Oxegen 2009
Encyclopedia
Oxegen 2009 was the sixth Oxegen
festival to take place since 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 10 July, Saturday, 11 July and Sunday, 12 July at Punchestown Racecourse
near Naas
in County Kildare
, Ireland
. Kings of Leon
, Snow Patrol
, Blur
and The Killers headlined.
The festival took place over three days, with reports of a four-day festival proving unconfirmed as did rumours, described as "ridiculous", that a 6 pm curfew would be imposed on the Sunday.
The festival slot was the only Irish performance by Kings of Leon in 2009. It also featured the only Irish live performance of Blur in 2009. The Killers were voted most popular band in an official poll conducted on the Oxegen website after the event. The band later used footage from the festival on their live DVD Live from the Royal Albert Hall
, released on 6 November that year. Oxegen 2009 was officially opened by the Artane Band on 10 July at 14:00. The festival was heralded as "a marvel of organisation" when compared to the Woodstock Festival
held in the United States in 1969.
Oxegen 2009 was also the first European music festival to have an X-ray machine
onsite. It was also praised for its greenness and recognised as the largest 100% CarbonNeutral event in Ireland.
The popularity of a ticket deposit scheme introduced in March 2009 was confirmed when it returned in May.
had ended, Phantom FM
published a report suggesting that organisers of T in the Park
, Oxegen's sister festival which traditionally shares many of the same bands as Oxegen, were reportedly seeking David Bowie
to headline the 2009 festival which took place on the same weekend. The 62 year-old was previously due to headline both T and Oxegen in 2004, but had to pull out due to illness. Klaxons
put themselves in contention to play at Oxegen 2009 after announcing that they will "play every festival possible" in 2009. But they didn't.
were again the first band to be confirmed for Oxegen in 2009, with their announcement coming on 28 January 2009. They headlined for the second consecutive year, having won the approval of fans in an online vote for a second consecutive year as well. Hot Press
then announced what they claimed was a "world exclusive" late on 28 January 2009 that Snow Patrol
and The Killers, headliners in 2007, would be co-headliners in 2009. An appearance by Snow Patrol was confirmed by the organisers within two days, with Katy Perry
, Bloc Party
and The Script
also being confirmed on 30 January 2009. Kings of Leon played Oxegen's sister festival T in the Park
on its Friday whilst Snow Patrol played T on its Sunday night. Also from T in the Park persistent rumours have forced the organisers to deny that AC/DC
are the other headliners.
On 5 February, the reformed Blur
were announced as the remaining headliners in what was their only Irish appearance of the year and their first in Ireland since three shows in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin
in 2003. It will also be only the third time that all the original members will be together since 2000, with the second occurring a week earlier in Hyde Park, London
at a 55,000 sell-out show which followed an appearance at Glastonbury 2009. The Killers were named as headliners on 18 February.
On 12 February, The Irish Times
announced that Pete Doherty
would be playing the festival. Doherty was confirmed within twenty-four hours alongside nine other acts: Razorlight
, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
, Elbow
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
, The Ting Tings
, White Lies
, Fight Like Apes
, Pendulum
and Jason Mraz
. On 24 February, Keane, Lily Allen
, The Specials
, Paolo Nutini
, Wallis Bird
, Digitalism
, The Mars Volta
, Swedish House Mafia
, Miss Kittin
/The Hacker
, Crookers
and Hockey
were confirmed by MCD. The Specials were announced after they reformed to celebrate thirty years in the music business, although it was unclear at the time if founding member Jerry Dammers
would be included. The Truffle Shuffles learned of their invitation to perform whilst live on Rick O'Shea
's RTÉ 2fm
radio show on 25 February. On 3 March, eleven new acts were added to the line-up for Oxegen 2009. These were Lady Gaga
, Manic Street Preachers
, Florence and the Machine
, TV on the Radio
, The Game
, Ladyhawke, James
, Foals, Of Montreal
, Friendly Fires
and Squeeze. James will play a warm-up show in The Academy
on 8 July. On 5 March, Oxegen 2009 was officially launched by the organisers, with an initial stage breakdown unveiled and a number of new acts announced. These included Nine Inch Nails
, Jane's Addiction
, Pet Shop Boys
, Glasvegas
, The Saturdays
, Doves, Eagles of Death Metal
and God Is an Astronaut
.
Techno/electronica musicians Niall "Mano le Tough" Mannion and Ruairi Donohue of the Red Bull Music Academy
also performed at Oxegen in 2009. On 8 April, 202s announced they would be performing on the Friday of the festival. Calvin Harris
, Noisettes
, The Saw Doctors
, The Coronas
, The Blizzards
, The Answer
, The Horrors
, Iglu & Hartly, Starsailor
and Spinnerette
were added to the line-up on 28 April. La Roux
cancelled citing "touring commitments". One DJ or VJ was offered a half hour slot at the festival in association with Xbox
. More dance acts, including Felix da Housecat
and The Japanese Popstars
, were announced on 7 May 2009. On 14 May 2009, Therapy?
, Tinchy Stryder
, Boys Noize
and Fever Ray (Karin Dreijer Andersson
of The Knife
) were all announced.
MCD announced the stage breakdown on 18 May 2009. The return of the Hot Press
Signing Tent was confirmed on 21 May 2009. The line-up for the Red Bull Music Academy was confirmed on 22 May 2009. The Hot Press
New Band Stage line-up was announced on 27 May 2009. On 3 June 2009, the IMRO
New Sounds Stage line-up was announched, with David Kitt
, Director
and Villagers
confirmed as headliners. Also performing on that stage are C O D E S
, Heathers
, Blood or Whiskey
, Juno Award
winners Wintersleep
, Broken Record from Scotland
, Home Star Runner and Concerto For Constantine
.
On 12 June 2009, the entertainment line-up and further details of facilities for campers was announced. The campsite remained open until 18:00 on the Monday after the festival. The Thursday night entertainment featured bands such as The Stone Roses Experience, Defintely Might Be and Hells Bells. The Xbox Live Stage was located to the Blue Campsite and ran each day of the festival from 14:00 until late into the night and the Headphone Disco is available to a maximum 2,500 campers per night. A funfair was present in each campsite (the previous year had one shared between all the campsites) and other features included barbecue
areas for those with disposable barbecues, the Pull Parlour Salon and better facilities for phone charging. Scouting Ireland
returned to offer their free tent pitching service.
Several acts were added to the Bacardi Arena on 25 June 2009. The return of Heineken Greenspace was announced on 29 June 2009. The stage times were released on 1 July 2009.
performed a live online show on their website in association with Xbox
on 27 May 2009. The webcast preceded appearances by the band and the return of the Xbox Live Stage to Oxegen 2009. Xbox also ran a competition with a top prize of a half hour DJ set on the Xbox Live Stage at Oxegen 2009.
The Irish Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan
endorsed a "Rock the Environment" competition designed to promote Oxegen 2009 as being a "green festival". Ryan said the festival was "sustainable, green and fun". Competitors were asked to send in their environmentally-friendly videos to the Oxegen Muzu TV channel. Winners will have their entries broadcast in the green Ecogen area.
Two acts from County Kildare
featured at Oxegen in 2009; these were decided via the annual Platform V contest. Box Social, Colin Scallan, I Phoenix, The J-Walkers, The Resistance and Seven Days were the six finalists; two were selected in Naas
, County Kildare
on 19 June.
The Road Safety Authority
(RSA), Kildare County Council and MCD used youth radio stations to front a road safety campaign throughout Oxegen 2009. Billboards of four young persons from County Kildare who died in 2005
and 2007
were on display onsite. Mobile messages and the big stage screens were also used to promote road safety.
The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Northern Ireland jointly produced a festival guide aimed at fans, issuing advice on walking, camping and how to dance appropriately and pain-free.
Hot Press
featured the Ultimate Guide to Oxegen '09 prior to the festival. It included the favourite Oxegen moments of six Irish musicians and interviews with Brody Dalle
of Spinnerette
and Dave Keuning
of headliners The Killers. They also made several music videos of artists performing on the New Bands Stage available on their website.
One week before the festival, Gary Lightbody
of Oxegen headliners Snow Patrol
was chosen as guest editor of The Ticket, The Irish Times
s weekly music supplement. Lightbody selected two musicians whose performances were covered in that week's edition—he chose Lisa Hannigan
and Josh Ritter
—and also chose which bands Jim Carroll would write about in his column about new music. Lightbody also wrote a guide to surviving festivals, interviewed Glenn Moule of the band Howling Bells
and wrote a piece on which artists he intended to see perform at Oxegen, including Lily Allen
, Republic of Loose
, Patrick Wolf
, TV on the Radio
, Annie Mac
, Elbow
, Friendly Fires
and Crystal Castles
.
The Irish Independent
featured numerous Oxegen-related articles on 3 July 2009. These included reports on Blur
, Fight Like Apes
, Snow Patrol
, The Ting Tings
, Jerry Fish, a piece on Northern Irish
acts such as David Holmes
, That Petrol Emotion
, Therapy?
, Duke Special
and The Answer
, a piece on newer acts, twenty selected facts and an A–Z of festival fashion. Gary Lightbody talked of his first time when Snow Patrol were in their early twenties and spent the night drinking and "being silly".
and Waterford
were full since that morning, whilst those in Cork
and Galway
were said to be "meeting demand". Northern Ireland
also experienced what was described by media as "a mass exodus" of fans to Oxegen 2009. Dublin Bus
, which operates public transport from Parnell Square to Punchestown, said its journeys were running at one hour and ten minutes, a "good" time according to the company. 30,000 campers were on site by the Thursday night.
The campsite opened at noon, with 35,000 campers having arrived by the Thursday night. These were entertained by AC/DC
, Oasis
and The Stone Roses
cover bands on the Thursday Night Live Stage.
Traffic after the festival was reported to be "moving well on all routes".
Jason Mraz
described the weather as "perfect", saying that "going in and out of rain and sun [...] is a great way to celebrate." He then claimed: "I've never experiences torrential rain in my life." MC Double D of Sneaky Sound System
described the differing tolerance for rain in Ireland and his native country. "You like it wet over here. I'm from Australia and we don't like it wet over there. You guys get a bit annoyed if it's too sunny I think. [...] We're playing in a tent so I can't complain."
. The first band to appear on the Hot Press New Band Stage on the Friday were The Truffle Shuffles, winners of RTÉ 2fm's School of Rock competition. The band later met Main Stage performers The Script, giving Danny O'Donoghue
a CD of their music. The Script themselves announced a five-night residency in Dublin's Olympia Theatre
, beginning on 25 August 2009. Onstage they described the place as "crazy" and spoke of how they had been in the audience two years previously. James
warmed up for their Friday performance with a show at The Academy
in Dublin the night before.
