The revered Detroit house icon, MK and the well-known Dublin EDM pair, Belters Only, are preparing to top the bill in a two-day musical extravaganza at the Punchestown Racecourse, set for the weekend of June 1st and 2nd.
MK, a.k.a. Marc Kinchen, will grace the stage on Saturday, with Dom Dolla joining him as a special guest. Belters Only will take their turn on the Sunday, sharing the spotlight with their frequent collaborator, Jazzy.
Kinchen has earned a place as one of the most revered stars in the electronic dance music scene, gaining fame for his remixes of Nightcrawlers’ ‘Push the Feeling On’ and Storm Queen’s ‘Look Right Through’. His platinum-selling tracks ’17’ and ‘Piece of Me’ are testament to his talent, as are his collaborations with big names like Calvin Harris, Will Smith, Mark Ronson and Ed Sheeran.
Starting off as a weekly act in a Dublin nightclub, long-time companions Bissett and Robbie G found a new direction for themselves as Belters Only when COVID-19 forced club closures. They channelled their creative energies into generating fresh sounds, and successfully made their mark in the music world.
Their first single, ‘Make Me Feel Good’, was launched on Polydor in partnership with Jazzy in November 2021. After three years in production, it quickly became a club sensation, hitting over 86 million streams and clinching a spot in the official UK singles chart’s top 10. They concluded an impressive 2023 with their grandest Irish performance yet held at the 3Arena in Dublin, which sold out in a mere half an hour. They had previously sold out the same venue in October.
Should you be planning to be part of this event, here’s what you need to know:
The 2024 edition of ‘Punchestown’ will be held at the Punchestown Racecourse in County Kildare, commencing on Saturday, June 1st and concluding on Sunday, June 2nd.
There are a few tickets remaining, both single-day and weekend passes.
The line-up includes:
Saturday, June 1st – MK, Dom Dolla, NewEra, Connor Coates, and Jen Payne
Sunday, June 2nd – Belters Only, Obskür, Route 94, Jazzy
You’re recommended to arrive promptly, to fully engage with this musical feast.
The parking facility for the festival will be open starting from 4:30pm each day, followed by admissions at 5pm and the event commencing at 6pm. The final entry time is at 10pm; be aware that no queues may form prior to the gates unlocking.
How can you reach the location?
Adequate time should be designated by those attending the festival to travel, go through security check-points, and to make and secure their return travel plans well in advance, considering at least two additional hours of travelling to and from the event location.
As delays owing to traffic and parking are predictable, it would be wise to consider using the coach and shuttle services. However, the festival promoters do not arrange transportation, therefore it is the responsibility of attendees to plan for this ahead of time.
Travelling by bus: Bus Éireann is offering return services throughout the weekend from both Dublin city centre and Naas. Their website holds information for booking.
If you are coming by private coaches, there will be signboards directing you to the bus parks where parking and drop-offs within the event location are available, no pre-booking needed.
For those travelling by car or taxi, there will be car parking and drop-off points within the site, with no necessity of booking in advance.
The organisers urge attendees to refrain from illegal parking or using off-site locations nearby, as pedestrian entry to the festival is not available, and towing will be enforced.
The car parks will close right after each show ends and all vehicles must leave the venue. Camping overnight is strictly forbidden and vehicles found in violation will be towed.
For entering the festival site, there are two specific routes – the Blue one is exclusively for buses and the Orange is intended for cars, including taxis. Both these routes provide parking or drop-off options. It is to be noted that it is unsafe, as well as forbidden, to drop off outside the venue or on nearby streets due to the absence of footpaths.
The festival arena has a single entrance located approximately 300 metres away from the car/bus parks and drop-off locations.
What about security measures?
A stringent security screening is mandatory at the site entrance, and everyone will be subject to a legally permissible search based on the purchase policy. Additional screenings may occur inside the event venue.
Facilities for storage will not be provided on site; patrons are strongly advised not to carry large bags or backpacks as they may encounter delays or be disallowed to enter. Please also note that bringing camping chairs or foldable seats into the festival is also prohibited.
Certain items are not permitted at the concert, including large bags, glassware, umbrellas, alcohol, garden furniture, selfie sticks, flares, professional cameras, audio-recording equipment and others. Readmission on the same day is not allowed. A wristband will be given to weekend ticket holders for re-entry on Sunday, but they are only allowed to enter once daily.
Tickets cannot be transferred between different individuals on different days as they are strictly for persons aged 16 and above. The organisers have warned that rigorous age screening will take place, and those under the age of 16 will be denied entry without a reimbursement.
Concert attendees must respect the neighbouring community of Punchestown, a residential area, by avoiding littering, antisocial behaviours and illegal parking.
As of the time this text was written, the Punchestown weather forecast for the concert weekend indicates no expected rain on Saturday or Sunday. Saturday’s temperatures could range between 11 and 17 degrees with some sunshine, while Sunday is forecasted to be cloudier with similar temperature range.
Lastly, it’s important to point out that all Punchestown ’24 events occur outdoors on grass as it’s a standing-only venue. Keeping Irish weather unpredictability in mind, attendees are encouraged to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. This could include items like wellington boots, trainers, layers of clothing, rain jackets, ponchos and sunblock to be ready for all possible weather conditions.