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FÉILE – THE ICONIC rock music festival of the ’90s – is making a comeback this year.
Those who came of age in the 90s will fondly remember the Trip to Tipp festival – which took place for the first time in Tipperary’s Semple Stadium in 1990.
The event was a haven for music lovers of all types to gather and hear some of the top international and Irish acts of the day.
Ireland was less of a destination for big names back then, which made the prospect of seeing top international acts like Blur, Meat Loaf, Iggy Pop and INXS among others take the stage, as well as a host of Irish bands and singers.
Before Electric Picnic, Oxegen or even Witness, there was Féile.
And this year it’s coming back to Tipperary’s Semple Stadium, but this time with a more sophisticated sheen as Féile Classical.
Gone are the days of sweaty fields crowded with teenagers and young adults, as well as the campsites and mosh pits of Féile’s past, replaced instead with a seated one evening event featuring prosecco bars and vegan food stalls – as well as a pick of clean toilets.
The acts this time round will stick with a mostly Irish feel, but they probably aren’t too far off what you might have heard back in the festival’s heyday.
Hothouse Flowers, Something Happens, the 4 of Us, an Emotional Fish and the Stunning are all set to feature. They will be accompanied by the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Tom Dunne – Newstalk broadcaster and frontman of Something Happens (who played the festival back in the 90s) is the man behind Féile Classical.
“The Trip to Tipp was the Mecca for Irish bands, a celebration of Irish rock music that had never been seen before,” he said.
“This concert has been in the ether for some time now, and myself and the bands are really excited to be collaborating with the Irish Chamber Orchestra to put together a glorious in your face celebration of a special time in Irish music!
Féile was special, it was iconic, it was our Woodstock and Féile Classical will be an even bigger, better, louder explosion of the best of those days and so much more.
Tickets will go on sale on Friday from €49.50 from Ticketmaster outlets.
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Was there in 94 in Thurles Stadium, camping on that racecourse nearby. Great festival, no scangers. Prodigy and Sounds Crowd Orchestra on stage
@Rear Admiral: 76 pathetic little middle class bigots.. and counting!!
I was excited until I got to ‘vegan food stalls’
Jesus wept …
@Dara O’Brien: a chipper that does just chips.
@John D12: ah they’d find some reason to protest against that too
Feile was just some of the best times of my life! Best of luck to them.
Prosecco bars and vegan food stalls, while sitting down and listening to some orchestral mishmash of brewing up a storm… how can in even be called Féile?
Incidentally their next project is to produce a movie about 3 estranged sisters who make amends during a cross country road trip to attend a great aunts funeral in Nebraska… and call it Jurassic Park 5
@Stephen Boland: Quality comment!
Transvision Vamp in ’91, Wendy James
Happy days
Feile was not the first multi day music festival in Ireland
@Mark Johnson: what?
@Naoimh Ó Murchadha: Lisdoonvarna and Macroom?
Castlebar…..”Occasion at the castle” weekend rock festival. Early 1980s.
Back in the days u could build a fire in the campsite and the after concert rave in the stands
Ah Jesus, brings back memories, some poor b&&&ard was always pushed over when in the portaloo.
Any yokes?
Geez sounds brilliant!!!
Great
Thurles music heads tried to revive Feile a few years ago too…..
@Mark Johnson: your comments are making no sense mark. What are you talking about?
@Naoimh Ó Murchadha: pretty clear to everyone else…
Adding in the word classical is a great way of dissuading “people referred to as scangers” like the way classical music has been successfully used in subway stations to reduce loitering and crime.
Could be great, but flip-side is this (coupled with nostalgic acts) is going attract more “people referred to as ..ahem.. boring”.
@Jazz Buckler: Dinosaur Dads in Reni hats boring everyone about “the good aul days” and when music wasn’t Shite before slipping off hometown catch an episode of Catastrophe
No offence Tom but you lads are the rest of the bands mentioned had their day. What an awful line-up
Before my time but from all accounts although it may have been a Mecca for Irish bands it was an absolute hell on earth for Irish music fans. A badly organised gathering full of drunken louts with very little by way of proper facilities on the ground.
Anyway, this is the new smooth corporate hipster version by all accounts.
@Gene Dexter: nah, it was brilliant! You weren’t there, you wouldn’t understand.
@Gene Dexter: u can’t help yourself can you, don’t know who u were talking to but feile was great craic
@Gene Dexter: Ridiculous comments on every article. Quite a sad little life you must have, by all accounts.
@Gene Dexter: if anyone wants to know the definition of a “snowflake” they only have to look at your comment. You’re actually complaining about an event you were too young to attend. Despite that I speak for all of us that were there and just want to thank you for taking offence on our behalf.
Can I bring my granny?
Féile mo thoín. Bring back the old line up maybe.
Feile ’93. Had my first experience there in a tent with my best buddy (first love) while his cousin slept beside us.
A few dates wouldn’t have gone astray…
The rave on the stand beside the horse parade pumped with tunes from a ghetoblaster. Followed in the morning with a visit to the Hare Krishna tent to get a wholesome breakfast of beans and rice. Simple delights
The rave on the stand beside the horse parade pumped with tunes from a ghetoblaster. Followed by a visit to the hare krishna tent for a breakfast of beans and rice. Happy days
Rave in the stand beside the horse parade pumped by tunes from a ghetoblaster. Followed by a trip to the hare Krishna tent for a breakfast of beans and rice. Happy days
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