Lily Allen
altered lyrics to one of her songs due to having a young Irish cousin in the audience. She had flown in from Belgrade
and her performance included a cover version of "Womanizer
" by Britney Spears
and "Fuck You
", her ode to George W. Bush
, which had the crowd raising their middle fingers during the chorus. She also performed her cover version of the Kaiser Chiefs
song "Oh My God
" but bemoaned the crowd's reaction to some of her songs, yelling: "Oh, you guys are like women. C'mon you lot!" She later wandered around talking to fans alongside two bodyguards.
Snow Patrol
flew from Italy to perform at Oxegen 2009, interrupting their time spent touring with U2
. They dedicated "Shut Your Eyes
" to Lily Allen in their Main Stage performance before Blur
. Blur were said to have been paid €500,000 to perform at Oxegen 2009, headlining on the Friday night from 23:00. They played songs from three decades and paid tribute to an Irish music journalist who had assisted in their rise to fame, dedicating "There's No Other Way
" to him, with lead singer Damon Albarn
saying: "The first time we were here [in Ireland] was back in 1990. We played at a wedding for Leo Finlay, who has since passed away." Albarn also said it had been "a fantastic couple of weeks after not doing much for 10 years.". They also dedicated "The Universal" to Joe Dolan
who had covered the song before his death.
Fred
were the first band on the Green Spheres stage on the Saturday, playing to a large crowd and ending with singles "Running" and "Skyscrapers". Squeeze attracted increasing crowds throughout their time on the Main Stage, performing just before The Blizzards
played to an even more significant sized crowd. Guy Garvey
of Elbow
thanked fans watching them despite the bad weather on the Saturday evening. Doves drew a large crowd to the O2 Stage despite performing at the same time as Bloc Party
on the Main Stage. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
, however, attracted a small enough crowd to the same stage, with several fans leaving to see headliners Kings of Leon
on the Main Stage.
Kings of Leon headlined Oxegen from 23:30 on the Saturday despite threatening to withdraw from the festival after encountering serious sound problems at their T in the Park show in Scotland the day before. The sound problems frustrated vocalist Caleb Followill and led him to destroy his guitar before hurling the shattered remnants into the crowd. The band's tour manager intervened, with the band ultimately deciding to travel to Ireland. A source explained that the band's anger was due to their desire for "every show to be perfect". Several international celebrities watched Kings of Leon perform at Oxegen 2009; Pete Doherty
and Stereophonics
frontman Kelly Jones
watched from the side of the stage, whilst actress Natalie Portman
"disappeared down into the mosh pit" where she was seen "every now and then jumping up and down and belting out her favourite songs". The band said Oxegen was "the gig we've been looking forward to most this year".
Lady Gaga
underwent a wardrobe malfunction
live on stage during her Sunday performance when one of her breasts slid from beneath her metallic dress. After a breakdown during her second song, Gaga expressed her frustrations at her production team: "I can't hear myself for a moment there. That was close there for a minute. It's my worst nightmare not being able to hear. I'd rather cut my fucking feet off rather than not be able to hear" and praised Irish fans for their battles against the weather: "You all suffer for your love of music, like Jesus" as well as saying: "If you told me this time last year I’d be playing in front of 100,000 people, I’d probably have told you to fuck off". She also had several costume changes, at one point appearing on a blue Vespa
scooter and, during her single "Poker Face
", writhing around on board a piano. Prior to the performance she had attracted attention for requesting underwear from festival organisers and was overheard asking about how to pronounce Naas.
The Horrors
cancelled their appearance at Oxegen 2009 when frontman Faris Badwin was struck down with bronchitis
. Foals saw an increased crowd to their Heineken Green Spheres performance when rain drew festival-goers inside. The Ting Tings
also drew large numbers to the O2 Stage. Perry Farrell
of Jane's Addiction
referenced Guinness
, Jameson
and cocaine
during his band's performance. Villagers
"set alight a sparsely populated tent with a performance bordering on perfection", according to the Irish Independent
. Sunday night headliners The Killers attracted large crowds to the main arena but attendance at Manic Street Preachers
and Nine Inch Nails
suffered from those bands performing at the same time on other stages.
signing tent was announced on 7 July 2009, with acts including Paolo Nutini
, Razorlight
, The Virgins
, Fun Lovin' Criminals
, The Blizzards
, Hockey
, Duke Special
, Republic of Loose
, The Coronas
, Spinnerette
, Friendly Fires
and Therapy?
. Other acts were later announced, including Noisettes
(Sunday), Jerry Fish (Saturday), Doves (Saturday), Maxïmo Park
(Saturday), Squeeze (Saturday) The Airborne Toxic Event
(Saturday), and That Petrol Emotion
(Sunday). A timetable was released on the Hot Press website on 10 July.
Republic of Loose
, represented by all the band's members, were the first act to appear in the signing tent at around 18:00 on the Friday evening. Fans of The Coronas
sang their "San Diego Song" whilst queueing, with the band also revealing the title of the second album for the first time, saying they had only decided on the title that day. Duke Special
was greeted by several males in superhero costumes, whilst one fan who received an autograph from Brody Dalle
of Spinnerette
claimed she would have it tattooed onto her.
Hockey
were the first band to appear in the signing tent on the Saturday.
Friendly Fires
were the first band to appear in the signing tent on the Sunday. One fan signed the bicep of lead singer Ed Macfarlane. Noisettes
supplied lollipops and were dabbed with face paints by fans. Paolo Nutini
signed autographs for twenty-five minutes longer than originally intended and shared wine gums with fans.
One member of The Saturdays
was nearly struck with a cue ball by an unidentified person playing pool. "She looked at him like he had two heads. There's better things to do than throw a cue ball at a girl. Maybe I'm not good at this but I don't claim to chat up girls by throwing cue balls at them... I throw the black at them!" said Niall Breslin
of The Blizzards
who witnessed the incident.
Danny O'Reilly of The Coronas
described his band's performance as "so amazing" with "a really great atmosphere [...] the best gig we've done in a long time".
Members of Republic of Loose
reported that they were "stalked" repeatedly by Lily Allen
.
Max Grahn of Carolina Liar
described meeting Irish fans for the first time, saying: "We got here for the first time in our lives yesterday. They know the songs and they know our names. It's crazy. We hope to be back in August."
Jason Mraz
said Ireland had "always a very appreciative crowd, always a very vocal crowd, a singing bunch. I love them."
and his actress friend Amy Huberman
were in attendance, camping in a Winnebago
. Upon trying to view Kings of Leon on a platform he was turned back by security as he did not have the correct wristband. Annoyed at this rejection, O'Driscoll left the festival early and flew to Dublin's RDS
venue for a Bruce Springsteen
concert, where he had a much more enjoyable time and cried when The Boss complimented him on stage on his sporting prowess. Pete Doherty
, Kelly Jones
and Natalie Portman
, the latter of whom was seen buying pasta at one point, also attended the Kings of Leon show at Oxegen 2009.
MTV presenter Laura Whitmore was seen backstage with Dan & Becs
actress Holly White as well as actor Colin Morgan
and actress Katie McGrath
, of the BBC
television series Merlin
. Whitmore was also subject to speculation in the media when she was seen snuggling against TG4
's Eoghan McDermott and walking around hand in hand with him. She moved to deny reports of romance, claiming they were "merely keeping each other company as they shot their respective footage of the festival" and said she had most enjoyed Blur
.
In one serious incident, a man in his twenties was left in a stable condition after being stabbed with a glass bottle in a car park close to midnight on the Friday. He was sent to Naas General Hospital
before being taken to Saint James's Hospital, Dublin. One man was arrested in relation to the incident but was not charged and later released.
on the Sunday morning. Approximately 1,000 personnel and scout volunteers were clearing the site of stage equipment, litter and abandoned tents by Monday afternoon. The Irish Independent
reported that Punchestown Racecourse resembled "a scene from the World War I battle trenches" after being battered by heavy rain, whilst the Irish Examiner
suggested that the Ploughing Championships had arrived in Dublin the day after the festival so noticeable were the "wellie-wearing punters [who] stepped off buses, full of cheer, bearing muddy rain jackets and laden with picnic and camping equipment". Buses deposited fans on Dublin's quays "where muddy wellies and bits of tents lay abandoned on the paths".
will play a show in Belfast
on 26 August 2009. The Specials
will play shows in Dublin's Olympia Theatre and in Belfast as part of their 30th Anniversary Tour on 15 and 16 November respectively. Carolina Liar
also announced their headlining Irish debut at The Academy
in Dublin for 18 August 2009. Noisettes
moved their 10 October show from The Button Factory to Vicar Street
due to increased demand.
was the Oxegen 2009 official broadcasting partner, with Laura Whitmore
amongst the presenting team. The highlights will be shown in late July–early August on MTV, MTV HITS, MTV TWO and VH1 channels across one weekend.
RTÉ 2fm
and RTÉ 2XM
broadcasted a total of 21 hours of live coverage throughout Oxegen 2009. Dan Hegarty
presented a special Oxegen IMRO Tasters Show in the week before the festival. Festival broadcasts began from 06:00 on 10 July during that morning's The Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show
. Jenny Green and Jenny Huston
broadcasted live music from 19:00 that evening, whilst Hegarty, Cormac Battle
and Mr. Spring
conducted acoustic sessions and interviews. RTÉ 2fm also recorded all the acts from the IMRO New Sounds Stage.
Phantom FM
aired a three-hour Oxegen 2009 special programme at 15:00 on 19 July 2009.
Music Academy. The Green Room was renamed Heineken Green Spheres.
/ Snow Patrol
/ Kings of Leon
/ The Killers
Line-up and stage breakdown.
Hot Press
IMRO
Red Bull Music Academy
The Stone Roses Experience have also confirmed that they appeared on the Thursday night.
Oxegen
Oxegen is an annual music festival in Ireland held since 2004, sponsored by Heineken. As of 2007, 2008, 2009, the festival has been cited as Ireland's biggest music festival. And by 2009, the festival is cited as the greenest festival, being a 100% carbon neutral event in Ireland. It was previously...
festival to take place since 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 10 July, Saturday, 11 July and Sunday, 12 July at Punchestown Racecourse
Punchestown Racecourse
Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is home of the National Hunt Festival of Ireland....
near Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
, Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
and The Killers headlined.
