Oxegen
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to say we had an amazing time at Oxegen last week. We kind of thought we were off to a good start when the sun finally decided to come on Saturday morning before we left for Punchestown. You always have to get down pretty early to any festival as your gear has to be at your stage about three hours before your stage time. If you’re trying to beat the usual festival traffic – that’s a nice early start.
First thing to negotiate is always actually getting on site. Anyone who has ever asked a concert security guard a question should know how hard something like this can be. When we got close to the site we asked a Garda just to be sure if artist check in was up ahead or at the right turn he was standing at. He replied, ‘Ah yeh a fair few people are headin’ down there now’.
Once successfully on site it’s off to the stage to drop off your gear and get it set up behind the stage. All the different bands have their gear set up on rolling risers – little stages that can be rolled on and off between bands – behind the big black curtain at the back of the stage. It’s always fun to wander past the next two or three band’s gear who are on after you and have a look to see what stuff they use. Avril Lavigne’s guitarist uses really really expensive amps and has about twenty pedals etc. The American bands always do.
That’s Rowan and Shea wandering around behind the big black curtain before we went on. Expensive Avril Lavigne amps and people’s guitars also in shot.
After you drop off the gear it’s off to the ‘dressing room’ – portacabin – and get some tea and stuff in catering with grumpy crew people and occasional famous people walking by. I saw one of the guys from Air making coffee – he drinks coffee there you go. We had some press and stuff to do. My phone rang when I was on 2fm which is usually a big no no but I just forgot to turn it off. I also completely blanked on all the people who were playing when they asked when who I wanted to check out during the day and ended up sounding brain dead and just going, ‘eh, Queen’s of the Stoneage and…..Interpol and…………………no one else for the next eight hours or so’.
It was dry but still really muddy because of all the really crap weather we’ve been having so it was wellies on and then off to the stage for the show.
Here we are just about to go on behind the trusty black curtain. The blazing sunshine meant there was a really sweet crowd there to see us. Everyone was having a great time and the response was amazing. We could see people all the way up to the hill around the main stage. It’s definitely one of the best gigs we’ve ever played and one of the biggest crowds ever. Thank you to everyone who came to see us and got really into it. You were amazing.
Michael and Shea went for a wander around the site after we played and met some cool people having a good weekend. Everyone was having such a good time because of the music and the weather and nicer atmosphere that there always is when it’s not raining.
I saw Kings of Leon play really great set on the Main Stage later on. I think their new album is really good and they really got the crowd going doing this great singalong backing vocal part from the first track of their new album. It was really special. It was cool too because Michael Stipe from R.E.M. was standing beside me for the set but I didn’t want to bother him by telling him I love his band. After that I saw some Delorentos and some Interpol and had some beers in the sun; all in all a very good day.
Thank’s again to everyone who came to see us play. To play the Main Stage at Oxegen in the afternoon in the sun to an amazing crowd. It’s a gig we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
See you soon.
Eoin
