This was the year that the Electric Picnic grew up and stopped being a boutique festival.
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Note Productions may have been quiet since their Analog festival in Dublin’s docklands in July, but that’s set to change with a series of upcoming shows.

The company’s autumn programme includes a world premiere of a new work by composer Gavin Bryars. Anáil Dé - The Breath Of God will be performed by Iarla Ó Lionáird and the Crash Ensemble at Imma, Dublin on November 14th and the Solstice Centre, Navan on November 15th.

November also sees a visit from renowned drummer Manu Katché and his group of ECM all-stars. They play Dublin’s Tripod (2nd), Cork’s Opera House (3rd), Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick (4th) and Navan’s Solstice Arts Centre (5th).

There’s also new music from Norway in the shape of In The Country and Susanna (video below) playing at Dublin’s Whelan’s on October 25th.

The festival season isn’t quite over yet. A plethora of extra acts have been added to this year’s Sligo Live festival, taking place in the northwest from October 23rd to 27th.

Sly & Robbie and Cathy Davey are the somewhat eclectic co-headliners at the Radisson SAS Hotel on October 24th. Wonder is there any chance of a collaboration on the night?

Others playing the festival include Orchestra Baobab, Solas, Tom Baxter (the poor man’s David Gray), Le Vent Du Nord, Fred and Jason Byrne (the self-titled “Funny Irish Stand Up Comedian” per his website).

More information at www.sligolive.ie

The best triple-header of the season? That would be No Age (video below), Times New Viking and Los Campesinos at Whelan’s, Dublin on October 17th.

Hear songs from the fourth Bell X1 album at Dublin’s Vicar Street; they play on Nov 11th and 12th.

Josh Ritter plays a show with a 24-piece orchestra at Dublin’s Vicar Street on December 11th, a reprise of his Boston Symphony Hall show in June.

The reformed Miami Show Band play Children In Crossfire benefits this month at Dublin’s Vicar Street (16th) and Belfast’s Grand Opera House (17th).

Those suffering post-Electric Picnic withdrawal pangs should check out the Electric Picnic 08 Retro-Special show on Phantom FM between 5 and 7pm tomorrow featuring interviews with Joan as a Policewoman, Franz Ferdinand, Foals, Stephen Malkmus and The Breeders plus plenty of Picnic music.

State magazine is to become a free monthly publication from the beginning of October. Press release thingy after the jump.

There’s talk about a “newly strengthened and emboldened website” so it’s a pity there’s nothing there yet about this story.

Oh and that line about “the first Quality National Music Monthly available completely free of charge”? Surely, the lads and lasses at State also read Analogue magazine which happens to be a quality national music monthly available completely free of charge?

UPDATE: It would appear that someone at State HQ has read On The Record and copped that they’re not the first ones to try out this particular business model for size. From the revamped and remastered State website: “Of course we’re not the first to take this approach (props to our colleagues at Mongrel, Analogue and Connected) and the way things are going we’re sure we won’t be the last, but we are genuinely excited by the prospects that await us.” Just a pity they messed it up in the press release sent out yesterday afternoon, lost a load of goodwill and got people fuming in the process.
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I’m playing some tunes tomorrow night at Soundcheck at the Monkey Bar at Spy (South William Street, Dublin) alongside Quigo, Grand Pocket Orchestra and Bluebirds Are So Natural. Admission is free so please come along if you’re around and say hello. Apparently, there will be cupcakes. Word is Tommy Carcetti will be along too. Dude is everywhere at the moment.

Even more On The Road diary writers announcing live shows. On the back of a packed show at the Picnic at the weekend, Josh Ritter plays Dublin’s Vicar Street on December 11 with a 24-piece orchestra, a repeat of sorts of his show at Boston’s Symphony Hall in June when he performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Behold, the best fuming we have heard in absolutely ages.

RTE Radio One’s News At One yesterday afternoon. Michael Ring TD comes on to talk about why the poor farmers hate the interweb because robbers can now get hold of their addresses thanks to the Department of Agriculture. Truly one of the best radio moments of the year. Kudos to presenter Gavin Jennings for realising what he had on his hands and stoking the fires in just the right way. Enjoy

Our favourite On The Road diarists Bell X1 play Dublin’s Vicar Street on November 11 and 12. The next album is nearly ready to go and these shows will be a chance for fans to hear some new tunes before the album’s release in 2009.

