Electric Picnic 2024 **No Ticket Sales / Requests** - Waiting in line, terrible time, over familiar

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972269#Comment_121972269

All the Ls:

Lana Del Rey

Liam Gallagher

LCD Soundsystem

TheIrishGrover

Coldplay on before The 1975

Taylor Swift on before The 1975

The 1975 on before The 1975

rubick

Would love Massive Attack to make an appearance but are they really an EP band anymore?

Gap in their schedule.

https://www.songkick.com/artists/546131-massive-attack

C14N

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121969351#Comment_121969351

I was deliberately calling it "top 5-6" to try and be politicially correct avoid the headliner/subheadliner argument from hearlier. I don't personally see much of a distinction between them so I don't know what the agreeable single term is to refer to the group of acts who all get their names in equally large text at the top section of the poster (and usually in a unique font/logo unlike the rest of the poster who all get a generic format). The number of these acts seems to vary year to year also. The past 2 years had 6 of them, 2019 had 4, 2018 had 5, 2017 had 10. Tier 1 acts maybe?

Some people have mentioned having no interest in these group of main-stage acts one way or the other but personally, I definitely would be interested and would be inclined to check them out if I was going, even if I wasn't previously a fan. I'm in my 30s now and I'm wary of turning into a grumbling old man who doesn't know or like any mainstream modern music and who complains about how everything was way better when I was 15 years old. I still have my limits (I'm not seeing Picture This come hell or high water) but I do try to be open to trying to enjoy whatever the kids are listening to these days. The question just becomes about whether they have enough pull as a group to get my to cut a holiday short and pay the €250 to see them all. But if they surmount that hurdle I'll probably try to see most of them, unless they clash with a really good lower-tier act.

LilNiall

Based on the attendees last year The Wolfe Tones will be high on this poster.

Not that I agree with it but it's probably a reasonably cheap booking, that fits the schedule, and will take care of one of the higher spots on the poster.

scruff monkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972685#Comment_121972685

I'd say they very much are still a top tier festival act due to their legacy and the show they put on.

Absolutely love the first 3 albums and some of the later stuff post "disagreements" but their shows left me cold and I think I'm a minority in that.

dav09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972996#Comment_121972996

Crowd was very flat at 2018, feel they have pretty much no stage presence, it felt like it was just a dark stage with binary code in the background, the music sounded very same-y throughout. I stayed for about 30 mins trying to convince myself it was good, but just couldn't get into it. Their music really isn't 'dance' too live, so was a let down as was expecting it to be that on the Saturday night, although just went elsewhere and had a great time near Jerry Fish and B&S. If that's what you're into great, but seem to be a band people either love or hate. Would personally not have an issue with the caliber of act of them being booked, Daddy G also does solo sets at various festivals could be an option for a smaller stage.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972808#Comment_121972808

Speaking of one of the grumpy old men (and we are ) I think it’s very unfair to say that we resist the new-ish pop and hip-hop music that the kids enjoy. I’d like to think that we’re just more discerning in taste and indifferent to anodyne/soulless pop and bland insincere singer-songwriter stuff.

Hozier for example gets a fair run here, not to my taste but much more to him than Gavin James or Dermot Kennedy. There’s also a lot of love for Billie Eilish who has something different. See also Lorde. Kendrick Lamar gets a lot of kudos and some here are intrigued by Kneecap but waiting for them to produce better material.

Personally I don’t see much innovation or experimentation in most of today’s popular acts but I’d give any of them a look at a festival to be proved wrong. I thought Cardi B was entertaining at EP and Sigrid was loads of fun. Fred Again bearable. The Last Dinner Party will be hugely popular at the festival this year but they do nothing for me. A bit of edge or danger would be welcome but I’m not seeing that anywhere. We’re the generation who lived through the start of punk, Krautrock, post-punk, hip-hop, grime, house and loads of other genres. We’re waiting for this generation to give us something new. And we’re running out of time. 😀

.

Stillill42

To add to that, the majority on here are dedicated gig goers and not just to mega bucks nostalgia acts. We're always on the look out for exciting new acts, Irish or otherwise. The resistance is to unimaginative drivel, not to young musicians. It's regularly pointed out that there are a myriad of great young bands out there that are being passed over by the EP bookers.

