Electric Picnic 2023: Friday Round-up!

The opening day of Electric Picnic was the absolute dream of festival beginnings. Only a few drizzles of rain, some epic tunes, and some brilliant chats at the Hot Press Chat Room - the Hot Press team had an epic time!

Glitter and braids adorned the heads of near every person in sight as the gates of the main arena opened for the first time this year. A host of musicians were welcomed to every stage, playing until the wee hours of the morning, with festival go-ers delighted to be back in their favourite field.

The Bionic Rats

Dublin staple The Bionic Rats have started the weekend off strong with their signature flavour of dance-ready reggae-ska. As frontman Anthony Kerry declared to a ready crowd, “We’re Bionic Rats and we’re going to start the whole thing off!”

The Bionic Rats are pretty well known for playing a good live set, and they absolutely lived up to that reputation today. Their music is as absurd as it is infectious, somehow managing to be very cool despite an unlikely lineup of fiddles, horns and a fedora-clad frontman. They fused reggae with elements of traditional Irish music for their genre-bending set, with songs whose themes were genuinely pretty political.Absolutely at home on the Croí main stage, the group understood their duty of ushering in the weekend with a set that absolutely got people in the festival mood.

Kingfishr

Limerick's Kingfishr opened the main stage of the festival - the second year in a row Limerick talent have greeted a crowd from this stage's opening slot. Maybe they'll make more then one five-in-a-row! A blast of dry ice greets the audience as a young lad clutching his banjo runs onstage, and there's a sentence you don't read everyday.

The bass drum kicks in, sounding as big as a mountain, and they get a good old roar. 'Heart In The Water' gets this noticeably building crowd in gear, and there's an undeniably kick off the tom-toms/snare drum/banjo combination. Here's a band that are well able to play but before you can whisper, 'Christ, Mumford and Sons have a lot to answer for," we're getting lyrics like "desecrate my sacred water" and "feel the poison in my bloodstream". If Dermot Kennedy with added banjo sounds like your bag, then these are the band for you. Fair play to Kingfishr, they certainly got a good crowd going and gave them a fine opening on the EP main stage, and the very best of luck to them.

Liam Murphy

MUNA

MUNA has been giving Ireland some love in the last week: from opening for boygenius on Monday night as part of their European tour to playing a headline show in Belfast on Thursday, this is their third (third!) Irish show in five days. Celebrating the end of the European run, the group blasted onto the stage with the banging ‘What I Want’, a queer club anthem that set an electric tone for the rest of the show.

They all seemed to be having the time of their lives. During ‘Home By Now’, Gavin and Maskin were barely able to keep it together as they ran around the stage locked in a quickly intensifying ass-slap battle. They all seemed genuinely regretful when revealing that this was the last show on this tour, and it was clear that they were just as big a fan of their own band as the people in the crowd.

The set ended with what is perhaps their most well-known song, ‘Silk Chiffon’, and they dedicated it to everyone named Siobhan in the audience as a coy play on the title: 'She's so soft like silk Siobhan.' Gavin got a kick out of it. McPherson then took over the second verse typically reserved for boygenius’ Phoebe Bridgers, adding some beautiful riffs to the solo with their impressive and under-utilised vocal abilities.

The group walked off stage to defeaning applause - leaving their mark on Electric Picnic 2023.

MUNA at Electric Picnic 2023. Miguel Ruiz.

The Murder Capital

Hailed as one of the most intense, powerful, and vital live acts around at the moment (all earned adjectives), it was clear from the sizeable crowd of adoring fans that the Murder Capital killed it for their short but sweet Electric Picnic gig. The liberal use of the words “post-punk” they inspire might suggest wiry intensity, but the Murder Capital’s sound is far closer to the anthemic noir of a band such as Interpol than the tightly wound rottweiler rage of fellow EP act Idles, to whom they are routinely compared.

