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OXEGEN
SURVIVAL
GUIDE
Check out the
Insider
Tips
Oxegen Line-up ‘11
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Whilst every effort has been made to ensure all information contained in listings is correct,
MCD cannot take responsibility for errors or omissions. Line up may be subject to change.
Friday 8th July
Saturday 9th July
Sunday 10th July
Main Stage
The Black Eyed Peas, The Script,
My Chemical Romance, Weezer,
All Time Low, The Blackout,
Fun Lovin’ Criminals
Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys,
Beady Eye, Plan B,
Two Door Cinema Club,
Jessie J, Big Country
Coldplay, Beyoncé, Slash,
Manic Street Preachers,
Ke$ha, Ryan Sheridan,
The Rubber Bandits
Vodafone Stage
The Strokes, Swedish House Mafia,
Tinie Tempah, The Saw Doctors,
House Of Pain, The Original Rude Boys,
The Plea, Glen Call
Deadmau5, Paolo Nutini,
Imelda May, Bruno Mars, Hurts,
British Sea Power, The Minutes
Alice Gold
Pendulum, The National,
Jimmy Eat World, Friendly Fires,
Fight Like Apes, Royseven,
Kanyu Tree
Heineken
Green Spheres
Leftfield, Calvin Harris, Example,
Whipping Boy, Peter Hook & The Light,
Her Majesty & The Wolves,
The Riptide Movement,
Gypsies On The Autobahn
Brandon Flowers, The Vaccines,
Professor Green, The Pretty
Reckless, Bressie, Cashier No.9,
Fox Avenue, Little Green Cars,
Propaganda DJs
Primal Scream, Chase and Status
Crystal Castles, Odd Future
Wolf Gang Kill Them All, Ocean
Colour Scene, The Saturdays,
GROUPLOVE, Neon Trees
2fm Hot Press
Academy
Glasvegas, Noah & The Whale,
The Naked & Famous, Metronomy,
Clare Maguire, Tame Impala,Keywest,
Cherri Bomb, Readers Wives, Madisun
Eels, City And Colour, Mona,
Miles Kane, Eliza Doolittle,
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis,
Frankie & The Heartstrings,
Braids, Sweet Jane,
Consumer Love Affair
Bright Eyes, The Airborne Toxic
Event, Jenny & Johnny, Patrick
Wolf, The Twilight Singers,
The Pierces, Bipolar Empire,
Brother, The Kapitals
Red Bull
Electric Ballroom
Sven Vath, Tiga, The Shit Robot Show
live, Justin Robertson, Maverick Sabre
live, Bitches With Wolves, Fenech-Soler
live, Colin Perkins, David Byrne
The Bloody Beetroots live, Philth,
Diplo, Steve Aoki, Retro/Grade,
Psycatron, Anthony Remedy,
Freaks From Dublin,
Church + Gordo
Afrojack, Crookers,
Fake Blood live, Alex Metric,
Al Gibbs, TEED live
Because You Never Know What
You Might Forget...
val
i
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Fe ival
Surv de
Gui
• Loo Roll. The best festival
currency: the truly
desperate will trade just
about anything for a few
clean sheets.
A good festival should be one of the best experiences of
your life, but get it wrong and it can turn into a nightmare.
Fionn Davenport, music DJ, radio presenter and travel writer,
has some tips to get you through, whether you’re a day tripper
or a happy camper…
• Baby Wipes and Hand
Cleansing Gel.
Baby wipes are the festival
equivalent of a bath but for
you hygienic types there are
FREE showers at Oxegen!
• Plasters. In case you trip
over a tent rope or those
bargain wellies pinch at
the heels.
• Condoms. If you want
to avoid life-changing
conversations three months
after the festival when the
special love you made is but
a lingering memory.
Insider Tip
# 1
I always keep a cool little torch
around my neck. You never
know when it’ll come in handy
and it’s a particularly good
conversation starter if you
meet some people in need
of light!
• Toothbrush, Toothpaste
and Deodorant.
A dodgy set of chops and
the smell of stale sweat
will make condoms totally
redundant.
• Sun Block. The sun can
turn a crowd into a human
barbecue, so bring plenty
of sun cream and keep
lashing it on unless you like
being a human lobster.
• Tickets. You’d be surprised.
• Don’t bring... Umbrellas
into the arena, gas, glass
bottles, medication in
unmarked containers,
gazebos, marquees or
animals, even if your kitty
can headbang!
Sinister Pete
Phantom FM
Looking Good?
