During the run up to Body&Soul 2016 the grounds of Ballinlough Castle slowly but surely began to come alive. Come Friday, despite the lingering clouds, the arena was a kaleidoscope of colours with intricate installations bursting from every corner.
Now in its seventh year, the little festival continues to stun thanks to a team of dedicated and artistic people who have created a atmosphere unlike any other.
With much of the crowd setting up camp first thing the site quickly became electric with excitement ahead of the kick-off proper. Badbadnotgood drew in the crowds, with people of all ages flocking to hear the the Canadian jazz-hop group; experimental hip-hop group Ho99o9 kicked it up a notch next with enough bass to make your bones rattle – if the mosh pits and flailing limbs failed to do so already. Brimming with energy from start to finish, the rappers proved that hip-hop and speed metal can indeed go hand in hand.
As dusk began to creep over the castle grounds it seemed only right that The Gloaming would enchant the masses as the sun went down. The main stage was then closed by Irish noise-rockers Girl Band who provided a powerful performance as always. If you were lucky enough to wander into the woods for late night adventures you would have stumbled upon the mesmerising Talos stunning the crowd with a haunting performance from start to finish. DJ sets closed the night – or morning, if we're to be pedantic about it.
Indeed, it didn't take long on Saturday for the sun to finally break through the clouds, drawing fans out from their tents and into the arena to explore. The back of the grounds, which contained the tranquil walled gardens, attracted the masses as people flocked to see the jungle of quirky stands and stalls; families with young kids enjoyed the Soul Kids area built specially for the youngest festival goers; and of course, there were enough great acts to have you running between stages for the day.
Electronic artist Christian Löffler provided a euphoric show with impressive visuals from start to finish, while both Floating Points and Kormac drew huge crowds, each easily contending for best act of the night. Scottish trap producer Hudson Mohawke closed the main stage, and had the crowd bouncing from the moment he began his ground-shaking set; upon conclusion, perhaps because of that energising blast, the entire festival piled into the woods to hear Plutonic Dust combine disco beats with silky smooth vocals and keep grooving until dawn.
A blanket of rain awakened the masses on Sunday – although those who stayed up late enough were already prepared for the deluge which began in the early hours of the morning. Despite the arena soon becoming a little soft under foot spirits remained high – with a trio well used to the conditions playing their part. Limerick-based collective Rusanago Family provided arguably the best performance of the weekend, giving their set everything. Canadian throat singer Tanya Tagaq delivered a hair raising performance with guttural vocals that make even Bjork seem tame, while in a treat for electronic fans, Berlin techno natives FJAAK and David August drew pulsing bodies to the Midnight Circus stage.
After an energetic performance from Ibibbio Sound Machine the crowd piled in to see Santigold – and her considerable fiery attitude – take to the stage. Despite a delay, and the unfortunate loss of some of her set on the way, the Philadelphia native quickly gets fans firmly on her side; hopping into the crowd for a chat does't hurt on that count either. From bubbles to a tracksuit with her own face on it, the performance was theatrical from start to finish and closed the festival on a triumphant note.