– An Electric Picnic playlist.

I’ve spend the weekend over at the Hobbiton-for-adults that is the Electric Picnic in Stradbally. In general, and in comparison to binge-drinking triathlons like the Wacken Open Air, it must be one of the nicest festivals in Europe. A tidy festival arena with little helpers constantly collecting rubbish, the hippie-eske atmosphere of the Body & Soul area, a pretty diverse line-up ranging from singer/songwriters to Dubsteppers and last but not least sunshine on Friday and Sunday made the festival this year a very pleasant experience. But. Mere mortals had to pay 240 (!) Euros for a weekend ticket, and the prices for food and drink…phew. For a single meal, you would easily end up spending 10 – 15 € at one of the falafel/crepe/chip/pizza-stands (though the quality of the food was really good).

Is this a sign for Ireland returning to the devil-may-care-habits of Celtic Tiger times, recklessly spending money for good times-sake? Or was it still a bargain to see bands like Roxy Music, LCD Soundsystem and Massive Attack for this amount, compared to the price of a single ticket at the O2? Where you pay 68 € just to see Arcade Fire?

Whatever the reason, there were still tickets available at the box office on Friday. And without sounding cocky, I think that the high price also prevented many a drunk teen soiling their wellies from the inside, as seen on Oxegen each year.

Image by Tim . Simpson

But, in the end, I went there because of the music. And the Earl Grey at the tea-tent in the Body & Soul-area. So, here are my Top 5 EP Artists 2010, in no particular order:

Jonsi

Not only because of my affinity to Iceland, but because he put on the most stirring show of the weekend. Must have been the most finetuned and choreagraphed liveshow I’ve seen in years, perfectly incorparting the different emotions the songs from “Go” convey in the lights and the backdrop animations. Wearing his strange feather headdress and with his puckish stage-antics, Herr Birgisson seemed like the embodiment of the festival.

…And So I Watch You From Afar…

I’ve sung the praise of these 4 guys from the north multiple times before, but will not stop until they have conquered the world. One of the most energetic post-rock bands ever, they provide the constant soundtrack to my life in Ireland for recent months. “They look sooo nice!” is what my friend the Analog Girl said, though.

LCD Soundsystem

They had a 2-meter-disco-ball. And played “Daft Punk is playing in my house”.

Beardyman

Words fail me when I try to describe the phenomenon that is Beardyman. Just so much: he had people dancing to a set that contained New Order- and UB40-covers, created a Dubstep-song that referenced County Cork and had a better sound than Roxy Music. And he did it all with his mouth.

Bonobo

While siting on the lawn in front of the main stage, nursing a hangover and sipping a smoothie, the sound of Simon Bonobo and his band felt completely right. And the groove of a fully amplified rhythm section made the mellow sounds even more catchy. Plus, they are on Ninja Tune.