Counting down to Electric Picnic

Two weeks from today will see Ireland’s premiere festival return. To celebrate the 2019 instalment of Electric Picnic, here are 14 acts to look out for.

Electric Picnic 2017 — Electric Picnic lighting up Stradbally in 2017. Photo via Electric Picnic.

Now that the full line-up has been unveiled, here at JACKS, we’ve scanned through who is set to perform in Stradbally and picked the 14 we’re most excited for.

While no one can deny that The Strokes, Florence + The Machine, Hozier and The 1975 are worthy headliners, we’ve looked for the best of the rest. Starting with…

1. Four Tet

Four Tet, also known as Kieran Hebden, has seven albums stacked with a huge range from house to jazz-infused-electro mixes. Think along the lines of Jon Hopkins but funkier.

The DJ has also taken up the role of producer over the years, working with the likes of The xx, Rihanna and Radiohead, just to name a few.

His set will be surreal and will be well received when he returns to Electric Picnic over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

2. Metronomy

Metronomy are returning to Ireland for a set at Electric Picnic.

Returning to Ireland, Metronomy will light up the Picnic with their funky mixture of pop and indie. Their new album, Metronomy Forever is due out on September 13th and the band are in the mood to celebrate.

The quirky five-piece never disappoint, with infectious tracks like ‘The Look‘ and ‘Love Letters‘, those lucky enough to have bagged a ticket for the sold-out festival will feel the party mood sweep through them when Metronomy take to the stage.

3. Sam Fender

Newcastle singer-songwriter, Sam Fender will be making his Electric Picnic debut this year. Passionate lyrics about growing up in the north-east of England, along with an intense melody and rhythm on ‘Dead Boys‘. The intensity of that song can be immediately relieved by the fun and explosive ‘That Sound‘.

Fender has received a huge push from national radio stations and music journalists across the UK in the build-up to his highly-anticipated debut album Hypersonic Missiles, which is due out on September 13th.

The set will be one of the highlights of Electric Picnic 2019. We strongly recommend you mark his stage time down, once it’s revealed.

4. Silverbacks

Silverbacks frontman David, during an exciting opening set. Photo by Jina Estrada.

Think back to the emergence of all those alt-rock bands from New York that stormed the globe back at the turn of the century, headliners The Strokes, Interpol, The Walkmen and Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs to name a few. Silverbacks have studied from the masters and are now paving their own path to success.

The Dublin band are turning back time and heads with their fast tempo, piercing hooks and sharp-tongued lyrics, with a sound that’s as if The Strokes and Bloc Party raised a musical child together.

Silverbacks have been gaining more and more fans throughout the year and their set at Electric Picnic should help continue that trend.

5. The Streets

After a string of reunion shows last year, Mike Skinner is bringing The Streets back to Ireland. The hip hop band released one of the best albums of the year in 2004 with A Grand Don’t Come For Free, which featured the likes of ‘Fit and You Know It‘ and ‘Dry Your Eyes‘.

When the band released their last album in 2011, the future looked bleak for The Streets. However, based on the reception they received throughout 2018 when they hit the, well, streets again, their appearance in Stradbally is going to be electric.

6. King Kong Company

Ireland’s answer to Chase & Status, Waterford lads King Kong Company have been a force to be reckoned with since surfacing in 2016.

Their self-titled debut album rocked the Irish music scene and they haven’t looked back since. Selling out every venue they’ve played in and put on a historical performance at last year’s festival, it’s no wonder the organisers brought them back.

Check out King Kong Company’s experience at last year’s Electric Picnic below.

Exciting, isn’t it? Only. Two. Weeks. Away…

7. Alex Gough

Multi-instrumentalist, Alex Gough is another product of Waterford’s thriving music scene. When he isn’t drumming for Central Hall, he’s creating lo-fi beats and churning out floor-filler after floor-filler.

The one man show will be a good change of scenery from all the indie and rock acts that the line-up is stacked with.

8. Viagra Boys

Viagra Boys are set to get weird at Electric Picnic.

Did you even go to a festival if you didn’t get a little bit weird? Viagra Boys have you covered for Electric Picnic.

Their zany sound has resulted in a whole new genre being founded, ugly gonzo post punk. The Swedish six-man outfit have bundles of energy and it implodes in spectacular fashion on stage.

Wacky sound effects underlying rumbling bass lines and sharp riffs, fronted by Sebastian Murphy’s wicked tongue, Viagra Boys will become your new favourite band.

9. Otherkin

OTHERKIN @ Whelan's Dublin — OTHERKIN @ Whelan’s Dublin. Photo taken by Garrett Stack.

The days are numbered for Otherkin, who announced on Friday that they will be going their separate ways. So Electric Picnic will be the Dublin band’s last festival appearance, before they reveal details of a farewell tour.

Over the last seven years the band have always electrified their crowds. So while their return to Electric Picnic will be no different, you’d be excused if something just happened to get in your eye when they walk off the stage at the festival for the last time.

10. Sea Girls

Sea Girls will be making their first appearance at Electric Picnic.

After taking the festival circuit by storm in 2018, Sea Girls roared their way onto the BBC Sounds of 2019 list, the only band to do so.

Their summer anthems such as ‘Too Much Fun‘, ‘Eat Me Whole‘ and many more from their three EPs are going to be a great moment. The hype behind this band is real and they are going to have you in the palm of their hands when they take Electric Picnic by storm.

11. Just Mustard

Just Mustard will be at Electric Picnic. — One of Ireland’s most exciting new bands, Just Mustard will be at Electric Picnic this year.

Dundalk prog-rock band Just Mustard are one of the many Irish bands that have breathed new life into the Emerald Isle’s music scene.

Their debut album, Wednesday was shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize album of the year, and for good reason. Their first LP is a concoction of brooding melodies and swelling tensions, with a bit of grunge, post-punk and psych all merged together.

When they take to the stage, their tense live show will be one that will live long in the memory.

12. Whenyoung

Have you noticed a theme in our picks so far? Dominated by Irish acts. Electric Picnic is loaded with incredible homegrown talent and Whenyoung is another welcomed addition.

The Limerick-London band perform with glistening melodies and heartfelt lyrics from Aoife Power. Their uplifting sound will be perfect under a (hopefully) sun-soaked sky.

Don’t worry though, if you’re not making it to Electric Picnic this year. The band are embarking on an Irish tour in November with shows in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

13. Let’s Eat Grandma

Pop duo Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth, better known as Let’s Eat Grandma, will bring bundles of energy to the Stradbally Hall grounds.

Their mixture of pop and electro provides vibrant results and will get any crowd dancing around. While they can bring the party with ‘Falling Into Me‘, they can hypnotise you with stunning songs such as ‘Ava‘.

Let’s Eat Grandma’s diverse range makes for a great show and we can’t wait to catch them in two weeks time.

14. Vulpynes

Two is company, Vulpynes make the noise of a huge crowd. Duo Kaz Miller and Maeve Molly have kicked and screamed their way onto the Irish punk scene.

Hailing from Dublin, since forming after Miller posted an ad on boards.ie, they’ve soared to the forefront of the Irish and UK punk scene. As a result, they’ve picked up support slots for Sleaford Mods, Marmozets, Deap Valley and more.

Expect mayhem when they take on Electric Picnic.