Sunday brought with it even sunnier weather and a huge increase in attendance, people clearly taking advantage of day tickets and saying goodbye to the summer in style. Enemies have the hard task of opening the last day, post rock and a bright screen maybe not what the doctor ordered for weary heads. Their set is full of energy and brims with life, an impressive start to the final day from the Wicklow band. Cavan band The Strypes have been causing quite a fuss in Ireland all summer. From the opening chords they have the huge audience captivated; unleashing a set of blues inspired music, using the whole stage to thrash about with guitars and sing their hearts out. Ranging in age from 15 to 17 the mastery and skill they display with their instruments is quite frankly shocking, not just for their age but for any band, anywhere. Add to that their camaraderie, charm and surprisingly (given their tender years) sex appeal. At one point the guitarist even gestures to the photographers gathered as if they say “come on, take my photo, I dare you”. They may not have a back catalogue of original music, but with their debut album Snapshot just released this month it should rectify that. Make no mistake there is something special running through this band, dismiss them at your peril.
With the best hair at the entire festival, Noah And The Whale take over at the main stage. The young fans lap them up, loving every minute they are there, devouring the radio friendly rock music. Charming frontman Charlie Fink ( could his name be any slicker?) keeps the crowd focused and as the day heats up so do the fans. Back inside Johnny Marr appears in a beautiful velvet jacket, and he brought his guitar along too, thankfully. Although playing since the 80’s, it is only this year that Johnny has released his debut album. He proves to be every bit the frontman, musically competent, charming and likeable. Anyone who took the risk of seeing him over bigger names were well rewarded. Over in the Body & Soul area, Overhead, The Albatross were charged with entertaining the picnic goers who had gathered on the grassy verge. No easy feat, especially when you are an instrumental band. They are a six piece from Dublin and in reality they shouldn’t really work, but yet they do. There is something intrinsically enjoyable about watching a few musicians thrash about with their instruments as if they were teenagers in a bedroom, not knowing that the world was watching. Much like with an orchestra where you simply sit and watch all the players and enjoy it, with no one person to focus on, with Overhead you do the same thing. You simply observe and enjoy.
Kodaline are a band who went from zero to hero over the Irish summer but from their appearance on the main stage it is hard to see why. Their set is static and lacks any sort of charisma or appeal. They seem to have made the leap from playing in smaller venues to mainstage far too quickly, not filling in the blanks in-between. It must be said however that the crowd that have gathered sing back almost every lyric to them, so their base is without doubt intact; but if Kodaline want to play the mainstage in other countries they are going to have to think about their live offering or at least show some sort of charm. Warpaint endure terrible sound difficulties and as a result start fifteen minutes late. Nothing seems to work for them and one engineer looks like he just caught his wife cheating. They do however eventually appear and unfortunately the mic continues to spit out horrendous feedback. They soldier on and after some time it settles. It ruins the opening though, especially for a band who are so naturally cool and calm. If it was a punk band, hey, it might have helped! Such is their L.A. cool that it is not long before their hypnotic vocals have cast a spell on everyone, and by the time Undertow plays out the whole place is awash with chilled out vibes, and Warpaint deliver one of those sets where time simply drifts away from you.
Balancing things out, Jagwar Ma slap you in the face with their acid house. From Sydney, Australia, this three piece know how to groove, the whole tent is moving like a night in Ministry of Sound, the beats and pulses electrifying everyone. The main stage is prepped for Franz Ferdinand, no strangers to playing huge festivals , with a hit list as long as your arm. With a stunning light show to support them, Franz are a true crowd pleaser. Everybody knows the lyrics to at least one song and as a result there is a massive sing-along in the descending darkness. Pros at this stage and it shows, they go on to deliver one of the most enjoyable sets of the weekend.
Mick Flannery may not have any stunning light shows but that doesn’t dent his impact as the Cork man soothes the picnicers who have come to see him in Rankin’s wood stage. Sitting behind a keyboard and joined by a violinist, it is easy to see why he is drawing comparisons to Tom Waits. With the Franz set over on the main stage the air of anticipation was building for a certain Alex Turner fronted British band. They have headlined so many festivals, sold so many albums, collected so many accolades and have so many column inches dedicated to them that it is almost pointless reviewing Arctic Monkeys. A huge letter A and M light up the stage as they stroll out, Turner looking dapper in a green suit and white shirt as the crowd erupt in unison. With all the cockiness of a band at the top they reel of hit after hit, the lights going epileptic for Brianstorm. They never appear to be the most charming of bands, even appearing somewhat standoffish, but no one here really cares, they just want to here the monkeys play, and play they do! Their new album is sure to bring them yet even more success. If you decided to give the main stage a miss you were in for something truly special in the Electric Arena.
Swedish duo, The Knife, in a rare live performance were opening their Shaking The Habitual show. And man what a show. More theatre than music, the duo are joined by a cast as they dance, jump, mime and act across the entire stage in an orgasmic display of musical genius. With faces painted and dressed in special costumes they play what looks like, well, a giant piece of wood, as everyone leaps around to the mad soundscapes pouring from it. The audience look truly bemused and captivated, much more than any other seen all weekend. The Knife’s show is by far the best of the entire festival, showing what happens when great musicians combine their ideas into a visual form which takes the audience on a journey into God knows where. A true visual and musical treat it is the very essence of music, it moves the soul! As everyone leaves all the other stages the Body & Soul area truly comes to life and Le Galaxie keep the party going with their boundless, enviable energy well into the night.
Electric Picnic is hard to sum up in words. It is one of those festivals where everything just somehow comes together and creates a truly special atmosphere, without being forced. It’s not so much about the music, but rather everything. It has so many crooks and corners, so many different areas. It’s about the stage on a pirate ship, the rave in the woods, the inflatable church with the dancing priest, the graffiti artists, the washing machine maze, the hot tub area, the numerous crafts on display, the fire breathers, the discusssions & talks, the fine foods, the lampshades hanging from trees, the giant bicycles, the wacky costumes, the flags, the ribbons, the colours, the people, the music, the tranquility and how all of this combines to make one truly, special, unforgettable experience. Add to that daily transport including from Dublin Airport, and it is easy to see why people come from all around to experience the picnic. It may only be ten years old, but here is to many more birthdays!
Read about Days 1&2 here ..