C14N

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973059#Comment_121973059

I felt the same way at that show. I stayed for the full set but I was pretty surprised by how dead the atmosphere was. It was definitely the thinnest crowd of any of the acts I saw that year, and I remember the median age of the crowd being a lot older than other shows too. Shouldn't have been a main stage act imo, would have been better somewhere smaller because they just didn't draw that big or lively a crowd.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973132#Comment_121973132

I suppose I'm kind of the same. I do have a hard time getting interested in the likes of Kennedy or James, but I do also try to keep the list of acts I just steer completely clear of to a minimum, and would like to think that I'd usually be aiming to see the majority of the Tier 1 acts at EP. Then of course music these days is so diverse and easy to seek out that anyone who wants to will always be able to find some musicians that they'll like, even if they aren't big enough to top festivals or get mainstream play but I also don't want to get a mindset of thinking the only good stuff is the stuff that nobody else I know has heard of.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972996#Comment_121972996

I’d be in agreement on their first three albums plus the indifferent shows. There’s little animation from the band and they often seem to be phoning it in (EP 2006 for starters). However I thought they were excellent in 2018. Young Fathers cameo was great and the band were in top notch form. The best I’ve seen them and I’d love them back.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973187#Comment_121973187

Spot on @Stillill42 . In the next month alone I’ll be seeing Havvk, Shark School, Vernon Jane, Muireann Bradley, Sprints, Chalk, Adwaith, The Love Buzz and Niamh Bury. These are our future (all but one are Irish) and they’ve all got something to offer. Music doesn’t have to be vacuous.

dav09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973132#Comment_121973132

Music has solidified in the past 10 or so years. On top of that the record companies have been pushing bland-pop for the past decade, the vast majority is generic and formulaic which is why the likes of Gerry Cinnamon and co are so big, and people do buy into it. I actually think it comes down the world culture as a whole if you look at instagram, tik tok etc. but that's a whole different subject. I'm mid 20s so I shouldn't be in the 'you're just a bitter old folk who can't understand new music' brigade, and like said most people here love music and are regular gig go-ers and want to go and enjoy good music at festivals.

Objectively most singer songwriters sound very similar, sing about the same thing, have the same lyrics (some even really dumb lyrics) and the rock that's on the radio/mainstream really isn't 'rock', it's mostly the same boring formulaic alt-rock rubbish usually, there are exceptions with everything. What is a real shame is there has been some really really good music made over the years, especially Irish music. There are plenty of bands who had the talent but as usual various reasons didn't make it. I've played at nearly every festival here most multiple times and there were some really talented people & bands at them. Even when Fontaines were playing the smaller gigs/festivals there were some really fantastic, unique, arguably better and commercially viable acts, but more of a commercial risk that companies wouldn't take, if you look at the acts the record labels sign you will see the same pattern, it's like they put their traits into an algorithm to see whether to sign them. Although Fontaines are decent and have improved since those days, they're mostly not doing much groundbreaking, but what they do is very well and they have been some bit of an exception to the rule here, still came from Bimm which has produced and helped push a lot of the alternative pop acts over the past 20 years (not that there's anything wrong with that). It's great that Ireland has a thriving gig scene with a lot of fantastic underground acts, some who are lucky enough to play at EP.

In all honestly there are some people making good music and pushing boundaries but maybe not to the extent as before and it's few and far between. To name a few, in electronic and pop music what Fred/Four Tet/Skrillex along with acts like Chase & Status have been doing recently has been refreshing imo. You could probably argue the same with Dua Lipa, Billie Eillish and a few of the USA pop stars. On top of some of the Hip Hop that's come out, the issue is there isn't enough Kendrick Lamars, most up there are in the auto-tune brigade with Travis Scott. The UK Hip hop scene has been somewhat strong too Skepta, Dave, Stormzy have had some good stuff over the years but some meh too, but the commercial side has been taken over by the likes of Central Cee/J Hus recently again most tracks following the same formula. Some pop music from Europe, Hispanic & further afield has been decent if you look far enough. But again, the problem is like a bigger cultural thing as most of the artists mentioned here are still on the fringes of what gets played commercially, everything I've said probably has personal tastes/biases in there too as much as I've tried to be objective.

But no, there doesn't seem to be any modern Bowie's, Sinead O Conner's, Prince's, Michael Jacksons that's for sure.

