Electric Picnic 2023 **No Ticket Sales / Requests ** - It'll be grand

I arrived on the Thursday evening after a long drive in the rain from the north west. Sun starting to shine just south of Dublin. Good omen!

Once I had the camper parked up and the bed set up and a couple of cans of Guinness down the neck, I ventured in to do a bit of exploring and get my bearings. I started off at the Salty Dog and headed to the bar in the corner. Quite pleased that they were selling cans of Murphy's! Not realising that there was also a bar at Survivor until nearly the end of the night, I found myself covering lots of unnecessary ground tramping back to the SD bar every time I finished a pint! Caught a wee bit of Mack Fleetwood and a wee bit of the Rolling Stones tribute in between my explorations. Nice chilled evening.

Friday started with a few cans at the van and then a bit of people watching from one of the 'thrones' near the Croí entrance. I wandered over to the SD and caught The Love Buzz which I quite enjoyed, a bit of the Stones tribute at Survivor, followed by Pale Blue Eyes back at SD which I enjoyed even more. Made my way to the Main Stage to see King Kong Company whom I've really enjoyed since catching them years ago at Vantastival and a few stand alone gigs in Belfast. I thought they might be a bit lost on the big stage and, to an extent, they were. I still thought they put on a class show but would've benefited from a later slot with darker skies. I wasn't sure about the reworking of some of their older tunes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Things started to get very busy for me then. Wet Leg in the EA were missing something and I think it was that the sound was 'off' where I was standing. Still, good show. From there it was Fishtown for Sun Mashene (pretty enjoyable), the 3 Stage for Viagra Boys (very enjoyable), Rankins for Young Fathers (didn't catch much but liked what I heard), Fishtown again for Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra (don't remember much...!) and then I wandered around until the SD secret act. Columbia Mills weren't doing anything for me so I headed back to the van for the night.

I think Saturday started with Julie on the 3 Stage...but I can't be sure now. Pretty sure I caught some of The Last Dinner Party at the same stage, then made my way over to SD for the Bootleg Beach Boys and the Boardies meet up. Saw the guys in the distance and wasn't sure whether to go over or not. Then I thought, fúck it, what've I got to lose! Lovely bunch! Then it was The Oozes in Fishtown (pretty enjoyable). Electric Arena next for one of my not to be missed acts of the weekend. Johnny Marr did not disappoint! Excellent stuff! I mooched around for a while afterwards whilst waiting for my next must see act of the weekend - IDLES! Had I known that the Doors tribute were on in between, I'd have been there - fúck you EP app! * shakes fist at sky * I really wanted to see Simple Kid but didn't want to risk missing any of IDLES so gave it a miss. IDLES though. Wow! Absolutely unreal. I didn't think they would be topped. Ended up quite close to the front bouncing about with the rest of the crowd. I was knackered then so made my way back to SD and sat on one of the boats at the back listening to RSAG. Couldn't see him from where I was sitting but enjoyed the noise being made. Then it was Overhead The Albatross on the same stage. I'd seen them earlier in the year at the Stendhal festival and thought they were class. Thought the same this time. I really wanted to see Thumper afterwards but just hadn't got the stamina!

Sunday was a lazy start. Wanted to see Gurriers but hadn't the get up and go to walk in from the van. Made it in for Darnell Cole on the SD stage. Pretty straight forward blues rock. Grand. Then it was a band that I'd missed at Stendhal but wanted to see so made a point of going across early to the 3 stage for Chalk. They made a lot of loud noise sound very very good. Great in fact. Lost a wee bit of momentum between songs but when they were going, it was full on! Time for a bit of chilling out so it was over to Croi for Remembering De Dannan. I must've caught them at the wrong time because there was a fella on stage rambling on and on and on about seemingly nothing. He kept losing his train of thought and I lost patience, so Rankins it was for The Mary Wallopers. The place was packed so I sat under a tree outside and listen for a while. Alright. Caught the tail end of Royel Otis on the 3 Stage, who sounded pretty good. Mooched around for ages then and eventually found myself back at SD for the second secret act. Having listened to them set up for what seemed like ages, and having been disappointed by the secret act the night before, I wandered towards Fishtown before they started...which is how I missed Rick Astley! Def Nettle were okay. Another of my not to be missed bands were on next so I was early to the 3 Stage for Amyl and the Sniffers. Right up there with IDLES for performance of the weekend for me. Amazing energy! I summoned whatever energy I had left to bounce around with the crowd for a while...and that was it for me. I couldn't physically manage any more. I wanted to see Sprints but they were on way too late and I was way too knackered. I'd already seen them earlier this year at Stendhal so didn't feel too hard done by.

