Beyond The Pale Festival - 10th-12th June - Glendalough

Seems ludicrous then to damage the goodwill generated last year. Maybe they need to chase the bit of extra revenue from bar receipts because they haven't sold out?That wouldn't be a great sign going forward.

Annoying. Hopefully it's not the case but I would easily go to BAS ahead of BTP if they started at that craic.

Especially when it's sprung last minute like this.

Oh Indeed!

The free flow question is an interesting one. I totally get why festivals would try to limit BYOB in the arena. Bar revenue is an important source of income for what is a very risky venture. I guess they see BYOB in the campsite and exclusively bars in the arena as a fair compromise.

I am open to correction on this from more seasoned festival veterans than myself, but my recollection from years ago is that it definitely wasn't a thing back in the day. I've been to many Witnness, Oxegen and EP festivals over 20 years and they were rigorous about enforcing can control in the main arena. Then I remember going to EP one year and it was free flow, but only after the bars closed (I think it was early enough - maybe like 10PM).

Then one or two festivals led the way with full free flow and people became used to it and now expect it as standard, and feel a bit cheated if it is not in place. But it wasn't always there.

It's like festival showers and decent food - both of these definitely were not a thing years ago - you'd be lucky if you didn't get salmonella form a crusty chip wagon. Now people expect vegan falafels and sushi!!

What I liked about free flow, aside from the savings obviously, is that is seemed to contribute to a much better atmosphere. People weren't getting tanked up in the campsites on cans and then pouring into the arena late in the afternoon completely obliterated; instead the main areas were quite full from early on in the day, people were less drunk and there was a better buzz.

I'm an IPA drinker, so free flow was a big plus at ATN (especially) last year, due to the fact they were serving rubbish beers at the Guinness Bars, at least at BTP there's gonna be decent beers served on tap. I like the odd cold pint during the day so even with free flow I tend to use the bars / cocktail bars during day and the beers I bring are mainly used for late night. However, I like having the option, will be dissapointed if there are security checks on bags, another great thing about ATN was the easy flow of people to and from campsites.

In other news I've been given the green light to raffle off a couple of can cooling passes for BTP here on boards soon actually (assuming there's sufficient interest?).

No purchase necessary, it's free and just to thank all yis for the bants since I started last year.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is "free-flow" and why is it an issue?

Well lads, getting excited now as Beyond the Pale is gona be the first festival of the summer for me. Had a great time last year, but as mentioned a few times in the thread it was definitely lacking extra-musical activities, places to sit/chill out, art/things to look at and then the major issues with power cuts, and the minor issue of sound bleed and very little distance between stages. Some of my group of mates really liked how small and close everything was, and there was an intimacy which was cool. Also as someone else mentioned the striped back nature of it all (quite literally just a few stages in a field) actually had quite a charm to it. It felt quite loose and a little but anarchic, lack of security and gardai killing the buzz which has been a major issue for me at other festivals (cough cough body and soul). I think the lack of free flow drink would definitely impact that atmosphere, which for me was the best part of last year.

Of course that kind of thing is only possible when you have a great crowd, which it did. I felt like the crowd was mostly mid-twenties upward, which in this day and age I think is pretty crucial to the quality of the event. No teeny boppers or young fellas acting the bollix, videoing everything, sticking flash in your face, getting out of it to the point where it’s disturbing to look at them etc.. Overall a great crowd, definitely among the best I’ve experienced at a festival.

In terms of the lineup, a lot of good stuff on there. A little disappointed by the DJs, feel like last year was stronger and had more of a variety of genres of dance music. This year it seems mostly all house and disco (other then Joy O). Not a single techno DJ which I think is a massive shame for an Irish festival. A lot of kind of soft dance music which has broad appeal but doesn’t really do much for me… like Jungle DJ set? Bizarre one imo… there are hundreds if not thousands of DJs across Europe who could play a better set then they will for a fraction of the cost, but obviously the name is a draw so… Also the late night entertainment is questionable, Mother is fairly standard but I feel like the Friday might be a lot of **** tech-house and commercial ‘business’ techno. Just a shame considering the amount of talent in the electronic scene in Dublin/Ireland atm. It seems apparent to me that the bookers are quite out of touch with it. My other criticism is the frequency at which the headliners play Irish festivals, I feel like Hot Chip and Jon Hopkins are at every other festival I’ve been to. I like both, but not enough to want to see them for a 3rd or 4th time.

HOWEVER, I am buzzing for a load of acts, including Joy Orbison (never seen him somehow), Melts, Leftfield, Little Dragon, Christian Loffler, Booka Shade, Squid, DJ Seinfeld, Just Mustard, Onehtrix and Mano Le Tough. I’m a major fan boy of Mano, must have seen him over a dozen times over the years, and he always delivers. Being a Greystones man I feel like a Wicklow homecoming could be pretty special. Definitely recommend everyone to hit that up, praying he’s not clashing with Leftfield.

Overall I think it’s gona be a great weekend. I slightly dubious about the organisers and some of their behaviour (alleged deleting of criticism online, misleading marketing etc.) I suppose the second year will reveal all. They’ve made some ambitious promises (based on last year) so let’s see if they can deliver. Either way, plenty of good music in a beautiful green field with a rake of sound heads, drink and d**** and realistically how can you not have a **** blast?

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I have this - takes up minimal space, inflates with a few big breaths and is very comfy.

Interested in hearing this?

One thing on the website that caught me is a quote by Orbital saying "best festival ever" or something like that. They seemed fairly fked off with the sound cutting out so much during their set...maybe the quote is about the toilets or something....🤔

Well my cousins band played last year and he said it was the best festival he ever played at if that's worth anything.

For anyone at previous editions what's it like driving out on the Monday morning. I normally take it easy on the sunday of a festival. Just wondering are the cops shooting fish in a barrel stopping for drink/drugs on the monday morning.

The arts line up was clearly advertised in the posters, bunch of theatre performances like Dublin old skool etc. not really misleading if it’s clearly stated in the posters what it entails.

as for food, that is clearly about the talks in the beyond the plate area:

Beyond The Plate

The Beyond The Plate tent, curated by food writer Ali Dunworth, will host talks, tastings and craic across the weekend.

• Some highlights from across the weekend include:
• foraging walks with Cúán Greene
• food chats with Kevin Thornton, Caitlin Ruth, Jordan Bailey, Majken Bech, Kevin Burke, Audrey Cahatol, Keith Coleman, Dee Laffan, Sham Hanifa, Kate Ryan, Graham Herterich, Holly Dalton and the Gastro Gays.
• James Kavanagh interviews The Mary Wallopers live for his podcast ‘What Did You Eat This Week?’and Kate McCabe & Max Sussman’s Heritage Radio Network Show ‘Dyed Green’.
• Drinks talks & tastings with Aoife Carrigy, Rory Craig (Station to Station), Judith Boyle, Whiplash Brewing, Craft Cocktails and lots more.
• Talks & tastings with local Wicklow food producers including Olly’s Farm Honey, Wicklow Way Wines and Powerscourt Distillery.
• Daily morning nourishing yoga and cacao ceremony

As for food stalls selling out of food, not sure how that’s the festival promoters fault. It’s up to the food stall to gauge demand/have enough supplies.

pieminister running out of my favourite pie by the Saturday evening isn’t hardly fault of EP organisers.

beyond the promoters hardly going around ensuring that each food stall has x servings for the weekend.

a mate who ran a food business totally misjudged demand at EP and had to do nightly drives back to Dublin to restock supplies. So even food industry mess up with demand and run out of stuff at festivals.

You could actually swim in that lake at the first one!!