Picks don Phicnic 🧺
Ciao cuties!
Cén chaoi bhfuil sibh? Tá súil agam go raibh samhradh aoibhinn agaibh agus nach bhfuil deireadh le séasúr na bhféilte daoibh fós! Beidh mé fhéin ag freastal ar Electric Picnic Dé Sathairn agus Dé Domhnaigh, cuir shout orm má bheidh tú thart :)
Seachas sin, táim ag déanamh mo dhícheall a bheith níos ciúine, and hope to step into a peaceful, cosy, wholesome autumn, partially because that sounds lovely and also beacuse I don’t know about you, but I am broke after summer!
I have already broken my self-imposed ticket-buying ban (AM in October, buzzing), but I’m trying my best! I’ve been thinking about the impact of ticket prices on the industry and on live events as an experience. Hopefully it won’t be the case that only people who have the disposable income can afford to enjoy gigs. As a freelancer too, I’m wondering how I can review gigs or approach commentary when I can’t afford to attend concerts anymore.. Or maybe my Ticketmaster account and heart are just destined to be fuller than my bank account or fridge.
And maybe we could just do our best to support smaller gigs and artists instead of forking out hundreds for millionaire popstars - in which case I’d like to recommend the gorge We’re Not Together Band (omg, a seamless segue!). You can pre-save their upcoming single Camomile here or grab a ticket for their EP launch in the Bello Bar on the 13th of October here (hope I see you there!)
Electric Picnic
With gig prices rising, festivals are starting to make more financial sense (is that girl math?). I managed to have an event or obligation clash with every festival this year, so although I wasn’t sure about the Electric Picnic, I’m really hanging all my final dreams of summer on it now.
It’s not a perfect line-up. One of six headliners are women… haven’t we had this conversation before? Small enough Irish representation overall. Pure chaos when the final “secret headliner” was revealed to be The Script (don’t shout at me but I’m actually happy to see an Irish headliner, and a nice homecoming gig for a band that had a shit year). But still there are reasons to go and here are a few (excluding the obvious):
Friday’s entire Electric Arena schedule - you could spend the whole night there: Belters Only, Steve Lacy, Wet Leg, Jazzy. Wet Leg are my #1 Do Not Miss act of the festival. Fight Like Apes play Saturday too!
The Mindfield - times TBC but on my radar are Krea sa bPuball Gaeilge; dreamy Maija Sofia; a conversation between Brían Mac Gloinn (Ye Vagabonds), Niamh Bury and Joe Potter (The Night Before Larry Was Stretched); I’m Grand Mam; and GaelGáirí with a lovely line-up of Aideen McQueen, Hugh Carr, Louisa Ní Éideáin and Eoin P. Ó Murchú. Some years I have barely leave the Mindfield and never regret it.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Snail Mail, Ethel Cain and The Last Dinner Party on the 3 Music Stage. Huge bookings for the witchy gals?!?✨🔮
Jamie XX on Saturday - stunning visuals, gorgeous show, can’t wait for a dance.
Tebi Rex, Powpig and SPRINTS @ Salty Dog
Ispíní na hÉireann wherever they pop up..
Nach mór gach rud ag Croí:
Young Fathers (full disclosure I always confuse them with New Dad), Loyle Carner, Mary Wallopers, Selló and MUNA @ Rankin’s Wood
Negro Impacto, Zaska, Shakalak, Acid Granny @ Trailer Park
Aisling Bea @ Comedy Tent
Rick Astley (Never gonna give! You! Up!) on the mainstage
Mother After Dark or Efa O’Neill at Anachronica (rave in the woods) for a bop after midnight
An Ghaeltacht, An Chollchoill agus an Puball Gaeilge
In éindí le Niamh Ní Chróinín agus Síomha Ní Ruairc, bhunaigh mé An Ghaeltacht ag an bPinic in 2018 agus táim an-bhródúil a fheiceáil go bhfuil sé fós beo agus fás chuile bhliain. Tá an láthair champála díolta amach (!!) ach is féidir geábh a thabhairt ar an gCollchoill do cheol aoibhinn le leithéidí Piarais Ó Lorcáin, nó chuig an bPuball Gaeilge le GaelGáirí a fheiceáil Dé Sathairn. Beidh cara ag fanacht ort i gcónaí i gceann de na ceantair seo, cuid den draíocht a bhaineann le pobal na nGael ag an bhféile!
Seinnliosta de na bannaí ar fad atá luaite agam ar fáil anseo
Beidh an fhéile á phlé agam ar Newstalk Dé hAoine agus labhróimid faoin lineup agus céard is lineup “maith” ann ar Splanc le Cuán Ó Flatharta. On all platfroms midday Friday:
Agus beidh clár speisialta Electric Picnic ar Rí-Rá ar RnaG oíche Aoine, tune in 9-10pm ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta!
Big Fan podcast
New episode incoming 🤠 - make sure you’re following to get it straight into your Spotify or Apple feed - and in the meantime you can catch up Springsteen, Swift and Styles eps! Thank you all so much for your feedback so far, I’m super grateful and it makes me so happy to hear that someone has enjoyed it, tá mo chroí lán agaibh!
Grá mór,
Emma xx