Dressing for festival highfashion will only give you
grief! This is no place for
your best clobber – think
less catwalk and more
weatherproof.
• Shades. To avoid squinting
at the stage if it’s sunny and
to disguise the fact you haven’t slept in 24 hours.
• Rain Poncho. Better than
the glorified bin liner they
(sometimes) give out at
the festival.
• Something Warm. You
might be hot during the day,
but those nights can get
pretty chilly.
Transport
• Socks. Bring plenty. Wet
feet are crap.
• Sun Hat. Sunstroke is like
a really bad hangover and
the worst flu you’ll ever
get... at the same time.
Anything’ll do. (Except for a
jester’s hat, which will just
look stupid.)
• Ladies – The Essentials:
dry shampoo, waterproof
makeup or go barefaced,
a bag that goes across
your body and a sense of
humour, you’re not gonna
look your best so relax
and enjoy!
• Wellies. Regardless of
weather reports these are
essential festival footwear.
Flip flops are just flops
when it’s raining.
Insider Tip
# 2
To blag your way backstage,
carry a bag of oranges and
a hassled look: tell security
that you should have gotten
them hours before but where
Keep your weekend hasslefree; ditch the car and hop
on a bus. Fewer cars on the
roads means everyone gets to
the festival faster and starts
the weekend sooner!
• Busing it? Dublin Bus and
Bus Éireann will be running
a return transfer service to
Punchestown from Dublin
City Centre, check out www.
dublinbus.ie or www.cie.ie
for details. And don’t forget
to book them in advance.
• If you’re travelling from
outside Dublin, Kelly
Travel and JJ Kavanagh
will be running direct bus
services to Oxegen from
Cork, Tipperary, Limerick,
Galway and more. Check
out www.kellytravel.ie and
www.jjkavanagh.ie for pickup points and booking info.
the hell can you get fresh
oranges on a festival site at a
moment’s notice? Or be really
good-looking and nonchalant.
I generally go with the oranges.
• Taking the Car. If you can’t
live without your wheels
for the weekend, car
parking is available at the
concert site. Check out
Oxegen.ie for car park
details and directions.
• Park ‘n’ Ride. There will
be a Park ‘n’ Ride facility at
Goffs (off Junction 8, N7).
Drive there or get dropped
off and you can get a FREE
shuttle bus to Oxegen!
• Car Pool. You can pick
up a parking pass for
free when you show four
weekend camping tickets
at any Ticketmaster
outlet. So do your bit for
the environment and save
yourself 30 quid.
• Exhaustion. Fatigue can
seriously affect your ability
to drive safely. Car parks
Fionn Davenport
Hungry?
will be open until 3pm on
Monday this year, so go
back to your tent for a nap
if you need it.
• Behind the Wheel. If you’re
used to a car, then a busy
road isn’t the best place
to try driving a campervan
for the first time. Get some
practice first!
• Breath-testing. Random
tests are commonplace
along the festival routes;
failing one isn’t really a
good way of celebrating
the weekend.
• The Morning After the
Night Before. By festival
end you’ll be looking
forward to your own bed, a
Insider Tip
# 3
hot shower and four walls.
And while you might feel
fine you could still be over
the legal limit to drive. Your
body gets rid of roughly
one standard drink – that’s
half a pint or a small glass
of wine or a pub measure
of spirits – per hour. No
matter how badly you need
your duvet, do the maths
and if in doubt – wait it out.
• Special Needs. The special
needs campsite has nearby
parking available. For
more information on the
facilities available contact
specialneeds@oxegen.ie
or call the Ticketmaster
Special Needs Hotline on
0818 715 658.
Beaut.ie’s best festival tip
picked up over the past couple
of years is really simple, but
so clever! Before you pitch
your tent, paint your nails a
dark shade. It’ll look chic,
sure, but here’s the smart
Long gone are the days when
festival-goers’ only option
was a burger and chips.
Whether you’re a fan of
traditional Irish fare or have
more exotic tastes, you’ll
be spoilt for choice. Even
veggies and sweet teeth
are catered for.
Whether bringing your own
food or indulging in festival
fare remember to keep it
green and recycle your
rubbish.
bit: your dark mani will hide
any dirt so no one will know
that you could happily grow a
sack of spuds in the furrows
beneath your nails.
• 24 Hours. This year loads
of food outlets will be open
around the clock including
two 24 hour Centras.
Nothing makes drinking
a disaster more than an
empty stomach so stock up.
• Dry Foods. Better
something that won’t go
off, get mushy or grow
green stuff; so no meats,
bananas or cheese.