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Fin.

@Fanirish the killers got paid €500k in 2012! Still getting the same fee 11 years on?

This stuff about moving the festival date to suit a headliner is b#####x, FR’s biggest competitor has forced them into a corner and he’s saving face! This type of talk builds massive hype and expectation! (I stand to be corrected🤓)

Got sorted thanks…got it through the EP app

Right I have photos and videos up but I had family from Scotland visiting on Wednesday so haven't had a chance yet to scribe bout this years event yet hopefully will have something for ye's before end of weekend.

I wanted to wait until the dust had settled in order to put my thoughts in order about the most recent iteration. I also had pause for thought after reading @Stillill42's glowing review of EOTR and it did make me question exactly what I wanted from a festival. EOTR ticks many, many boxes. I have always been firmly of the belief that for me festivals = music and music only and this is why EOTR sounds so beguiling. However, this year’s EP shifted my perception slightly as it was much more than just the music, although that remains far and away my main driver.

Initial thought? This was the best Picnic I have had for years and years. Never underestimate the power of the weather to elevate the mood, however it was much more than that.

An early arrival at Red Car Park ensured that I got a great spot in Eco in Gangsta’s Row (aka Boardsies Corner) As @Kepler21 said, the company totally made the weekend. The bold boy Kepler himself, @desk tidy, @rubick, @Seathrun66 (and non-Boardsie pal) and @CoffeeImpala were tremendous craic and all made me feel so welcome on my first ever solo flight. Just a joy from beginning to end. On to the music. I was very impressed by what they have done with the new Survivor stage. A great addition and long may it stay. Sound quality at it was spot on. The Stones tribute act (with forays into The Who and Boomtown Rats!) on the Thursday were a great launchpad into the weekend.

Friday

The delayed opening of arena until 2ish on the Friday meant lunchtime cans and a natter. Not the worst outcome. An initial wander around the arena to soak it all in was followed by a return to Survivor for the Salty Dog No Stars perform Bowie’s Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. They advertised it as mangled. Away with that…it was anything but. The album was performed with love and was a perfect opener to the day. Another wander before doing something I’ve never done before. I headed into the Global Green Village Hall for the set by Slightly Dishevelled, a 5-piece Dublin punk act (complete with sax and theremin) who blew my socks off. I said hello to the lads from the band around the arena a few times over the weekend and they were super-sound.

Wet Leg followed. I stayed for half the set, sound wasn’t great where I was standing and I mooched off in search of a sit-down! Wandered up to Jerry Fish for some r’n’r. The Ballyboyz with Scally were on but it wasn’t really my thing. Got sat down with a beer and enjoyed the sounds of the Murder Capital set in the 3 Tent across the production road. Stuck around for Sun Mahshene but was disappointed that it just didn’t grab me. Caught the first half of Viagra Boys before heading next door to Young Fathers (both very good). Then came a real treat. I wandered into to Freetown to see Groa, Icelandic punk band at Providencia. They were a bit late starting but I’m so glad that I stuck around. Bjork fronting the Slits with a bit of Can thrown in (yes really) is the closest I can come, but that still falls well short. At the beginning of their set, there was me and one another fella and by the end there weren’t that many more. It was a real shame because they deserved a better setting. There isn’t that much natural footfall past the Providencia stage, so potential passers-by being drawn in was minimised. Having said that, I reckon it wouldn’t have mattered if no one had turned up, you get the feeling that those girls would have put on exactly the same energy-filled, frenetic show to amuse themselves alone. The night had already taken a slightly surreal twist when a certain Mr. M. Benn wandered by just before they took the stage. Another wander into Freetown turned up the gem that was the Bubbles Mod, Ska & Northern Soul DJ booth. I spent so much time here over the weekend, as every time I walked past they were playing another stone cold classic. “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” To that crew, gracias por la musica.

