spraoi?

fatherbuzcagney

Is there very little hype over the sproai festival this weekend or is it just me?Have not heard too much talk about it or heard of whats on around.

Deise Dolly

Yeah, it doesn't seem to be promoted as much this year. However, as Spraoi is a long running, well established festival, I think it will still attract a large crowd. I know people were disappointed to see on Spraoi's FB page that there won't be any fireworks on Sunday though and I wonder if this will have any knock on effect.

Having looked at the line-up on their website, there seems to be a lot of good acts featured over the weekend, including a couple of decent local bands, which is always good to see. In any case I'm sure it will be a successful weekend, as always.

MitchKoobski

everyone just seems knackered after Tall Ships

TheNardDawg

MitchKoobski wrote: »

everyone just seems knackered after Tall Ships

You speak for eveyone do ya?

MitchKoobski

TheNardDawg wrote: »

You speak for eveyone do ya?

Nah, just yourself.

For everyone else it's just a guesstimate based on friends and family.

decies

We were spoiled after the tall ships,its a bit like after the lord mayors show.Anyway hope those who are attending enjoy and well done to all the volunteers.

dayshah

Tall Ships, Music Fest, they all take their toll.

I hope the weather will be great for it though. Lot's of people who might usually come home to Waterford for Spraoi came home for the tall ships.

I'm still looking forward to it though.

Finnbar01

The Guardian has giving it a very good review.

Spraoi festival is a free urban festival in beautiful Waterford in the south-east of Ireland. It attracts nearly 100,000 people and the city streets act as a stage for acts from around the world. As well as music, there is an emphasis on street art, with Indian, Swedish, French and German crews bringing acrobatics, dance and juggling to the festival. There is also a programme of live music – from bluegrass to ska – at pubs and other venues, called Rhythm Routes. Sunday afternoon's parade, on a theme of flights of fantasy, is the highlight of the festival.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/jun/19/european-music-festivals

mike65

Clearly never been here on a wet Wednesday*






















*obligatory self hate comment

Mythor

As mentioned previously, I think people are all festival'd out after the Tall Ships. Not a big spraoi fan myself, but they were involved quite a bit in the Tall Ships too. Maybe the money has run out for publicity? I know thats why there are no fireworks, due to the amount that they put into it for the Tall ships...and they were fantastic.

Same thing happened when the Tall ships were here first..Spraoi weekend was a pretty quiet affair compared to previous years.

mike65

No harm to be fair, only so much "partying" can be done. Waterford is not Galway, which is a festival economy these days.

(slightly surprised the Guardian spotted it, someone must have alerted them)

abouttobebanned

Roll eyes at mike65

wmpdd3

Lads its 'FREE'.

I can party all day and night as long as its free.

My days off usually consist of a nice long walk with a buggy, now I can see something while I walk, no complaints from me!!

deisemum

There doesn't seem to be as much hype about it as their has been in the past.

I've got family coming to Waterford tomorrow for the Sproai weekend, just hope we have good weather for it.

dayshah

wmpdd3 wrote: »

My days off usually consist of a nice long walk with a buggy, now I can see something while I walk, no complaints from me!!

Become a modified buggy enthusiast and your days off will be more fun. Lower the wheels, put neon lights underneath, maybe fit a sound system.

You'd have the coolest buggy in Waterford.

Max Powers

I cant wait for it. Weather is meant to be good also. Spraoi is a hidden gem in Ireland's festival line-up. If only it got the funding other festivals got like the galway arts festival.

Aarnikotka

dayshah wrote: »

Tall Ships, Music Fest, they all take their toll.

I hope the weather will be great for it though. Lot's of people who might usually come home to Waterford for Spraoi came home for the tall ships.

I'm still looking forward to it though.

I came back for both - do I get brownie points?

Really looking forward to the weekend - I hope the weather holds up...

dayshah

Aarnikotka wrote: »

I came back for both - do I get brownie points?

Of course

And for the triple crown, you might come back for the food festival in September too

SteelyDanJalapeno

Few cans, watch a band down on the Plaza, 10 euro spent, what else would ya be doin of a Saturday?!

bobbytables

Max Powers wrote: »

I cant wait for it. Weather is meant to be good also. Spraoi is a hidden gem in Ireland's festival line-up. If only it got the funding other festivals got like the galway arts festival.

