Oxegen 2007
Encyclopedia
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 Patrol
on the Saturday and The Killers on the Sunday. The Live Earth
concerts occurred around the world on the same day as the Saturday of Oxegen '07.
ticket), as compared to €160 in 2006. As in 2006, it was possible to purchase four weekend camping tickets together and receive a free car parking ticket. As with previous years, a number of pre-sale tickets went on sale on 10 November 2006 at the same price as the 2006 festival. On 28 February, mtv.co.uk released a limited number of tickets for sale until they went on general sale on 2 March.
issued a come-and-get-me plea to the organisers and, at the Meteor Music Awards
on 1 February 2007, lead singer Gary Lightbody
confirmed that they would be appearing, stating that it would be their only Irish performance of the year. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0201/breaking89.htm They were the first band to confirm a definite appearance at the festival and were the second headline act on the Main Stage on Saturday 7 July.
In an interview with XFM
, Muse
singer Matt Bellamy
let slip that the band would be playing in Ireland on 7 July, which coincided with the Saturday of the Oxegen festival. http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=351323 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6366253.stm Muse later confirmed themselves for the Oxegen Festival on their official website http://www.muse.mu/index.php and were announced on the official Oxegen website to be headlining the Main Stage on Saturday 7 July alongside Snow Patrol.
Further details of the line-up were leaked on Tuesday 20 February 2007 when the Irish Independent
printed an article on pages two and three of that day's paper, stating that Arcade Fire would be appearing at Oxegen 07 and that it would be their only Irish festival performance this year. Also confirmed by the newspaper were Bloc Party
, Interpol
, Cansei de Ser Sexy and Amy Winehouse
. This was later confirmed as true by Tom Dunne
that morning on the breakfast show on Today FM
. Phantom 105.2
also stated that Daft Punk
, Kings of Leon
and Tori Amos
had been confirmed.
, Queens of the Stone Age
and Eminem
would be part of the line-up but, out of these three, only Queens of the Stone Age made an actual appearance (headlining the Green Room on the Saturday night). http://www.aquariusproperties.com/aqua/uploads/Oxe.jpg NME
ran with a similar story (confirming Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys) in its special Oasis tribute edition with the notable exclusion of Eminem.
The line-up was then officially announced at 10 am on Thursday 22 February on the official website, with the Independent and Phantom's exclusives proving very much to be true. On Wednesday 28 February, the official website announced more acts that were to play as the festival was officially launched. These included The Killers, Mika
, Wu-Tang Clan
and The Gossip
. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music-gigs/news/article2316085.ece http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0228/oxegen.html Ocean Colour Scene
had also announced themselves on their official website as playing on Sunday 8 July, but according to the Oxegen website they were to play on the Saturday (which they eventually did).
On 2 April, the official Oxegen website announced 18 more bands to play at the 2007 festival. These included: Air, Little Man Tate
, Queens of the Stone Age
, Enter Shikari
, Ocean Colour Scene
, Bright Eyes, The Long Blondes
, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
, The Saw Doctors
, Avril Lavigne
, Jamie T
, The Maccabees
, The Pigeon Detectives
, The Hold Steady
, Gogol Bordello
and Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars.
On 11 May, a total of 14 new acts was officially announced on the website, including: Sinéad O'Connor
, Rodrigo y Gabriela
, Satellite Party, Badly Drawn Boy
, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
, Albert Hammond, Jr., The Blizzards
, Soulsavers
, The Hold Steady
, Cold War Kids
, Mr Hudson & The Library
, Charlotte Hatherley
and The Immediate
. However within 48 hours, The Immediate's participation in the festival was cancelled when they announced on their MySpace
page that they were "splitting up due to existential differences". http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-irish_news/the-immediate-split-up-/spId/89E50F81-F7D1-A715-417F1D3656EC3ED6.html. The announcement of acts to play the festival was supposed be completed by the end of May according to the organisers but this was not the case.
A number of bands also announced themselves for the 2007 festival via their own websites, MySpace
or Bebo
pages. These included Delorentos
(Bebo and MySpace) who will be performing on the Pet Sounds Stage on the Saturday this year, The Sounds
(MySpace) and The Bravery
(MySpace) who have both announced that they will be playing at Oxegen on the Sunday, and The Horrors
(MySpace) who announced that they would be playing at Oxegen on the Saturday. The Thrills
and The Cribs
were previously announced on entertainment.ie.
More new acts and the full stage line-up for all but the New Bands Stage was announced on the official website on Tuesday 12 June. http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-festivals/director-amongst-host-of-new-acts-for-oxegen/spId/1F8159E5-90B8-5D54-C4E5521A076846BF.html The Futures Stage line-up was then announced on Thursday 21 June. http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-festivals/final-oxegen-bands-unveiled/spId/539854BB-CDCB-AC1A-89587140C68F7FC0.html
Rainstorms lashed Punchestown for much of the weekend as the campsite descended into a muddy wasteland by the Friday evening. http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0706/oxegen.html By the Saturday afternoon the arena too was caked in mud. Sunday saw the mud worsen with festival-goers finding the long trek between the Main Stage and Stage 2/NME even more difficult as they trudged through knee-deep layers of mud and dirty water. There were some sunny spells but these were eventually replaced with frequent rain showers which drew fans away from the main stages and into the marquees. The mud saw much cause for fun as, in particular during The Kooks
's performance on the Main Stage on the Sunday, music fans frolicked in the tedious conditions and sparked off a sequence of raucous mud fights which led to many being bustled away by stewards. Conditions made the car-parks untenable and gardaí
eventually took the step on the Saturday morning to shut down all car parks on the Punchestown site, asking those day-trippers who had not yet arrived to avail of the free public transport from Naas
. http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0707/oxegen.html Punchestown Racecourse was later compared to the Somme.
