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FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE

This year’s festival line-up is beefier than ever, with something on the bill for just about everyone – from Beyonce’s own brand of world-dominating pop in the O2 to the glitchy, ear-splitting sounds of Crystal Castles at Forbidden Fruit.

But wherever you’re headed, there are a few things you should know first. Fionn Davenport – radio presenter, travel writer, DJ, and festival veteran – has some tips to help you survive festival season, whether you’re a day-tripper or a happy camper.

Festival

Survival

Guide

Checklist

The essentials

Tickets

Cash and phone – and somewhere smart to keep them

Extra layers for warming up and cooling down

Rain poncho, sun-cream, and a sun-hat (this is Ireland, after all)

For overnight stays

Tent (check that you have the pegs and poles before you leave)

Plastic bags, tape, and bin-liners

Clothes and footwear for every weather

Plasters

A flag for your tent

A torch

Loo roll

Baby-wipes and antibacterial hand-gel

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Food and water (in plastic bottles)

Condoms

Don’t bring...

Umbrellas, gas, glass bottles, medication in unmarked containers, gazebos, marquees, or animals – whatever your reasons might be!And one last thing – enjoy yourself!

Getting to a festival can be a pain; an hour-long drive at any other time might take half the day at a near-crawl.

• Bus it. Ever sat behind the wheel after a whole weekend in a tent, or even just a day of gigs and dancing? It’s not much fun. Rely on public transport if you can, and leave the car at home. Most festival websites will have transport info, or you can check out cie.ie for details of Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, and Dublin Bus services.

• Behind the wheel. If you do decide to drive, be cautious

Transport

on the road – there are likely to be a lot of over-excited drivers around the festival site.

• The morning after. Even if you feel fine to drive home, you could still be over the limit if you were drinking the night before. If you’re stopped – and breath-testing is common along festival routes – then you could get a €5,000 fine or a six-month sentence (or both). Your body gets ride of alcohol at a rate of about one standard drink per hour – that’s half a pint, a glass of wine, or a shot. Every phone has a calculator, so do the maths.

Insider Tip # 1

Plan backup transport. You never know when your lift might fall through, so have the Hailo taxi app installed on your phone in advance to avoid

Did You Know?...

Rob Cumiskey

HAILO Ireland

any travel nightmares. It’ll be a lifesaver when it comes to sorting out your city-based festival plans..

• In October 2011, the legal blood-alcohol limit was reduced to 50mg per 100ml of blood, while professional and learner-drivers face a ‘virtually zero’ rate of 20mg per 100ml of blood.

• So it has never been more important for drivers to aim for zero the morning after.

•

Happy Campers

Camping at a festival this year? The ‘wherever I lay my hat’ approach to a good sleep will seem like a bad idea halfway through your first rainy night, so plan your sleeping arrangements in advance. A good tip: turn up early to pick your spot.

• Tent. So long as it’s waterproof, any old tent will do. There’s a chance it may get damaged, so don’t bother with a fancy one.

• Location, location, location. Pitch it in open ground, at the top of a hill, and far, far away from the communal toilets.

• Pitch it when you arrive. You don’t want to test your tent-pitching skills in the dark, so peg it down before you start doing anything else.

• Bring a torch. Here’s a fun game: try finding your tent among thousands like it in the dark. Use a torch, and mark your tent with a distinctive flag too.

• Plastic bin-liners and tape. Plastic bags make the best shoes, seats, and sleeping-bag covers around.

• In a green-field site? Clean up after yourself and take everything with you – including your rubbish.

Insider Tip # 2

Most people will remember the usual things like a torch, pen, condoms, socks etc. but come rain or shine one must never forget a pair of

Food and Drink

• Hungry? If you’re bringing your own food to the festival, pick something that won’t go off, get mushy, or grow mould – think cereal bars rather than meats, bananas, or cheese.

• Thirsty? Of course most people will have a drink, but getting wrecked will only make sure that you regret spending all that money on a gig you can’t even remember. Not to mention that you could ruin

things for your mates as well if they end up having to look after you. Drinking responsibly is the best way to get the most out of your weekend.

• Water. Bring as much of it as you can – there are usually taps where you can fill up, but the queues can be a nightmare at times. Drink at least a litre or two every day. Alcohol will seriously dehydrate you, and even a clouded sun will make it worse.

sunglasses and a sense of adventure, and don’t forget to swap your top with your random new friend!!