According to a six-foot-six source we bumped into at the Picnic, there may also be a load of special acoustic dates from the band to come by the end of the year. Mmmm, maybe it’s time for another On The Road diary…

Of course, On The Record was not the only one covering the Picnic like a rash. You can also read what Una, Lauren and MP3 Hugger had to make of the weekend, while one of Team Ticket’s mega snappers Bryan O’Brien has a rocking slideshow for y’all to view here.

The stars were also out in force at the Picnic so, for one post only, it’s the return of Acne - On The Record spots the stars!

Patrick Bergin! Actor and incredibly nice gentleman! Strolling around the Spoken Word area talking to everyone he met! Including On The Record! Topper!

Erin O’Connor! Supermodel! Bloody tall supermodel! Glacial good looks! We’re told! As spotted by boutique chicken farmer Miss O’D!

Tommy Carcetti! Yes, the mayor of Baltimore City. AKA Aidan Gillen! Spotted by our spies (thankin’ you Dave) looking scruffy and shabby wandering around the Body & Soul area! He looked a bit like Bubs, we’re told!

We’re leaving the best one to last! Really! Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, Monday lunchtime! Three people sitting at a table in the bar! Looks like a mum, a dad and a son! Son happens to be Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine! Yes our Kevin! They’re talking about the weekend and the da is giving the son some advice for his band’s next show. “You should at least have said hello to the crowd or thanked them for coming”! Priceless! Sadly we didn’t hear Kevin’s reply!

You’ve read what we’ve had to say about the last couple of days in a big field in Co Laois - and if you haven’t, it’s all here and below - so now it’s your turn.

How was it for you?

One question to kick it all off: how do people feel about the respositioning of the Picnic as a music and arts festival?

Please speak directly into the microphone.

(I’m closing comments on the other Electric Picnic posts below to ensure that all post-Picnic comments are contained here. Thankin’ you)

The Daily Ticket appears as a supplement in today’s paper and you can read it here.

Highlights from the third day of the best Picnic yet?

Walking into the big field as Muscle Shoals veteran Candi Staton was singing “I’m Just A Prisoner” followed by “I’d Rather Be An Old Man’s Sweetheart” in the sunshine. Roy Ayers was right: everyone loves the sunshine

Hearing tales of what an absolute legend Grace Jones was the previous night. The last one to leave the artist area. Respect to the mad wan from Jamaica.

Body & Soul sets from Laura Marling (spooky, ghostly folk) and Yoav (one man and a gee-tar raising a lot of noise)

Hercules & Love Affair turning a Sunday afternoon in the Electric Arena into Body & Soul in downtown NYC circa 2000. Man, they were good.

I caught about four songs from Foals before I had to skedaddle to do something else. Really want to see them again. Best instrumental freakout pre-amble to a show in yonks.

Dengue Fever were very possibly the best act I saw all weekend. Wildly infectious jump-up-and-down pop from the US-Cambodian band.

Watching Panti interviewing Billy Scurry and Troy Maguire in the Thisispopbaby tent. Ah Billy, ’tis far from the Temple Of Sound…..

The sight of 14 tour buses parked right outside the Daily Ticket office. CSS came around to say hello. Well, Lovefoxxx did. No, really.

The mighty Jinx Lennon and the lovely Miss Paula Flynn giving it socks in the Leviathan tent. Nuff respect to the Dundalk crew. Better than the panto show on the main stage.

The Tower of Truth going up in flames to bring the whole bash to a close.

Good morning campers!

Today’s Daily Ticket, reporting on events at the Electric Picnic yesterday, is here (P 1), here (P 2 & 3) and here.

My Saturday highlights?

Absolutely peachy new songs from Franz Ferdinand.

The Body & Soul stage, as hosted by Donal Dineen.

Wilco rocking out on “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart”.

The many, many, many costume changes of Miss Grace Jones. And the size of her limo. No wonder she sings about pulling up to the bumper.

Juana Molina cracking a few jokes

The sight of a couple of thousand people cheering and shouting as Rachel Allen squeezed some lemons. Surreal stuff.