's' headlining performance on the Saturday night, complete with the sensational sound and spectacular pyrotechnics that wowed Wembley Stadium earlier this summer, Daft Punk
's light show on Stage 2/NME Stage on the Sunday night, The Killer's performance the same night, which featured an impressive visual spectacle, Scissor Sisters
(at which frontman Jake Shears
's drew attention to himself by stripping down to a towel and rolling around in the mud in front of the moshpit, after previously climbing the stage rigging), http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0709/oxegenblog.html a bewildered Lovefoxxx
of CSS being corrected by the crowd after she asked if they were in Dublin, as well as Bloc Party
's rousing performance on the Sunday afternoon as frontman Kele Okereke
leaped off the stage and called for the crowd to get "violent". The Kooks
followed Bloc Party by playing to a mud-soaked crowd, notable mainly for the chaotic mud slinging that saw a number of security personnel humbled by raucous festivalgoers (and slippery surfaces)
Arcade Fire were next on the Main Stage to receive a rapturous reception from the Punchestown crowd, especially when frontman Win Butler
claimed that Razorlight
were "responsible for the rain". http://www.kildaretoday.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3866&ArticleID=3048325 He also stated that their performance, along with many of their other Irish shows, had been one of their best. This set featured, amongst other things, a beautiful rainbow to accompany "No Cars Go
" (pictured), band members Richard Reed Parry
and Will Butler duelling with drum sticks on the stage rigging, and euphoric singalongs to set closers "Intervention
" and "Wake Up
".http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0709/oxegenblog.html
The Pigeon Detectives
's performance was also memorable as frontman Matt Bowman informed the crowd that he was too clean and then asked if anyone in the audience had any mud or muddy trainers that they could throw at him. This request was readily carried out by the crowd. Bowman himself then proceeded to pick up an armful of mud from the stage and rubbed it over his head. Later he ran down to the crowd, inviting fans to rub his hair, whilst at the end of their popular single "I'm Not Sorry
", he jumped off the stage into the crowd. This performance left Stage 2/NME noticeably caked in mud for the rest of the festival.
Tori Amos
completely changed her attire (including wig) midway through her performance and Calvin Harris
caught a banana that was thrown at him by a member of the audience in mid-song before changing the lyrics of his recent single "The Girls
" to "I love Irish girls". The View
arrived by helicopter just minutes before they were due to appear, while Avril Lavigne
performed a set that included a cover of the Blink 182 song "All the Small Things
".
Jet
's Nic Cester
ran energetically around the Green Room whilst Sam Endicott
of The Bravery
also launched himself into the Green Room crowd at the end of the band's set. Enter Shikari
singer Rou Reynolds joined fans in the front few rows, throwing himself into the crowd several times during their Green Room set, whilst the band also bounced on a trampoline on stage. On the Pet Sounds Stage, having managed to drown out Biffy Clyro
who were on the NME Stage at the same time, David Kitt
had stewards pull his younger brother out of the crowd and up onto the stage so they could perform a song together. Editors
, playing in the Green Room on the Saturday night, and The Blizzards
, playing on the Main Stage on the Sunday afternoon, both made their third consecutive appearance at Oxegen.
Some fans awaiting the arrival of Interpol
on Stage 2/NME on the Saturday were surprised to witness Kings of Leon
, fresh from their Main Stage set, walking through the crowd to gain access to the backstage area to watch Interpol's set. They briefly stopped for photographs with amazed fans. Interpol's set was also well received and they were one of the first bands to use lights and smoke in their set as the night progressed. Watching Brazil
ian band, CSS on Stage 2/NME were members of Arcade Fire alongside Susan Sarandon
and Tim Robbins
.
Fears over the ability of Pete Doherty
to appear http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-festivals/babyshambles-oxegen-set-looks-safe/spId/95E064DD-0948-579C-8FA4913112480F4B.html proved unfounded as he was reported to have gone on a booze session and then slept on a mattress for two hours in his dressing room before taking to Stage 2/NME with Babyshambles
. The band then went on to watch Bright Eyes perform on the Pet Sounds Stage. However Amy Winehouse
threw the Sunday line-up on Stage 2/NME into chaos by pulling out of the festival. http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-festivals/amy-winehouse-a-doubt-for-oxegen/spId/96FA28EA-F33F-9956-C65CA71145F2FDE9.html As a result many of the acts performing on that stage, such as The Thrills
, CSS, Dogs and My Chemical Romance
, began earlier or later than planned, to the disapproval of some fans. Another casualty was Snow Patrol
keyboardist, Tom Simpson
who was arrested following the band's appearance at Live Earth
on the same day as their Oxegen performance. Despite this misfortune, the rest of the band carried on as planned as they performed a well-received headlining set that included "Run
", "Chasing Cars
" and "Open Your Eyes
". http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-irish_news/snow-patrol-star-arrested/spId/AAAD0AAC-D929-612D-A47B9348AF5D891A.html They even questioned if their loyal fans would rather be over in the Green Room watching Editors
instead before dedicating a song to the band. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0709/oxegenblog.html
Among the bands and artists that performed on the New Band Stage were The Wombats
, The Horrors
, New Young Pony Club
, Kate Nash
, Cherry Ghost
and Air Traffic
.
