Festive Ireland is not immune to economic realities, but it does seem very resilient. The days of quick sell-outs might be over, but smaller festivals are popping up all over the country, leaving the punter with greater choice than ever – but is there enough money to go around, asks JIM CARROLL
CAN THE good times keep rolling? If you were to judge the health of the live music business in Ireland by the volume of summer events, you’d reckon promoters were making like bandits.
There seem to be more festivals taking over fields, beaches, racecourses, stately homes and sports pitches this summer than ever before. You could spend every weekend between now and September at an outdoor music bash somewhere up and down the country. It would be expensive, and you’d probably see certain bands quite a lot, but you could do it.
However, volume alone doesn’t tell the whole story. While promoters are bullish about shows on the record, it’s a different story when the notebook is put away. Ticket sales are not immune to the recession, and punters have cut back on the number of shows they’re attending, which has had a serious knock-on effect on the live music sector, leading to smaller crowds and less money at the door.
While there are still acts that will always attract full houses – look at the snappy sell-outs for Take That and Kings of Leon when tickets for their Irish shows went on sale last year – this doesn’t apply right across the board. For example, tickets are still on sale for Neil Diamond and Bon Jovi, two acts who would have had no problem selling out their respective gigs in years gone by. Those radio ads for Diamond’s show, in particular, are as ubiquitous as ads reminding you to buy your TV licence.
But we don’t have to rely on anecdotal evidence alone to see a slowdown in the live market. At The Great Escape convention in Brighton earlier this month, Performing Rights Society for Music economist Chris Carey pointed out that live music revenues in the UK fell 6.7 per cent in 2010 after a decade of growth, with attendance at arena gigs in Europe dropping 16 per cent.
But Carey did sound a note of optimism about festivals, saying there was a 6 per cent growth in ticket sales for European festivals in 2010 and a 15 per cent increase in capacity. We still want to go to a good festival, and Irish audiences continue to be fond of a bash in a field featuring music in the open air (or under canvas).
The current grá for festivals began in 2000 with the arrival on the scene of Witnness, Oxegen’s older brother, but it took on new momentum when Electric Picnic debuted in 2004. Both Oxegen and Electric Picnic continue to pull in the crowds and the publicity, though the days of those quick sell-outs for Oxegen seem to be at an end for now, despite the bills getting bigger and better.
Another possible reason for slippage from the big two is the pronounced growth in popularity of smaller festivals. Some punters feel the bigger events have become too big and are now opting for events such as Castlepalooza, Body & Soul and Sea Sessions instead. Ticket prices are usually cheaper, the line-ups are strong and there’s a better buzz at the events.
There’s plenty of choice in the market. The question, though, is if there’s enough money to go round.
LIFE
Belvedere House, Mullingar, Co Westmeath; May 27-29; €150
ACTSJeff Mills, Vitalic, Dreadzone, Hardfloor, John Digweed, Ramandanman, Ed Rush, The Orb, Slam.
DON'T MISSJeff Mills.
SNAPSHOTSix years on, Life still packs a punch. life-festival.com
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Imma, Dublin 8; June 4-5; €90 (weekend), €49.50 (one day)
ACTSBattles, Aphex Twin, Caribou, Wild Beasts, Phoenix Foundation, Flaming Lips, Beardyman, Cast Of Cheers, Solar Bears.
DON'T MISSWild Beasts, plugging fine new album Smother.
EXTRASPress releases talks about "a collaborative fusion of music, art and fashion".
SNAPSHOTSmart city festival that means Dubs won't have to worry about packing tents or booking BBs. forbiddenfruit.ie
CORK X SOUTHWEST
Liss Ard Estate, Skibbereen, Co Cork; June 4-5; €95 (weekend), €55 (day ticket)
ACTSPatti Smith, Yuck, God Is an Astronaut, Echo The Bunnymen, Mick Flannery, Nina Hynes, Katell Keineg.