Saturday

Saturday’s line-up was wall-to-wall good stuff. JULIE kicked off the day in 3 Tent and they seem to have taken a big dip into the Kevin Shields playbook. Good set. Maybe a little more light and shade would have elevated it for me, but hey…everyone’s a critic. Last Dinner Party were listened to rather than observed from a sun-bathing spot outside. I thought they sounded ok, but amongst my group there was a, ahem…huge difference of opinion on the quality of their set. Caught a bit of TCM at Survivor a bit earlier than originally billed which was an unexpected bonus. Welcome meet-up there with the gent that is @Mucker46. Thank you for the Clashfinder - that was a shift and a half you put in! I still owe you that beer :/

On to the Bootleg Beach Boys performing Pet Sounds for a massive nerd-out. Chef’s kiss. Testament to the boys that they pulled a large crowd, none of whom seemed to lose interest and wander off during the less well-known numbers. Also got to chat to @Penfailed and @Ghengis there. Great to meet you both in person...

Johnny effin’ Marr. Superlatives don’t even scratch the surface. The man. A meet up with a pal at Roadhouse Doors performing the Doors' debut LP (note perfect) was followed with Idles in the Electric Arena. What a set. So much love in the room coming to and from the stage. A definite highlight of the weekend. UNITY! (Yet) another trip to Survivor to hear a bit of the Macca songbook and I was done for the night. Pure wrecked…

Sunday

Lunchtime saw a good old wander around the arena in the blazing sunshine and a visit or two to the Stradbally Inn was very much in order. Murphy’s on draught. Nice. A rare visit to the Comedy Tent for a bit of respite before enjoying a great set from Gurriers. They have come a long, long way in the last 12 months and they will surely climb the bill in the coming years. Great job lads. 

Up to Fishtown for a bit of Sunday ska action with Pontious Pilate & the Naildrivers. Solid as always. Back down for another bit of cobweb clearing with Belfast noisy boys Chalk. Bit of Royel Otis followed. Decent, and were going down nicely with the crowd. A little bit on the lighter side for my tastes though. By then my foot was seizing up and the heat was catching up with me and so I mooched about in Freetown and Trenchtown for a bit before calling it a night at an ungodly early hour. Glad I did in the end as I was able to get my head down early and be up and away for 8:15 and so missed the horror show that was the traffic on the way back up the road.

Just realised that for the first time since I can remember I never saw an act at Trailer Park, didn’t set foot in Mindfield, didn’t darken The Haunt and I didn’t even catch so much of a glimpse of the Main Stage, such were the choices on offer elsewhere. Like I said at the top, best Picnic in years. Going into it, some fellow Boardsies (including me) were preparing to say bye bye to EP. That’s been kicked down the road a bit now and I’m now glad I bought my loyalty ticket as I cannot wait to see what next year brings.

Pros: Freetown blossoming; new Survivor stage; enough of an eclectic mix for there to be no blank spots for me; super super Eco camp; Stradbally Inn (great addition); and, better choice on the Thursday night.

Negs: The nonsense that is a 30% cut for FR on food vendors. Drives up prices, drives out the good-guys; Nothing worth watching (personally) at the Main Stage (I do miss a good Sunday afternoon legacy act in the suun-sheeine); The overflowing urinals…just, no; Not even going to mention a certain ‘record crowd-pulling’ band…; I completely echo @traco's point about the non-existent lighting between EA and Rankin’s Wood. Young wans bouncing off me along that stretch. Been grumbling away to myself about this for years.

‘Tomayto’ tomato though. Pros still (currently) outweighing the cons. Bring on 2024 and your big old superstar booking. If it's not the R-word or DM that's ok, I’ll most likely be over Salty Dog direction anyway!

I still owe you plenty of pints for previous years

Loving your longevity @Seathrun66 3024. Do you think Aphex or the R word will play that year

Myself & oh had a fantastic weekend, thoroughly enjoyed it. Weather of course brings out the best in people & added to a great atmosphere. Apart from the main acts (loved Billie’s set despite her being under the weather), we wandered here & there to catch some new groups. Thought the Last Dinner Party were brilliant! Amazing atmosphere & they seemed to be having a ball…….Tom Odell on the other hand seemed to just be going through the motions until his final couple of songs! Came across Siomha & Susi Pascel too & really enjoyed both. I thought the Script were great too, enjoyed much more than I had expected. 

