NO FUSS, no irritations, no rain, no major controversies and – unless Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, who travelled to Slane to see an ersatz version of Thin Lizzy, counts – no celebs of any note.
This was Slane Castle 30 years on from its inaugural open-air concert, which was headlined by Thin Lizzy and had U2 as a support act.
Yet despite the much trumpeted 30-year anniversary, the event seemed, at least to Slane Castle owner Henry Lord Mountcharles (who celebrated his 60th birthday this week), a somewhat more personal affair.
The Coyningham clan were well represented at the castle on Saturday, some to celebrate the anniversary and birthday, some to indulge in a spot of vicarious rock’n’roll shape throwing.
As Henry Mountcharles watched a regrouped Thin Lizzy perform, a friend presented him with a birthday gift, and as Whiskey in the Jarplayed he just couldn't resist doing a bit of a jig.
It wasn’t all jigs and reels, however. Due to the tragic death of Cleo Followill, uncle to Kings of Leon brothers Nathan, Jared and Caleb, there was, inevitably, less of a sense of excitement at the band’s debut appearance at Slane.
Guitarist Nathan tweeted on Friday: “Just lost my uncle Cleo. My tears could fill the Mississippi right now. I’m an absolute mess. Thank you all for being nice. This is a tough time.”
The band arrived in Dublin last Wednesday to avoid any potential travel problems with Icelandic ash clouds. They stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel and on Friday last held an intimate party at one of Dublin’s most exclusive restaurants, Patrick Guilbaud’s.
There may not have been food of the quality (or, indeed, price) of Guilbaud’s at Slane Castle on Saturday, but there were enough food outlets, inside and outside the venue, to keep the 80,000-capacity crowd satisfied.
In the VIP area (which was smartly refashioned to the point that it became a conversational ice-breaker) outlets such as Eddie Rockets, Saba and Pieminister tended to the somewhat more sophisticated requirements of a gathering that lacked any kind of celeb quotient. Interestingly, prices were quite reasonable, with coffees at €2.50 and meals from €6.50. Never one to miss a marketing or branding opportunity, Henry Mountcharles had pitched directly opposite the castle doors a Slane Castle Irish Whiskey tent, wherein whiskey-based cocktails were on sale for a reasonable €8.50.
Meanwhile, a bottle of Laroche merlot (subtly boasting, you’ll be delighted to know, red plum and pepper characters with impertinent hints of green olives) would set you back €25.
Outside the VIP area, queues for the beer stalls increased as the minutes ticked by.
At 3pm, the atmosphere was civil and convivial; by 8pm, while the area resembled a cross between scenes from Shaun of the Dead and Apocalypse Now, there still seemed to be a prevailing sense of good, reasonably chilled-out vibes.
“This is my first time at a Slane concert,” said 18-year-old Lynn Hayes, from Bettystown, Co Meath. “I just love it, so roll on next year!”
Kings of Leon came on stage at 8.40pm and played for almost two hours. It was, said lead singer Caleb Followill, the band’s “longest ever set”.
By 11pm, for the 80,000 fans returning home, the problems of the previous Slane Castle concert (Oasis, 2009) were alleviated by a new traffic plan that gave public transport buses priority over private cars.
There were delays of up to two hours, however, in getting out of the car park.