A landmark of the Irish summer arrives on Friday when tens of thousands of people descend on Stradbally, Co Laois for Electric Picnic. The country’s largest open-air music festival takes place two weeks earlier than usual this year. That will not dampen the spirits of those attending, although as always they will be hoping the weather gods smile upon them.
Despite our unpredictable weather – or perhaps because of it – Ireland seems to love its summer festivals and open-air concerts. From the stadium-filling spectacles of Springsteen and Swift at the start of the season to Coldplay’s four-night Croke Park residency at the end, fans will spend hundreds of millions of euro on tickets despite grumbling about price-gouging. Millions more will be spent on refreshments and merchandise.
There have been open-air music festivals in Ireland for almost half a century but they seem more popular than ever. In a world largely mediated through a screen, the IRL (in real life) event commands a premium price. And research shows people increasingly prefer to spend their money on memorable experiences than on consumer goods.
All of this is good news for live music promoters. Electric Picnic, which began life as a slightly eclectic boutique event, has transformed over the years into a much larger affair. Attendees can still sample poetry readings and Reiki massages. But for all the talk of individuality, creativity and sustainability, the festival is managed by a hard-nosed global conglomerate with an unsentimental attachment to the bottom line.
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For those heading to Stradbally, the weekend offers the promise of a joyous rite of passage, an opportunity to go a little wild and accumulate memories to be treasured. Some observers may cluck disapprovingly at stories of over-indulgence and excess. They should note the twentysomethings who make up most of the attendance are more abstemious and less sexually active than previous generations. At its best, when the sun shines, the music is good and everyone is smiling, there is no better place to be than a big Irish field.