Forest Fest - Emo, Co. Laois - 2024

Completely surpassed all my expectations.

Only gripe was the camping chairs as mentioned above. Seemed as if some people assumed you could set them down 3 metres from a stage and somehow reserve your prime spot for the day! The ones mentioned above at the Undertones gig (6 in a row) were empty when we arrived with coats/jumpers on them!!!! I think the owners arrived back just before the gig to find a crowd around them. What did they expect ?

Otherwise everything was fantastic!

The soundness of the crowds. Some of the gigs were like a mass joyous singalong. We were some of the last to leave general camping this morning and the place was spotless - a far cry from some other festivals I've attended.

Stage timings were bang on and sound was excellent. Kudos to all involved in that area.

Enjoyed immensely virtually every band I got to see particularly the Wedding Present, Glasvegas, Sharon Shannon, The Frank and Walters, Paul Brady, the Undertones, Ash and The Fat Lady Sings (how happy was Nick Kelly with the reception they got?). Tribute bands were also great craic.

So full of festival joy (or Wicklow Wolf pale ale) that I didn't even mind the long walk to and from the campsite although I heard someone saying that there was an €8 charge for the shuttle bus. Anyone know if that's true? Disappointing if so.

Fully intend to return next year.

Just back home now - Enjoyed this one over all and its quite different from the festivals we usually go to. Clearly a more 'mature' crowd that like their camp chairs. ( admittedly by the Sunday we took ours in too but mainly for our kid to sleep on while we danced.)

I've come to the conclusion that legacy bands, although initially a draw for me at this festival are actually not really what I enjoyed the most. I found them all a bit flat, tired and they seemed to be going through the motions for the better part with the exception of Bad Manners and Ash! For example, we ditched the Stunning 4 songs in for Something Happens who were fun and full of energy and genuinely seem stoked to be there. This seems a rare trait in long standing groups that have had bigger success in previous years. Even Ocean Colour Scene were a shadow of when I last saw them at glasto in 2000. So by Sunday were didn't bother at all with any of the big names (except Bad Manners) and focused on my curiosity picks. Had an absolute blast of a last day as a result.

Our top picks that we stayed the whole sets for where The Barley Mob (always enjoy these chaps) Post Party, Huartan, Bog Bodies, Thanks Mom, Elephant Sessions.

Would we return to FF? - perhaps… - Not a fan of the venue, its a bit soulless, doesn't have the site variation and elements of discovery and dressing we find enhance a festival experience but the overall crowd and vibe was good. Shocking sound bleed with everything crammed into such a small area however very well run from an event logistics point of view. Was good to be able to get into Campervan area the evening before. All the Staff and Volunteers were brilliant, including when we raised the alarm on a campers LPG tank pishing gas out - it wasn't the one shown on the big screen! and took us to take the steward directly to it at 1am up the row a bit as once the wind calmed it was easier to locate. We were downhill from it and it was draining and collecting in our awning!

Did anyone else find the main stage sound was generally shite all weekend? - I know the wind was affecting it a bit on Saturday… Sounded ok for King Kong Company - Possibly have their own sound engineer?

And one final honourable mention - Wicklow Wolf - Eclipse Stout…. Where have you been all my life!!! - Its Delicious!

Oh the schlep to and from the general camping site….. They had "10 mins walk" marked on their site map. Last year there were loads of shuttle buses, this year nothing except buses for some mess up with glamping apparently. At one point on Friday the bus company was offering a fare of €8 each way each day per person but and end was put to that. Even the stewards thought there were meant to be shuttle buses running. For some of the mature element of the audience that walk was no joke. One member or our group has knackered knees and was in a bad way at the end of it all. It wouldn't stop me going again but I really do think they should have shuttles for that distance.

How did ya do that?