+1

As a Galwegian I'll throw in my 2c. Up until the late 90s the Galway Arts Festival week was brilliant a brought a great buzz around the city with free outdoor events in abundance. Around the same time there was also the Salthill Festival (my first job infact) with live acts on a purpose built stage on the prom. It was always great craic. 7-Up beat on the street and all that jazz. If you were in the city or Salthill, you simply couldn't have avoided the entertainment if you tried, which between all that was going on spanned several weeks around July.

In the late 90s, everything started to go ticket-based and behind closed doors (Town Hall / Black Box Theatres / Big Tent / etc). Slowly but surely the only thing for free was parade (although very good), the festival was nothing like it used to be. For years now the only way I'd know that the GAF was on would be from all the ads in local papers and posters around the city promoting some paid event. Driving around in your car you'd never know anything was on.

In 2004, myself and my girlfriend took a trip to Waterford for Spraoi weekend. She already knew about it, but it was my first time experiencing it. The weather was fantastic and for the first time in about 10 years I once again experienced the buzz we used to have in Galway during the GAF. I fell in love with Waterford, and continued to attend Spraoi every year until 2007 when it lashed for the entire weekend and did it's best to destroy the festivities. So we decided to give it a break.

So it's been 4 years. I'm about to wrap up work here in Galway because we are once again departing in the morning for Waterford. We can't fuppin wait. I was out in town (here in Galway) last night, yes it's absolutely mental up here with the Galway Races and yes Galway is certainly living up to its reputation as being a party city at the moment. The only problem I have with it though is that it's just thousands of people with plastic containers filled with drink roaming the streets with no entertainment.

The only time recently that we had something really special in Galway was the Volvo Ocean Race in June '09. That was absolutely mental and I'm sure the Tall Ships was similar.

I'm sorry to hear that there'll be no fireworks @ Spraoi this weekend, but as many have said, the weather will hopefully keep things ticking over without a hitch. I'll never forget that first time in 2004, over in Christendom across the river just after arriving and hearing some Dj blaring Massive Attack / Leftfield on the stage across from Reginalds Tower.

Roll on Spraoi

comeraghs

I've some foreign friends coming down for SPRAOI this year, If you see a lost looking Saudi lad or a Venezuelan couple Say Hi for me .... unfortunatly due to an in'law wedding up the North I'll be missing it for the 1st time in years. ENJOY FOLKS

um7y1h83ge06nx

Hi lads, heading to Spraoi for the first time, looking forward to it!

Was wondering, do the Big Top tickets tend to sell out?

Was considering buying them online but also see they can be bought in the park. Would prefer to not really plan the weekend too much by booking them in advance.

Thanks.

MsBojangles

Willow Greasy Mice wrote: »

Top tickets tend to sell out?

I never knew ya needed tickets down there ooops looks like ive been breaking the law

Max Powers

most things dont need tickets, if there is a ticket for something you really want to see or you are bringing kids, get them. Im often happiest just to pick out a few acts i want to see in the day and wander around the rest, stop for pint, lunch, street acts etc

um7y1h83ge06nx

Yup, that sounds like the best plan alright, just play it by ear.

Here's the stuff that requires tickets by the way:

http://www.spraoi.com/big-top-tickets/

STIG83

Is true there no fireworks this year? Billy MacCarthy said it this morning on the radio.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Spraoi's official Twitter feed said it too.

http://twitter.com/#!/waterfordspraoi/status/96235684205035520

Psychedelic

STIG83 wrote: »

Is true there no fireworks this year? Billy MacCarthy said it this morning on the radio.

No fireworks this year, tis a pity but sure it's a 3 day festival, the fireworks are nice but they are only a 10-15 minute thing to finish off the festival.

scico rocks

Why was the night parades cancelled? I always thought that was their ace card. The only nighttime parade in Ireland?

abouttobebanned

It's definitely going to be the poorest turn out for any Spraoi Festival..which is a real shame.

jimbojazz

abouttobebanned wrote: »

It's definitely going to be the poorest turn out for any Spraoi Festival..which is a real shame.

Have to agree with you. Normally we'd head in on the Saturday and stay late for the bands and do the same on the Sunday and hang around for the fireworks. But I asked my 13 year if he wanted to go in today and he wasnt bothered and just wants to go in around tomorrow.

I think it's come too soon after the Tall Ships and as aresult the promotion for it got lost as a result.

Absolute shame.

nkay1985

Well I just have to say thtat hone who didn't bother going in last night for the show in Bolton Street really missed out. I think it's the best big show I've see out on at Spraoi. Fantastic stuff.