There were constant references to Ireland
in the performances of some of the international acts with Scissor Sisters
's Ana Matronic
announcing the numerous counties of Ireland from where herself and her bandmates originated (including County Donegal
, County Galway
and County Cork
), Bloc Party
's Kele Okereke
hoisting a tricolour up on the Main Stage, promptly followed by Pete Doherty
mimicking this act on Stage 2/NME and Mika
donning a white t-shirt and green bottoms for the occasion (eventually completing the outfit with an orange beret thrown at him by a member of the audience).
and Tori Amos
were involved in an incident backstage. Damon Gough tried to approach Amos backstage to say hello, but was pushed back repeatedly by one of her minders. As he was on before Amos on the Pet Sounds stage later that evening, a clearly irked Gough reportedly said "Tori Amos can wait" as his set ran over, and Amos's crew began setting up around him. When he tried again to approach her backstage as she was getting into a car, he was again pushed back and "banged the car's bonnet" and "threw his Jack Daniels against the windscreen".
, actress Susan Sarandon
, her actor partner Tim Robbins
, singer Michael Stipe
and actors Josh Hartnett
and Stephen Rea
. Damien Dempsey
, who performed at the 2006 festival
, and R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills
were spotted watching Sinéad O'Connor
on the Pet Sounds Stage. Slane Castle
's Lord Henry Mountcharles and model Glenda Gilson
also attended. Kate Moss
was not to be seen as Pete Doherty
took to the stage with Babyshambles
, having ended her relationship with the controversial singer the previous week. The presence of members of R.E.M. preceded their appearance at Oxegen '08 as Saturday night headliners.
arrested approximately 80 people at Oxegen 2007 which, according to official reports, is about the same number as the 2006 festival
. 45 people were detained for public order offences, while one person was arrested for assault
. 17 people were detained by gardaí at the concert site for possession of drugs whilst more than 20 people were arrested en route to the festival, following finds of small quantities of drugs in searches of coaches and cars. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhkfidcwauql/ Judge Flann Brennan, who heard these cases at Castleblayney
District Court on Monday 16 July, jokingly suggested that the festival should be renamed Intoxegen because of the number of fans arrested for alleged drugs offences.
The anti-social behaviour led to a statement of condemnation from MCD, viewable at Oxegen.ie. MCD have asked anyone who attended the festival this year to email or write about their concerns to Denis Desmond, Managing Director of MCD, or to email an MCD contact address. It remains to be seen if these complaints will be taken seriously by MCD, or suppressed as happened in 2006
.
* denotes cancelled performance
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, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness
Witnness
Witnness was an Irish music festival, sponsored by Guinness, which ran for four consecutive summers from 2000 to 2003. Originally it was held at Fairyhouse Racecourse in County Meath, but it was moved to Punchestown Racecourse in County Kildare for its final year...
in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 7 July and Sunday, 8 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,...
. The festival was headlined by Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
and 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...
on the Saturday and The Killers on the Sunday. The Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
concerts occurred around the world on the same day as the Saturday of Oxegen '07.
Tickets
Tickets went on general sale at 8 am on Friday 2 March 2007. These sold out in under seventy minutes. The price of a day ticket rose to €96.50, a weekend ticket cost €177.50, whilst the price of a weekend ticket plus camping this year rose to €197.50 (roughly the same price as a three-day Electric PicnicElectric Picnic
The 2005 festival took place on Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September. It is best remembered for Arcade Fire's performance which came before their subsequent mainstream success...
ticket), as compared to €160 in 2006. As in 2006, it was possible to purchase four weekend camping tickets together and receive a free car parking ticket. As with previous years, a number of pre-sale tickets went on sale on 10 November 2006 at the same price as the 2006 festival. On 28 February, mtv.co.uk released a limited number of tickets for sale until they went on general sale on 2 March.
Unofficial leaks
Snow PatrolSnow 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...
issued a come-and-get-me plea to the organisers and, at the Meteor Music Awards
Meteor Music Awards
The Meteor Ireland Music Awards are a group of music awards in Ireland...
on 1 February 2007, lead singer 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 :...
confirmed that they would be appearing, stating that it would be their only Irish performance of the year. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0201/breaking89.htm They were the first band to confirm a definite appearance at the festival and were the second headline act on the Main Stage on Saturday 7 July.
In an interview with XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
singer Matt Bellamy
Matthew Bellamy
Matthew James Bellamy is an English musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, pianist, and main songwriter of the alternative rock band Muse.-Early life:...
let slip that the band would be playing in Ireland on 7 July, which coincided with the Saturday of the Oxegen festival. http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=351323 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6366253.stm Muse later confirmed themselves for the Oxegen Festival on their official website http://www.muse.mu/index.php and were announced on the official Oxegen website to be headlining the Main Stage on Saturday 7 July alongside Snow Patrol.
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:...
printed an article on pages two and three of that day's paper, stating that Arcade Fire would be appearing at Oxegen 07 and that it would be their only Irish festival performance this year. Also confirmed by the newspaper were Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
, Interpol
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
, Cansei de Ser Sexy and Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
. This was later confirmed as true by Tom Dunne
Tom Dunne
Thomas 'Tom' Dunne is an Irish radio broadcaster with Newstalk. He presents The Tom Dunne Show on weekday mornings between 10:00am and midday. He used to have a show called Pet Sounds on Today FM but gave it up...
that morning on the breakfast show on Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
. Phantom 105.2
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 ....
also stated that Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
, 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,...
and Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
had been confirmed.