The menu at Salon Du Chat.

Finally making it to the Bodytonic village.

A text which read “you can’t miss me, I’m wearing sequins”.

Chairing a chat in the Arts Council literary tent with Josh Ritter and Dan Deacon about the books they read on the road, a chat which soon turned into a bit of a chinwag about McCain vs Obama.

An absolutely lovely slice of chocolate cake from the S & M stall.

Panti’s chat-show at the Thisispopbaby tent. C’mon RTE, how about Panti & Seoige for the autumn season?

The scale of 2FM’s operation down here. Easily the biggest trucks in Stradbally - and they’re producing the goods as evidenced by this list and that list of live recordings from the weekend. Big up to Ian Wilson and his team

Maggotbrains losing their tiny little minds to George Clinton

Meeting about two dozen people that I hadn’t seen in absolute ages.

Secondhand reports from the campsite of hundreds of people sitting around reading The Daily Ticket and allegedly chuckling in all the right places.

The Daily Ticket, as in our Electric Picnic supplement produced in a 16′ x 8′ shed, is here.

My own highlights from yesterday?

The Lucent Dossier circus/cabaret/leaping and jumping on a replica pirate ship with water splashing everywhere. So good we think we’ll go to see them again.

New Young Pony Club. How the hell did that happen? Awesome full-strength electro-pop with humungous hooks

The World Music Stage. The perfect place to go to sooth the soul when things were getting a little mad. Trad boyos At First Light were fantastic

A full tent for Jape. Go on the Richie. Couldn’t get close enough to see if he still has the comedy ‘tache.

Goldfrapp. I was queueing for a pie and they just looked and sounded the business. Yeah, no special preferences for Ticket writers in the pie stakes.

Sigur Ros. Their last few albums were pants but this was truly wonderful. I also really liked Jonsi’s frock coat, but that may be my latent metrosexuality coming out.

Ugly Megan playing in the Diarmuid Gavin-designed pod in the Body & Soul area.

Seeing The Kills heading to bed long before Team Ticket left the hotel bar last night. Wusses.

Right, enough typing, got to run. Somadrone are playing a couple of fields away in a few minutes.

A cage of live chickens which the Yard Dogs Road Show demanded on their rider for the show. Not so sure what they’re going to do with them, though.

There are already delays and bottlenecks on all roads to Stradbally so be patient. Traffic is moving, albeit slowly. There’s a two-lane one-way system in operation on the main approach road and Gardai are directing traffic into first available car-parks.

Main arena opens later this afternoon (4pm)

It has probably not escaped your attention that there’s a big music and arts bash on in Co Laois this weekend. Here’s On The Record’s YouTube guide to the 10 musical acts you really should see at the Electric Picnic.
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You can use this post to tip or plug any acts playing at the Picnic this weekend. As you all know by now, the full line-up with stage times and all that jazz can be found here.

There will be a special event in the Leviathan Marquee featuring readings by authors who have contributed to The Irish Times/Amnesty series of short stories. Each event will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Irish Times Features Editor, Hugh Linehan

SATURDAY 4pm-5.30pm Hugo Hamilton, Ann Marie Hourihane, Kevin Barry and Roddy Doyle

SUNDAY 4.30pm-6pm Claire Keegan, Anne Enright, Mark O’Halloran and Glenn Patterson

The Yard Dogs Road Show will be recreating the vaudeville saloons of the American Wild West on the main stage today, Lost Vagueness tomorrow and on the Little Big Tent on Sunday

Anyone for a good news story from the music retail sector?

While the Tower Records brand may have disappeared from American streets and malls in the last few years, the Dublin store trading under that name celebrates 15 years of business in the city in September.

The Wicklow Street shop will be marking its landmark birthday with a host of local talent performing in-stores during the month.

The birthday series kicks off on September 13 with The Blizzards, Jenny Evans, Carly Sings and Lisa Hannigan.

Others appearing during the month are Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (16), Pugwash (17), Chequerboard and Rollers/Sparkers (23), The Coronas (24), Cowboy X and Ham Sandwich (25) and We Should Be Dead (26) (video for “Forget Romance, Lets Dance” follows)