The festival took place over three days, with reports of a four-day festival proving unconfirmed as did rumours, described as "ridiculous", that a 6 pm curfew would be imposed on the Sunday.
The festival slot was the only Irish performance by Kings of Leon in 2009. It also featured the only Irish live performance of Blur in 2009. The Killers were voted most popular band in an official poll conducted on the Oxegen website after the event. The band later used footage from the festival on their live DVD Live from the Royal Albert Hall
Live from the Royal Albert Hall
Live from the Royal Albert Hall is a live album and DVD by American rock band The Killers. It was released on November 10, 2009 in the UK, Canada and the US. The album is pulled from two nights the band performed at the Royal Albert Hall in July 2009, and also includes footage from festival dates...
, released on 6 November that year. Oxegen 2009 was officially opened by the Artane Band on 10 July at 14:00. The festival was heralded as "a marvel of organisation" when compared to the Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
held in the United States in 1969.
Oxegen 2009 was also the first European music festival to have an X-ray machine
X-ray machine
An X-ray generator is a device used to generate X-rays. These devices are commonly used by radiographers to acquire an x-ray image of the inside of an object but they are also used in sterilization or fluorescence....
onsite. It was also praised for its greenness and recognised as the largest 100% CarbonNeutral event in Ireland.
Tickets
Tickets for the festival were on offer as prizes to those who filled in an online survey won by Kings of Leon, the first headliner announced for the second consecutive year on 28 January 2009. A similar survey led to them being booked for the 2008 festival. Early Bird tickets went on sale to registered online users on Friday 8 August, and to all-comers on Friday 15 August at the 2008 price of €224.50 (including booking fee). These were limited to four per person, with a free car park space with every four tickets. Tickets went on general release on 6 March 2009 at 08:00. Once again, it was possible to buy an additional Thursday Camping Pass for €20. As of 23 April, Oxegen 2009 had not yet sold out. It had not sold out by 20 June either. It eventually sold out on 12 July after a sudden rush for day tickets. As with the 2008 festival, the campsite opened on the Thursday evening to prevent traffic queues forming on the Friday.The popularity of a ticket deposit scheme introduced in March 2009 was confirmed when it returned in May.
Early reports
On Thursday 17 July 2008, just days after the 2008 festivalOxegen 2008
Oxegen '08 was the fifth Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 11 July, Saturday 12 July and Sunday 13 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. For the first time the festival...
had ended, Phantom FM
Phantom FM
Phantom 105.2 is a Dublin based radio station, founded in 1996 as a pirate radio station. Phantom broadcasts under a contract awarded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland ....
published a report suggesting that organisers of T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
, Oxegen's sister festival which traditionally shares many of the same bands as Oxegen, were reportedly seeking David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
to headline the 2009 festival which took place on the same weekend. The 62 year-old was previously due to headline both T and Oxegen in 2004, but had to pull out due to illness. Klaxons
Klaxons
Klaxons are a British indie rock band, based in London. Following the release of numerous 7-inch singles on different independent record labels, as well as the success of previous singles "Magick" and "Golden Skans", the band released their debut album, Myths of the Near Future on 29 January 2007....
put themselves in contention to play at Oxegen 2009 after announcing that they will "play every festival possible" in 2009. But they didn't.
Official announcements
Kings of LeonKings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
were again the first band to be confirmed for Oxegen in 2009, with their announcement coming on 28 January 2009. They headlined for the second consecutive year, having won the approval of fans in an online vote for a second consecutive year as well. Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
then announced what they claimed was a "world exclusive" late on 28 January 2009 that Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
and The Killers, headliners in 2007, would be co-headliners in 2009. An appearance by Snow Patrol was confirmed by the organisers within two days, with Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
, Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
and The Script
The Script (band)
The Script are an Irish alternative rock band from Dublin. Based in London after signing to Sony Label Group imprint Phonogenic, the band released their eponymous debut album in August 2008...
also being confirmed on 30 January 2009. Kings of Leon played Oxegen's sister festival T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
on its Friday whilst Snow Patrol played T on its Sunday night. Also from T in the Park persistent rumours have forced the organisers to deny that AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
are the other headliners.
On 5 February, the reformed Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
were announced as the remaining headliners in what was their only Irish appearance of the year and their first in Ireland since three shows in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
in 2003. It will also be only the third time that all the original members will be together since 2000, with the second occurring a week earlier in Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
at a 55,000 sell-out show which followed an appearance at Glastonbury 2009. The Killers were named as headliners on 18 February.
On 12 February, The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
announced that Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
would be playing the festival. Doherty was confirmed within twenty-four hours alongside nine other acts: Razorlight
Razorlight
Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
, The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford...
, White Lies
White Lies (band)
White Lies is an English indie rock band from Ealing, London. Formerly known as Fear of Flying, the band consists primarily of Harry McVeigh , Charles Cave , and Jack Lawrence-Brown...
, Fight Like Apes
Fight Like Apes
Fight Like Apes are an Irish alternative rock band formed in Dublin in 2006.Their current members are Mary-Kate "MayKay" Geraghty , Jamie "Pockets" Fox and Tom Ryan , while original member Adrian Mullan left the band in 2010 due to creative differences...
, Pendulum
Pendulum (band)
Pendulum is an Australian drum and bass and electronic rock band founded in 2002 in Perth by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding.Swire and McGrillen were members of the rock band known as Xygen. After hearing Konflict's "Messiah" at a club, they were inspired to enter into the drum and...
and Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
. On 24 February, Keane, Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
, Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
, Wallis Bird
Wallis Bird
Wallis Bird is an Irish musician. She lives and works in London.-Biography:The first time Bird came into touch with music, she was six months old and received her first guitar from her father...
, Digitalism
Digitalism (band)
Digitalism is a German electro house duo founded in 2004 in Hamburg and consisting of Jens "Jence" Moelle and İsmail "Isi" Tüfekçi. They are signed to French label Kitsuné Music, and have released four singles to date: "Idealistic", "Zdarlight", "Jupiter Room", and "Pogo"...
, The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
, Swedish House Mafia
Swedish House Mafia
Swedish House Mafia is a Swedish House Music group consisting of the three disc jockeys and producers; Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. The group officially formed in late 2008....
, Miss Kittin
Miss Kittin
Miss Kittin is an electronic music DJ, vocalist, and songwriter. Since rising to prominence in 1998 for her singles "1982" and "Frank Sinatra" with The Hacker, she has worked with other musicians such as Chicks on Speed, Felix da Housecat and Golden Boy...
/The Hacker
The Hacker
Michel Amato, better known by the stage name The Hacker, is a French electroclash and techno producer who has worked extensively with Miss Kittin. His work has been influenced by Electro artists like Kraftwerk, New Wave artists such as The Cure and Depeche Mode, as well as the French rave scene of...
, Crookers
Crookers
Crookers are an Italian DJ/production duo who have worked together since 2003. When the two artists met, both were trying to branch out of their genre and explore dance music. Their first collaboration worked...
and Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
were confirmed by MCD. The Specials were announced after they reformed to celebrate thirty years in the music business, although it was unclear at the time if founding member Jerry Dammers
Jerry Dammers
Jeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers is a British musician who is a founder and keyboard player of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A...
would be included. The Truffle Shuffles learned of their invitation to perform whilst live on Rick O'Shea
Rick O'Shea
Rick O'Shea is an Irish radio personality. He was born in Drimnagh, Dublin 12 and attended and later University College Dublin . He is a DJ on RTÉ 2fm.-Radio:...
's RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
radio show on 25 February. On 3 March, eleven new acts were added to the line-up for Oxegen 2009. These were Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
, Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
, Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
, TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
, The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, Ladyhawke, James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
, Foals, Of Montreal
Of Montreal
Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
, Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
and Squeeze. James will play a warm-up show in The Academy
The Academy (music venue)
The Academy is a music venue located in Dublin, Ireland. It consists of four floors, each for differing music tastes.The Academy was the venue where The Killers performed an intimate show in August 2008, one night before a performance in Marlay Park. Others to have played the venue in 2008 include...
on 8 July. On 5 March, Oxegen 2009 was officially launched by the organisers, with an initial stage breakdown unveiled and a number of new acts announced. These included Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
, Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
, Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
, Glasvegas
Glasvegas
Glasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No...
, The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
, Doves, Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998 by Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme. Despite their band name, Eagles of Death Metal are not a death metal band. Hughes stated that a friend was introducing Josh Homme to the death metal genre...
and God Is an Astronaut
God Is an Astronaut
God Is an Astronaut are an instrumental/post-rock band from the Glen of the Downs, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.-History:After forming in 2002, God is an Astronaut took the inspiration for its name from a famous quote in the movie Nightbreed...
.
Techno/electronica musicians Niall "Mano le Tough" Mannion and Ruairi Donohue of the Red Bull Music Academy
Red Bull Music Academy
The Red Bull Music Academy is an annual international music event where up and coming producers, singers, arrangers, DJs and musicians get the opportunity to learn from top industry professionals.- History :...
also performed at Oxegen in 2009. On 8 April, 202s announced they would be performing on the Friday of the festival. Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...
, Noisettes
Noisettes
Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison...
, The Saw Doctors
The Saw Doctors
The Saw Doctors are an Irish rock band. Formed in 1986 in Tuam, County Galway, they have achieved eighteen Top 30 singles in Ireland, including three number ones. Their first number one, "I Useta Lover," topped the Irish charts for nine consecutive weeks in 1990, and still holds the record for the...
, The Coronas
The Coronas
The Coronas are an Irish rock and indie band. They have released three studio albums, Heroes or Ghosts , Tony Was An Ex-Con and "Closer to You"...
, The Blizzards
The Blizzards
The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
, The Answer
The Answer (band)
The Answer are a Northern Irish hard rock and blues-rock band from Newcastle and Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. They have achieved success with their debut album Rise selling in excess of 30,000 copies in the UK & Europe, 10,000 on day one in Japan and 100,000 worldwide.-Lineup:*Cormac...
, The Horrors
The Horrors
The Horrors are an English band from Southend on Sea, formed in 2005. Their debut Strange House, was released in 2007 and reached number thirty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, their second album Primary Colours was released in 2009 and peaked at number 25 in the UK...
