Electric Picnic promoter Melvin Benn has said that preparations are in place for the 2021 edition of the festival but fans of acts lined up to play this year might be disappointed.
This weekend should have seen thousands of music fans descend on Stradbally for Electric Picnic but sadly, the coronavirus pandemic put paid to that. To alleviate some of that sadness, Mr. Benn has reassured fans that preparations are underway for next year's edition, albeit with a few changes to the 2020 version.
Rage Against The Machine, Snow Patrol and Chemical Brothers were just some of the acts that should have been performing this weekend and unfortunately, those who were looking forward to seeing them may have missed their chance. Speaking on the Dave Fanning Show on 2FM, Mr. Benn indicated that preparations have started afresh and this means that some of the acts due to appear this weekend will not be appearing in 2021.
He said: "We genuinely cancelled all of the artists and started afresh for 2021 and that's where we are now. We're beginning that planning for 2021 now and talking to different acts about their availability and touring plans."
He hinted that some artists may still be on the bill, adding: "There’s bound to be some crossover, but we genuinely cancelled all the artists and started afresh for 2021 and that’s where we are now. It’s a clean sheet of paper."
Just in case any Rage Against The Machine Fans still haven't gotten the message that they won't be seeing their idols on stage in Co. Laois, Mr. Benn added: "RATM in 1996 at Reading Festival was about as good you could see a live show, but it was in the context of Reading. What a band, what a performance. They would have been spectacular at Electric Picnic, but coronavirus knocked that on the head."
Oh well. Let's just home enough normality is restored by this time next year for some kind of Electric Picnic to go ahead.
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