Going to head in for the day in a while. Nothing like spending a day walking around your home town with a buzz around the place.

bobbytables

Well I don't know, we're having a great time. Thought the place was a bit quiet last night but today has been brilliant craic. Heading out for some French cuisine this evening and wherever after that.

Tomorrow is a bit more open plan, I'm a bit disappointed loads of shops have told us they'll be closed tomorrow & Monday. I would imagine when you have so much traffic on the streets the retailers would be trading. The market in city square wasn't there the last time we were here, it's a nice touch.

Hoping to see more activity on the Streets tonight instead of being confined to John St and the "pack 'em in" pubs. We've enough of that sort of stuff in Galway.

abouttobebanned

Lol pack em in. We wish!

longshanks

nkay1985 wrote: »

Well I just have to say thtat hone who didn't bother going in last night for the show in Bolton Street really missed out. I think it's the best big show I've see out on at Spraoi. Fantastic stuff.

Going to head in for the day in a while. Nothing like spending a day walking around your home town with a buzz around the place.

Went down to the Bolton street performance tonight, it was quality. Good vibe about the place too.

thomasm

Bringing the kids(9,7,3) in today. Any recommendations from the acts you saw yesterday

Kanoe

was doing my best to avoid the town this weekend but on way to bbq yesterday evening and stopped in for one on the way, got as far as geoffs. Waited ten minutes to get served, some jazz band was playing out back but couldn't see a thing or do much more than stand in the doorway and surrounded by the usual suspects so swiftly downed pint and headed across road to Kasbar. Sweetest trad band I've heard in years playing outside and they were visible to everyone, still managed to get seated right next to the heaters tho. Thumbs up to the bar staff too, a delight all considered and nice bunch of people drinking there too.
Cherry on the cake was when the singer shouted across at geoffs and told them that they weren't allowed to listen if they weren't buying their pints in the Kasbar.

That's my lot for the Spraoi for this year

kkdela6

so whats the buzz like in town this year? ive missed it all so far due to work and wont get too see much tonight cos we're playing in one of the pubs. is there many around?

Kanoe

I didn't see much of it but what I did see was less than previous years, hardly surprising given the tall ships has probably taken the best of it this year.Not much into it myself tbh, spent Friday in Kildare and still thinking about getting to Cork today. Might get back to town later though. (I might be coerced if there's any good bands playing around tnite )

kkdela6

If i had it my way, i would have spent the whole weekend at the other stage in blackfriars. some unreal bands playing there. tonight for instance, solar taxi followed by fighting spiders followed by casanova wave! (if you havent heard them look em up on youtube, absolute class)
i have to go back to work soon but i really hope i get finished in time to at least see the spiders.

Kanoe

I need monies

dark_shadow

Is there going to be any fireworks tonight??

abouttobebanned

No

dark_shadow

Oh well.....:(

MsBojangles

dark_shadow wrote: »

Oh well.....:(

Many out my way haven't even planned on goin in for it

thomasm

Had day in the park with kids and what a day. Great location to have all the acts and lovely atmosphere. Parade gets better every year IMHO. Had guests from UK over and the were amazed by it all. Well done all concerned

marlin vs

Disaster is putting it mildly.

abouttobebanned

marlin vs wrote: »

Disaster is putting it mildly.

What's a disaster?

iphonehead

I would never let anybody run down Spraoi - now to be clear I have nothing to do with the organizing , I just enjoy all it has to offer. This year they had the gun to the head following on from Tall Ships - nothing other then maybe bring the ships back again in August could match that weekend - which was organized over a 2 to 3 year period, so its not fair to compare. Its a free weekend - there were brilliant acts and some great bands dotted around the city - if you don't like it get your ticket price refunded... oh right sorry - its FREE. That said despite all the positives I thought it was a little fragmented this year - spread all over the city, and call me a traditionalist but I did miss the fireworks, I felt today (sunday) died a death after the parade... but its free and its local and they did their best and delivered a great weekend, support them - don't knock them, it certainly was not a disaster!

AdMMM

Was a tame Spraoi as far as drinking was concerned. Was like a normal saturday night only infused with crazy brazillian beats where I work.

Without a doubt the tall ships affected this. I look forward to next year and business as usual again.

Max Powers

Spraoi was absolutley amazing again. Was down the park yesterday with cousins kids from Galway, they had an brilliant time. I enjoyed it thoroughly myself, the parade, violinist chap, kites, all excellent. excellent organisation and once again, one of Irelands top festivals, if not very top