Electric Picnic

infobox music festival
music_festival_name = Electric Picnic


location = Stradbally Hall, Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland
years_active = 2004 – present
founded_by = Pod/Aiken
dates = Late August/early September
genre = Indie, alternative, dance
website = [http://www.electricpicnic.ie www.electricpicnic.ie]

Electric Picnic is an annual boutique arts and music festival which has been staged since 2004 in Stradbally Hall, Stradbally, County Laois in the Republic of Ireland. It is organised by Pod Concerts and Aiken Promotions. Electric Picnic differs from other festivals in Ireland in that the music choice is more eclectic than the other mainstream events (its history includes international acts such as Kraftwerk, Röyksopp, Nick Cave, Sonic Youth, New Order, Björk, Beastie Boys, The Stooges, The Chemical Brothers, The Flaming Lips, Sigur Rós and Sex Pistols), and there is more emphasis on quality festival services (such as food and sleeping arrangements) and a generally more positive and relaxed atmosphere. There is also an emphasis on eco-friendly initiatives.

Electric Picnic began as a one-day event in 2004, before growing to a weekend-long festival within a year, and becoming a three day affair in 2006. It is rapidly gaining ground on Oxegen as the most popular Irish music festival with the 2006 festival selling out faster than any other year. Oxegen, which sold out in record time for the 2007 festival, was low to sell tickets for its 2008 festival. The festival also incorporates other attractions such as the 24-hour cinema tent, the Body and Soul arena (offering an ambient lounge with beanbags, massages and tarot card readings), the International Comedy Tent [cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0829/breaking8.htm|title="Fans prepare to feast on Electric Picnic"|date=2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-09-02|publisher="The Irish Times"] (curated by Des Bishop) and a silent disco. In 2008, Amnesty International attended the festival to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whilst renowned American Burning Man artist, David Best constructed a Temple of Truth on site. [cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0829/1219875241957.html|title="Electric Picnic's diverse feast ranges from Sex Pistols to herd of man-made elephants"|date=2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-09-02|publisher="The Irish Times"]

2009 festival

infobox music festival
music_festival_name = Electric Picnic 2009


caption =
location = Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland
dates = 4 - 6 September 2009
genre = Rock
website = [http://www.electricpicnic.ie/ www.electricpicnic.ie]

Electric Picnic 2009 will take place at Stradbally from September 4-6. On Friday October 10 2008, a limited number of ‘Early Bird’ tickets go on sale at the 2008 price of €199, which includes camping. [cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4823968.html|title="Electric Picnic 09 to release Early Bird tickets"|date=2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-09-29|publisher="Hot Press"] [cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/early-bird-tickets-for-lsquo09-picnic-1486636.html|title="Early bird tickets for ‘09 Picnic"|date=2008-10-01|accessdate=2008-10-06|publisher="Irish Independent"]

2008 festival

infobox music festival
music_festival_name =


caption =
location = Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland
dates = 29 - 31 August 2008
genre = Rock
website = [http://www.electricpicnic.ie/ www.electricpicnic.ie]

Electric Picnic 2008 took place at Stradbally from 29 - 31 August, attended by 35,000 people. Presale tickets went on sale on November 9 2007 and full price tickets went on sale on Friday March 28 at 9 p.m., costing €240 including camping, with the various sites opening at 9 a.m. on Friday August 29. Tickets had sold out by June 17. [cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4592840.html|title="Electric Picnic SOLD OUT!"|date=2008-06-18|accessdate=2008-06-18|publisher="Hot Press"]

Sigur Rós, George Clinton and Sex Pistols [cite web|url=http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/1446/104/|title="Sex Pistols, My Bloody Valentine confirmed for Electric Picnic"|date=2008-03-26|accessdate=2008-03-26|publisher=Phantom FM] headlined. Other musicians appearing included Franz Ferdinand, My Bloody Valentine, German rockers Faust [cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4514717.html|title="Faust to play Electric Picnic, Spiegeltent Cork"|date=2008-03-21|accessdate=2008-03-24|publisher="Hot Press"] , Tindersticks, The Breeders, [cite web|url=http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/1447/104/|title="Sigur Ros and The Breeders confirm Picnic appearances"|date=2008-03-26|accessdate=2008-03-26|publisher=Phantom FM] Grinderman, Goldfrapp, Gossip, CSS, Duffy, Foals, Hadouken!, Wilco, The Roots, Turin Brakes, Carbon/Silicon, [cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4553455.html|title="Carbon/Silicon to play Electric Picnic"|date=2008-05-12|accessdate=2008-05-12|publisher="Hot Press"] Conor Oberst and New Young Pony Club. Irish acts to appear included Kíla, The Stunning, Sinéad O'Connor, Christy Moore, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Boss Volenti, The Waterboys, The Flaws, Ham Sandwich, Fred, Super Extra Bonus Party, Jape, Lisa Hannigan, Le Galaxie Cathy Davey, Gemma Hayes and Mark Geary. Also attending were Amnesty International, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a singalong of "Happy Birthday" on the Sunday night. [cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4704306.html|title="Amnesty International to celebrate 60th anniversary at Picnic"|date=2008-08-19|accessdate=2008-08-22|publisher="Hot Press"]

