Electric Picnic 2016 // Discussion Only / NO Ticket Sales / Requests //

scruff monkey · 05-09-2016 03:10PM

keyboard_cat wrote: »

Possibly but i am in a bad mood after a weekend of having my tent pissed upon by scumbags :P

Classy

ab4248 · 05-09-2016 03:13PM

I think previous years was more friendly for kids and families. The extra capacity is off putting. Havent been to Body and Soul or Indiependence but will be looking into it for next year. Spent most of my time in the Body & Soul area anyway. I want something onto EP but without the crowded feeling of this year. Hope Im on the right track. Prob end up back at EP too tho. Although our own tent gave the tents in the arena a run for their money

MJohnston · 05-09-2016 03:16PM

sadie06 wrote: »

That would ruin anybody's weekend.

No need to take my kids. I agree…it was not a suitable environment this year….certainly not the Sunday.

Nobody is really disagreeing that EP has become "unsuitable" for kids this year (though feck off with people proclaiming what parents *should* do, sound like the Catholic Church), and will probably negatively continue in that vein.

There are just those of us who remember well when the festival *was* great for families, who preferred the atmosphere that brought long before we had kids of our own, and who lament it becoming increasingly about EDM, overuse of drugs, and crowds packed into sponsored tents.

I can see Body and Soul leaving EP in a year or two, they're increasingly out of place there.

Easy Rod · 05-09-2016 03:18PM

roll wrote: »

one other question-did anybody stay up for Overhead The Albatross last night? if so can they remember if there were any good?!

I stayed for the first half and yep they were deadly. Bit mellow in places for some of friends though!

sadie06 · 05-09-2016 03:21PM

MJohnston wrote: »

Nobody is really disagreeing that EP has become "unsuitable" for kids this year (though feck off with people proclaiming what parents *should* do, sound like the Catholic Church), and will probably negatively continue in that vein.

I think we are on the same side!

BullBlackNova · 05-09-2016 03:24PM

Heard that the loyalty scheme will only be open to those who attended this year, but haven't read it any of the articles about tickets going on sale.

Anyone able to tell me for certain? Normally would dismiss it but more than one person said it to me today!!

I can get over the price increase (though it is a little annoying given the massive jump in capacity in recent years) but cutting out anyone who skipped 2016 (or even just bought their tickets through second-hand markets, for e.g.) is a bit ****ty.

EDIT: Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. Skipped it this year as I just couldn't justify the spend with whatever else I had going on this summer. Will consider next year, though might look elsewhere too.

RTE's coverage is all I can comment on - thought it was decent. Annoying that it's limited to the main stage, B&S and Jerry Fish's chest for some reason, but you got a good snapshot of the first 2 days, a decent segment of Noel Gallagher and Nas (all they are allowed to show anyway) and I actually liked Eoghan McDermott - you get that he just really loves some of the music, which is nice to see IMO. Also loved the amount of Irish acts, even if I don't like the acts themselves (if I never see or hear Gavin James or Picture This again, it'll be too soon!!) We always complain that Irish acts don't get exposure on tv and radio here - well I enjoyed watching Rusangano Family, Sample Answer, All Tvvins and Saint Sister on late-night TV - more of that please RTE!!

Beechwoodspark · 05-09-2016 03:27PM

roll wrote: »

one other question-did anybody stay up for Overhead The Albatross last night? if so can they remember if there were any good?!

Heard they were really good but didn't see em myself-was in the woods having a late night boogie at that stage

scruff monkey · 05-09-2016 03:29PM

BullBlackNova wrote: »

Heard that the loyalty scheme will only be open to those who attended this year, but haven't read it any of the articles about tickets going on sale.

That would be ****ty indeed

MeatTwoVeg · 05-09-2016 03:35PM

murphyebass wrote:

It's the same as the parents who bring heir kids to a pub all day Sunday. Ugh

No it's not.

BullBlackNova · 05-09-2016 03:40PM

scruff monkey wrote: »

That would be ****ty indeed

As I say, it was just people mentioning it in passing to me, but more than one saying it had me a little worried...

scruff monkey · 05-09-2016 03:57PM

BullBlackNova wrote: »

As I say, it was just people mentioning it in passing to me, but more than one saying it had me a little worried...

Yeah, can understand the worry, but unless they had the r word band with Bruce Springsteen on backing vocals and a resurrected 3D prince on lead guitar, I'd say there would still be tickets floating around for cost price the week of it.

murphyebass · 05-09-2016 03:59PM

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

No it's not.

