I was fortunate enough to win two camping tickets for Oxegen 2006 off the Dave Fanning show on 2FM back in March 2006, it was on one of those nights when I should have been studying, what’s that?
On Friday the 7th July I got a phone call from Tom Dunne(Today FM) who was to be doing the Pets Sounds stage at Oxegen, he wanted to know how I was going to get to Oxegen and how prepared or unprepared I was. He said that 2 FM would ring me over the course of the weekend, so off I set with gas cooker, poncho, eggs, bread, beans, rice, oil, noodles, Irish stew in a can and 2 slabs of beer (Fosters as always).
And of course the comfort accessories to include Aldi tent, sleeping bag, 3 legged folding chair all packed into a giant rucksack that was taller than me.
At round 6 on Friday evening we arrived to Punchestown Race course and then had to choose among 5 of us where to go. campsite A or B. “Which is closest?” “A I think”, so it was decided A was the hotel for the weekend.
No matter how much planning or not you do, that walk is always a killer especially with 2 slabs of beer on your shoulder.
We ended up walking to Camp area A22, don’t know why, it jus felt like the right thing to do, we wanted to see where that white bricked road ended up. Tent up, feet up, chill, sit, drink and banter.
Best nite to be at Oxegen is the Friday, everyone goes crazy and it’s more a gathering of soul stumbling going on. There was a bet on to see how many camping pegs we could collect, the wan that got the most got a slab of beer. But it didn’t work out coz I got caught and chased by this dude who thankfully was off his face and fell while running after us.
Saturday
Fri nite came and went, Saturday everyone’s hopes were drown literally, it poured down from the early hours till about 3 or
The first band I saw was Bic Runga at the Pet sounds stage, very chilled out start, then Jose Gonzalez who was taken aback and had to stop playing his well known ‘Heartbeats’ song as everyone had joined in. He put in a particularly soothing performance, ‘Crosses’ coming across a crowd pleaser also.
Then came We are Scientists and Dirt Pretty things, The sun showed itself later on in the afternoon, have a few blanks where the hours flow by rapidly, then The Who and The Sorely missed Mr James Brown got his funk on in style. (RIP)
Sunday
Sunday started off with everyone a wee bit woozy, the beer and craic from the nite before needed to be replenished, I had some beans and French toast, no queuing for me.
Last band was the Chili’s who put in an average performance in my opinion, then the partays began, kickin’ off the last nite of an exciting, exhausting but equally exhilarating July weekend.
Monday
“O my head”, last day was Monday, with the alcohol low and the sun starting to rise in the sky, Carnage began to take hold, packing up time is not the nicest after a savage weekend, by the end of the festival YOU WILL have made friends with everyone from the next door neighbor to the cleanest toilet cubicle. And then there’s always room for romance, you could find the woman/man of your dreams or some fun in the sun. Sitting in a field doesn’t seem like the best place to meet some one but it happens I can testify to that. Savage Cabbage.
And finally for the whole weekend, I spent a grand total of €7.50, all due to my fantastic cooking skills, don’t knock it, if it saves you €€€’s and also the time queuing for the rubber burger.
So get your ticket, tent, sleeping bag and all related paraphernalia cause its coming, with the line up at the moment been Muse, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, the beautiful Tori Amos and many more still to be announced..
I would like to mention a significant incident that happened at the Oxegen weekend 2006, a crash occurred in Co. Laois where 3 Festival goers died in an unnecessary car accident, remember to drive safe on your way home from the festival, don’t drive if your still inebriated, its not worth the carnage.
B safe, B seen, Breath OxEgEn…
By Trevor Seery.
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