, Iglu & Hartly, Starsailor
Starsailor (band)
Starsailor is an English post-britpop band, formed in Leigh, Warrington and Greater Manchester. By 2009, they had four charting albums and ten Top 40 singles in the UK since 2001.-Early history:...
and Spinnerette
Spinnerette
Spinnerette is an alternative rock, indie rock solo project of Australian musician Brody Dalle. For this project she has collaborated with Tony Bevilacqua , Jack Irons and Alain Johannes...
were added to the line-up on 28 April. La Roux
La Roux
La Roux are an English electropop duo made up of singer, keyboardist, co-writer and co-producer Eleanor Kate Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. Jackson describes their relationship as "very much a half and half sharing situation... not like a singer producer outfit", but also...
cancelled citing "touring commitments". One DJ or VJ was offered a half hour slot at the festival in association with Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. More dance acts, including Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
and The Japanese Popstars
The Japanese Popstars
The Japanese Popstars are an electronic act from Derry, Northern Ireland, consisting of Declan McLaughlin aka Decky Hedrock, Gary Curran, and Gareth Donoghue. They are signed to indie label, Gung-Ho Recordings in the UK, and Beatink in Japan . Each member has his own alias...
, were announced on 7 May 2009. On 14 May 2009, Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
, Tinchy Stryder
Tinchy Stryder
Kwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
, Boys Noize
Boys Noize
Boys Noize is the stage name of Alexander Ridha, a German electronic music producer and DJ. It is similar to the name of Ridha's label, Boysnoize Records, which he established in 2005...
and Fever Ray (Karin Dreijer Andersson
Karin Dreijer Andersson
Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson , commonly known by her stage name Fever Ray, is the lead vocalist of the electronic duo The Knife, formed with her brother Olof Dreijer. Andersson was previously the vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Honey Is Cool...
of The Knife
The Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
) were all announced.
MCD announced the stage breakdown on 18 May 2009. The return of the Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
Signing Tent was confirmed on 21 May 2009. The line-up for the Red Bull Music Academy was confirmed on 22 May 2009. The Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
New Band Stage line-up was announced on 27 May 2009. On 3 June 2009, the IMRO
Irish Music Rights Organisation
Irish Music Rights Organisation is the collecting society for songwriters, composers and music publishers of Ireland. Its role is to act as an agent for its members in order to collect license fees whenever their musical works are performed in public, broadcast or transmitted, and to pay out...
New Sounds Stage line-up was announched, with David Kitt
David Kitt
David Kitt is an Irish musician. He is the son of Irish politician Tom Kitt.He has released six studio albums to date: Small Moments, The Big Romance, Square 1, The Black and Red Notebook, Not Fade Away and The Nightsaver.-History:Kitt grew up surrounded by music, as his father and uncles formed a...
, Director
Director (band)
Director are an award-winning Irish art rock quartet from Malahide in County Dublin. The band's members are Michael Moloney , Eoin Aherne , Shea Lawlor and Rowan Averill ....
and Villagers
Villagers (band)
Villagers are an Irish band fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1, Tindersticks and Elbow. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind...
confirmed as headliners. Also performing on that stage are C O D E S
Codes (band)
Codes are an Irish indie electronic quartet from Dublin, consisting of Daragh Anderson, Eoin Stephens, Paul Reilly and Raymond Hogge. Their debut album Trees Dream in Algebra was nominated for the 2010 Choice Music Prize...
, Heathers
Heathers
Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
, Blood or Whiskey
Blood or Whiskey
Blood or Whiskey is an Irish punk/folk band from Leixlip, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland.The band was formed in September 1993 taking strong influence from Shane MacGowan, as well as The Pogues and The Clash...
, Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
winners Wintersleep
Wintersleep
Wintersleep is a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Background:Wintersleep formed in 2001 and released two albums with Dependent Music, a music label and artists' collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994....
, Broken Record from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Home Star Runner and Concerto For Constantine
Concerto For Constantine
Concerto for Constantine is an unsigned Irish indie rock band formed in August 2007. The band consists of former JJ72 frontman Mark Greaney , former Turn and Idlewild bassist Gavin Fox and former The Frames and Bell X1 drummer Paul 'Binzer' Brennan .- Formation :In the summer of 2007, Mark and...
.
On 12 June 2009, the entertainment line-up and further details of facilities for campers was announced. The campsite remained open until 18:00 on the Monday after the festival. The Thursday night entertainment featured bands such as The Stone Roses Experience, Defintely Might Be and Hells Bells. The Xbox Live Stage was located to the Blue Campsite and ran each day of the festival from 14:00 until late into the night and the Headphone Disco is available to a maximum 2,500 campers per night. A funfair was present in each campsite (the previous year had one shared between all the campsites) and other features included barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
areas for those with disposable barbecues, the Pull Parlour Salon and better facilities for phone charging. Scouting Ireland
Scouting Ireland
Scouting Ireland is the World Organization of the Scout Movement-recognised Scouting association in the Republic of Ireland, although it also has Scout Groups in Northern Ireland. Scouting Ireland is a voluntary, non-formal educational movement for young people...
returned to offer their free tent pitching service.
Several acts were added to the Bacardi Arena on 25 June 2009. The return of Heineken Greenspace was announced on 29 June 2009. The stage times were released on 1 July 2009.
Related events
The BlizzardsThe Blizzards
The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
performed a live online show on their website in association with Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
on 27 May 2009. The webcast preceded appearances by the band and the return of the Xbox Live Stage to Oxegen 2009. Xbox also ran a competition with a top prize of a half hour DJ set on the Xbox Live Stage at Oxegen 2009.
The Irish Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan
Eamon Ryan
Eamon Ryan is an Irish politician and leader of the Irish Green Party. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South constituency from 2002 to 2011, and served as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2007 to 2011....
endorsed a "Rock the Environment" competition designed to promote Oxegen 2009 as being a "green festival". Ryan said the festival was "sustainable, green and fun". Competitors were asked to send in their environmentally-friendly videos to the Oxegen Muzu TV channel. Winners will have their entries broadcast in the green Ecogen area.
Two acts from County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
featured at Oxegen in 2009; these were decided via the annual Platform V contest. Box Social, Colin Scallan, I Phoenix, The J-Walkers, The Resistance and Seven Days were the six finalists; two were selected in Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
on 19 June.
The Road Safety Authority
Road Safety Authority
The Road Safety Authority, RSA, is an authority to which the Irish Government has devolved control of much of the work of the Department of Transport, and was established in September 2006, charged with the task of improving safety on Irish roads and established under the Road Safety Authority Act...
(RSA), Kildare County Council and MCD used youth radio stations to front a road safety campaign throughout Oxegen 2009. Billboards of four young persons from County Kildare who died in 2005
Oxegen 2005
Oxegen 2005 was the second Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland....
and 2007
Oxegen 2007
Oxegen '07 was the fourth Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 7 July and Sunday, 8 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. The festival was headlined by Muse and Snow...
were on display onsite. Mobile messages and the big stage screens were also used to promote road safety.
The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Northern Ireland jointly produced a festival guide aimed at fans, issuing advice on walking, camping and how to dance appropriately and pain-free.
Publications
Several newspapers and magazines issued special editions for Oxegen 2009.Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
featured the Ultimate Guide to Oxegen '09 prior to the festival. It included the favourite Oxegen moments of six Irish musicians and interviews with Brody Dalle
Brody Dalle
Brody Dalle is an Australian-born American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She rose to fame as lead singer/guitarist for the punk rock band The Distillers and currently fronts Spinnerette....
of Spinnerette
Spinnerette
Spinnerette is an alternative rock, indie rock solo project of Australian musician Brody Dalle. For this project she has collaborated with Tony Bevilacqua , Jack Irons and Alain Johannes...
and Dave Keuning
Dave Keuning
David Brent Keuning better known as Dave Keuning is a founding member of the American alternative rock band The Killers. He is the band's lead guitarist and backup vocalist.-Personal life:Keuning was born and brought up in Pella, Iowa...
of headliners The Killers. They also made several music videos of artists performing on the New Bands Stage available on their website.
One week before the festival, Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody is an Northern Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol.- Early life :...
of Oxegen headliners Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
was chosen as guest editor of The Ticket, The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
s weekly music supplement. Lightbody selected two musicians whose performances were covered in that week's edition—he chose Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Margaret Hannigan is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. For several years she was a member of Damien Rice's band before beginning her solo career in 2008. She has been the recipient of various award nominations and critical praise both in Ireland and the USA...
and Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
—and also chose which bands Jim Carroll would write about in his column about new music. Lightbody also wrote a guide to surviving festivals, interviewed Glenn Moule of the band Howling Bells
Howling Bells
Howling Bells are an indie rock band that formed in Sydney in 2004. The band obtained moderate popularity in the United Kingdom following the release of its 2006 self-titled debut album...
and wrote a piece on which artists he intended to see perform at Oxegen, including Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose are an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band currently consists of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Darragh, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Darach O' Laoire and drummers and percussionists Andre Lopes...
, Patrick Wolf
Patrick Wolf
Patrick Wolf is an English-Irish singer-songwriter from South London. Patrick utilises a wide variety of instruments in his music, most commonly the ukulele, piano and viola...
, TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
, Annie Mac
Annie Mac
Annie Mac is an Irish DJ and television presenter who hosts an eponymous electronic dance music show on BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom which airs at 7:00 pm on Friday evenings as well as a Sunday evening show alongside co-presenter Nick Grimshaw.-Personal life:Annie Mac was born in Dublin,...
, Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
and Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles (band)
Crystal Castles are an experimental electronic band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of producer Ethan Kath and lyricist and vocalist Alice Glass. Crystal Castles are known for their chaotic live shows and their lo-fi home productions. The duo released many limited EPs between 2006 and...
.
The Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
featured numerous Oxegen-related articles on 3 July 2009. These included reports on Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Fight Like Apes
Fight Like Apes
Fight Like Apes are an Irish alternative rock band formed in Dublin in 2006.Their current members are Mary-Kate "MayKay" Geraghty , Jamie "Pockets" Fox and Tom Ryan , while original member Adrian Mullan left the band in 2010 due to creative differences...
, Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford...
, Jerry Fish, a piece on Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
acts such as David Holmes
David Holmes (musician)
David Holmes is a Northern Irish DJ, musician and composer.-Career:Holmes began djing in Belfast from the age of 15. His first hit was the song "DeNiro", with Ashley Beedle, in 1992. In the early to mid 1990s he ran two club nights in the Belfast Art College known as Sugar Sweet and Shake Yer Brain...
, That Petrol Emotion
That Petrol Emotion
That Petrol Emotion are a Northern Irish, London-based band with an American vocalist, Steve Mack.-Career:The band originally formed in 1984 from the ashes of the Derry Hitmakers, Bam Bam and the Calling and The Undertones. It was formed by guitarist John O'Neill and second guitarist Raymond Gorman...
, Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
, Duke Special
Duke Special
Duke Special, real name Peter Wilson, is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he has a distinctive look, with his long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic"...
and The Answer
The Answer (band)
The Answer are a Northern Irish hard rock and blues-rock band from Newcastle and Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. They have achieved success with their debut album Rise selling in excess of 30,000 copies in the UK & Europe, 10,000 on day one in Japan and 100,000 worldwide.-Lineup:*Cormac...
, a piece on newer acts, twenty selected facts and an A–Z of festival fashion. Gary Lightbody talked of his first time when Snow Patrol were in their early twenties and spent the night drinking and "being silly".
Traffic
Traffic delays were encountered by fans on their way to the festival on 9 July. MCD suggested fans ought to expect an addictional three hours of travel time. Buses in LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
were full since that morning, whilst those in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
were said to be "meeting demand". Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
also experienced what was described by media as "a mass exodus" of fans to Oxegen 2009. Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus is a public transport operator in Ireland. It operates an extensive bus network of 172 radial, cross-city and peripheral routes and 18 night routes in the city of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area. The company, established in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann which is...
, which operates public transport from Parnell Square to Punchestown, said its journeys were running at one hour and ten minutes, a "good" time according to the company. 30,000 campers were on site by the Thursday night.
The campsite opened at noon, with 35,000 campers having arrived by the Thursday night. These were entertained by AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
and The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
cover bands on the Thursday Night Live Stage.
Traffic after the festival was reported to be "moving well on all routes".
Weather
Festival-goers and musicians alike experienced rain and mud at Oxegen 2009. Hours of heavy torrential rain fell throughout the Saturday but, whilst wellies and raincoats were seen throughout the Saturday, the Sunday weather was sunnier.Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
described the weather as "perfect", saying that "going in and out of rain and sun [...] is a great way to celebrate." He then claimed: "I've never experiences torrential rain in my life." MC Double D of Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:...
described the differing tolerance for rain in Ireland and his native country. "You like it wet over here. I'm from Australia and we don't like it wet over there. You guys get a bit annoyed if it's too sunny I think. [...] We're playing in a tent so I can't complain."
Performances
The Artane Boys Band, described as "one of the most famous warm-up acts in the country", opened Oxegen 2009 in an appearance described as "unlikely" by the Irish IndependentIrish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
. The first band to appear on the Hot Press New Band Stage on the Friday were The Truffle Shuffles, winners of RTÉ 2fm's School of Rock competition. The band later met Main Stage performers The Script, giving Danny O'Donoghue
Danny O'Donoghue
Danny O'Donoghue is an Irish singer-songwriter from the band The Script.-Career:O'Donoghue was an original member of a late '90s Eamonn Maguire managed Band called Mytown after being signed for $15 million dollars to Universal Records in 1999...
a CD of their music. The Script themselves announced a five-night residency in Dublin's Olympia Theatre
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
, beginning on 25 August 2009. Onstage they described the place as "crazy" and spoke of how they had been in the audience two years previously. James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
warmed up for their Friday performance with a show at The Academy
The Academy (music venue)
The Academy is a music venue located in Dublin, Ireland. It consists of four floors, each for differing music tastes.The Academy was the venue where The Killers performed an intimate show in August 2008, one night before a performance in Marlay Park. Others to have played the venue in 2008 include...
in Dublin the night before.
Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
altered lyrics to one of her songs due to having a young Irish cousin in the audience. She had flown in from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and her performance included a cover version of "Womanizer
Womanizer (song)
"Womanizer" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her sixth studio album, Circus. It was released on September 26, 2008 by Jive Records as the lead single of the album. Produced and co-written by Nikesha Briscoe and Rafael Akinyemi of The Outsyders, the song had to be...
" by Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and "Fuck You
Fuck You (Lily Allen song)
"Fuck You" is a song by English singer Lily Allen from her second album It's Not Me, It's You...
", her ode to George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, which had the crowd raising their middle fingers during the chorus. She also performed her cover version of the Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
song "Oh My God
Oh My God (Kaiser Chiefs song)
"Oh My God" is a song by Kaiser Chiefs, initially released as their debut single by the Drowned In Sound label on May 17, 2004. It only hit #66 in the UK charts. "Oh My God" was re-released on February 21, 2005, just two weeks before the release of their debut album Employment...
" but bemoaned the crowd's reaction to some of her songs, yelling: "Oh, you guys are like women. C'mon you lot!" She later wandered around talking to fans alongside two bodyguards.
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
flew from Italy to perform at Oxegen 2009, interrupting their time spent touring with U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. They dedicated "Shut Your Eyes
Shut Your Eyes
"Shut Your Eyes" is a song by the UK band Snow Patrol. Initially a track on their 2006 album Eyes Open, it was released as a single in several countries in 2007....
" to Lily Allen in their Main Stage performance before Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
. Blur were said to have been paid €500,000 to perform at Oxegen 2009, headlining on the Friday night from 23:00. They played songs from three decades and paid tribute to an Irish music journalist who had assisted in their rise to fame, dedicating "There's No Other Way
There's No Other Way
"There's No Other Way" is a song by Blur and was released 15 April 1991 as their second single. The song was the band's first top ten and top 40 hit and was also featured on the band's debut album Leisure. The single was also a minor hit in the United States, reaching number 82 on the Billboard Hot...
" to him, with lead singer Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
saying: "The first time we were here [in Ireland] was back in 1990. We played at a wedding for Leo Finlay, who has since passed away." Albarn also said it had been "a fantastic couple of weeks after not doing much for 10 years.". They also dedicated "The Universal" to Joe Dolan
Joe Dolan
Joseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan was an Irish entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs...
who had covered the song before his death.
Fred
Fred (band)
Fred are a five-piece Irish alternative band from Cork. They have released four albums, the latest of which, Leaving My Empire, was released in Ireland in 2011.- Career :...
were the first band on the Green Spheres stage on the Saturday, playing to a large crowd and ending with singles "Running" and "Skyscrapers". Squeeze attracted increasing crowds throughout their time on the Main Stage, performing just before The Blizzards
The Blizzards
The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
played to an even more significant sized crowd. Guy Garvey
Guy Garvey
Guy Edward John Patrick Garvey , is the singer/guitarist in the band Elbow, as well as a presenter for BBC 6 Music and A&R manager of Skinny Dog Records...
of Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
thanked fans watching them despite the bad weather on the Saturday evening. Doves drew a large crowd to the O2 Stage despite performing at the same time as Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
on the Main Stage. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, however, attracted a small enough crowd to the same stage, with several fans leaving to see headliners Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
on the Main Stage.
Kings of Leon headlined Oxegen from 23:30 on the Saturday despite threatening to withdraw from the festival after encountering serious sound problems at their T in the Park show in Scotland the day before. The sound problems frustrated vocalist Caleb Followill and led him to destroy his guitar before hurling the shattered remnants into the crowd. The band's tour manager intervened, with the band ultimately deciding to travel to Ireland. A source explained that the band's anger was due to their desire for "every show to be perfect". Several international celebrities watched Kings of Leon perform at Oxegen 2009; Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
and Stereophonics
Stereophonics
The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
frontman Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones is a Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist and the lead singer of the band Stereophonics. Influenced by classic rock bands such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and the Sex Pistols, Jones is noted for his strong, gravelly voice, which has been described as "whisky" vocals...
watched from the side of the stage, whilst actress Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
"disappeared down into the mosh pit" where she was seen "every now and then jumping up and down and belting out her favourite songs". The band said Oxegen was "the gig we've been looking forward to most this year".
Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
underwent a wardrobe malfunction
Wardrobe malfunction
A wardrobe malfunction is a euphemism for accidental exposure of intimate parts. It is different from flashing, as the latter implies a deliberate exposure...
live on stage during her Sunday performance when one of her breasts slid from beneath her metallic dress. After a breakdown during her second song, Gaga expressed her frustrations at her production team: "I can't hear myself for a moment there. That was close there for a minute. It's my worst nightmare not being able to hear. I'd rather cut my fucking feet off rather than not be able to hear" and praised Irish fans for their battles against the weather: "You all suffer for your love of music, like Jesus" as well as saying: "If you told me this time last year I’d be playing in front of 100,000 people, I’d probably have told you to fuck off". She also had several costume changes, at one point appearing on a blue Vespa
Vespa
Vespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian.The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A...
scooter and, during her single "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
", writhing around on board a piano. Prior to the performance she had attracted attention for requesting underwear from festival organisers and was overheard asking about how to pronounce Naas.
The Horrors
The Horrors
The Horrors are an English band from Southend on Sea, formed in 2005. Their debut Strange House, was released in 2007 and reached number thirty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, their second album Primary Colours was released in 2009 and peaked at number 25 in the UK...
cancelled their appearance at Oxegen 2009 when frontman Faris Badwin was struck down with bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
. Foals saw an increased crowd to their Heineken Green Spheres performance when rain drew festival-goers inside. The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford...
also drew large numbers to the O2 Stage. Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell is the frontman for the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. Farrell created the touring festival Lollapalooza as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction in 1991; it has since evolved into an annual destination festival. Farrell continues to produce Lollapalooza with partners William...
of Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
referenced Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
, Jameson
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Jameson is a single distillery Irish whiskey produced by a division of the French distiller Pernod Ricard. Jameson is similar in its adherence to the single distillery principle to the single malt tradition, but Jameson combines malted barley with unmalted or "green" barley...
and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
during his band's performance. Villagers
Villagers (band)
Villagers are an Irish band fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1, Tindersticks and Elbow. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind...
"set alight a sparsely populated tent with a performance bordering on perfection", according to the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
. Sunday night headliners The Killers attracted large crowds to the main arena but attendance at Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
and Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
suffered from those bands performing at the same time on other stages.
Signing tent
The first part of the line-up for the Hot PressHot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
signing tent was announced on 7 July 2009, with acts including Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
, Razorlight
Razorlight
Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
, The Virgins
The Virgins
The Virgins are an American band formed in 2006 in New York, consisting of Donald Cumming , Wade Oates , and Nick Ackerman .Their first outing on the road was a 7-week American tour in direct support for the Australian band Jet...
, Fun Lovin' Criminals
Fun Lovin' Criminals
The Fun Lovin' Criminals is an American alternative hip hop / alternative rock group from New York City. Their musical style is primarily eclectic, covering styles such as hip hop, rock, funk, blues and jazz. Their songs often deal with life in New York City, as well as urban life in general...
, The Blizzards
The Blizzards
The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
, Hockey
Hockey (band)
Hockey is an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon.-Members:Until October 2010, the band consisted of singer Benjamin Grubin, guitarist Brian Stuart White, bassist Jeremy Reynolds, drummer Anthony Stassi and touring keyboardist Ryan Dolliver, and have been compared in their sound to bands...
