Electric Picnic 2021 - Cancelled :( **No Ticket Sales / Requests **

Nah ... we booked ourselves 14 days holidays a couple of months back and it just slipped my mind about the gig. Disgusted I am going to miss it. Haven't seen a live band in a long long time.

So had a fantastic weekend seeing so much music. I had gone to a couple of smaller standalone gigs over the last year or so but this was the first festival. It was great to have that feeling again of all the good vibes from people and finding out new favourite artists.

One of the first acts we saw was Andy Irvine on Saturday afternoon. A guy sitting beside me echoed the same sentiment from Thundercats of how much of a privalege it is to still be able see artists like him in 2021. Before him we had Steve Cooney who I genuinely believe could play along to any type of music, a true genius.

Saturday night finished off with the latchikos for the second night in a row and they predictably tore the house down, really lively crowd for it.

Yesterday started a little later in the day but got in just in time for Clare sands set. She played most of her songs over old recordings that she had picked up along the way. Some with ambient sounds, some with people talking, a bit like public service broadcasting. I was really impressed with her, totally surpassed my expectations.

Then it was on to saint sister, who I knew a couple of their bigger songs from Spotify but was overall pretty unfamiliar. Their set was amazing, the crowd hung on to their every word and it was a really special experience. Really captivating stuff, they had a merch stand and herself bought their new album on vinyl. We were also lucky enough to have a quick chat with the two girls as they were loading up their gear and got them to sign the vinyl. Very nice girls to talk to and quite humble too. And a major shock for me was that they aren't actually sisters! Regardless, they're highly recommended from me anyway.

The evening finished with Kila and although they didn't have their full lineup for whatever reason, they still had the place hopping. This started as a kind of sit down affair but about 20 mins into their set some patrons took it upon themselves to stack all the chairs in a corner so people would have to go and dance. It was all pretty funny, and a of good natured rebellion.

Overall I had a brilliant weekend, the positivity about the place was just so infectious. You don't realize how much you missed these kinds of feelings over the last 18 months. Meeting people you haven't seen in literal years and of course random festival types of encounters, all have been badly missed for too long.

Thanks, I was trying to use my inner BD while I was writing it! I think I might have to practice a bit more!

Pre ordered the James Vincent Mcmorrow album. It is coming from uk and just got a message to say charges due. Paid €16 VAT charge of €3 and an post charge €3.50 on top of it. Will be keeping an eye out in future where coming from

Are the snapped ankles supported by the shins?

(Sorry)

Thread ban?

And why is Enda still posting after the Garth Brooks admission? We used to have standards......

I guess you could blame it all on my roots...

We've three gigs coming up in Belfast in the next two months, but the way things are going in terms of Covid hospitalisations and the rumblings from Stormont this morning about the strain on local hospitals here I really don't see them going ahead.

1st October - Sean Johnston - ALFOS @ The Ulster Sports Club - current restrictions do not permit dancing indoors, so this already twice delayed event (from June 2020) could be kicked down the road again. This was initially due to be an Andrew Weatherall tribute night as well with A/V installations by David Holmes.

22nd November - The Charlatans @ The Limelight

24th November - The Orb @ Belfast Empire

6th December - James/Happy Mondays @ 3Arena

Honestly can see a further delay to relaxation of restrictions to be announced on Thursday in the North because hospitals are at breaking point. Paul Givan and Michelle O'Neill were at the Royal Victoria Hospital this morning for meetings with staff ahead of the forthcoming announcement.

I have reached the same conclusion

I think it's time to stop being silly

I know .. CDs, eh grandad?

CDs are unbreakable, they last a lifetime with zero scratching. The new miracle product!

Almost all of my vinyl pre-pandemic I was getting from merch stands. Signed albums for €20, often cheaper than the online or shop prices, signed by the band who you have a chat with and you're rewarding touring artists by putting cash directly into their coffers. Past three years I've got signed stuff by Mercury Rev, Just Mustard, !!!, Hugh Cornwell, Lloyd Cole, Joan As Policewoman, The Delines, etc, etc.

I hate Amazon with a passion, never buy from them. Juno in the UK is good but not post-Brexit. Local Galway shops expensive so direct from the artists is great. Obviously of little use if they're not on tour. That's a major flaw in my reasoning.

Did anyone see this, Wild Roots is holding a single day event on Saturday, admission is free. Its in Stephen St, Sligo. Lineup is:

Damien Dempsey

Soda Blonde / JYellowL / Paddy Casey

The Flavours / The Burma/ The Barley Mob

Jamie Callaghan / Callum Wall / Wired For Sound

and goes on from 1 PM to 11 PM.

Their Galway gig gone too. Good to see you're as feckless as me Stillill. The OVs set they did for the Galway Arts Fest

was pretty great and it's difficult to see them not touring the album for a while, up to and including EP 2027.

I am in same boat. Only discovered their music recently and its my album of the year so was gutted when i checked to see if touring it and saw all sold out.

Have to admit i am a cd man. Use things like spotify to listen to music and if like it buy the cd (wife sick of the space they are taking up). Was peeved when pillow queens didnt release album on cd and worried thats the way things will go.

Cant remember if it was you but giving you the credit anyway. Always thought Mick Flannery had a great voice and while his music was easy to listen to it didnt excite me much but this album with SON is absolutely brilliant, has been on repeat for days at home and in the car.

Can't remember whether you recommended them but you definitely had good words to say about SO'N a good while back. Will have to get tickets for the Roisín show but it's in the same fortnight as Paul Weller, NewDad, Villagers and Billy Bragg so I may have worn out my gigging allowance.

MF/SO'N album very good, the blend of voices reminds me a lot of the Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell stuff. Not at that standard of Broken Seas yet but it's growing hugely on me.

Well Thundercats notwithstanding, Mick and Susan have just announced a second date in the Watergate in Kilkenny for Saturday the 11th of December. Just booked. That'll be a nice night away for myself and the missus.

Not on Ticketmaster, for anyone interested. Bookings via their website.

Jeez so it is.

Would be just heading down the M50 now to get there for the gates opening.

Indeed, along with hospital number significantly decreasing over the last few days.

Onwards and upwards, Everlast.

Yes, it's being moved too. Luckily for moi!

et moi...

I had put my tickets on for resell on ticketmast but now "I Want My Tickets Back"!

is it Jonathan Ross?