The 2008 festival was thrown into jeopardy in June of that year when the Irish Music Rights Organisation said Pod Concerts had no right to run the festival again. IMRO sought more than €432,000 from the promoter because of royalties allegedly not paid from a series of music festivals, including Lovebox and Garden Party, over the past four years. [cite web|url=http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/1620/104/|title="Electric Picnic organisers in court"|date=2008-06-18|accessdate=2008-06-18|publisher=Phantom FM] The organisers had to make reassurances that the festival was in no doubt or jeopardy.

[cite web|url=http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/1621/104/|title="Electric Picnic UPDATE"|date=2008-06-18|accessdate=2008-06-18|publisher=Phantom FM]

Body and Soul:Friday 29 August Helios Jive( myspace.com/heliosjive)

2007 festival

infobox music festival
music_festival_name =


caption = Map of 2007 Electric Picnic
location = Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland
dates = August 31 - September 2 2007
genre = Rock
website = [http://www.electricpicnic.ie/ www.electricpicnic.ie]

Electric Picnic 2007 was once again a three day event and ran from 31 August until 2 September. The festival maintained its current size of 32,500 festival goers and kept all the same elements plus some new additions. "Early-bird" tickets for the 2007 festival went on sale between Monday 11 December 2006, and Saturday 24 February 2007, costing €199, taking into account the VAT that must now be paid on all outdoor events. Full price tickets went on sale on Tuesday April 3 at a price of €220. [http://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/18003D88AA041B0C?artistid=952846&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=60] The first acts were officially announced on Monday April 2.

Besides the music other attractions included an inflatable church offering mock weddings, luxury tents, massage chambers, a fairground and silent disco. Acii Disco DJs began the festival on the Friday at 12 p.m. in the Bodytonic Tent. Amongst others to take to the stage on Friday were Björk, Hot Chip, Scott Matthews, Manic Street Preachers and Oppenheimer whilst the unnamed band responsible for The Good, the Bad and the Queen headlined the Electric Arena tent. [cite web|url=http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2007/0901/1188336568781.html|title="Happy vibes the product of Electric Picnic's charms"|date=2007-09-03|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher="The Irish Times"] The Sunday night was brought to a close by Primal Scream.

The festival was however marred by the death of a 23-year-old fan. [cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0902/picnic.html|title="Man dies at Electric Picnic festival"|date=2007-09-02|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher=RTÉ] The incident occurred as The Chemical Brothers came to a climax at 2 a.m. early on the Sunday morning. Organiser John Reynolds extended his sympathies and said: "A young man took ill at the festival, was treated at the medical centre, removed to Port Laoise Hospital and was later pronounced dead." Gardaí said they were not treating the death as suspicious. [cite web|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article2921963.ece|title="Post mortem due on man who died at Electric Picnic"|date=2007-09-03|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher="The Belfast Telegraph"] [cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0903/laois.html|title="Post mortem due after Electric Picnic death"|date=2007-09-03|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher=RTÉ]

2004 festival

:"The following are some of the headline acts from the 2004 festival:"

References

External links

* [http://www.electricpicnic.ie Official "Electric Picnic" Website]
* [http://www.cluas.com/music/gigs/electric-picnic-2005.htm Review of the 2005 Electric Picnic Festival]
* [http://www.drop-d.ie/article.php?article_id=79 Review of the 2005 Electric Picnic Festival]
* [http://www.cluas.com/music/gigs/electric-picnic-2006-847.htm Review of the 2006 Electric Picnic Festival]
* [http://www.ireland.com/theticket/electricpicnic/ "The Ticket" at Electric Picnic 2007]
* [http://www.electricplaylist.com Electric Picnic 2008 Playlist]