Welcome to our guide to Electric Picnic 2008.
Day by Day | Interviews and Podcasts | Travel | Sleeping | Stuff to Do | Food | Tips | Site Map
The Bodytonic Lineup
Ladies and Gents just less than a month to go until we are all dancing our socks off the the Bodytonic Village at the Picnic. Check out below for latest updates, interviews and podcasts with some of our acts. The most important news of the moment is that the Bodytonic Village is going to be located beside the Wilde campsite so make sure and pitch you're tents there - it'll make the stumple home alot easier.
Day by Day
Friday
Twisted Pepper Arena
- Breakology v Breakdown
- A$$quake
- !Kaboogie DJs
- Mr Jones DJs
- POGO Pub feat. Nic James
- Toddla T + MC Live
- Reach
- OneSevenFour
- Calibre
Bodytonic Main Stage
- Republik DJs
- Stereotonic Djs
- Disconauts
- Aaron Jerome LIVE
- Stevie G DJ
- Kerri Chandler Live
- Charles Webster LIVE
- Fish Go Deep Feat Tracey K - DJ + MC
The Bernard Shaw Stage
- Frantics
- Paul Conroy
- Stee Downes Live
- DJ Spinna
- DJ Spinna
- Kormac & Rosko
- Simon Conway - disco/italo set
- Giles Armstrong - Old School Set
Saturday
Twisted Pepper Arena
- Global Present: A World of Beats
- Choice Cuts Present: FILTER w/ Mark & Tuki
- Shock DJs
- Stereotonic - Simon Resoul
- Prins Thomas & Lindstrom - 4 Hour Set
Bodytonic Main Stage
- Generic People DJs
- Spillywalker (David Kitt) LIVE
- Billy Scurry DJ
- The Count and Sinden Live
- Bodytonic Soundsystem DJ Set
- Barry Redsetta DJ Set
- Rob Hood DJ Set
- Ben Klock DJ
The Bernard Shaw Stage
- Will Dempsey
- Stuart Watson
- Cashier No.9
- Bop Yestrum
- TwinKranes
- Andy Votel & Dom Thomas
- Black Acid
- David Holmes
-
Richard Fearless
Sunday
Twisted Pepper Arena
- 091 DJs
- Mano Le Tough
- Add Noise Live
- Shed Live
- Lunar Disko
- Siphon (FVF)
- Vince Watson Live
- Eddie Brennan (POGO)
- Red Shape
Bodytonic Main Stage
- Jenny Linsford Presents: Africanan
- C Prommer Drumlesson LIVE
- Sambatuc LIVE
- Benga DJ
- Reprazent LIVE
- Diplo DJ
- Modeselektor LIVE
The Bernard Shaw Stage
- James M & Dazboy
- Jimmy B & Louche
- John Mahon
- Tom Beary
- Conor L
- Trusme DJ Set & Live
- Ashley Beedle
Latest updates:
Prins Thomas & Lindstrom will play a 4 hour set in the Twisted Pepper tent on the Saturday night.
Electric City's Giles Armstrong will be playing an old school set - like the one he played at our warehouse party last year.
Playing the Bernard Shaw tent on the Sunday Trusme is playing Live for the first ever time and hopefully a dj set too.
Sunday in the Twisted Pepper will also feature a Digitonic AV/VJ showcase . Musically it will follow a POGO club vibe with the likes of Vince Watson, POGO's Eddie Brennan, Lunar Disko's Barry Donavan, 091, Shed, and Redshape playing on the day.
Modeselektor will finish off the festival and the Bodytonic main stage on the Sunday night. Rumours of a jazz set could not be confirmed at time of press.
Interviews: Toddla T, Christian Prommer, Redshape, Trus'me, Calibre, Stevie G, The count and Sinden, Siphon, Vince Watson
Podcasts: Ashley Beedle, Charles Webster, Ben Klock, Trus'me
Video Interview Dj Spinna
Video Electric Picnic 07
The Bodytonic Village
This year we return to Electric Picnic for the 5th time bigger and worse than ever. We'll be running 3 tents in our own area, but each one will have that small cozy intimate vibe we know & love. Overall we've a lot more Irish acts than international because of the three arena, so we're tipping our cap to the best clubs, DJs and live acts from around the land. Below is 90% of the line-up, we've still a few more acts to confirm. The main stage will host 2,000 people and the two smaller ones 500 or so each. Overall we still hope to have more people than a Samantha Mumba concert.
