers from Friday were on the early shift.

Sunday I was doing the 4 - 12 again and thought I was going to be sent to the campervan field, but gladly I got the shift at the main stage area info point. Before all this was hoping to catch the Jimmy Cliff set but then I heard his flight was delayed but I loved This is the Kit who had bits of Kate Rusby to their sound, a nice choice for Sunday afternoon. The info Point had five of us there at one point so was a complete doddle, we had info for bus timetables, the latest stage changes and familys would come up to get wristbands for the children in which they would write their name and phone number in case the child wandered and went missing. I loved this shift as you could get to hear all the music, NPG put on an amazing show and I nicked out to take a video clip, the Villagers sounded alright from where I was and the next act, First Aid Kit I enjoyed the sound of too, I liked the Kate Bush cover they done and I also caught a clip of them. I decided to take my break at 11 PM so was finished there for the night and got my volunteer discounted Wokn'Roll meal and watched the Fleet Foxes set which I enjoyed as I missed them in 2009 I think at EP, a Crosby, Stills and Nash vibe with a bit of indie and post rock backing, some tracks were a bit dull but some had a pastoral psychedelic beauty about them, twas my first time catching them and I was impressed.

Rushing back to crew camp to have a doobie and to grab a stash of cans, I made it back to the blue tent for Jimmy Cliff's set, what an absolute legend and my highlight of the weekend. Mr Cliff belongs to that throne which also seats Toots Hibbert and Max Romeo. Man, I had tears of joy in my eyes after that gig, I can see clearly now, You can get it if you really want etc. Classics and an amazing backing band. Took in a bit of the Afterburner after with HAAI and it really took me back to these old Picnic and RockNess days, caught the last twenty minutes of the One Love stages and as I was walking back to the crew camp I heard the Afterburner music cut at 3.30.

A brilliant new festival with some nice interesting installations and stages and the estate itself is absolutely gorgeous. Look out for my blog review although I've practically typed it here, firstly I'll upload all my clips and will publish over the next few days.

Weepsie

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Goodness me, we used to be glad of burgers and coke, now people are complaining it's not Michelin star grade! :pac: Why did you have "really high" expectations as a matter of interest?

This. Plus they gave over some areas to local sellers which was good too see. More of that would be good as Waterford, Wexford and Cork have some superb food. Better choice of coffee than any festival I've been too.

Kinara kitchen is lovely and all, but it's always a rip off.


On lineup. Beatyard & Castlepalooza would be serving a similar audience and had some acts that would've slotted in nicely but they were committed otherwise. You also need to be able to get a band/performer that's on tour unless they're local enough to be able to do it as a one off or a big enough headline draw to be worthwhile. Other than that, it's all subjective anyway. Going by this thread earlier, noone had a clue who Nils Frahm or David August was, but they've been responsible for some of the best electronic music of the last few years (I didn't know some other bands but went with it)

The above festivals, and indiependence and Galway races, and spraoi possibly limited the amount of facilities for hire and staffing. I liked the security as it was a nice change to not be treated like a criminal going in.

On the chasing EP thing, I don't get this? They started EP and have seen it turn into a different kind of beast. Free flow probably cost them a lot of money too in terms of how much the breweries would sponsor them. Bars actually shut at 1 as advertised and not 12.40 or whatever always happens at EP.


It's the best festival since Glastonbury or some of the earlier EPs I've been to and really hope they don't change too much.

lbj666

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Goodness me, we used to be glad of burgers and coke, now people are complaining it's not Michelin star grade! :pac: Why did you have "really high" expectations as a matter of interest?

People were glad once upon a time with a few stages on a racecourse.

If you have been to body and soul and the picnic you would know, body and soul in particular.

There were a lot regulars from those festivals that werent at ATN.

dmm82

Wow what a weekend! We went in a group of around 40 people ranging in age from mid twenties to late forties. Most of us have been going to festivals for over 15 years at this stage and we're all in agreement that ATN is probably the best irish festival we've ever been to.

The site was amazing. Not too big or too small. Plenty to see without having to walk for miles and miles. Loads of cool installations and hidden wonders in the woods.

I thought the music was great, there was something for everyone. Food was good. Had no problems with the kids there, I think it adds a bit of magic to the festival.

Mainly though, the crowd were unreal!! Everyone I spoke to was so nice, saw no dodgy feckers/ asshole types. I hope they keep it over 21s. I really hope they dont make it any bigger but I'm sure they will

Can't wait for next year already. We have tickets for EP this year but I think this could be our last one.

Overall a magical a weekend. Definitely have a warm fuzzy feeling after it

RINO87

More memories of the weekend keep flooding back, but I need help with this one please!

