With Forbidden Fruit kicking off this year’s run of Irish music festivals, let’s rank how *camp* the top six big 2024 festival lineups are.
6) Longitude
Starting with the LEAST camp, I don’t think anyone will be surprised that it goes to Longitude.
We see you Doja Cat, but Longitude is the closest thing Ireland has to straight pride.
From Becky Hill to Belters Only, ‘Longi’ is so straight they don’t even have a campsite.
5) Sea Sessions
Lads, there is some variety with this lineup, but any festival that encourages BMXing was only going to get so far on this list.
4) Forbidden Fruit
Okay, now we are getting somewhere.
I know people who would give a limb to see Nelly Furtado on the Sunday of Forbidden Fruit – and they are dead right too.
Forbidden Fruit have also done a wonderful job of championing up-and-coming Irish talent with the likes of Chubby Cat, Cooks But We’re Chefs and Puzzy Wrangler (the name alone gets major points from me).
3) All Together Now
I am honestly still thinking about ATN’s Sugarbabes set from 2023… oh how I wish to relive it.
I’m not entirely sure if ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ The Prodigy gets any camp points, but Declan McKenna certainly does.
Sing Along Social were fantastic craic at All Together Now last year, drawing a massive gay crowd. The group “specialise in singing parties designed for people who can’t sing” – guaranteed high energy, pop, campy fun – and are back at the festival this year too.
2) Beyond The Pale
Jungle, Jessie Ware, Courtney Barnett, need I say anymore?
More than that, Beyond The Pale has a whole host of brilliant LGBTQ+ homegrown talent with the likes of Ailbhe Reddy and Elaine Mai to name just a couple.
Plus listen, Beyond The Pale is in Glendalough, she’s camp!
1) Electric Picnic
The decision to put Electric Picnic at number one will come as no surprise. Bagging the Princess of Pop, Ms Kylie Minogue, as their Sunday headliner was a stunning move by EP – and having Raye on the mainstage just before? The organisers knew their audience, and I’m not mad at it.
Now, with Noah Kahan and Gerry Cinnamon headlining on the Friday, we were verging into ‘straight pride’ territory. Thankfully the likes of the beautiful Ethel Cain and the iconic Sophie Ellis-Bextor, we’ve restored the balance.
All we can pray for now is a Kylie and The Wolfe Tones crossover – ‘Better The Black and Tans Ye Know’ anyone?
Also just a quick shoutout to our girl Jazzy, who will perform at three of these festivals – she is booked and BUSY this summer, we absolutely love to see it.
