Perfect for some afternoon chillage on Saturday is Hilary Woods, who plays the Body and Soul stage at three. The ex-JJ72 bassist specialises in ambient dream pop in the Cocteau Twins / This Mortal Coil vein, and should provide a supremely atmospheric set – as the football crowds used to sing, you’re going home in a floating ambience.
If you’re in the mood for some attitudinal hip-hop Saturday evening, look no further than Joey Bada$$, who hits the Rankin’s Wood stage at 7.45. The NYC rapper’s album, B4.DA.SS, was one of the best hip-hop releases last year, taking an unflinching look at the grittier side of urban life. The man known to his mum as Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott has also seen his renown grow even more recently thanks to his recurring role in Mr Robot, one of the best shows currently on US TV.
One of the best current Irish acts is Patrick Kelleher, who will be showing his chillwave chops on the Earthship stage at 10.50. Boasting a brilliantly imaginative avant-pop sound similar to Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (whom he has supported), Kelleher is one of Irish music’s most gifted mavericks and this is an unmissable show for those in search of leftfield indie kicks.
Over on the main stage, it’s a sort of homecoming for the evening’s two star turns. Noel Gallagher returns to the auld sod with his High Flying Birds in tow, and they will be giving an airing to the many irresistible anthems that fill the band’s two albums to date. As ever, there will be a liberal sprinkling of Oasis classics, and you can expect Stradbally to sing its heart out to the likes of ‘Champagne Supernova’, ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
After that, it’s the turn of LCD Soundsystem, led of course by James Murphy, whose Despacio club set-up – devised in collaboration with 2ManyDJs – was one of the highlights of last year’s festival. This is by no means LCD’s first visit to the Picnic, with the dance-punk crew having turned in storming sets in both 2005 and 2007. They are always an electrifying live act and you can expect a series of blistering electro workouts, including ‘Get Innocuous’, ‘Losing My Edge’ and ‘Dance Yrself Clean’.
After that, if you’re still in the mood for further dancefloor thrills, Daniel Avery will be providing some pulsating grooves in the Little Big tent, and if you really want to push the boat out, the Le Galaxie Soundsystem will be keeping the party going at the Salty Dog stage until 4am.
Incidentally, there are a number of comedy highlights throughout the day, particularly in Mindfield. Top of the Hot Press recommended list here are the Soundings Podcast featuring Aisling Bea and Sharon Horgan, the Twenty One Sixteen Parliament hosted by Blindboy Boatclub, and a live performance by the Waterford Whispers crew. And for good measure, there’s Reginald D Hunter and Dylan Moran in the Comedy Tent.
Now that’s entertainment!