Line-up officially announced
On 15 February, the official Oxegen website's home page disappeared to be replaced with a message that said: "Stand by for Oxegen 2007 news...". A number of acts were previously announced in a news flash on the official Oxegen website before being removed again.http://www.aquariusproperties.com/aqua/uploads/Oxe.jpg This news flash seemed to indicate that Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
, Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
and Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
would be part of the line-up but, out of these three, only Queens of the Stone Age made an actual appearance (headlining the Green Room on the Saturday night). http://www.aquariusproperties.com/aqua/uploads/Oxe.jpg NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
ran with a similar story (confirming Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys) in its special Oasis tribute edition with the notable exclusion of Eminem.
The line-up was then officially announced at 10 am on Thursday 22 February on the official website, with the Independent and Phantom's exclusives proving very much to be true. On Wednesday 28 February, the official website announced more acts that were to play as the festival was officially launched. These included The Killers, Mika
Mika (singer)
Mika is a British singer-songwriter.After recording his first extended play, Dodgy Holiday EP, Mika released his first full-length studio album, Life in Cartoon Motion, on Island Records in 2007. Life in Cartoon Motion sold more than 5.6 million copies worldwide and helped Mika win a Brit...
, Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
and The Gossip
The Gossip
Gossip is a three-piece American indie rock band formed in 1999. The band consists of singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control . A follow-up, Music for...
. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music-gigs/news/article2316085.ece http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0228/oxegen.html Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
had also announced themselves on their official website as playing on Sunday 8 July, but according to the Oxegen website they were to play on the Saturday (which they eventually did).
Little Man Tate (band)
Little Man Tate were a four-piece indie rock band from Sheffield, England who formed in 2005. They broke up in 2009. The band quickly began attracting interest from several record labels and in March 2006 signed to V2 Records, later parting ways in November 2007...
, Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
, Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari are a British band, that combine post-hardcore with elements of various electronic genres, formed in 2003 in St Albans, Hertfordshire. The band is named after a boat belonging to Roughton "Rou" Reynolds' uncle, and a character in a play which he wrote before forming the band, both of...
, Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
, Bright Eyes, The Long Blondes
The Long Blondes
The Long Blondes were a five-piece English indie rock band formed in Sheffield, United Kingdom in 2003 by Dorian Cox , Reenie Hollis , Emma Chaplin , Kate Jackson and Screech Louder .After several critically...
, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, now based in Los Angeles. BRMC is known for their garage rock, blues, folk revival, neo-psychedelia sound. They are influenced by bands such as: The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Verve, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, T...
, 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...
, Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
, Jamie T
Jamie T
Jamie Alexander Treays , known by his stage name Jamie T, is an English singer/songwriter from Wimbledon, South London.-Early life:Jamie Alexander Treays, was born in Wimbledon, South-West London...
, The Maccabees
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...
, The Pigeon Detectives
The Pigeon Detectives
The Pigeon Detectives are an English indie rock band from Rothwell, West Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. They have been championed by such well known DJs as Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley, and performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2006, where they were tagged "the band most likely to leap to...
, The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
, Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello is a Gypsy punk band from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, formed in 1999 and known for theatrical stage shows and persistent touring.Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music...
and Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars.
On 11 May, a total of 14 new acts was officially announced on the website, including: Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
, Rodrigo y Gabriela
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Rodrigo y Gabriela , also known as "El Rodri y La Gabi", are a Mexican musical duo who specialize in playing fast, rhythmic acoustic guitars...
, Satellite Party, Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American eclectic musical group led by Anton Newcombe, whose music spans multiple genres including psychedelia, electronica, folk music, blues, experimental music, and many others....
, Albert Hammond, Jr., 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...
, Soulsavers
Soulsavers
Soulsavers are an English production and remix team composed of Rich Machin and Ian Glover. The Soulsavers' downtempo electronica sound incorporates influences of rock, gospel, soul, and country...
, The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
, Cold War Kids
Cold War Kids
Cold War Kids are an American indie rock band from Long Beach, California. Band members are Nathan Willett , Jonnie Russell , Matt Maust , and Matt Aveiro .-History:...
, Mr Hudson & The Library
Mr Hudson & The Library
Benjamin Hudson McIldowie , known professionally as Mr Hudson, is an English R&B/pop artist based in London, England. Mr Hudson is signed to produce Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music...
, Charlotte Hatherley
Charlotte Hatherley
Charlotte Franklin Hatherley is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. She initially came to prominence as guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Ash. Since departing Ash in 2006, she has found success as a solo artist...
and The Immediate
The Immediate
The Immediate were an avant-garde Irish rock quartet, based in Malahide. They made a considerable impact on the Irish music scene despite releasing only one album during the span of their association together. The album was In Towers and Clouds . It received primarily positive critical feedback and...
. However within 48 hours, The Immediate's participation in the festival was cancelled when they announced on their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page that they were "splitting up due to existential differences". http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-irish_news/the-immediate-split-up-/spId/89E50F81-F7D1-A715-417F1D3656EC3ED6.html. The announcement of acts to play the festival was supposed be completed by the end of May according to the organisers but this was not the case.
A number of bands also announced themselves for the 2007 festival via their own websites, MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
or Bebo
Bebo
Bebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
pages. These included Delorentos
Delorentos
Delorentos are a Dublin-based Irish alternative rock band, formed in 2005. They consist of Rónan Yourell , Kieran McGuinness , Níal Conlan and Ross McCormick...