DON'T MISSGod Is an Astronaut, an Irish band better known out foreign than at home.
EXTRASSpoken-word stage, food village, poetry tent, workshops, talks.
SNAPSHOTBoutique festival with a Cork accent settles into its new digs corkxsw.com
TEMPLE HOUSE
Temple House, Ballymote, Co Sligo; June 10-12; €120 (weekend), €50 (day ticket)
ACTSStereo MCs, Lisa Hannigan, Declan O'Rourke, Jamie Lawson, Heathers, Interference, The Danger Is, The Walls.
DON'T MISSHeathers. They've got more than just the song in that ad, you know.
EXTRASArts trail, medieval village, archery and Big Mama's Garden area for kids.
SNAPSHOTMore than 100 bands playing at the festival, which won the gong for best new festival at the European Festival Awards. templehousefestival.com
LIVE AT THE MARQUEE
Showgrounds, Cork; June 11-July 9; Ticket price varies depending on act
ACTSFleet Foxes, The Frames, Erasure, Paul Simon, Bell X1, Bob Dylan.
DON'T MISSPaul Simon.
SNAPSHOTCork's summer bash under canvas has been providing live music thrills since 2005. aikenpromotions.com
BODY & SOUL
Ballinlough Castle, Co Westmeath; June 18-19; €99 (weekend camping), €55 (Sunday day ticket)
ACTSNicolas Jaar, Lee Scratch Perry, Lisa Hannigan, Plaid, Mount Kimbie, Delorean.
DON'T MISSChilean-American electronic wizard Nicolas Jaar.
EXTRASA hundred quirky nooks and crannies housing everything from pop-up performances to candlelit opera.
SNAPSHOTOne of 2010's most acclaimed fests returns for more. bodyandsoul.ie
OPEN HOUSE
Cathedral Quarter, Belfast; June 22-26; ticket price varies depending on act
ACTSFleet Foxes, Laura Marling, Villagers, Low Anthem
DON'T MISSVillagers.
SNAPSHOTA move from September to June and a first as Fleet Foxes play debut Belfast show. openhousefestival.com
SEA SESSIONS
Bundoran, Co Donegal; June 24-26; €79.95 (weekend), €39.95 (day ticket)
ACTSVillagers, Bell X1, Ziggy Marley, Charles Bradley, Grandmaster Flash, Go! Team, Japanese Popstars, O Emperor.
DON'T MISSThe majestic Charles Bradley.
EXTRASSkateboarding, surfing, tag rugby, beach soccer, ultimate frisbee.
SNAPSHOTHappy surfer vibes on the beach (sun not guaranteed). seasessions.com
LIVE AT THE BEACH
East Strand, Portrush, Co Antrim; June 25; £39.96
ACTSThe Saturdays, Alexandra Burke, The Wanted, Lloyd Daniels.
DON'T MISSThe Saturdays.
EXTRASBouncy castles, sky jumpers, face painting, inflatable slides, rodeo bulls, bungee shots.
SNAPSHOTPoptastic family-friendly day out at the seaside plmpromotions.com
OXEGEN
Punchestown, Co Kildare; July 7-10; €244.50 (four-day camping), €224.50 (three-day camping), €99.50 (one-day)
ACTSBeyoncé, Foo Fighters, Coldplay,
The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Black Eyed Peas.
DON'T MISSBeyoncé.
EXTRASFunfair, silent disco, beauty salon, Fancy Dress Friday.
SNAPSHOTSinging along in the rain to every band in the western hemisphere in a muddy field in Co Kildare. oxegen.ie
GALWAY ARTS FESTIVAL BIG TOP
Fisheries Field, Galway; July 16-23; Ticket price varies depending on act
ACTSBell X1, Afrocubism, Blondie, De La Soul, Hypnotic Brass Enemble.
DON'T MISSHypnotic Brass Ensemble.
