Electric Picnic 2023: Seven veteran acts and seven rising Irish stars you won’t want to miss

With so many acts included in this year’s Electric Picnic line-up, festivalgoers are spoiled for choice. If you’re struggling to narrow down what acts you should go see over the weekend, don’t worry, we have you sorted. Here are seven veteran acts and seven rising Irish stars you won’t want to miss.

Seven veteran acts

The Killers

Sunday, Main Stage, 10.30pm-midnight

More than 20 years as a band constitutes some kind of legacy, especially when their 2004 debut album, Hot Fuss, generated one of the longest-running singles in the Irish charts – Mr Brightside. The band’s 2021 Springsteen-influenced album, Pressure Machine, softened dynamics a bit, but their EP gig will assuredly focus on the hits.

Johnny Marr

Saturday, Electric Arena, 7-8pm

Oh, we can visualise it now – the arena pulsing to some of his solo songs (his most recent album, Call the Comet, contains some beauts), but then going into interstellar overdrive when he delivers the likes of How Soon is Now, This Charming Man, Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me, and other perennial Smiths tunes.

Rick Astley

Sunday, Main Stage, 5.30-6.15pm

Speaking of The Smiths, it should be noted that while performing at this year’s Glastonbury festival, UK pop singer Rick Astley – the man who you know will never, ever give you up or let you down – teamed up with Greater Manchester band Blossoms to perform a set of Smiths songs. So, you know, one never knows what may happen, right?

Sunday, Electric Arena, 3.30-4.15pm

The Lightning Seeds performed earlier this summer at the United By Music Tour Of Liverpool event at the Eurovision Village in Liverpool, England. Photograph: Shirlaine Forrest/Getty

Liverpool’s Lightning Seeds have three songs – 1989′s Pure, 1992′s The Life of Riley, and 1996′s Three Lions – that would be instantly familiar to even the most unaware pop music fan. In other words, Ian Broudie and friends know their way round a tune so well that even if you don’t recognise what they play, you’ll be humming it regardless.

The Saw Doctors

Sunday, Electric Arena, 7.45-8.30pm

It is almost 40 years since the Saw Doctors formed in Co Galway, and in the interim period a few things have made themselves known: they go away for years and then return; they have two steadfast members, Leo Moran and Davy Carton; and whenever they play a gig in Ireland they receive a level of adulation you rarely witness.

Fight Like Apes

Sunday, Electric Arena, 5-5.45pm

The reason for this Irish band reforming is the 15th anniversary of their 2008 debut album, Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion. It is, admittedly, a good enough reason, but as far as we’re concerned any excuse will do.

Paolo Nutini

Saturday, Main Stage, 9.15-10.45pm

Back in Ireland after hugely successful open-air shows, the Scottish-Italian singer-songwriter will go down a treat with those in the Electric Picnic audience that like to listen to rugged soul/pop while looking at a ridiculously handsome face.

Seven rising Irish stars

Clara Tracey

Saturday, Trailer Park, 5-5.50pm

Fermanagh’s loss is everyone else’s gain? Clara Tracy released her debut album, Black Forest, in 2022, and immediately hit the kind of nerve that comes with listening to Serge Gainsbourg too much. And yes, one of the songs on the album is called Jane Birkin…

Yasmin Gardezi

Saturday, Terminus Stage, 6.30-8pm

Irish electronic techno DJ Yasmin Gardezi has spent the past few years making a name for herself at club shows and festivals (actual and online), but especially at Glasgow’s Sub Club and Life Festival. Best catch her in Ireland while you can – Yasmin Gardezi is tipped for international success very soon.

X Collective

Saturday, Casa Bacardi, from 2pm

The shape of neo-soul/pop/R&B X Collective shifts and twists, but the primary people behind it are Ele Breslin (aka Zapho) and Emily Shaw. Zapho has been crafting away for the past few years, ensuring that X Collective members and songs are seen and heard, so a performance at Electric Picnic will surely spread the gospel.

Sprints

Sunday, Salty Dog Stage, 2.45-3.45am

The spirit if not the music of punk rock is alive and kicking Sprints, the Dublin band who signed to Berlin-based indie label City Slang earlier this year, and who will no doubt be performing songs from their imminent debut album.

Krea

Sunday, An Puball Gaeilge, 9-10pm

With Co Wicklow trio Wyvern Lingo on an extended hiatus, Karen Cowley, aka Krea, ventures out with solo work that is invested with themes of the past, family, loss and love. Keep the noise down at the back!

Pa Sheehy

Saturday, Main Stage, 3.15-4pm

The former lead singer of Walking on Cars made his solo debut in his native Dingle last December, and has since worked on fashioning excellent folk/pop tunes that will surely mark him out as one to keep an eye out for in 2024.

Jazzy

Friday, Electric Area, 7-7.45pm

Easily the Irish hit of the year (so far), singer/songwriter/DJ Yasmine Byrne is forging ahead with the kind of radio-friendly electro-pop that is bound to bring her from Crumlin to the world stage.