To be fair maybe it's more akin to a nightclub situation but personally I wouldn't like my kids being exposed to people drinking all day long or night whether that's in a pub or field.

I don't thinks appropriate for a child to be in that situation.

As I said already though that's just my opinion.

LeperKing · 05-09-2016 04:16PM

It was my first time to a music festival, and I really struggled to get a sense of the scale of it. We had entered from the Athy end, and got quickly parked into the yellow car park. Thus begun the low point of dragging our stuff from there to the Pink Moon area, after taking at least two wrong turns, as the staff's level of the area was very hit and miss. I nearly lost the rag with one of the security staff, after he sent us into the main area queue while I was carrying two crates of beer, and bags of clothing. Thankfully some kind souls waiting in the queue, told us of our mistake, and we figured out the correct path to take.

Pod-pads area was great, and it's location to the festival was a major plus. Friday's main stage lineup provided a great back drop to leisurely pints on sunny Friday evening. Saturday was a damp squib, most of our time was spent in the Comedy tent, with Rubber Bandits being a highlight, and some issues were seen getting people to sit back down after them as well. Walking through the Hendrix campsite was eye-opening. It's definitely a young man’s game camping there.

For Sunday night, had to sacrifice seeing Relish instead seeing the Dublin Gospel choir which was definitely a feel good experience. Lana Del Ray sounded great for what I heard, until I got dragged to other spots. I wished I had being able to hear Bat for Lashes, as she sounded great as we were passing her tent.

I know there's a lot of debate on the family friendliness of the festival, sadly I can't see it being really at the top of the organizers priorities, if kid’s entry is free. If you don't charge for kids, then the level of expectation is questionable. I don’t think they have their heart in it.

To summarize what could be improved....

STOP
- Prerecorded DJ music overpowering neighboring live music performances at a festival. Just seems wrong to me. Thumping bass frequencies just over power everything and everyone around.
- Not sure of the need of a funfair & circus in a music festival.
START
- If you want to cater for families, then you have to have family allocated toilets. For me that's a fundamental deal breaker to bringing kids.
- Improve staff training on the layout of the area.
- Pre allocating/registering car park spaces.
CONTINUE
- The artwork around the site was great, and evoked the festival spirit.
- The 10c per glass return is a great idea.
- The choice of food was great.
- Water points was great.

Glad to hear they don't intend to increase size next year.

Thanks,
LK.

UsedToWait · 05-09-2016 04:53PM

SoundOfSilence wrote: »

Are you basing that off the fact he said it was a guitar band? Or did he actually say something else that implied it's radiohead?

Ah not really.. I just wanted to start the rumour mill good and early for next year..

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 05-09-2016 04:57PM

EP is no place for kids

MadYaker · 05-09-2016 04:58PM

Finally back in Galway after a slow start to the day. Overall I had a very enjoyable weekend once again. Highlights for me were LCD Soundsystem, Noel Gallagher and Skepta. Noel Gallagher into LCD was one of the most enjoyable nights I've had in a long time. Caught a bit of Daniel Alverys set after which was also great. The Chemical Brothers were good as well but 2 cans down my trousers and 2 ziploc bags full of vodka in my wellies had me absolutely scuttered and I can't account for the rest of the night. I was spotted returning to my tent at about 6am, no idea where I was, what I did or who I was with!

I took a bit handier on Saturday and Sunday and had a much more enjoyable time as a result. The weather was tough at times, especially last night with the near constant rain. Kormac played a rocking set on the Salty Dog and everyone seemed to be enjoying it despite the rain. I got a bit smarter with security this year. I didn't fail once at getting cans into the main arena. If you watched for a few minutes you could pick out the lads that were doing a half arsed pat down and aim for them.

I agree with posters on here that the festival demographic is headed in the wrong direction. I don't think it'll ever go full oxegen but it definitely gets worse every year in that regard. They need to clamp down on the 13 to 17 year olds big time. They just shouldn't be allowed in full stop. ID anyone that looks under 30 and only accept passports, age cards or driving licenses and if security see someone they suspect to be underage they should be able to ID them and chuck them out of they are. It seems over last few years that every family that doesn't go gets replaced by about ten drunk 16/17 year olds. Especially on Sunday.

That said I thought the crowd was quite nice this year? Although maybe I'm part of the problem, everytime I see someone on here complaining about people being totally out of it on drugs and drink I always think they could be talking about me. Apart from the drunk teenagers I didn't notice any scobes, our neighbours in Oscar Wilde were lovely and I had loads of great chats with random strangers. Maybe I just got lucky.

