Indiependence 2022 review: Fatboy Slim brings sun down on Mitchelstown festival
Fatboy Slim at Indiependence in Mitchelstown. Picture: Ray Keogh
After an absence of two years, Indiependence made its highly anticipated return to Mitchelstown this weekend with a host of familiar and some new faces taking to the stage.
For the final hours of the three-day festival, the sun made a welcome appearance in Cork and all evidence of a damp Saturday quickly faded. Making the most of the sunshine and a sensational line-up was a mix of age groups though many attendees were enjoying their first festival with friends.
While music lovers milled into the Mitchelstown venue for the final day, warming up the crowd in the Heineken tent was Irish singer, Lea Heart. Some may recognise the 21-year-old’s A Million Goodbyes as the backing track to the exit of Love Island contestants Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish last year. One year on, the Kildare native is enjoying her first summer of festivals.
As the sun began to set on Indiependence 2022, and fans sat in the grass enjoying a bite to eat or a top-up of beer, the lyrics ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’ kick-started things once again. Flocks of festivalgoers quickly made their way to the main stage where Fatboy Slim emerged looking just as excited as the crowd. His energy and enthusiasm were not wasted on this audience, who could not get enough.
From his hits of the 90s to a festival in 2022, Fatboy Slim continues to captivate crowds and Mitchelstown music lovers were no different. Fans were hanging on every beat and while many of them were still in nappies when the DJ’s signature Praise You was first released, they reacted as if it was the latest number one hit.
Fresh off the stage at Wembley Stadium in London for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022, Becky Hill graced the main stage for the final performance of the festival. The British singer-songwriter is a regular in the Irish music charts and no stranger to a hit.
As festival goers prepared to bid farewell to Indiependence 2022, she treated the crowd to her best tracks - and some frank honesty about body image, urging fans to ‘love yourself’ - before the festival came to a close.
Hill and most acts over the weekend performed music that was written during the days of lockdown. Many noted their delight to be back on stage and after two years without concerts and festivals, the crowd at Indiependence 2022 epitomised just how much we all missed it.
