Body & Soul - Ballinlough, Co. Westmeath - 14th - 16th June 2024

I'm hoping they more so tap into that market and don't go too far away from the music festival concept. I think with the Woodlands stage and (old) main stage gone last year it definitely felt very small. Would love to see them scale it again I think booking exciting fresher headliners, trying new genres and concepts would help (as I had seen most of the previous B&S headliners at previous years). The quietness is a bit strange, as dates were announced in July so hope everything is okay there. All in all, it was a great weekend and hope they release tickets for next year soon so that they can be booked.

I mean a couple of headliners who aren't repeat headliners.

And yeah there is huge competition now, hence why I suggested maybe needing to branch out more to explore new genres. I'm okay with repeat headliners particularly when they're very good (which in farness most were), my favorite from the weekend was Fabio & Grooverider would personally love to see them back even, but I think of the other 5 headliners in 2023 most of were at the festival over the past couple of editions.

No social media activity in 3 months. Exact dates of 2024 removed from website.

it’s always been quiet on social media front over the years.

Well I noticed they announced a bit earlier last year as they had procured Moderat, but it has always been from middle of January onward that Body & Soul start becoming active in their socials.

Yeah I can't see it coming back next year unfortunately. The retreats thing mentioned above I'm not sure would work it seems far away from what they usually did. I think they always innovated in a lot of ways and really loved some of the old stage designs and the overall location, site layout. I think a change in booking policy was needed maybe target a different range of people to grow it back to 5-10k as very few festivals seem to survive with less than those numbers especially given it's location. I wouldn't mind if they took a break and reassessed for 2025 but not many festivals come back after a break. It was be a huge shame if it were to go I remember one year a while back I think I attended 11 festivals and body & soul was definitely my favourite.

Sounds like they're taking a break for 2024, to re emerge in 2025 which I'd say is likely. I think best bet would be to partner with another festival like they did with EP and Latitude Festival next year and maybe rebuild from there and try a different strategy for 2025 festival. I can't see a major promoter buying it either I think the site is just a placeholder since there's probably no content for it not taking place next year as it seems.

Every major promoter here has tried to buy it over the years. But they refused

I am not surprised, but doubt they would sell it off at this stage and don't think they're would be as much interest now as during it 10-15k crowd days in its hey day. Recieving investment and collaboration with a major promoter while keeping some creative control might be wise unless they've a clear plan for the future, i can imagine running festivals as an independent group isn't easy particularly in the past few years.

Matter & Spirit.

Body and Soulless?

I mean with the bookings that the likes of Foggy Notions have made recently, you'd love to see them get involved in a festival.

To think they once had their own tent at EP.

Yeah I heard the same from some event staff this weekend gone.

Would love to have it back and would be happier to have it smaller. Those first 3-4 years were pure magic.

Ya but the site was still waaaay too big for that size of crowd

All gone quiet again.....any more whisperings?

I demand it to be on this year and that's it, end of of story.

Never been but always understood that Ballinlough was a large contributor to the charm.

Great news. Hopefully whatever happens it stays in ballinlough. The setting absolutely makes it what it is. Plus there's a ton of infrastructure there already now at this stage.