The were a few changes to site this year that I didn't think were great. The lake swimming is pointless nonsense and has apparently made a mess of the access route for families. The Anarchronica thing in the woods is a piss poor replacement for the RBMA stage imo. To be honest I was out of it whenever I was there but I thought it wasn't as good, it seems smaller. I also thought the sound in the Electric Arena wasn't great. I noticed it this year at Broken Social Scene and last year at Jape. Couldn't really hear the vocalist and it was all just overbearing bass. Also why was there such a massive distance between the barrier and the stage in there? Was it always like that? Skepta even mentioned it during his set which was excellent by the way despite the young and slightly rough crowd. The Hazel Wood area was nice though. I wandered in there on Saturday morning when I was in a right heap and it was a nice relaxing place to chill and nurse a can into me.

Overall it was a great weekend and I reckon I'll be buying my ticket this friday.

FizzleSticks · 05-09-2016 05:10PM

This post has been deleted.

sadie06 · 05-09-2016 05:11PM

MadYaker wrote: »

The Hazel Wood area was nice though. I wandered in there on Saturday morning when I was in a right heap and it was a nice relaxing place to chill and nurse a can into me.

Where was it?

MadYaker · 05-09-2016 05:14PM

You didn't go to it? It was just off the path that goes from Salty Dog towards the exit for walking to Stradbally.

sadie06 · 05-09-2016 05:17PM

Ah I see! We didn't venture that way this year at all.

scruff monkey · 05-09-2016 05:19PM

sadie06 wrote: »

Where was it?

Half way between paintball entrance and salty dog, Cathy Davey did her new album in full on Friday night, lovely little stage.

alastair · 05-09-2016 05:19PM

No idea who was involved in this - but a high point from of the Salty Dog Bowie bash on Friday night: https://vimeo.com/181517771

Torontohound · 05-09-2016 05:24PM

Back from my first EP. Overall, had a good time.

I stayed in Boutique, never going back to anything else except maybe a campervan.

Impressed by the Chemical Brothers, New Order, food selection and showers.

Not impressed by Casa Barcadi bar, more then once my change was wrong and a cup of ice was a disappointment. I was also massively shocked by the Hendrix campsite,we had to pass through it from Boutique and it was like Calcutta after the Saturday morning rain, very very Oxegen crowd from what I saw, some really disgraceful behaviour going on. I don't think I was ever young enough or drink/drugged up enough to stay in a campsite like that. Security checks into the main arena from Hendrix were extreme.

Got out of the yellow car park ok this morning, couple cars got stuck but no staff around to help. Unfortunately my car broke down on hitting Cork just after my phone had died! Got it sorted but not before a €400 repair bill, hard to shallow after such and expensive weekend but at least I didn't pay for Boutique!

strawberryb0y · 05-09-2016 05:30PM

MJohnston wrote: »

Opinions do vary, but yours still sounds like that of a handbag clutching oul biddie (but that's just my opinion, no offence)

Most of the opinions in this thread sound like that to be honest. The same ****e comes up on Boards every year and the vast majority of the points basically come down to the fact that you're not as young as you were six or seven years ago when you thought it was the best festival ever.
If people think it's too packed or don't like the lineup than fair enough but most of the complaints here are fairly blatant ageism.
I have gotten a laugh from the suggestion that drink and drugs are a new addition to the festival though.

drunkmonkey · 05-09-2016 05:41PM

Torontohound wrote: »

more then once my change was wrong

Was waiting for someone to say it, first bar I went into was the one in pinkmoon, was a little stoned and drunk after leaving tent this was about 4pm Friday, went up ordered a pink of cider, English barman started having buddy buddy conversation but he could tell I was a little wrecked, then went off to get me the drink, first arrived back with €4, I said nothing said I'd wait till he arrives with the drink, hands me cider. Called him back looking for my remainding €40, didn't even question me and handed it straight over. A professions thief designed as a bar man. Don't mind banning babies ban the fecking English.

sadie06 · 05-09-2016 05:41PM

strawberryb0y wrote: »

Most of the opinions in this thread sound like that to be honest. The same ****e comes up on Boards every year and the vast majority of the points basically come down to the fact that you're not as young as you were six or seven years ago when you thought it was the best festival ever.
If people think it's too packed or don't like the lineup than fair enough but most of the complaints here are fairly blatant ageism.
I have gotten a laugh from the suggestion that drink and drugs are a new addition to the festival though.

