These guys are having a fantastic year. They have been at so many festivals around Ireland, Spain and other European festivals as they relentlessly knocked out superb sets all summer and everywhere they go, a huge crowd is following.

The Dublin Tall Ships Festival had them providing the late afternoon entertainment and next it’s onwards to Electric Picnic for the biggest festival of the year. If you haven’t seen Delorentos live yet then perhaps get your asses over to their set at EP.

We grabbed the guys for a 10 minute chat backstage at Indiependence to get their thoughts on festival life in general. Here’s what Níal and Kieran had to say.

Favourite song to play at a festival?
Níal – S.E.C.R.E.T. is always really good, it gets people jumped, we played in San Andare on Friday night, and they were jumping up and down, but jumping up and down in spanish.

Were they singing the lyrics back in spanish?
Kieran – They were, it was an approximation, it was great.

Is there any song you think wouldn’t work?
Níal – Yeah loads, all the slow songs.
Kieran – We’ve got a B side called punch the guy next to you really hard in the face. And we don’t play it at festival.
GP – It might incite a riot perhaps?
Kieran – yeah yeah.
Níal – We stopped playing the kinda slow piano or acoustic tunes live at festivals
GP – Just hit the beats and the bass?
Níal – Just hit the beats and the bass, exactly!
Kieran – To be honest with you.
Níal – Be Honest…
Kieran – I will, It’s kind of an upbeat greatest hits kind of vibe.

If you could duet with anyone on the Indiependence lineup?
Níal – Well we already have, with We Cut Corners and The Minutes at the JD Roots gig. We went out and were rehearsing that week and myself Shane and Thomas from The Minutes went out for a few beers, and started talking about the idea of doing an Irish Broken Social Scene type album, which we never got around to. They are great bands, both those bands musicianship is ridiculously good, especially when you see them doing cover version as the other bands learning songs at the same pace as you. And doing what they would do to the song as opposed to what you would
do. They would be two great bands to play with. British Sea Power!!! What are we talking about, duet with them.
Kieran – Kylie Minogue!
GP – I’m not sure she’s on the Indie lineup but we’ll roll with it
Níal – We if you say any stage over the Indiependence lineup. Danny Minogue played 2004 or something like that.
GP – So Danny Minogue is your choice of duet…
Kieran – No I’m just basing this on her musical talent and the legacy of music she has left behind for future generations.

If you could have anything on your festival rider, what would it be?
Níal – Money.
Kieran – A Veil of Cash.
Níal – I currently have 4c to my name.
Kieran – Last year it was four bags of chips, but now it’s curry chips.
GP – so you’re moving up in the world!
Níal – Next year it’s going to be cheesy curry chips.
GP – bit of garlic dip, maybe some taco?
Kieran – Whoa Whoa relax.
GP – I have big aspirations for you guys.
Kieran – There’s a difference between ambition and greed Aidan!
Níal – Genuinely in the fantasy world, I was reading about this guy, who used to run McDonald’s and he has a new restaurant but it’s super healthy food, but really weird combinations of food. They only have 1 restaurant so far in California, so anything from that restaurant would be in my rider.
GP – Did you ever heard about Rage Against the Machine requesting a ping-pong table, playing one game and asking it to be removed again
Níal – Amazing!
Kieran – That is Amazing!
GP – You’d never go that ridiculous, keep your feet on the ground?
Kieran – I want a ping pong table now, now that you’ve said it…
Níal – Can we request for our feet to not be kept on the ground?
GP – Yeah no problem, magic carpets are easily found.
Kieran – Swings perhaps

Do you ever Camp at festivals or do you posh it up?
Níal – Used to camp, not anymore because we normally have a gig before or afterwards.
Kieran – We’ll probably be camping at Electric Picnic, we’ve just been announced for that.
Níal – Do you remember that program, that used to have “are you laughing, I’m laughing”, and it was a guy who used to do the games reviews.
Kieran – Her name was Fidelma…
Níal– No argggg, anyway, see that “like it love it” thing?
GP – Yeah we kinda remember it.
Níal – Ah you don’t know, I’m not participating till I remember this.
Kieran – I’ll answer Qs so.
Níal – Mary Kingston!!!!
Kieran – He want’s her on his festival rider.

What do you care for at music festivals?
Kieran – That’s a brilliant question, do you see what he did there! I dunno, I “care for” good music and good craic, everyone loves festivals and hates festivals for the same reasons.
Níal – Bog roll!
Kieran – Everyone gets annoyed at the stupid weather and the state of the place but there’s great music. Like at Electric Picnic last year I saw The Arcade Fire then walked across and saw The Walkmen. It was one of the best gigs I’ve ever seen, the night was unbelievable. That kind of thing. I saw Interpol 6 years ago at Oxegen and it was just an incredible gig.
Níal – I saw Arcade Fire in 2005. YES!
Kieran – You can go to three or four festivals a year and one band can be who you are talking about for years afterwards.

If you could pick 4 headliners for any festivals. 2 each. DelorentoFest. Who would it be?
Kieran – Mary Kingston…
GP – Obviously!
Níal – No do it seriously!
Kieran – At this moment in time, The Walkmen is a band I’m really into at the moment, Níal is going to go for some generic stuff, so I’ll go for something a little left field. I’d like to see The Pixies in their prime, The Beatles and The Pixies, both at their peak.
GP – and generic crap Níal?
Níal – Sorry more generic than Beatles, are you kidding me, “Yeah I think Mozart and The Beatles would be brilliant” **sarcasm**
Kieran – Mozart would be crap
Níal – What are you talking about
Kieran – At a festival like!
Níal – Well he would be in a tent obviously, When you think about it, Mozart would be in a tent, he wouldn’t even be on the main stage.
Kieran – and The Minutes would be on the other tent and it’s be like, c’mon lads, I wanna hear Mozart over there.
Níal – I think I know who I’d choose, I’d choose The Breeders and Tegan and Sara.
GP – They are actually interesting choices
Kieran – He’s only saying that, he was going to pick 5ive
Níal – You said The Beatles, you don’t get to say anything.

Any embarassing festival moments?
 Níal – The most embarassing thing, two nights ago (before Indiependence) we went to !!! and we went apeshit in a teeny bopper way, we went up to the front at the main stage and all the spanish were looking at us like, who are these idiots.
Kieran – Good craic though
Níal – It was deadly, wouldn’t swap it for the world.

How fast can Team Delo’s pitch a tent?
Níal – Kieran can pitch a tent very quickly, but it tends to fall down shortly afterwards….

Any SECRET hangover cures?
Níal – More alcohol obviously.

Any must have festival foods?
Níal – Fallafel.
Kieran – I just had a steak sandwich, it doesn’t sound very festivally or rustic. but it was very nice.
Níal – When we played at Sea Sessions the girls from Pie Minister were mouldy drunk, they must have eaten loads of pies.

If you never were in a band and we weren’t sitting here having this lovely interview. What jobs would you be doing right now?
Níal – I’d be making telly programs I think.
Kieran – I’d be working in radio, I love radio
GP – as a producer or DJ or what?
Kieran – I don’t know, I could be making the tea, but I love all that shit, but I used to love listening to radio when I was younger.

Delorentos will play Electric Picnic 2012, keep an eye on Goldenplec for the latest stage times to plan your weekend.