Festival : KnockanStockan
I love this time of year. No one gives a toss about cloudy skies or warm cider, girls flash man-tanned ankles as lads look cool in skinny tees and shades - it’s summer as the Irish know it. This is evident to me because it’s festival time - not Oxegen, which was great fun but huge and exhausting or Electric Picnic which will be the same but real Irish festivals.
We should be flogging our summer calendar for everything it’s worth, spreading song to the young travellers who invade the country every year, thirsty for romantic Ireland. 100% fresh, green and Irish, the small festivals reflect the modern side of national heritage. Let’s show the bored EFL students we have more than jigs’n'reels on open-top buses, prove Mitchelstown’s a big cheese, that we enjoy different Wicklow follies and morning Dew in Tullamore.
Dead ol’ Blessington transforms into psychedelic Indie paradise as Knockanstockan kicks off today. Not so pretentious as to call itself boutique or exclusive and all the more boho for it, the festival’s emphasis lies on peace and love to a rumbling summer soundwave.
“We aim to cut the cost of great music for music lovers. At the moment we have almost 100 acts lined up over four stages and expect Knockanstockan 2008 to be a real indication of what Ireland’s music has to offer.”
That aim bags you a €50 weekend ticket to live shows from The Brothers Movement, Sweet Jane, Infomatics, Robotnik, Lauren Guillery, The Hot Sprockets, Sickboy and Band on an Island amongst a multitude of others. On the shore of the lake, so make the most of your wellies!
The personal touch is apparent on the KS website which takes the form of a production blog, discussing all the aspects of putting together a top-notch fest on a budget. The three-day ticket fee provides the site with insurance, car parking, camping and transport from campsite to venue. Not-for-profit, proceeds from Knockanstock go directly back to the organisation fund.
MAP AND STAGE TIMES FOLLOW :
How cute are Robbie Cash’s illustrations?
KnockanStockan 2008 : Line-Up :
FRIDAY
ACOUSTIC STAGE TIMES
1800-Open Mic
1850-Open Mic
1940-Open Mic
2030-Mick Hargan
2120-ITO
2210-Jimmy Guill
2300-Marcas Carcass
2350-The Ghandis
0040-Guilty Boy Association
MAIN STAGE TIMES;
1830-Shoctopus
1930-The Candidates
2030-Liz is Evil
2130-The Minutes
2230-The Mighty Steff
2330-Band on an Island
0030-The Brothers Movement
SATURDAY
ACC STAGE TIMES;
12OO-Open Mic 1250-Dakota
1340-AJ & Loney
1430-Wife Peter
1520-Wesley Pipes
1610-Barry(liz is Evil)
1700-9 Bar Blues Band 1750-Peter Space Invasion
1840-Christina Quill
1930-Anto White
2020-Andy Delamere
2110-the Tuesday Night Club
2200-Brían Walton
2250-Fiach
2340-Bovine Frenzy
MAIN STAGE TIMES;
1400-Victory Din
1500-Weedway
1600-Mick Whelan
1700-Saccade
1800-Sweet Jane
1900-The Amazing Few
2000-Marner Brown
2100-The Hot Sprockets
2200-The Murder of Crows
2300-Hassle Merchants
0000-New Secret Weapon
COMPOUND STAGE TIMES;
1330-Takoda
1420-Sly Hi Five
1510-Jesus and his Dog
1600-Noise Machine
1650-Worthwhile Experience
1740-The Pratzkys
1830-Lord of the Black Mountain
1920-Mr Blueface
2010-Hoovers and Sledgehammers
2100-The Prelude
2150-Legion of Ape
2240-Earthquake Hair
2330-Mescalito
0020-Skuzzi Port
Sunday
ACC STAGE TIMES;
1300-Open mic
1350-Open mic
1440-Glenn Cullen Band
1530-Karen McDermott1620-Tommy Headon
1710-Sleepy Rise
1800-Robbie Cash
1850-Page 27
1940-Dean Downs
2030-Open?2120-Dirty Apes
2210-Enda de Road
2300-Clodagh Kerely
2350-Red and Redmond
MAIN STAGE TIMES;
1330-Polemics
1430-Jimmy Gill
1530-Rifle Tower
1630-Red and Redmond?
1730-Tucan
1830-Sickboy
1930-The Brown river Boys
2030-Red Kid
2130-The Rye
2230-Spider Crack Bitch
2330-The Infomatics0030-Sound of System Breakdown
COMPOUND STAGE TIMES;
1200-The Upgrades
1300-16 Dead Men
1400-The New Electrics(good news)
1500-Black Eagle Charm
1600-Robotnik
1700-Kudos
1800-Fubar
1900-Soma
2000-Pocket Aces
2100-Eric Noon and Friends
2200-Lauren Guillery
2300-Intinn
0000-Babys Big Ego
Check out the www. knockanstockan. ie website for more!
July 25th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
the ballyknockan festival is part of the knockanstockan as well this year. more info here
July 30th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
What a kind write up! We had a great time - it was the biggest thing we’d ever tried to organise and we pulled it off.
It was safe, that was our first objective so that we could do it again. The number 2 - for it to be fun, well, let the photos that have just gone up in the gallery tell you if it was or not!
July 31st, 2008 at 11:51 pm
A most amazing and energetic event was had by all . A pleasure to be part of the team , crowd and performers . We hope to be more family and eco-friendly next year