I see where you are coming from, I really do, and yes, I am 5 years older than when I first went, but I think it's to do with ratios and balance. I think everyone would benefit from a better ratio of people hitting it hard to those there to mostly chill, to those somewhere in between. It's swung too far in one direction.

threein99 · 05-09-2016 05:51PM

MadYaker wrote: »

Finally back in Galway after a slow start to the day. Overall I had a very enjoyable weekend once again. Highlights for me were LCD Soundsystem, Noel Gallagher and Skepta. Noel Gallagher into LCD was one of the most enjoyable nights I've had in a long time. Caught a bit of Daniel Alverys set after which was also great. The Chemical Brothers were good as well but 2 cans down my trousers and 2 ziploc bags full of vodka in my wellies had me absolutely scuttered and I can't account for the rest of the night. I was spotted returning to my tent at about 6am, no idea where I was, what I did or who I was with!

I took a bit handier on Saturday and Sunday and had a much more enjoyable time as a result. The weather was tough at times, especially last night with the near constant rain. Kormac played a rocking set on the Salty Dog and everyone seemed to be enjoying it despite the rain. I got a bit smarter with security this year. I didn't fail once at getting cans into the main arena. If you watched for a few minutes you could pick out the lads that were doing a half arsed pat down and aim for them.

I agree with posters on here that the festival demographic is headed in the wrong direction. I don't think it'll ever go full oxegen but it definitely gets worse every year in that regard. They need to clamp down on the 13 to 17 year olds big time. They just shouldn't be allowed in full stop. ID anyone that looks under 30 and only accept passports, age cards or driving licenses and if security see someone they suspect to be underage they should be able to ID them and chuck them out of they are. It seems over last few years that every family that doesn't go gets replaced by about ten drunk 16/17 year olds. Especially on Sunday.

That said I thought the crowd was quite nice this year? Although maybe I'm part of the problem, everytime I see someone on here complaining about people being totally out of it on drugs and drink I always think they could be talking about me. Apart from the drunk teenagers I didn't notice any scobes, our neighbours in Oscar Wilde were lovely and I had loads of great chats with random strangers. Maybe I just got lucky.

The were a few changes to site this year that I didn't think were great. The lake swimming is pointless nonsense and has apparently made a mess of the access route for families. The Anarchronica thing in the woods is a piss poor replacement for the RBMA stage imo. To be honest I was out of it whenever I was there but I thought it wasn't as good, it seems smaller. I also thought the sound in the Electric Arena wasn't great. I noticed it this year at Broken Social Scene and last year at Jape. Couldn't really hear the vocalist and it was all just overbearing bass. Also why was there such a massive distance between the barrier and the stage in there? Was it always like that? Skepta even mentioned it during his set which was excellent by the way despite the young and slightly rough crowd. The Hazel Wood area was nice though. I wandered in there on Saturday morning when I was in a right heap and it was a nice relaxing place to chill and nurse a can into me.

Overall it was a great weekend and I reckon I'll be buying my ticket this friday.

Where do you hide your cans ? I've always gone for the hipflask route of sneaking in drink.

Pickpocket · 05-09-2016 05:53PM

strawberryb0y wrote: »

I have gotten a laugh from the suggestion that drink and drugs are a new addition to the festival though.

The strength of pills and powder MDMA has went through the roof since the late 00s. In particular, clean MDMA has become widely available where once it was a rarity. The price of both has also significantly dropped. Both have risen in popularity again, partly due to the above but also because of a change in music trends. There's also DJ sets and live dancefloor music spread right across the arena, whereas previously it was largely confined to certain areas. There's also a multitude of new vendors pumping out house music left, right and centre. The festival is moving closer and closer to being a predominantly electronic event, which traditionally go hand in hand with certain types of drugs. On top of that the festival has almost doubled in size over the last 3 or 4 years.

There are simply more drugs now than ever before. It's not new, but it's definitely better/worse depending on your personal take on the matter. Nobody is suggesting that alcohol and drugs are new. The opposite is true. People are highlighting Irish people's tendency toward over-indulgence and how this has impacted on the festival.

drunkmonkey · 05-09-2016 06:03PM

Have you looked at the lineup from a good few years ago, EDM was always a big part of EP. Maybe it died off for a few years but at the start EDM was certainly a large part of it.

strawberryb0y · 05-09-2016 06:05PM

People are quite clearly suggesting that overindulgence in drink and drugs on a large scale is a recent problem.
In my experience of this year Vs my first picnic in 2010 there is no great difference in the proportion of people who've overdone it.

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