Imagine a bite-sized Electric Picnic, held in the grounds of a 17th-century castle, with the added bonus of indoor toilets and showers. Add to the mix some of the best homegrown bands around and you have Castlepalooza, the little festival that could.
Topping Saturday’s bill were The Chapters, Saucy Monky, 8 Ball and The Blizzards, who delivered a typically enthralling and upbeat set.
Sunday was, if possible, even more memorable. Lumbered with the early morning slot were The Spikes, a freshed faced Dublin crew with a line in indie anthemia. As the sun started to poke through the midlands’ sky, it was the turn of hotpress competition winners The Gorgeous Colours and The Chakras, who both suggested they have potential to one day be headliners. Standing apart from the morning’s diet of wall-to-wall indie was electro-pop purveyor Neosuopervital. The lad left a lot of people scratching their heads – but in a good way.
With night stealing over Charleville Castle , Katell Keineg, backed by Ann Scott, served up a mesmerising suite of folk songs on the smaller stage. On the main stage, meanwhile, electro-rockers Channel One came out spitting and snarling, their drum machines droning with malfunctioning police sirens. That, incidentally, is a recommendation.
Kings of the castle, without a doubt, were Delorentos. Chart success surely beckons for the Dublin quartet, developing into an impressively strident live act.
The weekend’s biggest surprise were ‘80s cover band Springbreak, featuring scenster Graham Hopkins on drums. And that’s despite playing more Lionel Ritchie covers than was perhaps strictly necessary or, indeed, legal.
Headliners Republic of Loose are intriguing on record but truly come into their own as a live force. Certainly, no one does rock shaman better than Mick Pryo. Tonight he seemed to be simultaneously channelling the ghosts of Jim Morrison and Arthur Guinness. Not a bad conclusion to an event sure to become a highlight of the festival calendar.