A 21-page feature on Electric Picnic sees Hot Press' finest music heads profile all the headline acts, as well going through the top Irish and international acts to catch across the weekend.

We also have Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac talking about the biggest dance acts at EP and why festival organisers need to do more to encourage gender equality and safety when it comes to drug use at these events. On top of that, we speak to famed British comedian Phil Jupitus, orchestral pop veteran Neil Hannon (from The Divine Comedy), and Love/Hateactor John Connors ahead of their appearances at Stradbally.

And firmly tooting our own horn, we also give you a preview of the Hot Press chatroom at Electric Picnic, where many of the names mentioned above will sit down with us for a chinwag. Phil Jupitus, Annie Mac and John Connors have already RSVP'd to join us, while The Strypes, Ralph Rolle, Soule and The Frank and Walters will also be sitting on the Hot Press sofa across the weekend.

For the 6-page exclusive Hot Press interview, we speak to the controversial former government minister Alan Kelly, from Labour, who talks about overseeing the water charges bill, the Jobstown verdict, and his future hopes for his embattled party.

Elsewhere in the issue, we interview Mancunian genre-shifters Everything Everything about their new album A Fever Dream (tipped to be their magnum opus); we catch up with David Lowry, director the acclaimed new drama A Ghost Story (starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara); and we review all the latest albums and films, including new releases from Irish superstars Picture This and modern day rock legends Queens of the Stone Age.

In a devastating report in our Frontlines section, we also examine the opioid addiction crisis which has ravaged America and why it's threatening to make its way to Ireland.

Add in all the usual news, views, reviews and previews that you've come to expect, and you're looking at another bumper issue of Hot Press – on sale now!

The Electric Picnic issue is available in stores now (August 17)– or you can order it now direct from hotpress.com.