Kaleidoscope 2023

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123592611#Comment_123592611

I've not been other years so I can't comment about any such deterioration but I would roll back around to the admission price and point out that just seeing each of the headliners alone could cost €50-60 per ticket in most venues. And this year they are 3 bands I might actually have seen individually if I wasn't going to this.

I do think the quality of acts seems much higher than previous years, even if the quantity is much thinner. And I'm not denying the quantity is much thinner than than other festivals but looking at headliners of other festivals I think this is, musically speaking, one of the better ones. Other festivals are very similarly just admission tickets to pay-as-you-go funfairs

What I can't understand is, with such a thin supply of acts, why do they have any overlap at all? Stretch out the acts you have on to one stage, save money on building the Zozimous tent.

jamesd

Is there anywhere to empty a chemical toilet there ? Going to bring 2 cassette's but be handy if I could empty one if needed.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123596108#Comment_123596108

Never been but I'd assume there would be one for the camper van area, worst case scenario you could flush it down the jacks. Or just use the jacks instead of the casette

The Davestator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123596108#Comment_123596108

There is, basically, a big hose in the ground as far as i remember

jamesd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123598800#Comment_123598800

That'd do, should be fine with 2 cassettes but with 2 kids good to know there should be a way to empty.

kenn0

a sneak peek 🎪

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123601515#Comment_123601515

Looks good, on another note, should we update the title of the thread?

Count Hairyfoot

Just drove past the site - looking good.

There's groups of odd looking people starting to gather in Blessington. Probably some people attending Kaleidoscope too.

Patser

Just home, and have to say it was another great weekend.

Festival felt fuller than ever with a great vibe about the area. Maybe it was the moving Wonderland up to main area, or just having really good headliners, but it definitely felt busier.

Texas we're amazing, helped by fantastic weather, The Coronas we brilliant too, in spite of poor weather. Can't comment on Ocean Colour Scene as Minecraft movie won out.

Of the other acts I saw Jerry Fish was his usual consumate entertainer, Love Sensation on Friday in Zozimus we're pretty much Block Rocking Beats with more poppy songs, just 2 minute covers of songs blended into massive medleys with full brass section, Grunge and Abbaesque perfect tribute acts doing exactly what it says on the tin. Caught a smaller act called Western Wheel as well. Very good, 4 lads on stage doing their own Grunge/Rock inspired stuff. Absolutely living their best lives, posing it up with guitar solos, enjoying the moment.

Another positive for me was seeing the small local groups/acts scattered amongst the crowd. Things like the Tallaght marching band or a dance school, just putting on shows. Also the scattering of stilt walkers, bubble blowers etc.

Some negatives- Zozimus tent unable to cope with the crowd when it was either the only act in town (Daft Punk Saturday) or only shelter (Abba today). It just got so jammed you couldn't get in at all. Not helped by people using it as a dry base today, so it filled with rings of camp chairs as people came and went, but when ABBA were on there was so much space taken up by trolleys, picnic blankets etc it was near impossible to move in. Festival site could do with more sheltered areas, as I can't think of a Kaleidoscope that had 3 dry days.

Also special mention to the group that decided to party loudly in middle of campsite til 2am on Friday. Piano Man never sounded so out of key as to 2 drunk teens belting it out. Also Oh ah up the Ra might be a great chant to them, but at 2am at a family festival I was fantasising about an early July 12th bonfire.

Other normal gripes that you get at every festival- toilets especially on Friday got filled and filthy v quick as no-one was attending them. Same with bins.

The level of rip off at festivals never ceases to amaze. The Londis was hilarious with the hand written prices as the tried to guess what they could get away with. Getting a €10 brekkie roll from the Blaa tent and thinking that was cheap in comparison to all the others....

Oh and the weather on Sunday.

But as said, really enjoyed weekend, all those gripes at end were minor and mostly beyond control of organisers - Irish weather going to disappoint, Spanners going to spanner etc

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123592611#Comment_123592611

I think I figured out what happened on Saturday where there was over 2 hours of a break on the main stage between riptide and Texas

Saturday was by far the busier day for day tickets, while they waited around there was an opportunity to spend money. This might not be a popular opinion but I think that's a brilliant idea for the organisers to make money!

Patser

But there was somebody on. We took the opportunity to go back to tent, along with friends that were camping beside us; to have a few beers and let kids do face painting on each other, but when we came down for Texas there was a band finishing up. Didn't get their name but heard them say 'We'll be playing the Academy soon'.

Your theory did cross my mind, and you could be well right. A full at the most packed time to get people to spend on rides etc. Would be cynical but business wise smart. I'd say they had someone cancel, left a gap in their programme until they got a last minute filler in that they didn't bother adding

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123613478#Comment_123613478

Oh I didn't realise there was somebody on main stage between riptide and Texas. We did the same, went after Jerry Fish (not massive riptide fans) and got food and a few beers at the tent.

I wouldn't call it cynical at all. The festival has to make money or else it won't be back next year. They aren't a charity and I thought what they did was a good business move. Other than the ticket price entry they didn't make much money off me and many others in our crew this weekend so I'm glad they thought to make money from the day trippers