, Duke Special
Duke Special
Duke Special, real name Peter Wilson, is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he has a distinctive look, with his long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic"...
, Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose are an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band currently consists of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Darragh, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Darach O' Laoire and drummers and percussionists Andre Lopes...
, The Coronas
The Coronas
The Coronas are an Irish rock and indie band. They have released three studio albums, Heroes or Ghosts , Tony Was An Ex-Con and "Closer to You"...
, Spinnerette
Spinnerette
Spinnerette is an alternative rock, indie rock solo project of Australian musician Brody Dalle. For this project she has collaborated with Tony Bevilacqua , Jack Irons and Alain Johannes...
, Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
and Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
. Other acts were later announced, including Noisettes
Noisettes
Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison...
(Sunday), Jerry Fish (Saturday), Doves (Saturday), Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2000. They are signed to Warp Records. The band consists of Paul Smith , Duncan Lloyd , Archis Tiku , Lukas Wooller and Tom English...
(Saturday), Squeeze (Saturday) The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event is an American indie rock band from Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. It consists of Mikel Jollett , Steven Chen , Noah Harmon , Daren Taylor and Anna Bulbrook...
(Saturday), and That Petrol Emotion
That Petrol Emotion
That Petrol Emotion are a Northern Irish, London-based band with an American vocalist, Steve Mack.-Career:The band originally formed in 1984 from the ashes of the Derry Hitmakers, Bam Bam and the Calling and The Undertones. It was formed by guitarist John O'Neill and second guitarist Raymond Gorman...
(Sunday). A timetable was released on the Hot Press website on 10 July.
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose are an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band currently consists of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Darragh, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Darach O' Laoire and drummers and percussionists Andre Lopes...
, represented by all the band's members, were the first act to appear in the signing tent at around 18:00 on the Friday evening. Fans of The Coronas
The Coronas
The Coronas are an Irish rock and indie band. They have released three studio albums, Heroes or Ghosts , Tony Was An Ex-Con and "Closer to You"...
sang their "San Diego Song" whilst queueing, with the band also revealing the title of the second album for the first time, saying they had only decided on the title that day. Duke Special
Duke Special
Duke Special, real name Peter Wilson, is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he has a distinctive look, with his long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic"...
was greeted by several males in superhero costumes, whilst one fan who received an autograph from Brody Dalle
Brody Dalle
Brody Dalle is an Australian-born American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She rose to fame as lead singer/guitarist for the punk rock band The Distillers and currently fronts Spinnerette....
of Spinnerette
Spinnerette
Spinnerette is an alternative rock, indie rock solo project of Australian musician Brody Dalle. For this project she has collaborated with Tony Bevilacqua , Jack Irons and Alain Johannes...
claimed she would have it tattooed onto her.
Hockey
Hockey (band)
Hockey is an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon.-Members:Until October 2010, the band consisted of singer Benjamin Grubin, guitarist Brian Stuart White, bassist Jeremy Reynolds, drummer Anthony Stassi and touring keyboardist Ryan Dolliver, and have been compared in their sound to bands...
were the first band to appear in the signing tent on the Saturday.
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
were the first band to appear in the signing tent on the Sunday. One fan signed the bicep of lead singer Ed Macfarlane. Noisettes
Noisettes
Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison...
supplied lollipops and were dabbed with face paints by fans. Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
signed autographs for twenty-five minutes longer than originally intended and shared wine gums with fans.
Backstage
A black and pink "chill-out area" decorated with black leather sofas was filled with fruits and flowers for the headlining bands. Performers were able to access areas with pool tables, bean bags and a bar.One member of The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
was nearly struck with a cue ball by an unidentified person playing pool. "She looked at him like he had two heads. There's better things to do than throw a cue ball at a girl. Maybe I'm not good at this but I don't claim to chat up girls by throwing cue balls at them... I throw the black at them!" said Niall Breslin
Niall Breslin
Niall Breslin is an Irish singer and former sportsperson. He found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with ska-punk/pop band The Blizzards and as a co-writer and producer with 19 Entertainment....
of The Blizzards
The Blizzards
The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch...
who witnessed the incident.
Danny O'Reilly of The Coronas
The Coronas
The Coronas are an Irish rock and indie band. They have released three studio albums, Heroes or Ghosts , Tony Was An Ex-Con and "Closer to You"...
described his band's performance as "so amazing" with "a really great atmosphere [...] the best gig we've done in a long time".
Members of Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose are an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band currently consists of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Darragh, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Darach O' Laoire and drummers and percussionists Andre Lopes...
reported that they were "stalked" repeatedly by Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
.
Max Grahn of Carolina Liar
Carolina Liar
Carolina Liar is a Swedish alternative rock band. Lead vocalist Chad Wolf is originally from Charleston, South Carolina, but the band and most of its members originate from Sweden....
described meeting Irish fans for the first time, saying: "We got here for the first time in our lives yesterday. They know the songs and they know our names. It's crazy. We hope to be back in August."
Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
said Ireland had "always a very appreciative crowd, always a very vocal crowd, a singing bunch. I love them."
VIP guests
Rugby union player Brian O'DriscollBrian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
and his actress friend Amy Huberman
Amy Huberman
Amy O'Driscoll, professionally known as Amy Huberman, is an Irish actress and writer who has starred in numerous productions since beginning her career in 2002 on RTÉ's On Homeground.-Early life:...
were in attendance, camping in a Winnebago
Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries Inc., , is a manufacturer of motor homes, a type of recreational vehicle or RV, in the United States. It is based in Forest City, Iowa.-Corporate history:...
. Upon trying to view Kings of Leon on a platform he was turned back by security as he did not have the correct wristband. Annoyed at this rejection, O'Driscoll left the festival early and flew to Dublin's RDS
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
venue for a Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
concert, where he had a much more enjoyable time and cried when The Boss complimented him on stage on his sporting prowess. Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
, Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones is a Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist and the lead singer of the band Stereophonics. Influenced by classic rock bands such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and the Sex Pistols, Jones is noted for his strong, gravelly voice, which has been described as "whisky" vocals...
and Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
, the latter of whom was seen buying pasta at one point, also attended the Kings of Leon show at Oxegen 2009.
MTV presenter Laura Whitmore was seen backstage with Dan & Becs
Dan & Becs
Dan & Becs was an Irish comedy television series aired on RTÉ Two. It portrayed the lives of an affluent South Dublin couple. Dan was played by Dave Coffey and Becs was played by Holly White. In 2008 the show was nominated for an IFTA in the Best Television Entertainment Category. The show ended...
actress Holly White as well as actor Colin Morgan
Colin Morgan
Colin Morgan is an actor from Armagh, Northern Ireland, best known for playing the title character in the BBC TV series Merlin. Morgan went to Integrated College Dungannon and, during his third year, won the 'Denis Rooney Associates' Cup awarded to the best overall student of that academic year...
and actress Katie McGrath
Katie McGrath
Katherine Elizabeth McGrath is an Irish actress from Ashford, County Wicklow, Ireland, best known for playing Morgana in the BBC One TV series Merlin.-Background:McGrath graduated in History at the Trinity College, Dublin...
, of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Merlin
Merlin (TV series)
Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure television programme by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps. It began broadcasting on BBC One on 20 September 2008. The show is based on the Arthurian legends of the wizard Merlin and his relationship with Prince Arthur but differs from...
. Whitmore was also subject to speculation in the media when she was seen snuggling against TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
's Eoghan McDermott and walking around hand in hand with him. She moved to deny reports of romance, claiming they were "merely keeping each other company as they shot their respective footage of the festival" and said she had most enjoyed Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
.
Crime
Gardaí arrested 114 people throughout Oxegen 2009, mainly for offences relating to public order, traffic, assault and drugs. 100 of these arrests had been reported by the Sunday evening. 77 of the arrests occurred between the Thursday afternoon and the Saturday. 12 of the arrests had been made by the Friday. There were less arrests at Oxegen 2009 than at Oxegen 2008 when 140 arrests were made.In one serious incident, a man in his twenties was left in a stable condition after being stabbed with a glass bottle in a car park close to midnight on the Friday. He was sent to Naas General Hospital
Naas General Hospital
Naas General Hospital is located in Craddockstown, Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. It provides acute hospital services for the population of County Kildare and western County Wicklow....
before being taken to Saint James's Hospital, Dublin. One man was arrested in relation to the incident but was not charged and later released.
Aftermath
Cleanup
The site was described as resembling "a massive swamp" by the Evening HeraldEvening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
on the Sunday morning. Approximately 1,000 personnel and scout volunteers were clearing the site of stage equipment, litter and abandoned tents by Monday afternoon. The Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
reported that Punchestown Racecourse resembled "a scene from the World War I battle trenches" after being battered by heavy rain, whilst the Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
The Irish Examiner, formerly The Cork Examiner and then The Examiner, is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country...
suggested that the Ploughing Championships had arrived in Dublin the day after the festival so noticeable were the "wellie-wearing punters [who] stepped off buses, full of cheer, bearing muddy rain jackets and laden with picnic and camping equipment". Buses deposited fans on Dublin's quays "where muddy wellies and bits of tents lay abandoned on the paths".
Returning bands
Several international acts announced future Irish dates during and in the immediate aftermath of Oxegen 2009. Yeah Yeah YeahsYeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
will play a show in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 26 August 2009. The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
will play shows in Dublin's Olympia Theatre and in Belfast as part of their 30th Anniversary Tour on 15 and 16 November respectively. Carolina Liar
Carolina Liar
Carolina Liar is a Swedish alternative rock band. Lead vocalist Chad Wolf is originally from Charleston, South Carolina, but the band and most of its members originate from Sweden....
also announced their headlining Irish debut at The Academy
The Academy (music venue)
The Academy is a music venue located in Dublin, Ireland. It consists of four floors, each for differing music tastes.The Academy was the venue where The Killers performed an intimate show in August 2008, one night before a performance in Marlay Park. Others to have played the venue in 2008 include...
in Dublin for 18 August 2009. Noisettes
Noisettes
Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison...
moved their 10 October show from The Button Factory to Vicar Street
Vicar Street
Vicar Street is a concert and events venue in Ireland, located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Its capacity allows for 1,000 people for seated performances, and 1,500 people for standing gigs...
due to increased demand.
Broadcasting rights
MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
was the Oxegen 2009 official broadcasting partner, with Laura Whitmore
Laura Whitmore
-Early life:Laura was born in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland.She attended St Patricks Primary School and Loreto Bray Secondary School until she was 18 years old...
amongst the presenting team. The highlights will be shown in late July–early August on MTV, MTV HITS, MTV TWO and VH1 channels across one weekend.