I thought the campsites seemed better than last year too. Again, the rain was probably a factor as last year, people put their tents up in the rain & didn’t pitch them properly, presumably because they just wanted to get in out of the rain. By the Saturday morning, there were tents falling down, abandoned soaking wet sleeping bags, clothes, etc. 

We were in the Eco Campsite, which was great, so well organised & managed, a total pleasure to sit back in the early afternoon & chill with a couple of tinnies! However, while there are loads of bins in Eco and in the Festival grounds itself, there are never enough in the main campsites. I really can’t understand this! No wonder the place is left a mess! My daughter was camping in Janis Joplin & went to the info desk to see if they had any recycling binbags (there were signs up in the main arena, telling people to do this), but the guys behind the desk asked her what she wanted a bin for! Seriously!?! They were stunned that someone might ask for a bin but they didn’t have any anyway. She had brought a couple but ran out as others around her hadn’t brought any. Also, just one big Panda bin beside all the food stalls at entrance from Red car park/Eco. Was full by afternoon each day & left to overflow until it was replaced overnight. There was a mountain of rubbish there at the end of each day, with at least as much on the ground around it as what was in the actual bin. Ridiculous! Just leave more bins & the whole place would benefit. They should bring back the Eco overflow site, the more Eco like sites, the better!

Re the crowds, I thought it was all fine until late Sunday night. I was in the stands as needed a seat due to arthritis. I was there for Gavin James, the Script & the Killers. The crowds obviously built a lot but during the break between the Script & the Killers I saw two very heated arguments about seats. The first anrgument involved people (in three different rows, different groups of people) that had been there for the Script & one of them went out for food/toilets during the break before the Killers. A guy (maybe late 50’s) came in & tried to take people’s seats in each row, despite being told that the husband was just gone to get food for the fam or one of the group had just gone to the loo. Each time he argued that ‘you couldn’t hold seats’ & was told that they had been there for the previous act & had just gone for food/loo & he argued & argued very aggressively. When he couldn’t get the seat, he would just climb over to the next row & start the same argument with another family. I thought there was going to be a punch thrown in the end. 

In another case, two people left after the Script & weren’t coming back for the Killers. A husband & wife started to walk in the row to take the now empty seats. Another woman pushed her way in between the husband & wife & then demanded that she get one of the seats. Stand-off & arguments began & went on for a good while until the wife managed to get past the woman & the couple sat down. Was insane! Surely people should know that you can’t just rock up 10 minutes before the final act & expect a seat? 🙄

Was really the only hassle I saw during an otherwise very smooth, very enjoyable weekend. I thought the queues for food/drink were shorter than last year & I actually thought the toilets (womens) were better than last year too. Loved the Survivor setup, the Croí stage & the Haunt. Have already bought our tickets for next year & looking forward to it already. 😁

Fark! EP 2024 sold out!

Anyone got an official link to the new capacity? Many saying extra 5k, 75 k total for 24.

Edit:

Hahahaha, I thought id given away which one I was ages ago but curious what the consensus was on which member of the band I am ?

In all seriousness thanks to anyone from here who came down, we had a mad summer playing all over Europe and was such a joy to come home and get such receptive crowds. Sunday was especially mental and we were shocked anyone showed up at all for us on sat. considering the clash with Idles.

See yas at the Grand Social on the 19th of next month... xo

Given the name Da Neck and the head bopping on the bass player that's my guess

🤣🤣

Was disappointed by ‘Overmono’ they have this delish, mellow sunset track “good lies” but their EP performance was that hardcore cheap pill house stuff, where they stop the bass, turn off all lights then drop a beat bring up lights, repeat every 30 seconds!

They are absolute bobbins.

Can't quite believe the hype around them.

Sorry to be a grump but I just couldn’t hack The Last Dinner Party. And it seems like I’m alone on this. They were however very amiable and delighted to be there so the best of luck to them.

They deserve some good fortune after all the false accusations of being industry plants that were thrown at them. Always nice to see an act exited about being at the festival, and many more bands were last weekend.

.