(Bebo and MySpace) who will be performing on the Pet Sounds Stage on the Saturday this year, The Sounds
The Sounds
The Sounds are a Swedish Indie Rock band. Formed in Helsingborg in 1999, the group's musical style has been compared to New Wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, the Epoxies and Missing Persons....
(MySpace) and The Bravery
The Bravery
The Bravery is an American rock band from New York City that consists of Sam Endicott , Michael Zakarin , John Conway , Mike Hindert , and Anthony Burulcich...
(MySpace) who have both announced that they will be playing at Oxegen on the Sunday, and 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...
(MySpace) who announced that they would be playing at Oxegen on the Saturday. The Thrills
The Thrills
The Thrills are an Irish rock band, formed in 2001 in Dublin, Ireland. The band was founded by lead vocalist Conor Deasy and guitarist Daniel Ryan, guitarist and bass player Padraic McMahon, pianist Kevin Horan and drummer Ben Carrigan. Their big break came with their debut album, So Much for the...
and The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
were previously announced on entertainment.ie.
New additions
- A competition was held in the run-up to the festival to determine the identity of the two bands which would open the New Band Stage. The winners were My Ok Hotel and Miracle Bell.
- The Laughter Lounge was added to the festival. It was headlined on the Saturday night by Joe RooneyJoe RooneyJoe Rooney is an Irish actor and comedian. His best known acting role at home and abroad is that of Father Damo in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. He features in one episode, series two's "The Old Grey Whistle Theft"...
and the Sunday night by David McSavageDavid McSavageDavid McSavage is an Irish comedy writer and performer. He has performed at national and international comedy festivals such as the Kilkenny Comedy Festival, and appeared on Irish television comedy programmes, including The Savage Eye...
. - The NMENMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
Stage was rebranded as Stage 2/NME. - For the first time in 2007, there was a special family area in the campsite reserved for festival-goers with children under 12. However a special car pass was needed for entry to this area and this could be booked via the official website.
- Tangerine Fields was a scheme whereby the festival-goer's campsite was ready pitched. The tents, tipis and yurts were located in a private campsite, with its own showers, toilets and parking areas.
- Camping packs were available to purchase from the official website and included a substantial range of items including a sleeping bag, torch and tent.
- Tent Aid was a scheme operated by Scouting Ireland. For campers who had trouble pitching their tent, members of the scouting agency assisted for a charitable donation. Campers wishing to recycle their tents after the festival could leave them to be collected by Tent Aid where they were sent to Africa to be reused.
Weather
The Kooks
The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...
's performance on the Main Stage on the Sunday, music fans frolicked in the tedious conditions and sparked off a sequence of raucous mud fights which led to many being bustled away by stewards. Conditions made the car-parks untenable and gardaí
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
eventually took the step on the Saturday morning to shut down all car parks on the Punchestown site, asking those day-trippers who had not yet arrived to avail of the free public transport from 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...
. http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0707/oxegen.html Punchestown Racecourse was later compared to the Somme.
Performances
Notable performances at the festival included MuseMuse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
's' headlining performance on the Saturday night, complete with the sensational sound and spectacular pyrotechnics that wowed Wembley Stadium earlier this summer, Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
's light show on Stage 2/NME Stage on the Sunday night, The Killer's performance the same night, which featured an impressive visual spectacle, Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
(at which frontman Jake Shears
Jake Shears
Jake Shears is the lead male vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters.-Early life and education:...
's drew attention to himself by stripping down to a towel and rolling around in the mud in front of the moshpit, after previously climbing the stage rigging), http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0709/oxegenblog.html a bewildered Lovefoxxx
Lovefoxxx
Luísa Hanae Matsushita , better known by her stage name Lovefoxxx, is the Brazilian lead singer of indie-electro band Cansei de Ser Sexy.-Biography:...
of CSS being corrected by the crowd after she asked if they were in Dublin, as well as Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
's rousing performance on the Sunday afternoon as frontman Kele Okereke
Kele Okereke
Kelechukwu "Kele" Rowland Okereke is a British musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the indie rock band Bloc Party.-Early life:...
leaped off the stage and called for the crowd to get "violent". The Kooks
The Kooks
The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...
followed Bloc Party by playing to a mud-soaked crowd, notable mainly for the chaotic mud slinging that saw a number of security personnel humbled by raucous festivalgoers (and slippery surfaces)
Arcade Fire were next on the Main Stage to receive a rapturous reception from the Punchestown crowd, especially when frontman Win Butler
Win Butler
Win Butler is the lead vocalist and songwriter of the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire. His wife Régine Chassagne and his brother William Butler are both members of the band.-Life and career:...
claimed that 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...
were "responsible for the rain". http://www.kildaretoday.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3866&ArticleID=3048325 He also stated that their performance, along with many of their other Irish shows, had been one of their best. This set featured, amongst other things, a beautiful rainbow to accompany "No Cars Go
No Cars Go
"No Cars Go" is a song by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It is the fourth single released from the band's second full-length album, Neon Bible...
" (pictured), band members Richard Reed Parry
Richard Parry (musician)
Richard Reed Parry is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist, composer and member of the indie rock band Arcade Fire, where he plays double bass, celesta, keyboards, drums, guitar, and accordion. He is also a member of the Bell Orchestre, in which he primarily plays double bass and is the de facto...
and Will Butler duelling with drum sticks on the stage rigging, and euphoric singalongs to set closers "Intervention
Intervention (song)
"Intervention" is a song by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It is the third single released from the band's second full-length album, Neon Bible. The single was released to digital retailers on December 28, 2006, and was released as a 7" vinyl in the UK under Rough Trade Records on May 21,...