Bodytonic Main Stage
The main arena will host the majority of the international names featured on our bill. Visuals will be run by the Digitonic Crew plus some artists the acts themselves will bring over especially for the festival. This year will be a dubstep first for us with Benga making an appearance, we've another 20+ piece Samba band, a really special '20 years of Fish Go Deep' party on the Friday and a techno showstopper with Rob Hood on the Saturday.
The Bernard Shaw
The Bernard Shaw is our pub in Portobello, Dublin. We're gonna bring that hedonistic vibe to Electric Picnic for the first time. Whether we can bring the pool table and the Bucky is another thing, but if we put our minds to it, anything is possible. Scribble, Antics, bands, art, exhibitions, graffiti, Thumped.com, our mental all day Sunday disco-funk session 12 will all be in full effect. Saturday's party will be announced soon and is gonna be special. Overall, it will be messy,dirty and sweaty, and the toilets probably won't work. Perfect BS vibe
The Twisted Pepper
Whats the twist? Who knows, but the Twisted Pepper will play host to a varied combination of reggae, dubstep, techno, breaks, Miami bass, drum 'n' bass, world beats & hip-hop. Toddla T and Red Shape might not be familiar names to you but are highly recommended for your 'next big thing' list. Check them out...
You can find the rest of the lineup on the Electric Picnic website.
Also make sure and check out Electricpicnic.tv. Some great video's of the festival, live sets and interviews.
Also we've got plenty of pictures of last years madness for you to look at here
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Site Map
Getting There
From abroad
Dublin airport is the nearest to the festival, then after arrival just follow any of the directions below.
Bus From Dublin
Friday 29th departures from 10am until 6pm from Custom House Quay.
Friday 29th Airport Pick up at 11am and 3pm.
Saturday 30th departures 11am until 1pm and return directly after the concert Sunday 31st /Monday 1st.
Coaches to operate back from 10pm Sunday until 2pm Monday (through the night)
Price €25 Return. Information is available at Tel: 07747700820 or email John Quigley.
Trains
The nearest train station is Portlaoise train station which is about 15 minute drive away. There are always local mini bus drivers waiting at Portlaoise station to drop you down to the festival €5 or so. Check out the timetables first
Driving
Now folks the reality of it is that it might take long. Last year for example it took some people up to 6 hours to get down when they left Dublin around 4pm so the best advice we can give you is to take the Friday off work and head down early. This way you will definitely be set up for the time Friday night's headliners come on.
Driving from Belfast
3 hours, 15 mins, take the A1 & then M1 to Dublin. Take the M50 on the outskirts of Dublin and leave the M50 at junction 9 and take N7 to Portlaoise, then N80 to Stradbally
Driving from Dublin
50 mins, take N7 from Dublin to Portlaoise, then N80 to Stradbally, a 10 mins drive
Driving from Galway
2 hours 10 mins, take N6 to Portumna, then R489 to Birr, N62 to Roscrea, N7 to Portlaoise, N80 to Stradbally
Driving from Limerick
1 hour 20 mins, take N7 to Portlaoise and then N80 to Stradbally
Driving from Cork
2 hours, take N8 to Portloaise and then N80 to Stradbally
Driving from Waterford
1 hour 10 mins, take N9 then N10 to Kilkenny, then N77 then N78 through Castlecomer toward Athy, then turn left onto N80 to Stradbally.
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Where to put your head down
Camping
Option A - Bring your own gear and put it up yourself, maybe get the Scouts to help you.
Option B - Order your camping pack from Joe's Banana's in advance and collect on the day, those little scouts might also help you to put it up.
Option C - Book into the Tangerine Fields where your tent will be ready pitched for you with all the accessories.
Option D - Posh camping - those of you with a few Euro to spare can treat yourselves to some pimped out camping Bohemian Bivouac's, Boutique camping or Tipi's and Yurts
Hotels, B&B's and short term rentals
There are plenty of places around Stradbally to stay, so your best option is to check Laois Tourism and book early.
