In the weeks leading up to a festival, you can always gauge its popularity by how many posts you come across on social media feed with people looking to buy spare tickets.
Sold out since March, the posts for All Together Now have been coming in thick and fast since the start of the summer, with people who failed to secure tickets on the lookout and people whose interests have been piqued by the chatter surrounding the festival in Co Waterford coming late to the party.
Aimed at a slightly older age group than other Irish music festivals (this festival is strictly over 21s but the under 12s, who have their own Kids Together entertainment area, get in for free), the line up goes slightly against the grain, with rock, hip-hop, ambient techno, neo-soul, reggae, folk and synth pop filling the bill. With The National, Patti Smith, Father John Misty and Hot Chip headlining, the quality of the line up doesn’t dwindle as you go further down the list.
ATN is both visually and environmentally green, with sustainability is at the core of its ethos
Acts bound to draw in a big crowd this August Bank Holiday weekend include English rapper Loyle Carner, whose UK and Irish tour sold out in a matter of minutes earlier this month, as well as Black Midi, the guitar rock band from London whose debut album Schlagenheim is a chaotic mix of dark and energetic. The icon that is Neneh Cherry is also making an appearance over the weekend and she will undoubtedly leave a mark with her soulful and political music.
Derry DJ Or:La will layer up lashings of house, dubstep and garage for a late night set and Ships, the 80s synthpop dreamboats from Dublin will add a touch of witchy magic to your weekend. Stick-it-to-the-man act Fontaines DC, and Kojaque, the socially aware and lyrically acute rapper from Cabra, will wave the flag for dynamic Irish talent.
Created in 2018 by the late John Reynolds, who also founded Electric Picnic, Forbidden Fruit and Metropolis, All Together Now is what happens when you assess the best and worst of festival culture to create something more substantial. Taking place on the grounds of Curraghmore Estate, which is overlooked by Lord Waterford, the 9th Marquis of Waterford, ATN is both visually and environmentally green, with sustainability is at the core of its ethos.
Using green suppliers and compostable materials, encouraging recycling and providing reusable drink cartons, this festival reflects the forward-thinking mindset of its audience. Taking the highbrow approach to wining and dining, there is a heavy emphasis on local food, with the Taste of Waterford tent offering all-day brunch and dinner options and the Theatre of Food hosting two-hour dining experiences with guest chefs like Kevin Thornton talking you through your meal. Vegans, carnivores and picky eaters will all be tended to and, for sustenance, chips and pizza will also be on the go.
Last summer, in its debut year, the festival sold out in the days leading up to it so this year’s quick sellout shows just how far the positive word of mouth has spread. Aside from the great line up, with obscure and big name acts littered throughout, this is a festival that cares about its guests and the footprint that they leave behind.
For those who feel they’ve outgrown – to put it kindly – Electric Picnic or Forbidden Fruit, this is the festival of the summer for seasoned festival goers. And if you’re one of the lucky 20,000 people who already have a ticket, you can kick back and laugh as the latecomers keep the ticket requests flooding your social media feeds.