As I always say, I'd be delighted with just a good mix at EP, even just acts that you can have a bit of fun at. But will not be happy if we have 3/4 of 6 headliners are more or less the same, but hopefully not.

thebusher

Sprints would be great Seathrun66

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973512#Comment_121973512

Excellent post. All I’d add to it is the lack of promotion on Irish radio of young innovative Irish acts. BBC6 is the station that has most pushed Lankum, NewDad, Fontaines, Sprints and others. Paul McLoone was giving them loads of airplay on his show but it’s hard to see who has replaced him. Met him recently at an Ash gig in Galway and he said a return to radio is sadly unlikely.

rubick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973059#Comment_121973059

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973059#Comment_121973059

I thought the crowd was great during their 2018 set, although I was amongst a load of Bristol heads that were verging on SuperFandom levels. Was great craic, plus it was essentially a greatest hits set. Only other time I have seen them was the much delayed 21st Anniversary of Mezzannine at the 3Arena. That was ridiculously great, not least because Liz Fraser was on stage with them.

Was gutted that their only UK show in Bristol later this year rules them out of Worthy Farm. This year of all years would be a great year to see Massive Attack there.

If Festival Republic can get them and The Prodigy over to Stradbally in a 2018 repeat, I will be very happy.

TenPicnics

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973132#Comment_121973132

Dont forget ska, and 'new country' (Steve Earle etc.) Seath! I'm the same age as you and definitely grumpy, but female, so I suppose I'm a bitter ould one. With what has turned out to be good taste in music old and new, like many of the grumpy ould fellas on here.

Wooderson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973512#Comment_121973512

Consistently one of the best posters on 'ere. Nice one mate.

Stillill42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973518#Comment_121973518

Sprints have plenty of support on here and a fair number of us will be seeing them on their upcoming tour, I'm sure. I'm sure the Button Factory will be hopping on May 3rd.

Stillill42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973582#Comment_121973582

Yeah, I loved the Massive Attack set in 2018. I was near the front, great atmosphere where I was, perfect setlist, loved the visuals. Horses for courses, I guess.

Dreamweapon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973391#Comment_121973391

Interesting, i thought their 2006 set was the best i'd ever seen them play. Phenomenal that night imo.

@rubick that Mezzanine show was ruined by the crowd being populated by absolute **** of the highest order. Non stop chat no matter where i went. Confirmed why i hate big gigs so much. Even talking all through Teardrop, but obviously had the phones out for it. Possibly the most angry i've ever felt leaving a gig.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973895#Comment_121973895

You’re undoubtedly right, and it was certainly great to see Liz Fraser there doing two tracks. Probably a case of myself and pals being too full of beer on the first night of the fest and not having the attention span for such a low-key set. Just had a look at the setlist again and it’s magnificent.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/massive-attack/2006/stradbally-hall-stradbally-ireland-3d4d5d3.html

dav09

Thanks folks I appreciate it, it's probably an over simplistic view of a larger general issue, the bottom line I hope FR deliver to still create a great festival experience as always, which I'm sure they will. I'd definitely give Massive Attack another go if they came for sure and no matter what would please a lot of people, they have some incredible music, I was really looking forward to Daddy G at B&S last year but pulled out on the day due to illness.

+ The Radio 6 remark is a great observation too, you'd wonder would something like that work in Ireland but probably not enough listenership to justify an FM station unfortunately, i.e. 2XM if that still exists.

Stillill42

I wonder if there's an outside shout of the Jesus and Mary Chain for the Sunday? They've self confirmed for Green Man on the Friday, Portugal on the Saturday, free Sunday. Bit of a stretch, I know.

Stillill42

Vampire Weekend? Touring, doing the odd festival, August pretty much free?

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974626#Comment_121974626

primavera is festival exclusive and have 3 arena show announced for November

bodhrandude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974626#Comment_121974626

I think they're a European exclusive to some festival in Europe can remember the name.

Rugbyf565

So glad I didn’t get a ticket now. Enjoy the crap acts and pissing rain lads 😂

Dreamweapon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974556#Comment_121974556

Godammit! Fanirish had my hopes built up that they were a cert (he said there was a possibility which was enough for me to run with it in my head!). No Mary Chain and i suspect there'll be even less than usual for me.

Stillill42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974680#Comment_121974680

Ffs. Still no line up and now Rugbyf565 is not going to make it. I'm not sure how much more I can take.