• Cleaning Up. In a greenfield site? Help keep
it that way. Clean up
after yourself and take
everything with you –
including your rubbish.
Kirstie McDermot
Beaut.ie
Thirsty?
Of course most people will
have a drink – it’s all part of
the festival atmosphere and
alcohol can add to the fun by
helping you relax.
• Water. Bring as much of
it as you can. Alcohol will
seriously dehydrate you
and even a clouded sun will
make it worse.
• Drink at Least One Litre
Per Day. There are plenty
of free top up taps, but do
so at night – there can be
queues in the morning.
• Pace Yourself. Drink water
or a soft drink every few
drinks. you’ll feel better,
look better and have a
better chance of lasting
the course!
• Eat Something. Nothing
will make drinking
a disaster more than an
empty stomach.
Eat before you drink.
• No Glass. The amount of
liquids confiscated at the
gates could quench the
thirst of a small town.
Bring plastic containers
and bottles (without lids).
• Wrecked? Getting drunk
isn’t pretty or smart. You’ll
just wreck the weekend for
your mates if they have
to look after you when
you’re the worse for wear.
Remember: over-doing
it will do nothing for your
looks either – you’re dropdead gorgeous until you
drop down drunk.
Insider Tip
# 4
… Earplugs are a must – at
some festivals security men
hand them out free to punters
who get too close to the
• Hair of the Dog. It won’t
beat your hangover, it just
prolongs the agony.
• The Secret to Sobering Up?
Time. Yeah, time! Whether
sitting in a tent or standing
in a field, it’ll take roughly
two hours for your body
to break down one pint of
booze. Nothing – not tea,
energy drinks, burgers and
chips or an ice cold shower
– can speed up this process.
=
or
• Beer Goggles. Want a
weekend to regret? Then
let the booze do the
chatting up for you.
• No Strange Mixers!
Don’t accept a drink from
a stranger or leave yours
unattended – you never
know what you’re getting
or what could have been
put in it.
• Go Online. There’s plenty
of info about drinking and
alcohol consumption at
drinkaware.ie
or
A glass of stout / lager / cider (284ml)
A small glass of wine (100ml)
A pub measure of spirits (35.5ml)
speakers, but you’ll need them
most when that clever man
starts blasting Fatboy Slim’s
‘Renegade Master’ at 8am in
the morning.
Hotpress Magazine
Happy Campers
The ‘wherever I lay my hat’
approach to a good night’s
kip will seem a bad idea
halfway through the first rainy
night, so plan your sleeping
arrangements with care. A
good tip: turn up early to pick
your spot.
• Tent. So long as it’s
waterproof, any old tent
will do. There’s a chance it
may get damaged, so don’t
bother with a fancy one.
• Location, Location,
Location. Pitch it in open
ground, at the top of a hill
and far, far away from the
communal toilets.
Insider Tip
# 5
• Pitch it when you arrive.
You don’t want to test
your tent-pitching skills
in the dark so peg it down
before you start dancing
and drinking.
• Bring a torch. Here’s a fun
game: try finding your tent
amongst thousands like
it in the dark. If you have
an iPhone download the
Oxegen app for the handy
torch feature.
• Tag it. iPhone users can
also tag their tent with
the Oxegen app, and let it
guide them safely back to
bed at night.
BEWARE THE MUDPERSON
The legends of a mythical
creature constructed entirely
of mud are true. Known to
terrorize festivalgoers with
strange, erratic dancing
motions and indecipherable
• Snuggle up. A black bin
liner may have limited uses
at home, but it’s the perfect
ready-made waterproof
cover for your sleeping bag.
• Plastic bags and tape.
Plastic bags make the best
shoes and seats around.
• Home time. You don’t
have to leave the campsite
until 3pm on Monday. If
you think you’re not
fit to drive on Monday
morning, go back to
your tent for a snooze.
Check out how long
it takes your body to
process alcohol under
the ‘Thirsty’ section.
verbal babblings. May be
observed safely from a
distance but never under
any circumstances attempt
to engage the beast in
conversation.
• Flag it. That’s right, a
flag: “it’s a green pup
tent” just isn’t enough
of a description when
looking for your tent at
day’s end, so why not
mark it with something
distinctive (and there’ll be
lots of tricolours, so go for
something else).
Vinny
Adebisi Shank
Stay Safe, Stay Free
Festival security is usually
pretty tight, with a huge
number of undercover Gardaí
around. Don’t give them a
reason to interfere with
your weekend.
