Lifes a picnic for local acts
Seamus Enright
If you go down to Stradbally this weekend, you’re almost certain to see at least one familiar face, with Electric Picnic 2015 set to host a bumper number of local acts.
From music to comedy, cooking to theatre, the Breffni county is well represented across the three-day music and arts festival in Co Laois, September 4-6.
Chief among them is of course established bands like The Strypes (Jerry Fish Electric Sideshow, Sunday 11pm – Midnight) following the release of their second album, ‘Little Victories’, and Ballyhaise songstress Lisa O’Neill (Other Voices’ Stage, Friday 6.15pm).
Elsewhere, making a big name for themselves out in the wide open are alternative folk-rock quartet, ‘Heroes in Hiding’.
https://youtu.be/tkuVGfAvK6I
Having won this year’s RTÉ 2fm’s ‘Play The Picnic with Oxfam Ireland’, the band will go on to play this year’s Oxjam tent (Friday 6pm) as well as a slot on the Cosby Stage (Saturday 1pm).
Seeing off stiff competition from hundreds of entrants, most notably the nine other finalists including Castletara’s Aine Cahill, in addition to playing the Cosby Stage, HIH, who recently released their second EP ‘Decorated Absence’, also won master classes with some of the music’s top industry experts.
Bassist Liam McCabe (24), a native of Bailieborough, who previously played the Crosby Stage as a member of ‘Shouting at Planes’, told The Anglo-Celt: “We’re really looking forward to it. We’re absolutely delighted with the opportunity.
“A big part of the prize too is the chance to learn from the likes of Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn and 2fm’s Mark McCabe. To sit down with them is a major thing because its so difficult to get yourself out and onto their radar,” says Liam.
Áine however, with her all Cavan backing band ‘Spam Turner’ featuring Paul McCann, Sam Geraghty, Louise Johnston and Paul Cox, continues to make quite an impression following the release of her ‘Black Dahlia’ single.
Along with earning an early slot at Oxjam (Friday 3pm), she is also scheduled play Natasha’s Living Food Emporium (Friday 9.30pm) and Jerry Fish’s Electric Sideshow too (Sunday 2pm–2:30pm).
Belturbet’s Fiona Maria Fitzpatrick and The Darling Buds Of... meanwhile will captivate all-comers to the shipwrecked Salty Dog Stage, with Wolves of Youth, who hail from Donegal/Cavan playing an already well-represented local line up in the Oxjam tent (Friday 4pm).
Comedy & drama
But no Electric Picnic would be complete without the now-famous comedy tent and Mindfield areas, where Gowna’s Kevin McGahern, star and presenter of RTÉ’s Republic of Telly will no doubt garner a few giggles, or where Philip Doherty’s award-winning play, ‘Pilgrim’, starring Rex Ryan, will also be staged.
‘Theatre of Food’
Cooking up a storm in their own right will be award-winning chef Gearoid Lynch of Cloverhill’s The Olde Post Inn, set to display his culinary expertise at the ‘Theatre of Food’, and artisan cheesemaker Silke Cropp, who will present her talents at a Raw Milk Cheesemaking exhibition.