Cillian Stewart

Organiser, Castlepalooza festival

• No glass. The amount of liquid confiscated at the gates could quench the thirst of a small town. Bring plastic bottles and containers.

• Pace yourself. Drink water or a soft drink every few drinks. You’ll feel better, look better, and have a better chance of lasting the course!

• Eat something. Drinking on an empty stomach is a sure-fire way to end up feeling queasy. Eat before you drink.

• Hair of the dog. It won’t beat your hangover, it just prolongs the agony.

• The secret to sobering up? Time. Yep, that’s it. Whether

sitting in a tent or standing in a field, it’ll take roughly two hours for your body to break down one pint of beer. Nothing – not tea, energy drinks, burgers, chips, or an ice-cold shower – can speed up the process.

• Beer goggles. Want to experience a whole new world of regret? Then let the booze do the chatting-up for you.

• No strange mixers! Don’t accept a drink from a stranger or leave yours unattended – you never know what you’re getting or what could have been put in it.

• Go online. For even more advice about festivals and alcohol, visit drinkaware.ie.

Insider Tip # 3

Beaut.ie’s best festival tip picked up over the past couple of years is really simple, but so clever! Before you pitch your tent, paint your nails a dark shade. It’ll look chic, sure, but

And remember, it takes your body about an hour to

get rid of the alcohol from

1 standard drink

Kirstie McDermott

Beaut.ie

here’s the smart bit: your dark mani will hide any dirt so no one will know that you could happily grow a sack of spuds in the furrows beneath your nails.

One

standard

drink

A glass of stout/lager/cider (284ml) A small glass of wine (100ml)

A pub measure of spirit (35.5ml)

==

Things like the speed of the fastest drinker, the mood you’re in, the volume of the music, and how much money you have in your pocket can all make you drink faster than you intended. The trick is to cut down the amount that you drink, and to slow down the pace of your drinking as well.

• Plan ahead. Make a plan of your must-see bands, so you have a reason to pace yourself and make sure that you’re in a good state to enjoy them.

• Avoid rounds. These aren’t just hard on your pocket, they also put you under pressure to drink at the same pace as everybody else.

The Best Pace to Drink at is Your Own!

• Ditch the drinking games. Let’s be honest, they make everyone drink way too much, way too fast.

• Drink water. Pace your drinks with water regularly to stay refreshed and hydrated. This gives your body a chance to break down the alcohol already in your system and will help to prevent dehydration.

• Fill your time. You’re at an amazing festival; why should drinking be the only activity? Spend your time meeting new people, eating kebabs, and seeing bands you’ve never even heard of.

Insider Tip # 4

Bring a Dry-Bag for your valuables. It’s simple and inexpensive, but when the weather goes pear-shaped and everything gets soaked, your stuff will at least be dry.

Derek Moody

Great Outdoors

Dressing for high-fashion will only give you grief! Festivals are no place for your best clobber, so think less catwalk and more weather-proof.

• Rain poncho. Better than the glorified bin-liner they (sometimes) give out at festivals.

• Something warm. You might be hot during the day, but when the sun goes down it can get pretty chilly.

• Wellies. Regardless of weather-reports, these are essential festival-footwear. Flip-flops are just flops when it’s raining.

• Socks. Bring spares. Plenty of them. Wet feet are crap.

Looking Good?

• Sun-hat. Sunstroke is like a really bad hangover and the worst flu you’ll ever get… at the same time. Anything’ll do, once it covers your head.

• Dry shampoo and wipes. Most festivals have some shower facilities, but the queues can be pretty scary. Dry shampoo and wipes will help you to freshen up without any of the hassle.

Beauty Essentials• Dry shampoo, waterproof

makeup (or go bare-faced), a bag that goes across your body, face-wipes, and a sense of humour. You’re not going to look your best, so relax and enjoy!

This year more than ever, festival and concert security will be pretty tight, with a huge number of undercover Gardaí floating around. Don’t give them a reason to interfere with your fun.

• Drugs. Even aside from the health risks, just don’t bother. The Gardaí will happily bust you for the slightest infraction.

• Human pyramids, moshing, and stage-diving. They sound like great ideas, but can end with you getting hurt or arrested, and the event being more heavily policed next year – which means tickets will be even more expensive. And that’ll be all thanks to you, you free-flying fool.

Stay Safe, Stay Free

• Valuables. Why bring any? Stick to the essentials – cash and phone. If you’re a bit hazardous with gadgets, you might want to leave your smartphone at home and bring the old, indestructible Nokia instead.