" and "Wake Up
Wake Up (Arcade Fire song)
"Wake Up" is an indie rock song by Canadian rock band Arcade Fire. It was the fifth and final single released from the band's debut album, Funeral. The single was released as a one-sided 7" vinyl record on November 14, 2005.-Reception:...
".http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0709/oxegenblog.html
The Pigeon Detectives
The Pigeon Detectives are an English indie rock band from Rothwell, West Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. They have been championed by such well known DJs as Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley, and performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2006, where they were tagged "the band most likely to leap to...
's performance was also memorable as frontman Matt Bowman informed the crowd that he was too clean and then asked if anyone in the audience had any mud or muddy trainers that they could throw at him. This request was readily carried out by the crowd. Bowman himself then proceeded to pick up an armful of mud from the stage and rubbed it over his head. Later he ran down to the crowd, inviting fans to rub his hair, whilst at the end of their popular single "I'm Not Sorry
I'm Not Sorry
"I'm Not Sorry" is the third single from The Pigeon Detectives and is featured on their debut album Wait For Me. It reached #12 in the UK Top 40. , it is The Pigeon Detectives' highest charting UK hit...
", he jumped off the stage into the crowd. This performance left Stage 2/NME noticeably caked in mud for the rest of the festival.
Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
completely changed her attire (including wig) midway through her performance and 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"...
caught a banana that was thrown at him by a member of the audience in mid-song before changing the lyrics of his recent single "The Girls
The Girls (song)
"The Girls" is the second single of Scottish electropop artist Calvin Harris. It was released on 4 June 2007, prior to the release of his debut album, I Created Disco. "The Girls" was Harris' highest charting single on the Official UK Top 40, as of 10 June 2007, "The Girls" has reached a peak of #3...
" to "I love Irish girls". The View
The View (band)
The View are a Scottish indie rock band. They incorporate various styles such as punk, pop, alternative rock, pop punk, powerpop, folk, and acoustic in their music....
arrived by helicopter just minutes before they were due to appear, while Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
performed a set that included a cover of the Blink 182 song "All the Small Things
All the Small Things
"All the Small Things" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the second single released from the band's third album Enema of the State...
".
Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
's Nic Cester
Nic Cester
Nicholas John "Nic" Cester is an Australian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, and is the lead vocalist in rock band Jet...
ran energetically around the Green Room whilst Sam Endicott
Sam Endicott
Sam Endicott is the lead singer of the The Bravery.- History :Endicott grew up in Brookmont a Washington, DC, suburb of Bethesda, Maryland...
of The Bravery
The Bravery
The Bravery is an American rock band from New York City that consists of Sam Endicott , Michael Zakarin , John Conway , Mike Hindert , and Anthony Burulcich...
also launched himself into the Green Room crowd at the end of the band's set. Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari are a British band, that combine post-hardcore with elements of various electronic genres, formed in 2003 in St Albans, Hertfordshire. The band is named after a boat belonging to Roughton "Rou" Reynolds' uncle, and a character in a play which he wrote before forming the band, both of...
singer Rou Reynolds joined fans in the front few rows, throwing himself into the crowd several times during their Green Room set, whilst the band also bounced on a trampoline on stage. On the Pet Sounds Stage, having managed to drown out Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
who were on the NME Stage at the same time, 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...
had stewards pull his younger brother out of the crowd and up onto the stage so they could perform a song together. Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
, playing in the Green Room on the Saturday night, and 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...
, playing on the Main Stage on the Sunday afternoon, both made their third consecutive appearance at Oxegen.
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
on Stage 2/NME on the Saturday were surprised to witness 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,...
, fresh from their Main Stage set, walking through the crowd to gain access to the backstage area to watch Interpol's set. They briefly stopped for photographs with amazed fans. Interpol's set was also well received and they were one of the first bands to use lights and smoke in their set as the night progressed. Watching Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian band, CSS on Stage 2/NME were members of Arcade Fire alongside Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
and Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
.
Fears over the ability of 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...
to appear http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-festivals/babyshambles-oxegen-set-looks-safe/spId/95E064DD-0948-579C-8FA4913112480F4B.html proved unfounded as he was reported to have gone on a booze session and then slept on a mattress for two hours in his dressing room before taking to Stage 2/NME with Babyshambles
Babyshambles
Babyshambles are an English indie rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from his former band The Libertines, but Babyshambles has since become his main project . Babyshambles has released two albums, three EPs and a number of singles...
. The band then went on to watch Bright Eyes perform on the Pet Sounds Stage. However Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
threw the Sunday line-up on Stage 2/NME into chaos by pulling out of the festival. http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-festivals/amy-winehouse-a-doubt-for-oxegen/spId/96FA28EA-F33F-9956-C65CA71145F2FDE9.html As a result many of the acts performing on that stage, such as The Thrills
The Thrills
The Thrills are an Irish rock band, formed in 2001 in Dublin, Ireland. The band was founded by lead vocalist Conor Deasy and guitarist Daniel Ryan, guitarist and bass player Padraic McMahon, pianist Kevin Horan and drummer Ben Carrigan. Their big break came with their debut album, So Much for the...
