intro / Friday review

I arrived at the Oxegen Festival at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas (Near Dublin), Ireland on Thursday afternoon, fresh and ready to begin what was a highly anticipated festival for me. This year the festival has grown to three days of music meaning campers arriving daily in force to the campsite to begin their fun filled weekend long adventures. With a long list of well-known artists from the worlds of rock, pop, dance and house playing over the festival's six stages it can lay real claim to being the 'most iconic festival on the Emerald Isle' - a feat achieved in only four years.

The first band to play the O2 Stage and kick-start the festival was Future Kings of Spain. I'd rushed over to see one of the top Irish acts of the festival and one of my top picks, and so had a solid crowd of eager fans up the front really throwing all into it. ItÂ’s likely that these are the rainsoaked campers who arrived on Thursday, baying for the music to begin, and theyÂ’re in the right spot.


Songs from their debut album still pack a punch, they are definitely trying to lift the grey wet-dry-wet weather and ‘Venetian Blinds’ is still fresh as ever. The glorious ‘Upside Down’ loses a little immediacy outside the containment of a sweaty room but the hardcore up the front are still lapping it up. Joey Wilson rasps his way through, well, everything. Live, his voice is only getting rawer though he is fighting a wavering sound in a big field today. There is suddenly a moment when the sun appears from the dark clouds and it sends the crowd into an energetic frenzy. The first sing along is reserved for ‘Sweetest Sound’ and they give us a send off with new single ‘Syndicate’ Released last week in time with there opening Oxegen performance. A great start to the festival.

Sugababes are on next so I decide to stay at the O2 stage and check out the girls. They have been named the most successful all-female act of the 21st century in the UK and are sure to get the crowd going with there array of popular hit singles. The girls arrive to a rapturas response and within minutes make the stage there own. Backed by a full band they blast out there well known hits to the crowd, although it was not all plain sailing for the girls, technical difficulties caused several problems mid set.



The trio, who pulled an Irish date two weeks ago amid some controversy, wowed a huge crowd at the O2 Stage despite a small break to correct their sound problems, with the crowd intermittently chanting the individual girls' names as the sun began to appear again from the overcast clouds. The set including 'Red Dress', 'Push The Button' and set closer 'About You Now' all sung along to by a buoyant audience with many males fixated on the beautiful bombshells. Top marks to the girls.

I decide to take a few hours to sample the atmosphere and goings on in and around the main arena area. There is plenty to see and do. The first thing to catch my eye was a huge Heiniken bar area located across from the O2 Stage, a new addition to the the festival with a raised platform so you can have a drink and not miss the acts on the O2 stage, and with the sound from the stage is pumped through by massive speakers to add to an excellent atmosphere.

Redbull brought over their huge ramp to the festival, only the second time it's appeared in Ireland, the previous time also at Oxegen. A large crowd gathers for the daily showcase and everyone seems in awe of the skate and BMX stars ariel manuvers. The Bacardi B-Live tent has a host of DJs playing throughout the weekend while you can sample a range of cocktails, and there was a wide range of stalls selling pretty much everything the average festival go-er may need or not need. Also at the back of the arena there is a funfair with stacks of adrenaline pumping rides, just the thing to say goodbye to those hangovers.

After a good look around I decided it was time for some more music. Aphex Twin was just about to come onto the Pet Sounds Stage, A huge tent a short walk from the Main Stage. Midway through a typically hardcore set, organisers closed access to the tent due to safety concerns. Though the tent was only half full, they feared people were being crushed towards the front as an enthusiastic crowd went wild for Richard D. James' near two-hour set. Those present were treated to a set which included a re-worked version of 'Come To Daddy', which featured male dancers making distorted faces and wearing masks. It was all a bit mad for a sober person!



The headline act on the Main Stage was Kings Of Leon, attracting the biggest crowd of the day. The Kings get a massive reception though as they fire through a few favourites (‘California Waiting’ and a slow tempo ‘Molly’s Chambers’) though these seem a little lacklustre. About half way through, when the entire crowd are bathed in the light pouring from the stage, the band really hit their stride. ‘Spiral Staircase’ was massively good as indeed was ‘Charmer’ and the fantastic ‘Four Kicks’. It’s a glorious end to the first day with everyone's spirits on a high.

Latest Updates