Campervans
Campervan tickets have now all sold out keep on eye on the Electric Picnic site to see if they will be announced again.
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Around the Festival
The Body and Soul Area is back this year with a bang. It's going to have the Chill Stage that was a massive hit last year. A new addition is going to be the Merkabar bar a huge 80ft Geodome which will be a sweet cocktail lounge. Also watch out for An Halla Baile where there'll be barn dances, salsa dances and swings bands to list a few things.
Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque - A circus troupe with a twist. This full production performance-art troupe embodies a style of vaudeville glamour infused with a blend of circus madness
Temple of Truth: If there's anything you've been wanting to get off your chest this is the place to do it and to show how your soul has been cleansed the temple will then be set on fire.
Pussy Parlour : Is in the Spiegel Tent and will be full of everything from insane bar tenders to sexy cleaners. Perfect place for a rest spot to get a nice seat and a decent drink.
Leviathan Debate: This is where you'll find the scholars of the festival debating was makes the world go around. Oh you'll also find Ryan Tubridy.
Fossett's Circus: Don't think we need to go into this one just think back to when you were five and going to the circus and you've got it. Humans only, by the way, no animals.
Thisisprobably: Another new addition which will be home to Panti Queen of the Picnic. Not sure what to expect but they say "You're Alice baby and this is your wonderland".
Hotpress Chatroom: Keep an eye on this over the weekend where you'll catch some of the headliners being interviewed and some impromtu jam sessions taking place.
Southern Comfort Stage: If last year is anything to go by you need to make sure you're in here for some acts. With a Mardi Gras feel, jazz bands and stilt walkers outside, this stage definitely lets you know that you are at a festival.
Cooking stage Catch live cooking demonstrations from Dublin finest chefs and Q&A session where you can ask them what's the best way to boil an egg.
Cinema tent: Will be there again this year with a vengeance, showing everything form old classics to rock documentaries to the odd GAA match if necessary.
Bollywood Bar: Feel like you're in the heart of India when you pop in here for a sneaky girlie drink of the day.
Jazz and World Music Stage: You will come across a mixture of Jazz and classic groups, with a mixture of traditional music form all around the world. We reckon there will be some amazing sessions here.
Comedy tent Is always good to perk you up when you're having that low moment of the weekend. The line up has yet to be announced.
Bacardi B-Bar: will be back with sunshine beats, live percussion and vocals, not to forget some pretty sweet cocktails too.
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Food
Expect anything from Mexican, Italian, Spanish, Thai, to Gourmet burgers, pies, falafel, paella and banners and mash. There is so much variation here you wouldn't believe it. Even for breakfast you can get everything from tea and toast to a veggie fry up to porridge. As they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you'll definitely get that sorted at EP. Just make sure to get up early as the queues can be huge! One of our favourites over the weekend was Diep, we got some pretty mean noodles and Thai food there.
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Tips and Hints
Two obvious one to start- leave early so as not too get stuck in the traffic (the traffic was heaviest at around 6pm last year, avoid it!) and make sure not to have any glass bottles - they are not going to let you in with them.
Hiring a wheel barrow can come in quite handy not only does it help you carry your stuff it doubles up as a chair; can't ask for more than that.
Order your drink for collection saving you trying to carry it from the camp site all the way there.
Don't pitch your tent near any of the edges of the site as it will become the toilet for lads as the weekend progresses and definitely don't pitch near the toilets; it'll be the worst mistake of your life.
Don't put all the guy ropes on your tent. People always get caught in them and end up pulling down half your tent.
Roll of black bags not only good for rubbish but also good for sitting on if the ground is damp and a poncho is necessary.
One for the girls: dry shampoo.
Don't shag a stranger on a Sunday night the chances are they mightn't have washed all weekend.
Walkie-talkies make life a bit easier than trying to get through on your mobile all the time, although Stradbally has good enough coverage.
Gaffer tape good for everything from waterproofing trainers, to waterproofing tents to tying handbags together and much much more.
Bring enough money with you for the weekend, the queues for the ATMs are usually horrible.
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