With the first festival of the summer on its way this weekend, it's high time to dig out those well-worn stories of festivals past.
We've all got them, those yarns of the weird and wonderful that could only happen at the slight remove from reality that is the festival setting.
With that in mind, we caught up with a few of the acts playing this year's Vantastival, and asked them to recount some of their best memories from years past.
King Kong Company:
"We couldn't find Aley (guitarist) right before the gig last year, he was moshing in front of the stage to the sounds of Rage Against The Machine – yes he was hammered.
The Vanhalla stage is always a wonderful place to hang out, but especially on a Sunday, cos no matter how much you stink after the weekend, it's always piney fresh. The addition of the pizza oven and coffee was a God send!
It's always comforting to see our favourite rigger, Mad Dog, at a festival. It's a festival stamp of approval and a lucky omen. He always seems to be in his element at Vantastival, there's lots of shit to climb! Thankfully he's easy to spot. If you run in to him at around 4AM with his accordion, you are in for a real treat.
Highlights from last year were watching The Barley Mob work the crowd, Mickey and The Scallywags work the stage and Mutefish work miracles – those lads have some constitution yo!
We're entering Lofty for the campervan cook-off this year. Eggs benedict with a Buckfast jus, served in a 17" Marshall Amp cone. Fierce fodder."
It's always comforting to see our favourite rigger, Mad Dog, at a festival.
Bionic Rats:
"Good memory from last year, our sax player Mason was playing the festival the night before with some other band. No one could find him so we went on without him. He had fallen asleep in his tent & as I could see him from stage coming across the field, I got the crowd to give him a good cheer as he was climbing onto the stage."
The Bonny Men:
"When we played the festival in 2013 the atmosphere was so chilled-out and friendly. We ended up playing an impromptu music session with a crowd of strangers in a tent that went on through the night."
Cry Monster Cry:
"Vantastival was the first music festival that we ever played as Cry Monster Cry so it will always have special significance to us. We first played as a two piece acoustically on a sunny day. The crowd were lovely and the vibe was great. We're glad to be heading back."
Almost Ghosts:
"My favourite memory comes from playing at Vantastival in 2013. One perk of festivals is that each band member is given tokens that can be redeemed for pints at the artists bar. Myself and a member of another band (who for discretion we shall call Don from tCif) ended up there on the second night.
Myself and Don had been bestowed the tokens of our band members as they had left the festival to play gigs with other bands or became horrendously unwell. Don and I, being both courageous and idiotic decided to cash in our loot in in one go. All I remember after this is Don wearing a massive fried-egg themed poncho at the front of the GoldenPlec stage singing to his heart’s content."
The Swedish Railway Orchestra:
"For us, last year last year we headlined the Vanhalla stage and didn't go on until 1.30am. Rob was passing out balloons and glowsticks to the crowd, so that view of the crowd with tons of glowsticks in the air was particularly awesome. We hope to top it this year somehow."
All I remember after this is Don wearing a massive fried-egg themed poncho...
We, the Oceanographers:
"I have been going to Vantastival for years now. I have some amazing memories from it, like the first time I saw the Gakk was at the very first Vantastival when it wasn't even in Bellurgan park, but Togher. The same year, I tried to steal my friend Ruirir's van, but I couldn't because there was an electronic keypad on it that wouldn't let it start, the bloody doors wouldn't lock but it had this James Bond like keypad for starting it.
A couple of years ago, I fainted during Le Galaxie cos I realised I hadn't eaten all day, and the woman at the hotdog stand just gave me a hotdog, she was a lovely woman! I remember buying a Bob Dylan picture that was engraved on slate, and had a great conversation with the guy running it about Rory Gallagher concerts he was at in the ‘70s (and Bob is hanging proudly in the bathroom now).
And last year, when we played our first Vantastival on the Melomania stage, but we were not the outfit we are now, didn't even have the same name! But it was great fun. We just had the craic and my mother gave myself and Conal a box of Fosters, couldn't have been happier!"
New Secret Weapon:
Griff (lead singer of NSW and production manager of Vantastival):
"I was barreling along my production track 2 years ago when a punter (in his 50's') seen my lights coming round a sharp bend. It was a real case of now you see him now ye dont as he disappeared off a bridge into a river!!
I had to get out and lift him out neck deep in mud and swill. Then I airlifted him to his camper. It was only once I was out of his company that I allowed my cackle to bellow across the Mourne Mountains. He was absolutely destroyed!"
For lots of people, this year's Vantastival will be their first. Not to worry though, as those heading along for the first time this weekend are in good company. Fellow Vantasti-virgins include:
The Blood Red Mountain Band:
"We don't have any stories yet, but I'm sure we'll have some after the weekend. Really looking forward to playing and seeing Cry Monster Cry and Delorentos, bit of archery and a good deal of chillin' out and soaking up the atmosphere. We're having a great week so far with our new single at number one in the iTunes country charts and the gig on the Goldenplec stage on Friday night will be the icing on the cake."
Corner Boy:
"This will be our first time playing it this year so no tales yet. Hoping to make a few this year though."
CPNHGN:
"This is our first Vantastival, but my favourite and least favourite memory of festivals is always that at the load back to the rehearsal room and in the weeks following, everything is covered in straw... I imagine Vantastival will be no different!