Electric Picnic will return with 'different acts' next year

Melvin Benn. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

One of the organisers of Electric Picnic has said the festival will return to Co Laois next year with a fresh line-up.

This year's event was due to take place this weekend with up to 70,000 festival-goers attending the biggest festival yet in Stradbally but it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Promotor Melvin Benn of Festival Republic confirmed plans are being made for the 2021 festival and said it will not be a reproduction of this year's event.

An aerial view of Electric Picnic in 2019. Picture: Aerial.ie

He told the Dave Fanning Show on RTÉ 2fm that the acts scheduled to perform this year have been cancelled and they are speaking to other acts about next year's festival. 

"We start it again. It’s the same for all my festivals. We didn’t attempt to reproduce what was 2020 in 2021. 

"There’s bound to be some crossover. Of course, there's going to be some artists that will be [returning], but we genuinely cancelled all the artists and started afresh for 2021 and that’s where we are now. 

Electric Picnic attendees watching Billie Eilish perform last year. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

"We're talking to different acts about their availability and touring plans. It’s a clean sheet of paper."

Mr Benn added there are no plans to make two main stages for next year's festival, as has been confirmed for festivals in Reading and Leeds.

"The main stage at Stradbally will be the main stage at Stradbally. we're not looking to change that," he said. 

"The areas were going to be bigger and new areas were being brought in but definitely not two main stages. I know there's been a lot of chat about it on the socials but definitely not."

Zack de la Rocha, frontman of Rage against the Machine, performing in 2000. Picture: AP Photo/Axel Seidemann

Headline acts for 2020 included Rage Against The Machine. Mr Benn said he is particularly dismayed that the band could not perform at Electric Picnic this year.

"What a band, what a performance that would have been. But it wasn't to be, coronavirus knocked that on the head, unfortunately."

Organisers confirmed recently that the festival will take place from September 3 next year.