, CSS, Dogs and My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
, began earlier or later than planned, to the disapproval of some fans. Another casualty was 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...
keyboardist, Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson (musician)
Tom Simpson is a Scottish DJ and musician, best known as the keyboardist of the Northern Irish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has been with Snow Patrol as a touring member since 1997 and became a permanent one in 2005. In 2007, he was arrested on drug charges, but was later...
who was arrested following the band's appearance at Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
on the same day as their Oxegen performance. Despite this misfortune, the rest of the band carried on as planned as they performed a well-received headlining set that included "Run
Run (Snow Patrol song)
"Run" is a cover of the Snow Patrol song by Leona Lewis on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge on 31 October 2007. She later released the song as a single from Spirit: The Deluxe Edition in November 2008. At the time, "Run" was the UK's fastest-selling digital only release ever, selling 69,244 copies in just...
", "Chasing Cars
Chasing Cars
"Chasing Cars" is the second single from Snow Patrol's fourth album, Eyes Open. It was recorded in 2005 and released on 6 June 2006 in the US and 24 July 2006 in the UK as the album's second single....
" and "Open Your Eyes
Open Your Eyes (Snow Patrol song)
"Open Your Eyes" is a song by the alternative rock band Snow Patrol It has been released as the fifth single in total from the 2006 album Eyes Open . The song was released on 12 February 2007.-Music video:...
". http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-irish_news/snow-patrol-star-arrested/spId/AAAD0AAC-D929-612D-A47B9348AF5D891A.html They even questioned if their loyal fans would rather be over in the Green Room watching Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
instead before dedicating a song to the band. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0709/oxegenblog.html
The Wombats
The Wombats are an indie rock band formed in Liverpool, England. The band comprises native Liverpudlians Matthew Murphy and Dan Haggis , alongside Norwegian-born Tord Øverland-Knudsen...
, 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...
, New Young Pony Club
New Young Pony Club
New Young Pony Club are an English electronic band from London, consisting of members from London, Hereford, Cambridge and Bromley. Their influences are prominently from post-punk and New Wave....
, Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
, Cherry Ghost
Cherry Ghost
Cherry Ghost is an indie rock band from Bolton, England. Their debut album, Thirst for Romance, was released in July 2007 and entered the UK Album Charts at #7...
and Air Traffic
Air Traffic
Air Traffic was a British alternative rock band from Bournemouth. Formed in 2003, the band consists of Chris Wall , David Ryan Jordan , Tom Pritchard and Jim Maddock ....
.
There were constant references to 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,...
in the performances of some of the international acts with Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
's Ana Matronic
Ana Matronic
Ana Matronic is the female lead singer for the Scissor Sisters.Her stage name is said to be due to "a deep and abiding love of robots"...
announcing the numerous counties of Ireland from where herself and her bandmates originated (including County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
and County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
), Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
's Kele Okereke
Kele Okereke
Kelechukwu "Kele" Rowland Okereke is a British musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the indie rock band Bloc Party.-Early life:...
hoisting a tricolour up on the Main Stage, promptly followed by 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...
mimicking this act on Stage 2/NME and Mika
Mika (singer)
Mika is a British singer-songwriter.After recording his first extended play, Dodgy Holiday EP, Mika released his first full-length studio album, Life in Cartoon Motion, on Island Records in 2007. Life in Cartoon Motion sold more than 5.6 million copies worldwide and helped Mika win a Brit...
donning a white t-shirt and green bottoms for the occasion (eventually completing the outfit with an orange beret thrown at him by a member of the audience).
Backstage
According to entertainment.ie and NME.com, Badly Drawn BoyBadly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
and Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
were involved in an incident backstage. Damon Gough tried to approach Amos backstage to say hello, but was pushed back repeatedly by one of her minders. As he was on before Amos on the Pet Sounds stage later that evening, a clearly irked Gough reportedly said "Tori Amos can wait" as his set ran over, and Amos's crew began setting up around him. When he tried again to approach her backstage as she was getting into a car, he was again pushed back and "banged the car's bonnet" and "threw his Jack Daniels against the windscreen".
VIP guests
Guests to have been spotted in the VIP area included supermodel Helena ChristensenHelena Christensen
Helena Christensen is a Danish fashion model, Victoria's Secret Angel, beauty queen, and photographer. She has also served as creative director for Nylon magazine, designed clothing, and supported funding for breast cancer organizations and other charities.-Early life:Christensen was born in...
, actress Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
, her actor partner Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
, singer Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
and actors Josh Hartnett
Josh Hartnett
Joshua Daniel "Josh" Hartnett is an American actor and aspiring producer. He first came to audiences' attention in 1997 as "Michael Fitzgerald" in the television series Cracker. He made his feature film debut in 1998, co-starring with Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later for Miramax...
and Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto...
. Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social comment on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger society.-Early life:...
, who performed at the 2006 festival
Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006 was the third Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 8 July and Sunday, 9 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
, and R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills
Mike Mills
Michael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
were spotted watching Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
on the Pet Sounds Stage. Slane Castle
Slane Castle
Slane Castle is located in the town of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family home of the Conyngham Marquessate since the 18th century....
's Lord Henry Mountcharles and model Glenda Gilson
Glenda Gilson
Glenda Gilson is an Irish model and television presenter.-Career:In August 2006, Gilson embarked on a presenting career, appearing as the face of Irish music channel Bubble Hits hosting the news and entertainment show Glenda's Showbiz Gossip...
also attended. Kate Moss
Kate Moss
Kate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
was not to be seen as 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...
took to the stage with Babyshambles
Babyshambles
Babyshambles are an English indie rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from his former band The Libertines, but Babyshambles has since become his main project . Babyshambles has released two albums, three EPs and a number of singles...