Despite the understandably melancholy nature of their songs, the performance is a phenomenal example of the positive impact of music. Many fans are raised up on shoulders, couples sing along together and a young boy dances to the post-punk tracks to encourage his dad to join him - it's a joyous affair for all ages.

The Murder Capital at Electric Picnic 2023. Photos by Abigail Ring/ Hot Press

Jazzy

Irish-Jamaican DJ, producer, and singer Jazzy got Electric Picnic 2023 well and truly under way with a groovy set at the Electric Arena. There was a gravitational pull to the festival’s second biggest stage as thousands flocked to catch a glimpse of the chart topping artist, who has a steady cult-following accompanying her recent admirers

Appearing as if from a sci-fi film in her lemony suit and yellow-hued glasses, Jazzy was over her decks in deep concentration- an artist clearly at work. Effortlessly cool and obviously talented, she nonetheless had somewhat of a pinch me moment as the crowd belted back her lyrics as she covered her mouth in disbelief. Regaining her cool and removing her headphones to enjoy the spectacle, the chorus of ‘Giving Me’ bounced around the towering tent, as Jazzy deservedly cherished every second of the audience’s energy. Her follow up single 'Feel It' was equally as enjoyed by the packed tent.

An incredible offering from the Irish artist, we're only too sure she'll be up on that Main Stage in years to come.

Photo: Abigail Ring

Wet Leg

You get a fair inkling straight away about how hot an act are when you turn up twenty minutes early and there's already a large crowd waiting. Current critical darlings Wet Leg might have struck some, like Pat Carty, as just the latest spot-price chancers rolling up on the ever-rolling Generation Game conveyor belt of indie rock but tonight's set proved those sad bastards very wrong. 'Supermarket', 'Ur Mum' ("When I think about what you've become, I feel sorry for your mum"), 'Convincing' with it's Curve-like groove, and the marvellously-arch 'Piece Of Shit' ("This Is A Love Song") all sounded fantastic and had this crowd, who knew every word at least as well as the band, losing their minds and throwing beachballs, wherever they found them, in the air.

The star-shattering guitar arpeggios of 'Angelica' - who brought lasagna to the party - were also beyond great but the closing 'Chaise Longue' was as cool as a power cut in Antarctica, heralded by Henry Holmes beating the shite out of his kit like it just demanded his wallet down a dark alley. They walked off to a howl of feedback before George Michael's 'Carless Whisper' blasted, almost immediately, out of the PA.

Friday's rock n' roll highlight? Probably. Ridiculously and enviably cool? Definitely.

Miguel Ruiz

David Keenan

Nestled in the midst of the Stradbally chaos, the Croí area is Electric Picnic’s Irish-focused oasis. Gracing the downward-sloping stage tonight was Louth singer-songwriter and folk poet David Keenan.

During an interview with our very own Jess Murray at the Hot Press Chatroom earlier this afternoon, Keenan said he’d “flash his arse” if the show didn’t go well. We were greeted to no such callipygian showcase. On the one hand, it meant the show went well (it went very well). On the other, why couldn’t he do both?

Mooning (or lack thereof) aside, Keenan’s set was metamorphic, starting off solo with only himself and his well-traveled guitar (which he had previously moaned about having to carry, it doesn’t look that heavy), he displayed his more intimate and honest return-to-roots songwriting.

By the end of his set, the whole Croí audience were on their feet, giving the Dundalk man the return to EP he more than deserves.

Credit: Miguel Ruiz

Niall Horan

You'd have know someone special was taking to the main stage of Electric Picnic with the pathway between the Electric Arena, where Wet Leg put down an exceptional show, thronged with people of all ages, all excitedly scurrying along.

With crowds as far as the eye could see, intro music started and was abruptly halted. A message appeared on the screen that technical difficulties would hold the show back for a few moments. Approximately 10 minutes past the stated start time, the crowd started screaming at the top of their lungs as Niall Horan greeted the main stage, dressed in his The Show outfit - an all yellow ensemble.