Does anyone know of Nils Frahm played a track called "Moving Day" by David August?? The wine had well taken hold by that stage, but I'm pretty sure he did. SOMEONE did anyway!! Pretty ballsy move to drop someone else's track in your set just after they have played!!

It's a tune that has loads of special festival memories for the good lady and myself. Alle Farben kept subtly dropping bits of it into his set before finishing with it properly at the end of his set at the second body and soul, which was our first together!!(I think it was the second, the main stage was still within the main garden anyways). Could not ID the track for months, heard it again randomly in a Bar in Berlin the following November!!! We managed to ask the staff to finally tell us the name of the track...

Was then again with the good lady and a great bunch of festival mates a few years later at body and soul when David August was touring his live show the first time, blew the place apart with it. Cracker.

Furious-Red

greenspurs wrote: »

STOP SAYING HOW BLOODY BRILLIANT IT WAS !!!!
You will ruin it for next year ....... No newbies allowed next year !! Its ours, just for us !!

MJohnston

RINO87 wrote: »

More memories of the weekend keep flooding back, but I need help with this one please!

Does anyone know of Nils Frahm played a track called "Moving Day" by David August?? The wine had well taken hold by that stage, but I'm pretty sure he did. SOMEONE did anyway!! Pretty ballsy move to drop someone else's track in your set just after they have played!!

It's a tune that has loads of special festival memories for the good lady and myself. Alle Farben kept subtly dropping bits of it into his set before finishing with it properly at the end of his set at the second body and soul, which was our first together!!(I think it was the second, the main stage was still within the main garden anyways). Could not ID the track for months, heard it again randomly in a Bar in Berlin the following November!!! We managed to ask the staff to finally tell us the name of the track...

Was then again with the good lady and a great bunch of festival mates a few years later at body and soul when David August was touring his live show the first time, blew the place apart with it. Cracker.

Nils Frahm was playing completely live, so there's basically no way he'd have been playing someone else's music.

PabloAndRoy

Two arrests all weekend, just under 15,000 attendees.

http://www.wlrfm.com/2018/08/07/70139/

Alkers

RINO87 wrote: »

Does anyone know of Nils Frahm played a track called "Moving Day" by David August?? The wine had well taken hold by that stage, but I'm pretty sure he did. SOMEONE did anyway!! Pretty ballsy move to drop someone else's track in your set just after they have played!!

I think it was Haai was who played it on Sunday night, thankfullly as I was pretty underwhelmed by David August's performance. He was late starting and finished right on time, which seemed to be just as he was getting going!

If you like moving day, he has another stomper - Hamburg is for Lovers.

Amirani

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Goodness me, we used to be glad of burgers and coke, now people are complaining it's not Michelin star grade! :pac: Why did you have "really high" expectations as a matter of interest?

https://www.alltogethernow.ie/food-feast

"Taking influence from both home and abroad, we have taken the best of what we could discover and been inspired to bring a new concept to festival food. We have drawn from some of the best food producers and suppliers from Ireland and further afield - to bring an exciting array of top quality products and foods which we are really proud to present to our audience. From bountiful feasts - to an abundant farmers market, the All Together Now Food Line - Up is nothing ever seen before in a festival in Ireland."


As I said in my comment, I thought the food was good. I just didn't think it was any better than Body & Soul or EP, I never mentioned anything about Michelin stars. Would you disagree?

heebusjeebus

I thought the food was amazing. A step up from EP.
We did try a load of options from the bandstand area.
The toasties & bear grillz burgers were top notch.
They ran out of lobster before we could try the lobster rolls. Hopefully they'll be back next year.

maximoose

I was pretty happy with the food all round, apart from the Mexican stand just down from the Londis in the campsite. It was clear they had never made a burrito before in their life.

The pizza stand beside the Jameson bar was great, pomella garden or something? Home Fries patatas bravas also, and the blessed corn dogs. West cork toasties were fantastic. Didn't get to try Bear Grills burgers but heard great things.

PawneeRanger

Jaysus, what a weekend. It was brilliant, but I am definitely still paying for it now!

Camping
We had booked a two-person bellepad tent (€350) but when we arrived we were told we had been upgraded to a podpad (the little hut things). Well lads, I have to tell you, in that heat I would have preferred the tent. It was a sweat box. There's no airflow in them at all but we got one of the guys to take the perspex cover off the "window" at the back so that helped a little.
The area was really quiet at night though and there was no hassle.

Layout
Everything felt nice and close but not too on top of each other, with the exception of Road to Nowhere and Something Kind of Wonderful. We spent a lot of time at these two stages and there were some occasions where the noise from one did overpower the other. A bit more of a spread there would be nice.
I thought the main stage was done nicely. There was plenty of space on the edges.