• Cash. Bring enough to last you the weekend, and spread it about your body. Back pockets and shallow front-pockets are useless – you might as well give it away. A money-pouch or a small plastic bag stuffed in the toe of your shoe is good.

• Minding your stuff. At festivals, make friends with the occupants of the tents around you and they might help to keep an eye on your gear.

Insider Tip # 5

Turn off your phone and roam free, waiting for people in fields is well overrated!

DJ Tu-Ki

Win amazing prizes with drinkaware.ie all summer long!Go to drinkaware.ie for your chance to win. You don’t need to buy anything from us to enter, but you do need to be over eighteen.

We’ll be giving away Ticketmaster Gift Cards, festival tickets, and loads of other goodies, so don’t miss out!

Giveaways

Insider Tip # 6

Festivals are all about sharing and mucking in, and I’m not really like that, so my advice would be to get your own corner and don’t interact with anyone whatsoever.

LoneLadySinger

The Insider’s Guide to your Summer of Music 2012You’ve seen the posters, you’ve scoured the line-ups, you’ve Googled the locations, but you’re still not sure which festival is for you. Well, fear not, because on these pages you’ll find our no-nonsense guide to the biggest and loudest gigs of the year, lovingly compiled by the people at Hot Press who’ve been there, done that, and have the stubs to prove it!

FORBIDDEN FRUITJune 1 – 2, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin

Kilmainham’s award-winning Forbidden Fruit festival returns for its third year this June bank holiday weekend, boasting its biggest, most iconic headliners to date. Add to this a bill of side-splitting comedy, a selection of mouth-watering gourmet food and – this is a particularly clever touch! – free buses to the festival, and you’ve got one huge reason to spend your bank holiday in Dublin.

The acts: Kasabian, Crystal Castles, Primal Scream, Chic, James Blake, Neon Neon, Four Tet, Everything Everything, Lee “Scratch” Perry, IAMWHOIAM, Le Galaxie, Woodkid, Austra, Daphni, Daughter, Toro Y Moi, Flight Facilities, Trust, I Am The Cosmos, Fight Like Apes, Tieranniesaur, Girls Names, Cyril Hahn, Myyki Blanco, Bondax, New Jackson, and Frank B.

The vibe: Chilled by day, wild by night.

Watch out for: The festival’s Comedy Stage, which will host Kevin McAleer, David McSavage, The Nualas, Colin Murphy, John Colleary, Foil, Arms and Hog, and more over the two days.

BON JOVIJune 15, Slane Castle, Co. Meath

An Irish institution since 1981, the yearly 80,000-capacity rockstravaganza at Slane’s breathtaking 18th century castle is one of the biggest events in our musical calendar, and according to Lord Henry Mountcharles, Bon Jovi have been on his wish list since the very start. At the press conference back in October, front man Jon warned that the band’s Slane show would be anything but conventional. “Setlists go out the window,” he teased, “I play till I fall down.”

The acts: Bon Jovi, The Coronas, Bressie, Ham Sandwich.

The vibe: Hair-whipping, air-guitar-worthy fun.

Watch out for: The slightest hint of aging on Jon’s immortal face. A fiver says you won’t find any.

SEA SESSIONSJune 21 – 23, Bundoran, Donegal

Cleverly connecting the great arts of hanging ten and rocking out, Sea Sessions is a festival right on the beach, offering punters an unforgettable weekend of sun, surf, sand and song all in one spot. Heading this year’s bill will be New Zealand reggae and funk seven-piece Fat Freddy’s Drop and London trend-setters Bastille, along with a selection of Ireland’s finest and funnest live acts. All that’s left is to polish your topspin (it’s a volleyball thing!)

The acts: Bastille, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Xavier Rudd, The Strypes, The Milk, SOAK, Therapy?, The Original Rude Boys, Mud Morganfield, Le Galaxie, Foy Vance, Duke Special, The Frank And

Walters, The Minutes, Ben Caplan, William Adamson, Ayah Marar, and more.

The vibe: Relaxing as you like. You are on a beach, after all.

Watch out for: Those waves. Don’t let the weekend pass without getting in the soup.

BODY AND SOULJune 21 – 23, Ballinlough Castle, Co. Meath

Since its maiden voyage in 2010, this magical arts and music weekender has twisted and turned its way to a much more grown-up place, and in 2013, the folk behind Body And Soul are putting a major focus on the artistic elements of the festival. As well as an excellent hybrid of alternative icons, revolutionary game-changers and bright new talent, punters can expect a carefully-selected bill of spoken word events, performance art and theatrics.

