Forest Fest 2024 significantly carries the aura of the departed singer-songwriter, Shane MacGowan. The festivities begin on Saturday with the tribute band Pogueology. On a damp Sunday evening in Emo, Imelda May and Liam Ó Maonlaí render A Rainy Night in Soho, part of a major band commemorating MacGowan’s extensive repertoire. The event feels like an encore of the late musician’s 60th birthday bash at the National Concert Hall, with a star-studded performance reminiscent of the Northern Lights.
Songs such as A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day and Streets of London are performed by Cait O’Riordan, while Camille O’Sullivan spontanously opines that MacGowan represented “the measure of our dreams”. The grand performances of Fairytale of New York and Fiesta fill the audience with joy. Shannon’s accordion, O’Connor’s banjo, and Buckley’s saxophone add to the fervour.
Stereo MCs garnish the main stage spotlight, but The Human League, led by the elderly yet spry Phil Oakey, steal the show. Dressed extravagantly, Oakey humorously claims to be older than Joe Biden, as he energetically moves across the stage belting out classics like Love Action, Fascination and Don’t You Want Me. He is backed by synth players and an 80s-style video display. Despite his age, Oakey shows no sign of slowing down.
Likewise, Buster Bloodvessel of Bad Manners continues to defy time with his infectious ska tunes, which won’t be silenced by the unfavourable weather. On introducing his song Walking in the Sunshine, he challenges the dreary environment, inciting his spectators to don plastic coats, creating a scene reminiscent of a Mexican wave. His farewell promise punctuates the festival – a return for their 50th anniversary.
Nick Kelly’s sentimental journey comes alive in Dronning Maud Land, a tribute to his late mother who loved the song. Speaking about the days when the members of The Fat Lady Sings were parents, but not yet fathers, is a touching and sombre affair. A poignant version of Twist serves as a reminder that Arclight isn’t their only notable tune.
The ambience of Friday night resonates more with a visit to Tipp as opposed to Laois as The Stunning take to the main stage. The Village tent teems with fans of Something Happens whose lead singer, Tom Dunne is in ebullient spirit. Tom jests that they ought to have protected their rights to the ‘ironic cover version’, while launching into their take on Madonna’s renowned Borderline – unquestionably one of the best parts of a remarkably entertaining performance. A slower-paced song is introduced to allow audience to recuperate, as Tom recalls when they supported The Mission, who in an unfriendly move utilised Something Happens’ concert dates flyers as confetti. However, the numerous arms swaying to Hello Hello Hello Hello Hello (Petrol) prove that the modest band indeed has plenty to be proud of.
“We feel at home – it’s our third year here,” remarks Tom, assuring his audience that unlike the persistent rain, they’re likely to return the following year.
Upon reminiscing about Dexys’ remarkable performance at 3Olympia in Dublin the previous autumn, I questioned if they could replicate the magic at a festival. Surprisingly, they exceed expectations. The Forest Fest’s generous set times, spanning over an hour, allows them to not merely rehash their most popular songs, but also share hits like Jackie Wilson Said, Geno and Come on Eileen. The impeccably dressed Kevin Rowland elicits response from his audience, asking if anyone hailed from Mayo, acknowledging his own roots. With a smile, he follows with “Mayo, God help us”.
Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy presented himself in a debonair style at the occasion, sipping wine and lighting up a cigarette for the sheer pleasure of it. Despite trying to maintain a carefree attitude, the sound from the Ibiza stage proved to be a source of distraction. He challenged the crowd’s off-beat clapping, which was somewhat off-putting. Hannon’s performance of National Express had to be shortened to meet his curfew, transitioning smoothly into Tonight We Fly to conclude the show on an uplifting note.
The night was brought to a thrilling close with Ash’s energetic performance, belting out tunes such as Girl from Mars, Jackie Chan, and Burn Baby Burn. The gig was so intensive that the band members as well as the audience were left exhausted.
Saturday saw impressive performances from Glasvegas and EMF. James Atkin, EMF’s frontman, stirred up the crowd, asking them if they had enough energy for one more dance. There was a feeling of connectedness in the air when the Harvest singer, known for his Neil Young covers, couldn’t hold back his happiness at the crowd’s shared admiration for the artist.
The Cult’s lead singer, Ian Astbury, drew the crowd’s curiosity with his question about St. Patrick and the snakes of Ireland, while making a sharp comment about their comeback, referring to the band’s logo. Astbury’s striking voice led the performance, drawing on hits like Spiritwalker and She Sells Sanctuary. There was a brief contentious moment as Billy Duffy, Irish-Jewish guitarist of the band, expressed his displeasure over some fans waving the Palestinian flag. Ian defended his companion’s right to voice his opinion.
HamsandwicH wrapped up Saturday night with an impressive set that included Ants and an extraordinary cover of I Feel Love. The band’s lead vocalist, Niamh Farrell, was seen enjoying her margaritas in a playful sippy cup while the guitarist, Podge McNamee, made light-hearted jokes about its content. Their performance reminded the audience of a previous energetic festival performance where they were seen downing drinks from a bottle. It must be their special formula for a successful show.