Slopes!
Good Jebus, there was no level ground anywhere! Everything was on a slope; even standing at a stage like Road to Nowhere you were slanted. My legs are still cursing me! I would have definite concerns about how the whole site would hold up in the rain, particularly that grass slope at the pots and pans bridge heading for the main stage area.

The Crowd
Friday and Saturday felt magic! It was such a gorgeous, chilled out crowd of people that were there to enjoy themselves.
Sunday felt different to me. There was a noticeable increase in the crowd size and there seemed to be a higher level of scrotes. Fare more pushing and shoving past people at Arcadia than there was on Friday and Saturday.
There were groups of young lads around the One Love stage that were definitely under 21. Suggestion among our group was that residents may have been given Sunday tickets? I don't know.
I would hate to see the capacity increased as it all felt like the right size, but I know that at the end of the day this is a money-making endeavour so we will see bigger numbers.

The Kids
Personally, I have no issue with kids being at a festival like this where they are catered for, but I do take issue with very small children being at the gigs very late. I don't feel it infringes on my enjoyment other than making me feel very sorry for the kids. There was a toddler, probably about 2 years old (if even), crying her head off on her dad's shoulders at Underworld. She had the ear protectors on but she was clearly shattered. I think it's extremely unfair for small kids to be put in that situation.
I think a curfew is a good idea.

The Acts
For me, the highlights were Roisin Murphy, Underworld, Nils Frahm, Hercules & Love Affair, NPG, Mashrou' Leila, First Aid Kit, Horse Meat Disco, Saoirse (Arcadia), New York Brass Band, Maribou State, Chaka Khan.

Great time, all in.
Roll on next year.

Eod100

Wrong thread I know but did anyone get access to First Aid Kit presale ? Having no joy here but guess I needed to have signed up for something in advance?

Alkers

maximoose wrote: »

I was pretty happy with the food all round, apart from the Mexican stand just down from the Londis in the campsite. It was clear they had never made a burrito before in their life.

The pizza stand beside the Jameson bar was great, pomella garden or something? Home Fries patatas bravas also, and the blessed corn dogs. West cork toasties were fantastic. Didn't get to try Bear Grills burgers but heard great things.

The burrito place in the main arena was crap also I thought, I got the large burrito on Friday night and the wrap was only about half full and I think it was a tenner! Everything else I got was really nice and not too badly priced but the wait on Sunday was a pain

Toast

Best food was the covered tables and chairs down by the lake. They did some 30 quid monstrosity that probably spooked a lot of people but it was possible to go in and get nice stuff for a tenner delivered to your table and you could get beer too! It looked like you needed a reservation but no problem just waltzing in.

Ferris_Bueller

Simona1986 wrote: »

The burrito place in the main arena was crap also I thought, I got the large burrito on Friday night and the wrap was only about half full and I think it was a tenner! Everything else I got was really nice and not too badly priced but the wait on Sunday was a pain

Yeah that burrito place was very disappointing, there is a nice burrito stand that was at Body & Soul and Castlepalooza last year can't remember what it was called. Other than that most of the food I had was nice enough - Breakfast Blaa, Grilled Cheese by the bandstand, Poutine in the main arena and a corn dog. Body & Soul has yet to be trumped for food IMO though! Was hoping the cheesy bread stall would make an appearance at ATN.

phunkadelic

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Yeah that burrito place was very disappointing, there is a nice burrito stand that was at Body & Soul and Castlepalooza last year can't remember what it was called. Other than that most of the food I had was nice enough - Breakfast Blaa, Grilled Cheese by the bandstand, Poutine in the main arena and a corn dog. Body & Soul has yet to be trumped for food IMO though! Was hoping the cheesy bread stall would make an appearance at ATN.

Gravy from a heinz bottle wasn't great for the Poutine, luckily I was forked and didnt care

RINO87

Simona1986 wrote: »

I think it was Haai was who played it on Sunday night, thankfullly as I was pretty underwhelmed by David August's performance. He was late starting and finished right on time, which seemed to be just as he was getting going!

If you like moving day, he has another stomper - Hamburg is for Lovers.

Bingo! Correct it was haai. Just looked thru my phone and had a video from a different tent!

Captain Flaps

bodhrandude wrote: »

one of my neighbours buddies showed up with some extremely good coke, so a perfect boost for the tired blues

Just a heads up, would probably avoid going into such specifics as it's fairly obvious from here, the blog and the Overheard@B&S Facebook group who you are!

ghostdancer

Coca-Cola he obviously means, that sugar rush really lifts you up.

AfterLife

lbj666 wrote: »

People were glad once upon a time with a few stages on a racecourse.

If you have been to body and soul and the picnic you would know, body and soul in particular.

There were a lot regulars from those festivals that werent at ATN.

I went to Body and Soul the year Nick Cave played and ate nothing but acid. The food options at All Together Now were far better.