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
and RTÉ 2XM
RTÉ 2XM
RTÉ 2XM is a digital radio station of the Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann.-History:Initially the broadcaster placed the station on the digital terrestrial television trial service in late October 2007. Along with 5 other new digital stations, RTÉ Choice was launched on 1...
broadcasted a total of 21 hours of live coverage throughout Oxegen 2009. Dan Hegarty
Dan Hegarty
Daniel 'Dan' Hegarty is an Irish radio presenter employed by RTÉ. He presents his Alternative to Sleep show on RTÉ 2fm Monday to Thursday from 11.00 - 1.00. He is regularly dispatched to important musical events such as Electric Picnic and Oxegen for live broadcasting purposes, as well as being...
presented a special Oxegen IMRO Tasters Show in the week before the festival. Festival broadcasts began from 06:00 on 10 July during that morning's The Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show
The Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show
The Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show was an Irish breakfast radio show, broadcast weekdays on RTÉ 2fm. The show, hosted by Colm Hayes and Jim-Jim Nugent, began broadcasting in March 2007 when the duo moved from rival station FM104....
. Jenny Green and Jenny Huston
Jenny Huston
Jenny Huston is a Canadian presenter of radio and television in Ireland. She is disc jockey on RTÉ 2fm, an occasional presenter on RTÉ Radio 1 and a television presenter with channels operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann.; Huston presents an indie rock and pop music show on Friday nights and a rock...
broadcasted live music from 19:00 that evening, whilst Hegarty, Cormac Battle
Cormac Battle
Cormac Battle is an Irish musician and radio presenter/producer. He is the vocalist and lead guitarist with the bands, Kerbdog and Wilt as well as the current presenter of RTÉ 2fm's alternative music programme, The Battle Axe . The show airs each Sunday night from 19:00 - 22:00...
and Mr. Spring
Tim Hannigan
Tim Hannigan, also known as Mr. Spring, and Sound Crowd, is an Irish radio personality and music producer. His last album, titled Not for Sale, was released on analogue stereo 8 format in 2008 as a promo for collectors as well as standard CD format. He has released numerous albums from 1988 to...
conducted acoustic sessions and interviews. RTÉ 2fm also recorded all the acts from the IMRO New Sounds Stage.
Phantom FM
Phantom FM
Phantom 105.2 is a Dublin based radio station, founded in 1996 as a pirate radio station. Phantom broadcasts under a contract awarded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland ....
aired a three-hour Oxegen 2009 special programme at 15:00 on 19 July 2009.
Stages
Oxegen 2009 had at least seven stages. There was at least one new stage, the Red BullRed Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
Music Academy. The Green Room was renamed Heineken Green Spheres.
- The Main Stage was headlined by BlurBlur (band)Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Snow PatrolSnow PatrolSnow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, Kings of LeonKings of LeonKings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
and The Killers. - The O2 Stage was headlined by Keane, Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
and Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
. - Heineken Green Spheres was headlined by 2 Many DJs, Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
and (jointly) Manic Street PreachersManic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
/GlasvegasGlasvegasGlasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No...
. - The Red Bull Music Academy was headlined by Ladyhawke, Of MontrealOf MontrealOf Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
and Florence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
. - The IMRO New Sounds Stage was headlined by David KittDavid KittDavid Kitt is an Irish musician. He is the son of Irish politician Tom Kitt.He has released six studio albums to date: Small Moments, The Big Romance, Square 1, The Black and Red Notebook, Not Fade Away and The Nightsaver.-History:Kitt grew up surrounded by music, as his father and uncles formed a...
, DirectorDirector (band)Director are an award-winning Irish art rock quartet from Malahide in County Dublin. The band's members are Michael Moloney , Eoin Aherne , Shea Lawlor and Rowan Averill ....
and VillagersVillagers (band)Villagers are an Irish band fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1, Tindersticks and Elbow. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind...
. - The Oxegen Dance Arena was headlined by Deadmau5Deadmau5Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
, TigaTiga (musician)Tiga is the stage name of Montreal-born DJ/producer Tiga James Sontag . His album Sexor won the 2007 Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year.-Career:He graduated from Selwyn House School, a prestigious school in Westmount...
and Felix Da HousecatFelix da HousecatFelix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
.
2009 Line-up
Headliners: BlurBlur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
/ Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
/ Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
/ The Killers
Line-up and stage breakdown.
Main Stage
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
|
Kings of Leon Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,... Bloc Party Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong... Elbow (band) Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011... Yeah Yeah Yeahs Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring... James Morrison (singer) James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the... The Blizzards The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy , Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran and Aidan Lynch... The Saw Doctors The Saw Doctors are an Irish rock band. Formed in 1986 in Tuam, County Galway, they have achieved eighteen Top 30 singles in Ireland, including three number ones. Their first number one, "I Useta Lover," topped the Irish charts for nine consecutive weeks in 1990, and still holds the record for the... |
Razorlight Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second... The Specials The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups... Paolo Nutini Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations.... Lady GaGa Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to... Calvin Harris Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"... |
The O2 Stage
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
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The Mars Volta The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and... Maxïmo Park Maxïmo Park are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2000. They are signed to Warp Records. The band consists of Paul Smith , Duncan Lloyd , Archis Tiku , Lukas Wooller and Tom English... Eagles of Death Metal Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998 by Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme. Despite their band name, Eagles of Death Metal are not a death metal band. Hughes stated that a friend was introducing Josh Homme to the death metal genre... The Gaslight Anthem The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz... Red Light Company Red Light Company are a five-piece alternative rock band based in London, England. The band was formed in 2007 by members Richard Frenneaux , Shawn Day , James Griffiths , Paul Mellon and Chris Edmonds... |
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction... Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times... The Ting Tings The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford... Katy Perry Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a... White Lies (band) White Lies is an English indie rock band from Ealing, London. Formerly known as Fear of Flying, the band consists primarily of Harry McVeigh , Charles Cave , and Jack Lawrence-Brown... Starsailor (band) Starsailor is an English post-britpop band, formed in Leigh, Warrington and Greater Manchester. By 2009, they had four charting albums and ten Top 40 singles in the UK since 2001.-Early history:... You Me At Six You Me at Six is a British rock band from Weybridge, Surrey. Formed in 2004, the group rose to fame in 2008 with the success of their debut album, Take Off Your Colours, which included the singles "Save It for the Bedroom", "Finders Keepers" and "Kiss and Tell", with the latter two peaking at #33... The Horrors The Horrors are an English band from Southend on Sea, formed in 2005. Their debut Strange House, was released in 2007 and reached number thirty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, their second album Primary Colours was released in 2009 and peaked at number 25 in the UK... |
Heineken Green Spheres
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
|
Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club is an independent alternative band from Ireland.Jerry Fish is the alter ego of musician and record producer Gerard Whelan who founded an independent record label and the band Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club, an eclectic, roots collective of musicians, friends and songs... Pet Shop Boys Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards.... TV on the Radio TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music.... Pete Doherty Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles... Regina Spektor Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:... The Saturdays The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with... Daniel Merriweather Daniel Paul Merriweather is an Australian R&B singer-songwriter who has worked as a featured vocalist for other artists and has a solo career. His guest vocals are included on album tracks by Disco Montego, Mark Ronson and Phrase... Gary Go Gary Baker, also known by his stage name Gary Go is a British pop-rock singer, songwriter and producer. His debut single "Wonderful" was a Top 30 track in the UK, the debut album Gary Go was released May 2009 and reached number 22 in the UK Albums Chart... Fred (band) Fred are a five-piece Irish alternative band from Cork. They have released four albums, the latest of which, Leaving My Empire, was released in Ireland in 2011.- Career :... |
Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s... Glasvegas Glasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No... Jason Mraz Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved... Friendly Fires Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires... That Petrol Emotion That Petrol Emotion are a Northern Irish, London-based band with an American vocalist, Steve Mack.-Career:The band originally formed in 1984 from the ashes of the Derry Hitmakers, Bam Bam and the Calling and The Undertones. It was formed by guitarist John O'Neill and second guitarist Raymond Gorman... Noisettes Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison... |
Hot PressHot PressHot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
New Bands Stage
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
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The Airborne Toxic Event The Airborne Toxic Event is an American indie rock band from Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. It consists of Mikel Jollett , Steven Chen , Noah Harmon , Daren Taylor and Anna Bulbrook... Patrick Wolf Patrick Wolf is an English-Irish singer-songwriter from South London. Patrick utilises a wide variety of instruments in his music, most commonly the ukulele, piano and viola... Sneaky Sound System Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:... Little Boots Victoria Christina Hesketh, also known by her stage name/pseudonym Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter. Her stage name comes from a nickname given to her by a friend, a reference to her unusually small feet... Hockey (band) Hockey is an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon.-Members:Until October 2010, the band consisted of singer Benjamin Grubin, guitarist Brian Stuart White, bassist Jeremy Reynolds, drummer Anthony Stassi and touring keyboardist Ryan Dolliver, and have been compared in their sound to bands... Passion Pit Passion Pit is an American electropop band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The group, which formed in 2007, consists of Michael Angelakos , Ian Hultquist , Ayad Al Adhamy , Jeff Apruzzese and Nate Donmoyer... In Case of Fire In Case of Fire are a Christian alternative rock band from Portadown, Northern Ireland, formed in 2005. The original line up consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Steven Robinson, bassist Mark Williamson and drummer Colin Robinson... Howling Bells Howling Bells are an indie rock band that formed in Sydney in 2004. The band obtained moderate popularity in the United Kingdom following the release of its 2006 self-titled debut album... |
