Of course the great thing about Electric Picnic is that everyone should (hopefully) have a different list of must sees tucked into their back pocket as they toil towards the entrance tomorrow; tent, bag and beer in tow. Here’s our list of acts to see on each of the five main stages across the weekend.
Some acts appear because of reputation, some because of their promise, some because they’ve always been good and some because we just haven’t got around to seeing them before.
It won’t work out of course, there will be food to eat, aimless wandering to do, but if meg.ie gets to half of these acts over the weekend then the exhausted depression of Monday (and probably Tuesday and Wednesday) will be worth it.
Main Stage
Friday – Willy Mason – 4.20pm – 5.05pm
The journey is over, the tent is up and there is a beer in your hand. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea (he wasn’t mine until some extended youtube viewing last Tuesday) but the 27 year old New Yorker promises to be a good ‘welcome to the Picnic act’.
Saturday – Chemical Brothers – 12.30am – 2.00am
We’re leaving out Arcade Fire here as they are something of a given. It would be nice to get the Messrs Rowlands and Simons into a big tent at this stage of the night but if you are still in decent shape at this time being indoors or out shouldn’t matter.
Sunday – Pulp – 10.30pm – 12.00am
Just as heads are beginning to drop, as the teachers are starting to sneak off home, up pops Jarvis. All festivals get those cinematic end-of-the-story moments, this should be Stradbally’s.
Electric Stage
Friday – DJ Shadow – 10.45pm – 12.00am
A great time for a great producer to come out, and if he’s half as up for it as the crowd will almost certainly be then this could be a festival highlight. Reviews of the ginger one live haven’t always been glowing, but, come on, Organ Donor blaring out while you are still feeling in decent shape of a Friday?! Brilliant.
Saturday – Death in Vegas – 8.45pm – 10.0pm
They apparently haven’t been playing much from the Contino Sessions in recent shows, hopefully that won’t be the case on Saturday. Though even if Aisha and Dirge don’t get heard this should still be an entertaining hour and a quarter.
Sunday – The Go! Team – 6.00pm – 7.00pm
Maybe not your favourite act in the world (at least not ours anyway) but it’s Sunday evening, there is a nagging feeling in the back of your head that maybe you shouldn’t bother staying down tonight. This is where this lot come in to give you a bit of a lift.
Crawdaddy
Friday – Warpaint – 7.45pm – 8.45pm
An act that could woo a packed small venue or underwhelm a half full big one. But the Los Angeles four piece have the timetable on their side, this should be packed and again could be great.
Saturday – I Am Kloot – 2.30pm – 3.15pm
We have got this far without mentioning any band that could be described as ‘indie’ and this lot fall into that category without being, well, crap. Like a more downbeat Elbow they should fit in nicely with the height of your Saturday hangover.
Sunday – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – 11pm – 12pm
One of those bands that got hugely celebrated by the nascent blogosphere only to not get the recognition they perhaps deserved later on. But one worth seeking out if you are still standing. Singer Alec Ounsworth’s voice is aural marmite, if you like you’ll eventually love it.
Cosby Stage
Friday – Foster The People – 7.30am – 8.00am
The majority of the crowd will probably only know ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ (including this member of the crowd) which perhaps explains the short set time allocated. But even Electric Picnic needs a ‘that song off the radio’ moment.
Saturday – The Walkmen – 1.00am – 2.00am
Their 2009 EP appearance was heralded as a once off, apparently because of a fear of flying by one of the band but that fear has either be cured or didn’t exist because as this their second visit to Ireland since then. a great live act (we’ve heard, having missed them twice). The Jezebels, Adebisi Shank and Health also deserve a mention here for what is arguably the best stage on the Saturday.
Sunday – ASIWYFA – 6.15am – 7.15am
Here is a fill me up on a Sunday. Get some fire back into you chest and your ears ringing, who cares about Monday? Sure I bet this year I won’t even be hungover, don’t I feel great now?
Little Big Tent
Friday – Shit Robot (Live) – 12am – 1am
Supporting LCD Soundsystem is arguably the best finishing school a DJ could go to and being James Murphy’s mate probably helps sharpen you up to. Another potentially great, energetic Friday set.
Saturday – Toby Kaar – 1.25pm – 1.55pm
A hard act to avoid this past year, the Corkman deserves a later timeslot and will probably have one next year if his star continues to rise on the same trajectory. For now though he provides a good afternoon escape from the sunshine (OK, the rain).
Sunday – Julio Bashmore – 5.45pm – 6.45pm
A bit of a lucky dip this one but definitely a bit of escapist fun of a Sunday afternoon. Plenty of karate chop hand movement should accompany all dancing.
Kevin Donnellan.
