Eclectic Electric

I only managed to make it down for the first day, but the Electric Picnic down at Stradbally House, Co. Laois has become my favourite festival.

It wasn't just the great acts like the Flaming Lips or Kraftwerk, nor that my well connected honey managed to score VIP passes; it was just the general groovyness that pervaded the whole affair. An abundance of ancient trees gave the place a natural vibe, and the organisers exploited this with genius, disguising marquee poles with hollow tree-trunks, decorating trees with giant colourful butterflies, and setting up an holistic "body and soul" chillout area in a log-lined hollow (normally used in show-jumping competitions), complete with an alcohol-free "sacred shrine area", parachute-silk hammocks, and even massages - Trey, see if you can get a gig there next year!

Maybe it was because it was held down the country, but there was a calmness about place, people were very friendly, and security was relaxed with none of the near strip-searching that can happen at other gigs. This also meant a fair amount of, er, contraband was wafting around in the air... Potent contraband.

There was variety. An electric music tent, a DJ tent, the mostly rockin' main stage, a cinema tent (also hosting cabaret), a stand-up comedy tent, amusement park rides, market stalls, there really was something for everyone. Even the food and drink was the most varied I've seen at a festival.

Finally, as Wayne from the Flaming Lips said, it's just got the coolest name. Now where's my promotion fee?