DISCO DIVAS
Tight security, heavy rain and €6.20 for a pint… but STILL the Stradbally masses revel in festival fever
SUN-CREAM, waterproofs and wellies were all essentials for this weekend’s Electric Picnic. While the sun shone brightly for most of Friday, the weather gods weren’t in such good humour yesterday as showers drenched the festivalgoers in the grounds of Stradbally Hall.
They had come to groove to A Tribe Called Quest, stomp to Madness, The xx and the rest, so a little bit of rain – or even a whole lot of it – wasn’t about to dampen their spirits.
The population of the Co. Laois town swells to that of Waterford city once a year for the weekend festival – which has committed to 10 more years of Electric Picnics on the site. Its origins as a one-day ‘boutique festival’ with a 5,000 capacity are now a hazy memory. You need to put aside three days to wander around this open-air supermall offering every kind of music you can think of, as well as drama, food and Miriam O’Callaghan.
It was the fifth picnic for Aisling AsheBurke and her partner Conchobar from Cork – but they felt it would be their last.
‘We were there when Arcade Fire played in 2005 and it was small and everybody was friendly but now it’s just become too big and commercialised,’ said Aisling.
They were looking forward to Madness yesterday and the Pretenders tonight. However, they confessed to knowing little about Friday’s headliners The xx. Donegal band Little Hours opened proceedings on the main stage just after 5pm
‘Now it’s just become too big and commercialised’
on the opening evening as the temperatures topped 20 degrees.
Enjoying the fun at the #3Disco yesterday were the Garrihy sisters Ailbhe, Aoibhin and Doireann – who was DJing at the event. Also spotted was Missy Keating.
Gardaí were a much more obvious presence at this year’s event. Security checks were more stringent, too. In light of attacks at gigs by Ariana Grande and Eagles Of Death Metal, few complained about the bag-checks, pat-downs and longer-than-average delays to gain entry.
Prices were fairly hefty, too. Those not camping could expect to pay around €280 per night in the hotels of Portlaoise, where rooms would typically cost a quarter of that price. Between the cost of a weekend ticket and sundry expenses – including €6.20 for a pint – you could probably fund a week on the continent.
But while you might get sun you wouldn’t get Snow – Rejjie Snow, that is – the Irish hip hop artist who was one of the musical highlights of the first two days. Today Elbow, Chaka Khan, Interpol and the Pretenders are on the main stage before Duran Duran sing out proceedings at the Electric Picnic for another year.