, having ended her relationship with the controversial singer the previous week. The presence of members of R.E.M. preceded their appearance at Oxegen '08 as Saturday night headliners.
Crime
GardaíGarda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
arrested approximately 80 people at Oxegen 2007 which, according to official reports, is about the same number as the 2006 festival
Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006 was the third Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 8 July and Sunday, 9 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
. 45 people were detained for public order offences, while one person was arrested for assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
. 17 people were detained by gardaí at the concert site for possession of drugs whilst more than 20 people were arrested en route to the festival, following finds of small quantities of drugs in searches of coaches and cars. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhkfidcwauql/ Judge Flann Brennan, who heard these cases at Castleblayney
Castleblayney
Castleblayney or Castleblaney is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town has a population of about 3,000.Castleblayney lies near the border with County Armagh and is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry...
District Court on Monday 16 July, jokingly suggested that the festival should be renamed Intoxegen because of the number of fans arrested for alleged drugs offences.
Reaction
MCD spokesman Justin Green said: "The reaction from the 80,000 fans is that it's been the best festival to date. It's been a massive success despite the rain."Disturbances
This year's Oxegen festival was again the site for anti-social and criminal behaviour, despite claims from organisers MCD that security would be much more robust this year, after the Irish press picked up on apparent 'rioting' and an alleged stabbing that occurred at Oxegen 2006. However, with the closing of the Oxegen website's forum and an external, unofficial forum set up later, by threat of legal action from MCD, many believe that MCD tried to cover up the problems at Oxegen 2006.The anti-social behaviour led to a statement of condemnation from MCD, viewable at Oxegen.ie. MCD have asked anyone who attended the festival this year to email or write about their concerns to Denis Desmond, Managing Director of MCD, or to email an MCD contact address. It remains to be seen if these complaints will be taken seriously by MCD, or suppressed as happened in 2006
Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006 was the third Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 8 July and Sunday, 9 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
.
Clean-up
A huge clean-up operation began at the site on the Monday morning following the festival. More than 1000 staff and personnel worked around the clock for 24 hours to clear tents, litter and stage equipment from the site.Awards
- InterpolInterpol (band)Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
's performance at Oxegen on 7 July was voted second best gig of 2007 by entertainment.ieEntertainment.ieentertainment.ie is a Dublin-based Irish website which provides extensive cinema, TV, live music, theatre, comedy, exhibition and festival listings for free, as well as celebrity gossip, music and movie news, movie and DVD reviews, CD reviews and up-to-date lottery results.The site was developed in...
.http://entertainment.ie/music/music-news-article.asp?NewsID=18076 - The BlizzardsThe BlizzardsThe 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...
won the 2008 Best Live Irish Performance Meteor Award for their performance at Oxegen on 8 July. http://www.rteguide.ie/2007/1130/meteorawards.html - MuseMuse (band)Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
won 2008 Best Live International Performance Meteor Award for their performance at Oxegen on 7 July. - On 10 January 2008, Oxegen won a Gooseberry Award for Worst Gig of 2007.
Stages
Oxegen 2007 had at least seven stages. These included the Main Stage, Stage 2/NME, the Green Room, the Pet Sounds Arena, the Dance Arena, the New Bands Stage and one new addition, the Laughter Lounge.- The Main Stage was headlined by MuseMuse (band)Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
and The Killers. - Stage 2/NME was headlined by Rodrigo y GabrielaRodrigo y GabrielaRodrigo y Gabriela , also known as "El Rodri y La Gabi", are a Mexican musical duo who specialize in playing fast, rhythmic acoustic guitars...
and Daft PunkDaft PunkDaft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
. - The Green Room was headlined by Queens of the Stone AgeQueens of the Stone AgeQueens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
and JamesJames (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"...
. - The Pet Sounds Arena was headlined by Wu Tang Clan and Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
. - The MTV Dance Arena was headlined by 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....
and Erol AlkanErol AlkanErol Alkan is a London-based electro DJ of Turkish Cypriot descent.-DJ and club promoter:In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various Indie nightclubs in London....
. - The New Bands Stage was headlined by I'm From BarcelonaI'm from BarcelonaI'm from Barcelona is a pop group from Jönköping, Sweden, best known for its 29 band members and eclectic mix of instruments such as clarinets, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, banjos, accordions, kazoos, guitars, drums, and keyboards among others...
and The SoundsThe SoundsThe Sounds are a Swedish Indie Rock band. Formed in Helsingborg in 1999, the group's musical style has been compared to New Wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, the Epoxies and Missing Persons....
. - The Laughter Lounge was headlined by Joe RooneyJoe RooneyJoe Rooney is an Irish actor and comedian. His best known acting role at home and abroad is that of Father Damo in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. He features in one episode, series two's "The Old Grey Whistle Theft"...
and David McSavageDavid McSavageDavid McSavage is an Irish comedy writer and performer. He has performed at national and international comedy festivals such as the Kilkenny Comedy Festival, and appeared on Irish television comedy programmes, including The Savage Eye...
.
2007 Line-up
The main acts that played the festival:http://www.oxegen.ie/line_up.php| Saturday 7 July Main Stage
Stage 2/NME
Green Room
Pet Sounds
New Band/Futures Stage
MTV Dance Arena
Laughter Lounge
|
   Main Stage
Stage 2/NME
Green Room
Pet Sounds
New Band/Futures Stage
MTV Dance Arena
Laughter Lounge
|
* denotes cancelled performance