Jim Carrollon music
The people have spoken - and they feel that Oxegen 2008 has been the festival's most successful outing to date.
Following widespread criticisms and complaints after the 2006 and 2007 festivals, promoters MCD are feeling some punter love after pulling their socks up for this year's event.
On The Record blog readers had many positive things to say about the organisation, traffic management and line-up at this year's festival.
Sean D spoke for many when he said: "I was genuinely taken aback by how well it was organised. It's taken them a few years, but they've nailed it now.
"Plenty of toilets, food stalls, clean water etc. Campsites were better organised this year - more space between them to walk around and less like shanty towns."
It was a view echoed by Rosemary, who called it "a vast improvement on any other year I've been to. Organisation, traffic, all a dream. Portaloos clean in the mornings, stewards who were all polite and friendly."
Davemor also gave it the thumbs up. "I was blissfully impressed with this year's festival after giving it a miss the last two years because of the festival's notorious aspects. The campsites were well planned with a few more food stalls than usual to pick from."
He also felt "the acts were on the ball", citing Seasick Steve, Richard Hawley, The Prodigy ("insane, with Maxim calling on all the 'Irish Warriors' to rise up") and Rage Against the Machine ("a hoot").
Fellow reader Vincent had praise for Holy F**k, Yeasayer, The Ting Tings and REM - "I was one of those people singing the mandolin solo!" - The Prodigy, White Lies and MGMT.
Of course, there were also quibbles, mostly to do with some of the clientele. This, though, isn't something you can blame on the organisers.
As Mixtape PR put it: "There are some bloody knobs out there, but it can't be helped if Leaving Cert students and frantic techno-loving farmers decide to descend."
More post-match comments on Oxegen 2008 at the On The Record blog.
Southwest for a Corker
Oxegen and the Electric Picnic may command all the music news headlines, but there's a ton of other festivals which deserve your time and some of your recession euros.
One such is Cork X Southwest, a one-day bash at The Showgrounds, Skibbereen, Co Cork on July 26th.
Cathy Davey, Afel Bocoum, Jape, The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir and The Walls are among the main-stage attractions.
Meanwhile, other stages will feature Andrew Weatherall, Fish Go Deep, DJ Kormac, John Spillane, Roesy, Preston Reed and Juno Falls.
There will be a bunch of quirky sideshows (including Sensible Soccer and a
lecture on how to grow a garden in your flat), art exhibits, slow food producers and a mobile cinema screening music documentaries.
Tickets are €50. More info at www.corkxsw.com
To the artist the spoils
Muzu TV was first mentioned here back in March 2007, but the Dublin-headquartered music video site is now, finally, ready for your clicks.
Muzu TV is an advertising-supported streaming music video site which allows anyone from artists and labels to venues or fans to broadcast their own music TV channel for free.
The kickback for the artist is they get a share from the advertising revenue generated in the site's video player.
More than 200 labels and content producers are already on the books, including Sony-BMG and its mega artist roster, including The Ting Tings, Beyoncé, Foo Fighters, Pink, Miles Davis and many more.
Find out more at www.muzu.tv
ETC
Polish trumpet maestro Tomasz Stanko and his Nordic Quintet will play this year's Kilkenny Arts Festival, Hotel Kilkenny, August 10.
Oxegen acts coming back to Dublin include MGMT (Ambassador, November 3), Black Kids (Academy, October 21), British Sea Power (Academy, September 29) and Swell Season (Olympia, December 2).
Catch Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko at Kilkenny Castle (Tuesday), Farmleigh House, Dublin (Wednesday) and Castletown House, Celbridge (Thursday). Tickets free from www.salonmusic.ie