The acts: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Solange, Public Image Limited, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires, MMOTHS,

Willy Mason, Breton, Pantha Du Prince, Jon Hopkins, George Fitzgerald, RSAG, Iron Curtis, Almighty Sion, Monto, Adultrock, Ryan Vail, and FishGoDeep.

The vibe: Friendly, fun and full of surprises.

Watch out for: The little things that make Body And Soul great; marshmallows on the bonfire, banter in a hot tub and teacups at breakfast.

LIVE AT THE MARQUEE June 12 – July 5, Docklands, Centre Park Road, Cork

Some of the biggest-selling artists of all time have travelled to the southern capital for Live At The Marquee over the years, and now, with the festival in its ninth innings, the Real Capital is getting ready for another all-out legend, the inimitable Elton John. Alongside Britain’s ultimate showman, the Marquee bill boasts such musical luminaries as Elvis Costello, Sting and the marvellously-bearded ZZ Top, alongside some of the finest pop acts 2013 has to offer.

The acts: Elton John, Olly Murs, The Coronas, The Wanted, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, ZZ Top, The Coronas, Sting, The Boomtown Rats, Christy Moore, Little Mix, Passenger, The National, Ke$ha, Bell X1, Jessie J, and Imelda May.

The vibe: Fiendishly excited. There are big names, y’know.

Watch out for: Elton’s frankly fabulous collection of glittered blazers.

LIVE AT THE IVEAGH GARDENSJuly 12 – 21, Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

In the heart of the capital, the stunning Iveagh Gardens will play host to two long weekends of great music. A hidden gem of Dublin, the 19th century gardens feature stunning rustic grottos and cascades, fountains, wilderness, woodlands and mazes. For great music, food and an unbeatable atmosphere, there’s nowhere else to be this summer. Let’s just pray the weather holds out.

The acts: Imelda May, Glen Hansard, Damien Dempsey, Josh Ritter, Grizzly Bear, Tallest Man On Earth, Bell X1, Beach House, and special guests.

The vibe: Akin to a gloriously sunny (we hope!) day in the park.

Watch out for: A big, old fashioned singalong. Some of the Iveagh Gardens acts are old mates, so we wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they have a group jam up their sleeves.

LONGITUDEJuly 19 – 21, Marlay Park, Dublin

A brand new name in the Irish festival calendar, Longitude will come to Dublin’s Marlay Park for three days this July, bringing a stomping musical bill and a boutique flavour with it. A companion festival to the UK’s Latitude, Longitude 2013, boasts

an exceedingly strong and eclectic line-up, with synth legends Kraftwerk taking their 3D show to Marlay Park in the festival’s inaugural year, joined by French alt. rockers Phoenix, NY Indie poppers Vampire Weekend and more.

The acts: Phoenix, Foals, Villagers, Vampire Weekend, Kraftwerk in 3D, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hot Chip, Modest Mouse, Django Django, Paul Kalkbrenner, The Maccabees, Mark Lanega, SBTRKT (DJ set), Jake Bugg, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Jessie Ware, AlunaGeorge, Mmoths, Vondelpark, Marcus Foster, SOAK, Local Natives, Kodaline, Trentemoller, Laura Mvula, Gold Panda, Le Galaxie, and more.

The vibe: Your guess is as good as ours, but with a line-up that hip, expect the pre-show hype to reach record levels.

Watch out for: Trendy newbies like electro-R&B peddlers AlunaGeorge and acoustic troubadour Jake Bugg.

CASTLEPALOOZAAugust 2 – 4, Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

When we landed on the doorstep of Charleville Castle in 2012, everything was just as we remembered it. Bands were getting acquainted, and festival virgins were breathing a collective sigh of relief. From start to finish, Castlepalooza is one festival that gives its fun-loving children precisely what they want – hospitality, entertainment and escape.

The acts: TBA

The vibe: Laid-back and unbeatably friendly. Expect to bump into your ‘Palooza mates year after year.

Watch out for: The super-cute Courtyard stage ‘round the back, which hosts gigs until the wee hours.

Hot Sprockets, Leaders Of Men, and lots more.

The vibe: Mosh-ready and choon-thirsty.

Watch out for: The Hot Press Hot Spot, where humble hacks from your favourite music mag will be getting up close and personal with the artists.