The Twang The Twang are an indie rock band from Birmingham, England, formed in 2001. The band have released two studio albums - Love It When I Feel Like This and Jewellery Quarter... Camera Obscura (band) Camera Obscura are an indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band formed in 1996 and have released four albums to date.-History:Camera Obscura were formed in 1996 by Tracyanne Campbell, John Henderson, and Gavin Dunbar. Several other members performed with the band before David Skirving joined... The Chapters The Chapters are a five-piece indie rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The band is composed of Ross McNally, Simon Eustace, Turlough Gunawardhana, Michael Murphy, and Ciaran Fortune... Wild Beasts Wild Beasts are an indie rock band from Kendal in Cumbria. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have released three acclaimed albums, Limbo, Panto in 2008, Two Dancers in... The Virgins The Virgins are an American band formed in 2006 in New York, consisting of Donald Cumming , Wade Oates , and Nick Ackerman .Their first outing on the road was a 7-week American tour in direct support for the Australian band Jet... The Maccabees The Maccabees are a indie rock band from Brighton, England. They have released two albums so far, Colour It In in 2007, with a follow-up, Wall of Arms, released on 4 May 2009... Wallis Bird Wallis Bird is an Irish musician. She lives and works in London.-Biography:The first time Bird came into touch with music, she was six months old and received her first guitar from her father... Bombay Bicycle Club Bombay Bicycle Club are a British indie rock and folk band from Crouch End, London. The band comprises: Jack Steadman , Jamie MacColl , Ed Nash and Suren de Saram .... |
Oxegen Dance Arena
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
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Tiga (musician) Tiga is the stage name of Montreal-born DJ/producer Tiga James Sontag . His album Sexor won the 2007 Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year.-Career:He graduated from Selwyn House School, a prestigious school in Westmount... Boys Noize Boys Noize is the stage name of Alexander Ridha, a German electronic music producer and DJ. It is similar to the name of Ridha's label, Boysnoize Records, which he established in 2005... Annie Mac Annie Mac is an Irish DJ and television presenter who hosts an eponymous electronic dance music show on BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom which airs at 7:00 pm on Friday evenings as well as a Sunday evening show alongside co-presenter Nick Grimshaw.-Personal life:Annie Mac was born in Dublin,... Digitalism (band) Digitalism is a German electro house duo founded in 2004 in Hamburg and consisting of Jens "Jence" Moelle and İsmail "Isi" Tüfekçi. They are signed to French label Kitsuné Music, and have released four singles to date: "Idealistic", "Zdarlight", "Jupiter Room", and "Pogo"... Dr Lektroluv Dr. Lektroluv is a Belgium born Electro DJ.He is known for his green mask and mixing using a telephone instead of headphones... |
Felix da Housecat Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat.... Miss Kittin Miss Kittin is an electronic music DJ, vocalist, and songwriter. Since rising to prominence in 1998 for her singles "1982" and "Frank Sinatra" with The Hacker, she has worked with other musicians such as Chicks on Speed, Felix da Housecat and Golden Boy... & The Hacker The Hacker Michel Amato, better known by the stage name The Hacker, is a French electroclash and techno producer who has worked extensively with Miss Kittin. His work has been influenced by Electro artists like Kraftwerk, New Wave artists such as The Cure and Depeche Mode, as well as the French rave scene of... (Live) MSTRKRFT MSTRKRFT is a Canadian electronic music duo from Toronto, Ontario. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga, Ontario electropop group Girlsareshort... The Bloody Beetroots The Bloody Beetroots is an Italian electronica and dance music project. The Bloody Beetroots were formed in late 2006 by producer Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo . In 2008, their EP Cornelius was in the Top 100 International iTunes downloads. This album was a complete art project composed of music, videos,... Kissy Sell Out Kissy Sell Out an English DJ, producer and graphic designer. Kissy Sell Out quickly gained notability in 2006 for his eccentric electro productions and energetic DJ style. In 2009 Mixmag described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade"... Hudson Mohawke Hudson Mohawke, also known as Hudson Mo or HudMo, is an electronic music producer/DJ from Glasgow, Scotland, affiliated with the LuckyMe collective. He is signed to Warp Records and released his debut album on Warp, called Butter in October 2009... |
IMROIrish Music Rights OrganisationIrish Music Rights Organisation is the collecting society for songwriters, composers and music publishers of Ireland. Its role is to act as an agent for its members in order to collect license fees whenever their musical works are performed in public, broadcast or transmitted, and to pay out...
New Sounds Stage
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
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And So I Watch You From Afar And So I Watch You From Afar are a three-piece instrumental rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The band consists of Rory Friers on guitar, Johnny Adger on bass and Chris Wee on drums... Codes (band) Codes are an Irish indie electronic quartet from Dublin, consisting of Daragh Anderson, Eoin Stephens, Paul Reilly and Raymond Hogge. Their debut album Trees Dream in Algebra was nominated for the 2010 Choice Music Prize... Director (band) Director are an award-winning Irish art rock quartet from Malahide in County Dublin. The band's members are Michael Moloney , Eoin Aherne , Shea Lawlor and Rowan Averill .... General Fiasco General Fiasco are an indie rock group from Bellaghy, Northern Ireland. Since their formation in 2007, they have toured with Fighting With Wire, The Wombats, One Night Only, The Pigeon Detectives, The Enemy, Jet and Kids In Glass Houses... Annie Clark Annie Erin Clark is an American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter who performs as St. Vincent. She was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and also part of Sufjan Stevens' touring band, prior to forming her own band.... Nightbox Nightbox are a dance-rock band originally from Wicklow, Ireland. The five-piece consists of Toronto-born brothers Jake Bitove and Nick Bitove , Andrew Keyes , James Tebbitt and James Shelly .... |
Concerto For Constantine Concerto for Constantine is an unsigned Irish indie rock band formed in August 2007. The band consists of former JJ72 frontman Mark Greaney , former Turn and Idlewild bassist Gavin Fox and former The Frames and Bell X1 drummer Paul 'Binzer' Brennan .- Formation :In the summer of 2007, Mark and... Dark Room Notes Dark Room Notes are a three-piece electro/synthpop band based in Dublin, Ireland. The three founding members, Ronan Gaughan, Ruairi Ferrie and former drummer Ruairi Cavanagh originally hail from Galway... Villagers (band) Villagers are an Irish band fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1, Tindersticks and Elbow. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind... Wintersleep Wintersleep is a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Background:Wintersleep formed in 2001 and released two albums with Dependent Music, a music label and artists' collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994.... Broken Records (band) Broken Records are a six-piece indie folk band from Edinburgh, Scotland, which formed in December 2006. The band are signed to 4AD and released their debut album, Until the Earth Begins to Part, in June 2009... Blood or Whiskey Blood or Whiskey is an Irish punk/folk band from Leixlip, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland.The band was formed in September 1993 taking strong influence from Shane MacGowan, as well as The Pogues and The Clash... The Chakras The Chakras are an Irish alternative rock band from Dublin, Ireland.This young Dublin born, London based five piece commenced their journey almost two years ago, with an early show supporting Ian Brown in Dublin... The Jades (Irish band) The Jades, formerly known as Jade, are an all-female rock group from Kilmuckridge, County Wexford, Ireland. The Jades' line-up consists of sisters Sheila and Yvonne on lead vocals, guitar and drums respectively, with friend Elaine on guitar and backing vocals.- Background :Before the band came... |
Red Bull Music AcademyRed Bull Music AcademyThe Red Bull Music Academy is an annual international music event where up and coming producers, singers, arrangers, DJs and musicians get the opportunity to learn from top industry professionals.- History :...
Tent
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
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Crystal Castles (band) Crystal Castles are an experimental electronic band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of producer Ethan Kath and lyricist and vocalist Alice Glass. Crystal Castles are known for their chaotic live shows and their lo-fi home productions. The duo released many limited EPs between 2006 and... Tinchy Stryder Kwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman... Messiah J and the Expert Messiah J & The Expert are a Choice Music Prize nominated rapper/producer duo based in Dublin, Ireland.- The Stonecutters and Creative Controle :... DEFCON A defense readiness condition is an alert posture used by the United States Armed Forces. The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and unified and specified combatant commands. It prescribes five graduated levels of readiness for the U.S... Jamie Woon Jamie Woon is a British singer, songwriter and producer signed to Polydor who gained widespread acclaim in 2010 for his single Night Air which was co-produced by Burial, following his previous independent release, Wayfaring Stranger EP.The Eurasian son of a Malaysian Chinese father, and Scottish... |
Onra Arnaud Bernard, better known by his stage name Onra is a French hip hop beatmaker based in Paris.-Biography:Onra released his first album with producer and friend Quetzal in 2006, A Hip-Hop Tribute to Soul Music, which was played several times by Gilles Peterson and Benji B and covered on... Florence and the Machine Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul... Of Montreal Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective... Telepathe Telepathe is an electronic pop duo from Brooklyn consisting of core members Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudis. The band also includes other occasional musicians, such as Ryan Lucero.... GoldieLocks Sarah Louise Akwisombe is an English female rapper, singer and producer better known by her stage name of GoldieLocks.-Biography:... R.S.A.G. Jeremy Hickey is an Irish multi-instrumentalist from Kilkenny. He has three albums: 'Secret Class Tunes' Organic Sampler and the forthcoming Be It Right Or Wrong .Following a performance at Electric Picnic in 2008, he appeared on the television series Other Voices... |
Bicardi B-Live Arena
| Friday 10 July | Saturday 11 July | Sunday 12 July |
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Filthy Dukes Filthy Dukes are a synthpop band from London, England. The band is composed of Olly Dixon , Tim Lawton and Mark Ralph . Having been active since 2005, the band released their debut single "Tupac Robot Club Rock" on Fiction Records... Idiot Proof In modern English usage, the term "idiot proof" describes designs which inherently or by use of defensive design principles cannot be misused. The implication is that the design is usable even by someone of low intelligence who would not use it properly. The term came into use in the late 1970s to... |
A Skillz A.Skillz is an English breakbeat, big beat, and dance musician.He has worked across the UK at FabricLive, Spectrum, Chew The Fat, Supercharged, The Boutique and Sugarbeat as well as gigs around the world at major events, festivals and music industry parties such as The Hit Factory , WMC and Field... |
External links
- Official site
- Oxegen's Promoters (MCD ProductionsMCD PRODUCTIONSMCD Productions is an Irish concert promotion company. Established in 1980, and headquartered in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.- History :The company was founded by Eamonn McCann and Denis Desmond, the company name MCD is made up of their initials....
) - Official broadcaster site (MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
–includes videos from Bloc PartyBloc PartyBloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
, Snow PatrolSnow PatrolSnow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, Lily AllenLily AllenLily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, ElbowElbow (band)Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, James MorrisonJames Morrison (singer)James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...
and The ScriptThe Script (band)The Script are an Irish alternative rock band from Dublin. Based in London after signing to Sony Label Group imprint Phonogenic, the band released their eponymous debut album in August 2008...
) - Reviews at The Irish TimesThe Irish TimesThe Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
- Hot PressHot PressHot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
photos: Blur Friday Saturday #1 #2 #3 Sunday - Official Signing Tent photos: The Blizzards The Coronas Duke Special Friendly Fires Paolo Nutini Hockey Jerry Fish Maxïmo Park Noisettes Republic of Loose Spinnerette That Petrol Emotion The Virgins Therapy?
- Oxegen 2008 videos – Kings of Leon at MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....