So, the mud-festival that is Oxegen has announced who will be gracing the stages at this year’s event. Overall, it seems as though MCD have tried to balance the pop with the rock opting for Bruno Mars alongside Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World along with Black Eyed Peas. There are some more interesting acts to choose from though with the likes of The Strokes, Jenny and Johnny, The National, Eels, Crystal Castles, The Vaccines, Hurts, Bipolar Empire and Friendly Fires. I think I’d go just for them. But then again, I don’t think the rest of the line-up would warrant a ticket and we all know how Oxegen like to schedule the better bands on at the same time. So I won’t be going to your POxegen, Oxegen. Excuse that, didn’t mean to get so defensive. But in fairness, I think we’re a bit too old for the festival now so here’s to EP!
The full line-up is as follows:
Coldplay, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Black Eyed Peas, Blink 182, Paolo Nutini, The Script, Deadmau5, The National, Primal Scream, Tinie Tempah, Plan B, My Chemical Romance, Pendulum, Weezer, Beady Eye, Brandon Flowers, Swedish House Mafia, Bruno Mars, Chase and Status, Eels, Two Door Cinema Club, Jessie J, Bright Eyes, Leftfield, Friendly Fires, Imelda May, Calvin Harris, Jimmy Eat World, Sven Vath, Hurts, Crystal Castles, Bloody Beetroots, Jenny and Johnny, House of Pain, Steve Aoki, The Vaccines, All Time Low, Noah and the Whale, Crookers, Fight Like Apes, Mona, The Naked and Famous, Ryan Sheridan, The Minutes, Bipolar Empire, Madisun.
Tickets are on sale now for a ridiculous price, but hey you’re going to buy them aren’t you?
And to play you out with the opening track from their album, it’s Jenny and Johnny with Scissor Runner.
p.s. Jenny and Johnny, if you’re listening cancel the Oxegen gig and play at EP!
I'm written by Ciarán Reinhardt and Ian Cummins. They're also the editors around here. Tell them how bad they are at their job by dropping them a line: ciaran@popculturemonster.com or ian@popculturemonster.com 
Weezer. If it could somehow be Weezer from 2001 and earlier I’d be there.
The National for sure.
Bright Eyes, yep.
Everything else: meh.
Weezer have become blah since 2001.
There are some interesting bands in the mix. But again, mostly a bit meh or “GO AWAY AND STOP SINGING THAT POO!”
Electric Picnic is the only worthwhile large festival in Ireland going I think, Primal Scream is a nice stand out name on the list- same with eels, but the others really do seem to cater for the mindless mob. The great thing about festivals for me is seeing the lesser known bands and things you’d never discover, Oxegen is not a great place for that, though you do come across some amazing things sometimes. It’s not worth the hassle or money, after going there for the first time last year followed by Leci Pici, I have decided Oxegen is evil and The Picnic is a slice of heavenly bliss. All these things have big sponcership from beer company’s but going to Oxegen is an experience much like jumping into a bath with your clothes on, walking in a field full of mud for an hour full of bald men in big jackets asking for your papers, hearing some music from a passing car, all tinny and windswept, walking down a dark alley full of 16 year olds getting sick before standing in a crowded place full of mindless boozed and drugged up people who can’t even get up the courage to dance- while seeing a band play for half an hour at a distance and hearing them like you have cotton wool in your ears. Not to mention the toilets, the people who piss everywhere and the few nutcases who go just to piss everyone off, normally while pissing. Plus the fact if you don’t get something stolen from you, you will get robbed with the prices of food and drink. Just an opinion.