OXEGENAugust 3 – 4, Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare

With over 100 acts to see and 80,000 fellow revellers to shake your groove-thang with, Oxegen 2011 was no small-town affair. Which is why music fans will be relieved to hear that, after a Glastonbury-style hiatus, the 2013 bash will be shorter and sweeter than usual. Stripped down from a music marathon to a two-day concert, the Punchestown extravaganza will involve a little less moshing than usual, but promoters have promised an equally jaw-dropping line-up.

The acts: David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, Example, Snoop Dogg, Labrinth, Alesso, Soulwaz,

INDIEPENDENCEAugust 2 – 4, Deer Farm, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

Overlooking the Galtee Mountains, the tree-lined 52-acre setting of Deer Farm is nothing short of spectacular and since 2006 organisers have been booking bands to match. A festival marked out for both its fun atmosphere and social responsibility, Indiependence is keen, as the name suggests, to give a leg-up to the brightest and best independent talents the country has to offer. Attractions include burlesque shows, spoken word performances and kids’ entertainment.

The acts: De La Soul, Bastille, Beardyman, The Fratellis, Kodaline, Le Galaxie, And So I Watch You From Afar, Bosnian Rainbows, This Town Needs Guns, Mylets, No Spill Blood, Funeral For A Friend, Paddy Casey, Mmoths, The Original Rudeboys, Hudson Taylor, Windings, We Cut Corners, SOAK, Little Bear, Krafty Kuts, UTAH Saints, Toby Kaar, Young Wonder, Mark E, VANN, The

Nero, Rita Ora, Rizzle Kicks, Pitbull, and more.

The vibe: Party-centric.

Watch out for: The new guys. Dozens of delightful up-and-comers will be performing alongside international stars.

ELECTRIC PICNICAugust 30 – September 1, Stradbally Hall, Stradbally, Co. Laois

The record-breaking, risk-taking arts festival that has music-lovers talking throughout the year, Electric Picnic is invariably the most highly-anticipated weekend on the calendar, with bands, musos and 24-hour party people alike all making the pilgrimage to Stradbally. The experts love it, too – last year, the show affectionately known as Leccy Piccy racked up two gongs at the Irish Festival Awards, earning industry nods

for Best Large Festival and Greenest Festival.

The acts: Fatboy Slim, Björk, Arctic Monkeys, My Bloody Valentine, The Knife, Franz Ferdinand, Wu-Tang Clan, David Byrne & St. Vincent, Disclosure, Noah & The Whale, Warpaint, Eels, The Walkmen, Hurts, Johnny Marr, and more.

The vibe: Anywhere from über-chilled to fist-pumpingly manic, depending on which shows take your fancy.

Watch out for: The unmissable Body And Soul stage, which has seen some of our all-time favourite Picnic performances but the details of which have yet to be announced.

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AND

A tent from Great Outdoors

A Festival Survival Kit

When What Where

11th – 12th May Beyoncé O2, Dublin

1st – 2nd June Forbidden Fruit Kilmainham, Dublin

15th June Bon Jovi Slane Castle, Co. Meath

12th June – 5th July

Live at the Marquee Docklands, Cork

21st June – 23rd June

Sea Sessions Bundoran, Co. Donegal

21st June – 23rd June

Body & Soul Ballinlough, Co. Westmeath

21st June Rihanna Aviva Stadium, Dublin

11th – 21st July Live at the Iveagh Gardens

Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

13th July The Killers Phoenix Park, Dublin

14th July Mumford & Sons Phoenix Park, Dublin

16th July18th July20th July27th & 28th July

Bruce Springsteen Thomond Park, LimerickPáirc Uí Chaoimh, CorkKing’s Hall Arena, BelfastNowlan Park, Kilkenny

19th – 21st July Longitude Marlay Park, Dublin

Festival Listings ‘13

When What Where

1st August Blur Kilmainham, Dublin

2nd – 4th August Castlepalooza Tullamore, Co. Offaly

2nd – 4th August Indiependence Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

3rd – 4th August Oxegen Punchestown, Co. Kildare

17th August Eminem Slane Castle, Co. Meath

30th August – 1st September

Electric Picnic Stradbally, Co. Laois

Overseas

22nd – 26th May Primavera Sound Barcelona, Spain

26th – 30th June Glastonbury Somerset, UK

18th – 21st July Benicassim Costa del Azahar, Spain

5th – 8th September

Bestival Isle of Wight, UK

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