"Good evening Electric Picnic," Horan shouted. "Wow... this is absolutely insane. I cannot believe I’m here, this is just absolutely insane. I haven’t played a show in Ireland in 5 years and to be here in the midlands and the be at Electric Picnic playing for all you beautiful people... I can’t put it into words. I’ve never been so nervous for a gig in my life but I know you’ve got my back."

Frankly, it was quite emotional to see how taken aback the former One Direction star felt about the size of the crowd hanging on his every word. The Irish mentality of never believing how good you are, despite selling out stadiums worldwide as a teenager, obviously crept in - as a good bit of Catholic guilt would.

For a set with such an oddly rocky start, Horan claimed the crowd back time and time again. The crowd was insanely varied, from young kids, to grandparents, there was no age cap or limit on the fun wrapped around the main arena. Five years away from a home stage, Mr Horan definitely wasn't holding back.

Photo: Liam Murphy

Steve Lacy

The cheers leading up to Steve Lacy’s performance in the Electric Arena were nearly deafening. He delivered a killer set of glossy tracks as part of a high-energy, tightly-packed performance that only helped cement his status as one of the most anticipated performers at the festival this weekend.

The set was impressively polished, including a group of musicians with braids to match Lacy’s and three backup singers/dancers dressed in all-black spandex suits. It was as much of a production as it was a spectacle, going above and beyond what befits a performance with as high a billing as Lacy had this evening, ending just fifteen minutes before Billie Eilish’s headlining act.

The crowds sang along to every word, from the opener ‘Static’ to ‘N Side’ and ‘Infrunami’. The end of an era, he left his mark on the weekend, and it's incredibly exciting to think about what musical plans he has in store.

Abigail Ring.

Belters Only

The crowd at the Electric Avenue is enormous by the time the DJ duo kick off at 11pm, all in attendance in the grip of Belters Only's easy techno-like euphoria, adorned with atmospheric Irish bass and diaristic vocal samples.

The pair – comprised of DJs and producers Bissett and RobbieG – have garnered a generation of young listeners with their takeover of TikTok. Many of their samples have gone viral, and the duo has been impressing new fans by combining soaring vocals, euphoric piano chords, and infectious melodies on their chart hits with rising star Jazzy.

The intense, electric energy of their club sets easily translates to the festival scene, feature flashing strobe lights, a metal structure and flickering graphics. 15 minutes in, the chart-topping trio is reunited once again as Jazzy enters centre stage, to thunderous roars from everyone in attendance.

Irish DJ talent doesn't get much better than this, and with a 12pm finish, the bassline energy provided by Belters Only rounds off a great day of music's finest at Electric Picnic.

Belters Only at Electric Picnic 2023. Photos by Miguel Ruiz/Hot Press

Billie Eilish

As the main stage was being reset, crowds flocked to the the front barriers, awaiting the alternative pop queen, Billie Eilish. Her second time performing at the Stradbally festival is apres-pandemic this time - giving the singer time to mature as an artist an elevate her stage show - which *spoiler alert* she definitely achieved. Despite her young age, the artist is not one to underestimate, drawing by far the largest crowd of the festival thus far - and bringing an insane stage presence.

With the expectation of an incredible opening from the starlet, fans were certainly not let down with the strobe-sensation that was the beginning of opening track 'Bury a Friend'. Dressed in head to toe Nike, the singer was accompanied by her brother, the renowned singer-songwriter Finneas.

Having seen Eilish at the 2019 edition of the festival, I (Molly Cantwell) wasn't surprised at the sheer power of her performance, but I was taken aback at the growth she's show over the last few years. A concert I didn't want to end, I trekked back to my tent with a massive smile on my face. What a talent - that's how it's done.

Billie Eilish on Electric Picnic's Main Stage 2023. Photo: Laura Klepeisz

What a day it was, and what a weekend it's going to be!

Stay tuned for more live reports, photos and all things Electric Picnic, live from Stradbally.