• Drugs. Even aside from
the health risks, just don’t
bother – the Gardaí will
happily bust you for even
the slightest infraction.
• Human Pyramids, Moshing
and Stage Diving. They
sound like a great idea, but
they’re not, and can end up
with you hurt or arrested
and the event being more
heavily policed next year.
And that will be all thanks
to you, you free-flying fool.
Insider Tip
# 6
• Valuables. Why bring
any? Cash and a mobile
phone are the only things
you’ll need. Leave the rest
at home or book yourself a
locker on Oxegen.ie.
• Cash. Bring enough but
spread it about your body.
Back and shallow front
pockets are useless – you
may as well give it away.
A money pouch or cash
bound in a small plastic
bag stuffed in the toe of
your shoe is good.
• Minding Your Stuff.
Make friends with the
occupants of the tents
around you and they’ll
keep an eye on your gear.
Don’t walk alone, you came
with your friends, stay with
your friends.
Don’t hit other people with
inflatable items, not everyone
loves your hammer as much
as you do!
Alison Curtis
Phantom FM
Competitions
Log onto drinkaware.ie for your chance to win;
• A summer wardrobe from A-wear,
• A holiday in Crete from Club 18-30,
• Tickets to loads of top acts in Marlay Park this summer,
including The Coronas, Joanna Newsom, 2 Many DJs,
Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Bell X1,
• Funky festival t-shirts from Freshmilk Clothing.
All competition entrants must be over 18.
Don’t forget to drop by and see us...
We’ll be on-site at Oxegen again this year, sharing a tent
with our good friends from Hotpress. As well as the usual
bevy of superstars willing to sign just about anything, the
drinkaware.ie area will have loads of on-site competitions
and giveaways. So drop by and say hi! We’d love to see you,
and you might leave with something nice.
Insider Tip
# 7
Festivals are all about sharing
and mucking in, and I’m not
really like that, so my advice
would be to get your own
corner and don’t interact with
anyone whatsoever.
LoneLady
Singer
Did you know?
The resident music heads in
Hot Press have put together
their top facts about Oxegen
and this year’s headliners. Quiz
your mates on the journey up –
loser has to pitch the tents!
• Beyoncé used to claim that
her alter-ego, Sasha Fierce,
was the one performing on
stage during her concerts.
“I’m not like her in real life
at all,” Ms. Knowles said.
“What I feel onstage I don’t
feel anywhere else. It’s an
out-of-body experience.”
These days, however, she’s
a bit more confident and
says it’s all Beyoncé that
you’re seeing!
• The Arctic Monkeys’ first
album was the fastestselling debut in British
music history, surpassing
Oasis’ Definitely Maybe.
• When Coldplay first
formed, they were called
Pectoralz. They changed
their name to Starfish a bit
later, before finally settling
on Coldplay in 1998. We
think you made the right
decision, guys!
Checklist
• 2011 will be the eighth
Oxegen festival, and the
fourth year it’s been a
three-day event. The
Strokes, who are back
again this year, were one
of the headline acts at the
very first Oxegen in 2004,
along with The Cure, Ash,
and The Darkness who
were drafted in as eleventh
hour replacements for
David Bowie.
• The name Deadmau5
came about when Joel
Zimmerman was replacing
the video card in his
computer, and found a dead
mouse inside. He became
known as “that dead
mouse guy” in a chatroom
he visited, but ‘Dead
Mouse’ was too long for a
username. He shortened it
to ‘Deadmau5’, and the rest
is history.
Remember to visit the Hot
Press Signing Tent this year.
Your favourite bands will be
signing pretty much anything
you thrust in front of them!
Festival Tickets (no, really, you’d be surprised)
Travel tickets (book them in advance)
Cash and somewhere smart to keep it
Mobile (and don’t forget to download the
Oxegen iPhone app)
Extra layers for warming up and cooling down
Rain poncho, sunblock & sunhat
(it’s Ireland in July – you never know)
I.D. (and they do check – if you’re under 17, you
need to be with a guardian or relative who’s
over 25)
And if you’re staying over.....
Tent (make sure you’ve got all the bits before
you leave)
Plastic bags, tape and bin liners
Clothes and footwear for every kind of weather
(yes, we’re going to keep saying this)
A flag to mark your tent
A torch and spare batteries
Loo roll
Baby wipes and hand gel
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Deodorant
Grub and water
Condoms (once again, you never know)
Oh yeah, and one last thing we should probably
mention... Have a brilliant time!
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