Talking points at All Together Now: Mud, music, Liam Brady, and tributes to Sinéad
Iggy Pop helped close out All Together Now on Sunday; right, the mixed weather didn't stop people having a good time. Pictures: Glen Bollard, Aron Cahill
Iggy Pop got top billing at All Together Now 2023, closing out the main stage on Sunday night. It's been decades since he's played in Ireland but he's as fierce as ever, still wearing tight skinny back jeans as he strikes topless poses across his hour-long set. Imagine being anywhere near as cool as that when you're 76!
Though he staggers more than swaggers these days - his legs looked very stiff by the end after a walkabout by the front row - hearing 'I Wanna be your Dog' blasted across the site was revelatory.
Heartwarming tributes abounded, just over a week following her death, and her songs seemed to echo from every corner. Ailbhe Reddy, David Kitt, Saint Sister, and Lisa O’Neill all brought out covers, while Conor O'Brien of Villagers was almost overcome with emotion during his version of 'Nothing Compares 2 U', before dedicating the apt 'Courage' to the late singer.
Just a few minutes later, at the nearby Some Kind of Wonderful stage, Billy Bragg also spoke of O'Connor's bravery. Tourist stopped his banging DJ set on Sunday night to raise a glass. "What a legend you produced," he says.
The reunited original lineup of Sugababes - Mutya, Keisha, and Siobhán put on an hour of perfectly pitched pop hits in Saturday evening sunshine, culminating in the trio of 'Push the Button', 'Round Round', and 'About you Now'. Joyous. Jessie Ware brought the disco-dancing fun on the main stage, though her set was at least 30 minutes too short. Ezra Collective’s mix of Afrobeat, reggae, jazz, etc was the perfect fare for the festival, and the crowd responded accordingly.
Lankum on Friday night almost made the Some Kind of Wonderful tent take off, as did the Scratch and their trad-thrash the following evening - impressive considering they only made it to the site with minutes to spare after some flight delays. David Kitt looks like he’s found a new lease of life following the release of his ninth studio album Idiot Check earlier this year. Kojaque, playing a surprise set on Sunday afternoon, is building a great catalogue of songs and has a louche connection with his audience.
Cork’s Biig Piig joined him for a track before she played the main stage a few hours later. She’s only going in one direction, her lofi, Billie Eilish-styled pop building into a crescendo as she can’t stop smiling at the size of her crowd. With impossible amounts of energy, she could be back to headline soon.
There were a few gripes, from acts and audience alike, about sound quality in some areas. Lankum were bedevilled by issues, as were English indie sextet Black Country New Road, who were 20 minutes late starting due to problems, some of which persisted throughout their set. And while a lot of us were too busy screaming along to notice, Sugababes also had poor sound, with Siobhán in particular almost inaudible.
We had seen all the weather apps and feared the worst for Friday night. And when the rain came, it didn't relent, cascading down until we had to admit defeat and escape to our tents, which duly struggled to stay upright as a yellow weather warning for strong winds came into effect.
Any festival 101 survival guide tells us to pack and be ready for all types of weather. ATN-goers won't forget this lesson.
Even getting in on Friday afternoon, the mud was there, later exacerbated by the storm that night. What's usually a beautiful, picturesque site turned into a mudbath, from the campsites, to the toilets to the walkways, with the new Lovely Days stage a slippery mess.
There was no escape. It made getting around the site a real slog. Organisers can't control the weather, but was there anything that could have been done to improve the situation? We're not experts, but in the past some festivals have used straw, or perhaps there should be more use of outdoor flooring products in some areas.
Dare we say it, but the rain failed to dampen revellers' spirits. The crowd and vibe were excellent and seemed to be shared from the 20-somethings to the older demographics that also seem to favour ATN.
From carnival rides to the Grub Circus food talks, the All Curious Minds conversations area, Seanchoihe storytelling to hot tubs, sauna and yoga, it's like a make-your-own-festival experience - no two people will have had the same itinerary. There was also plenty for kids to do - even though it looked like a slog for those pushing buggies through the mud.
"That’s probably the highlight of the festival for me," says one fan after spending an hour in the presence of in conversation with the journalist at All Curious Minds on Sunday afternoon. He regales us with some great stories.
Moving to was easier for him than for some English players as he’d already moved country once; his then-Juventus head coach came over to his apartment and helped wire his hifi and other electrical goods; and Brady also shows off some good impressions of and
