herrdahlberg

Sunday the 13th was a great one. Two mates from Sweden over and of course something ive been looking forward to since I’ve come to Ireland, Oxegen! For all newbs that haven’t heard of oxegen, its a 3 day festival about 40 min outside Dublin. In Co kildare This year about 80 000 people visited the festival daily. Believe me, that is a lot of people.

So we decided to get day tickets for the Sunday, mainly because it was cheaper, but mostly because of a reunited “Rage against the Machine”. I was also looking forward to see Flogging Molly, The Pogues, The Subways, The Swell Season featuring Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová. Unfortunately they all ended up playing almost the same time so a bit angry about that we jumped in a cab and rode of a very sunny Sunday in July.

13:35 – The Subways / Eddy Grant

we got there just in time. These guys didn’t care if half Oxegen was still asleep and hangover from REM the day before. Standing there watching I kept wondering is “the 02 stage” half-full or half-empty? Well by the time they play their biggest hit “Rock n Roll Queen”. Its definitely full and well enough for the singer to take a 3 meter stage dive and survive!

After the show we heard some reggae going down at the main stage so we decided to check it out. we grab a pint and walk straight in to a cover of “I don’t wanna dance”. Didn’t like that song before hearing Eddy’s version. Thanks Eddy Around “16 something” And after 1 hour of standing in a ATM que we are just in time for the Kooks. A bit disappointing I must say. So we decide to back up a bit from the middle of the stage and rest for a bit. A

fter half the show we decide to walk around a bit. Its then that we find Kate Nash on the O2 stage. If there are Kate Nash fans reading this that didn’t get any tickets you should be relieved to hear that she was a big disappointment. She does not cut the festival Format. Don’t get me wrong thou. Kate Nash in a place like viccar street or the tripod where there can be a lot more intimacy between audience and artist is where kate belongs.

19:10 – The Fratellis / Kaiser Chief
Interesting gig for someone like me who haven’t heard any other song than “Chelsea Dagger“. Some songs grab me but to be frank. The whole show feels like a long wait to that song. When the song finally plays. Or should I say explode! Oxegen for the first time that Sunday woke up and became a real festival! Resting up a bit I get talked into staying for Kaiser Chief at the main stage. I was happy about that! Lead singer Ricky Wilson is all over the place. Singing like there is no tomorrow. Climbing drums, speakers and audience. With a bottle of jack Daniels in one hand and a mic in another. Sadly I have to leave after 30 min. duty calls.

21:20 – Flogging Molly

The Pogues and flogging molly at the same time? That’s the stupidest booking ive ever herd of! But since Flogging are new to Ireland I decided they needed my support better. As singer Dave King put it upon entering stage.“ we have been around since 97 and now we finally made it to the New band stage!” yeah you read it right. They played on the new band stage. Ending their European tour. Also it’s the second time these guys play in Ireland. God.. its all to good. As they start playing the tent is filling up. Either because they think it’s the pogues or they come from the pogues because that tent was to crowded they didn’t get into the door. “ devils dance floor” , “whats left of the flag”, “queen anns revenge”. Shit I could have gone home right after that very short 1 hour appearance. Flogging is still what I consider one of the greatest live bands in the world. Guess I just had to remind myself of that a 5th time.

23:00 – Rage Against The Machine

Im writing this the day after, Monday the 14th. And I still lack words on how great RATM is. The show was basically a greatest hits show. Zack is still as angry as he was 1998.Tom is still a “Guitargod”. The rhythm section (Bas/drums)Tim Commerford & Brad Wilk is tighter than the tail feathers of a duck. People are jumping so hard that four times the sound disappears for some unknown reason. “son of a broken man”, “Bullets on parade”, “Guerrilla radio”, “testify”, “sleep now in the fire” and of course “killing in the name of”. It is a legendary gig my friends. And the end of their European tour. And a perfect ending of oxegen 08.