Witnness packs a punch despite car accident forcing White Stripes’ withdrawal
But tens of thousands of people are continuing to stream into Kildare for the punchiest music event of the summer.
The Flaming Lips will be moved to the Witnness main stage at Punchestown to replace The White Stripes.
The American-based duo yesterday called off their European tour after vocalist and guitarist Jack White broke his finger in a car accident in Detroit on Wednesday.
The White Stripes were also scheduled to play Scotland’s T in The Park today.
Meanwhile, the Flaming Lips will now play the Main Stage before David Gray, on the Main Stage, brings the festival to a close.
Irish singer songwriter David Kitt has also been added to the bill and will headline the Rising Stage on Sunday night.
Coldplay, tonight’s main stage headline act, is expected to steal the show at a festival featuring over 100 artists across five stages.
More than 50,000 music fans are expected to converge on the two-day festival ensuring the biggest-ever attendance in its four-year history.
However, by late yesterday, the festival was not yet a sell-out.
Meanwhile, a surprise reunion at Witnness is planned, courtesy of The Stunning. Former band members Derek Murray, Cormac Dunne and Jimmy Higgins will take to the stage tomorrow afternoon with Steve and Joe Wall to perform a selection of The Stunning’s songs. It will be the first time that all members of the band have been on stage together since the break-up of the band in September 1994.
Organisers have warned Kildare-bound music festival fans that getting to the venue could be slow and torturous. Music fans are strongly advised to adhere to specific travel routes outlined on the Witnness website.
A massive campsite and car park, with 10,000 free parking spaces, are available for the two-day event.
Dublin Bus is operating a shuttle service to the racecourse site, while Iarnród Éireann insisted this weekend is expected to be one of the busiest of the year for rail travel due to the Witnness concert and the Munster Football Final in Killarney.
The rail company said a lot of extra trains had been laid on for the weekend but intending passengers are advised to purchase their rail tickets in advance. Control cards allowing access to specific trains as well as the usual rail tickets will be required for many services to and from Dublin over the next few days.
Meanwhile, festival-goers may not need their wellies with the weather forecast pointing to today being dry with pleasant sunshine with tomorrow being dry and hazy.