SNAPSHOTGalway's annual arts hooley always has top-notch acts under canvas.
KNOCKANSTOCKAN
Blessington Lakes, Co Wicklow; July 22-24; €75 (buy four, get one free)
ACTSWe Cut Corners, Bipolar Empire, I Draw Slow, Zealots, The Amazing Few, Spook of the Thirteenth Lock.
DON'T MISSThe Spook of the Thirteenth Lock playing tunes from their new album The Brutal Here and Now.
SNAPSHOTLaid-back hippie vibes by Blessington Lakes. knockanstockan.ie
@ THE PARK
Marlay Park, Dublin 16; July 22-Aug 6; Ticket price varies depending on act
ACTSBell X1, Villagers, Joanna Newsom, Roger Daltrey, The Coronas.
DON'T MISSVillagers.
SNAPSHOTNew festival under canvas in lovely Marlay Park mcd.ie
GLASGOWBURY
Eagle’s Rock, Draperstown, Co Derry; July 23; £40 (with camping), £30 (no camping)
ACTSCashier No 9, The Answer, Mojo Fury, LaFaro, Phil Kieran.
DON'T MISSCashier No 9, a band on the up.
SNAPSHOTSmall but mighty festival in the middle of the majestic Sperrin Mountains. glasgowbury.com
BUMP
Clonlara, Co Clare; July 23-24; €80
ACTS80 Regis, Inigo Kennedy, June Miller, The Person, Equinox, Stray, Throwing Snow.
DON'T MISSRegis.
SNAPSHOTSecond year round for this west-coast, left-field underground dance shizzle. bumpfestival.com
INDIEPENDENCE
Mitchelstown, Co Cork; July 29-31; €99 (three-day camping), €79 (two-day camping), €59 (two-day non-camping)
ACTSEditors, Ash, The Coronas, And So I Watch You from Afar, Therapy?, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Ryan Sheridan.
DON'T MISSNot Squares, peerless punktronica from Belfast.
EXTRASComedy festival.
SNAPSHOTAce line-up of local and international acts at affordable prices. indiependencefestival.com
CASTLEPALOOZA
Tullamore, Co Offaly; July 29-31;€89 (three days), €74 (two days)
ACTSNaughty By Nature, Clock Opera, Jape, Hudson Mohawke, Jimmy Cake, Adebisi Shank.
DON'T MISSClock Opera, one of the best new acts around.
EXTRASDay spa, workshops, film screenings and Paint Club.
SNAPSHOTBeautiful, bespoke gathering in the grounds of a lovely old castle. castlepalooza.com
WATERFORD MUSIC FEST
Regional Sports Centre, Waterford; July 30; €54.80
ACTS50 Cent, Flo Rida, Shayne Ward, Wonderland, DJ Ahmed, The Original Rudeboys.
DON'T MISSFiddy on the loose.
SNAPSHOTBrand new festival aiming to flex some hip-hop, r'n'b and pop muscles waterfordmusicfest.com
BELSONIC
Custom House Square, Belfast; Aug 16-27; Ticket price varies depending on act
ACTSElbow, Dizzee Rascal, Plan B, Beady Eye, Primal Scream, The Specials.
DON'T MISSPrimal Scream playing the classic Screamadelica.
SNAPSHOTExcellent urban festival in Belfast. belsonic.com
ELECTRIC PICNIC
Stradbally, Co Laois, September 2-4, €240 (weekend), €99.50 (Sunday day ticket)
SELECTED ACTSArcade Fire, Pulp, PJ Harvey, The Chemical Brothers, Lykke Li, DJ Shadow, Flying Lotus.
DON'T MISSArcade Fire returning to their spiritual home.
EXTRAS"600 acres of country bliss", including the brilliant Body Soul and Mindfield areas, comedy, a kids' area and a circus. Oh and The Ticket @ Electric Picnic.
SNAPSHOTStill the best music and arts festival in the land. electricpicnic.ie
