Legless At Electric Picnic 2014

Electric Picnic is the mother of Irish music festivals. It gets the biggest names and the biggest crowds but why does it feel like they gave access very little thought?

I had a brilliant weekend at Electric Picnic. Portishead, Kelis, Outkast and Pet Shop Boys blew my little mind away but if there is one way to describe their access service, the words pain and ass aren't too far from each other.

For the first time ever, I camped in the accessible campsite at Electric Picnic. The advantages to this are that you can park your car right beside your tent, tents are spread out so you can get in and out of your own easily and they have large wheelchair accessible portaloos. In the other campsites, there are no wheelchair portaloos available so if you're wheeling, you're not peeing (easily).


We arrived late on Friday night so our usual coveted spot in the Oscar Wilde site was gone. For the last three years, we camped on the edge of that campsite because it was a stone's throw away from the main arena. Unfortunately, the accessible campsite was one of the furthest sites away from all of the action; approximately 2-3km. Tucked right in where all of the campervans played house for the weekend, those who need the easiest path in were given the furthest route to take.

On the Electric Picnic website, you can contact access@festivalrepublic.com to book a spot in the access site. I had emailed them before the festival to ask if the access site would be as far away as previous years. They said the reason it was the furthest away was because it was the closest spot for drivers to go in. While parking beside your tent is incredibly handy when you are arriving and leaving, it's the time in between (i.e. the festival that you bought your ticket for) that you need to be close to the action.

The access officers at the campsite were incredibly helpful and couldn't believe that that was the best Electric Picnic could do in terms of access. One officer mentioned how they had tried for three hours to get a golf buggy to help one camper who had MS to get around but there was no service available.

At Body and Soul earlier this summer, their access officer had a huge presence and gave out her mobile number to everyone just in case. The accessible campsite was also right beside the main arena and they had a shuttle service to bring people back and forth if they needed it.

For the entire weekend at EP, I had to rely on my friends to help me get around.  Luckily, my friends are a great bunch but it meant that I couldn't get to my tent on my own. At festivals, you need to nip back to the tent to get layers or for the very important disco naps so I felt like a nag to my friends when I needed their help. The paths leading from all the campsites are rough with stones and when it was wet, mud was a big issue. The fact that the access campsite was so far away meant that we had more tough ground to cover than the rest of the campers.

Inside the main arena, they had plenty of wheelchair portaloos and viewing platforms if you needed them. The access guards did everything within their means to help but the facilities that they were given just weren't enough.

This year was my eighth Picnic and as the Big One they need to up their access game if I will make next year's my ninth. The music and the fun inside will always be a huge draw but it's the stress and the struggle to get in that aren't worth it.

Legless Goes To Body And Soul (2014)

Some tired bodies and emotional souls

Body and Soul
Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath
bodyandsoul.ie

This was my first proper time giving Body and Soul a go. I was there two years ago - when I first started using a wheelchair - and had to trundle home, defeated, thanks to the rain, the mud and the exhaustion. With the glorious weather being the ultimate guest of honour, I decided to try Body and Soul properly. In doing so, I used them for all the access treats they had on offer. They had an Access Officer, Maggie McKeever, who made sure everything went to plan and, lo and behold, it did.

Body and Soul is one of the smaller festivals and for every ten metres you walk, you will run into a familiar face. The music was obviously a big draw (highlights including Gary Numan, Tom Vek, Darkside and John Grant) but it's such a fun and magical festival. We got lost in the forest so many times but we were never in a rush to get anywhere because every corner had something going for it.



What has it got?

Seating:  All throughout the Body and Soul site, there are many places to rest your weary legs and, as the photo above shows, heads. Be it benches, chairs carved out of trees, thrones, picnic tables or just regular chairs, you will definitely find a place for a quiet moment.

Viewing platform:  At every stage, there was a viewing platform. However, the spirit of the festival is to be involved so placing yourself on a wooden slab away from all the action isn't ideal. I've often wondered what the thinking of keeping people with disabilities as far away from all the fun at festivals/concerts is. If there was a way to rethink the location of viewing platforms so that whoever sits there doesn't feel totally isolated, I am all ears.

Ground:  The rough ground was a bit of a struggle. There wasn't a drop of rain all weekend or the week leading up to the festival so we had no mud. That was a major coup. However, the paths had quite rough stones on them which meant that we had to tip my wheelchair back like a wheelbarrow to get around so I couldn't really go anywhere on my own. Luckily, I always keep a team of men at my beck and call for this.

Campsite: This was my first time ever using the Access Campsite at any festival. Using this facility was a big thing for me as it meant admitting that my needs are actually different from others.
This year, the Access Campsite was beside the castle and just beyond the walled garden. We had plenty of space to set up our tent without the cursed strings and poles becoming obstacles.
The biggest advantage of the Access campsite is that you can park your car right beside your tent. This meant that we didn't have to lug our belongings for miles. I had to apply online for this campsite and the Access Officer was there to meet me and gave me and my mates (as many as I wanted) separate wristbands so we could all stay there for the weekend.
I'll definitely be doing access camping from here on out because it just made life so easy.

Bathrooms: For every gaggle of portaloos, there was a larger and accessible wheelchair portaloo. Glamorous they were not but they did the job and weren't difficult to find. It's important to remember that people in wheelchairs do not have the same...eh, hovering abilities as others so the toilets could have been cleaner.

Spaciousness: The only time that space was an issue was when we tried to get into the Midnight Circus tent for Jon Hopkins. Not for love nor money could we squeeze in.

Helpfulness of Staff: Very helpful. The security were cheery and informative and if you ever asked to take a shortcut to make your trek easier, they gave you all the industry secrets.

Rating: 8/10

Why did it lose points? The weather was the best thing to happen to Body and Soul, in terms of access. If the weather was bad, this rating would have dropped to below sea level.  It was dry and the ground was solid - you couldn't ask for anything more. However, nature being nature, the forest area was tough to manoeuvre and I felt that they could have done more with the entrance/exit points to the main arena to make the journey less bumpy. 

The use of the Access Officer was a brilliant idea. Body and Soul is so small so she could help people out easily and it truly was a great asset. 

Overall, my weekend was incredible, even if I did build up my muscle making my way across the land 

Other festivals reviewed here.

Legless Goes To The Picnic

Electric Picnic
Stradbally, Co. Laois
electricpicnic.ie

Can you believe it's been 10 years since we have had more options than just Oxegen and Slane for a music festival? This year's Electric Picnic was everything you could want for in a festival. There was very little rain, zero mud and, of course, the music was delectable. This was my sixth EP and in comparison to other years, I didn't spend a lot of time fussing over the timetable, I just went with the flow and took a leisurely approach to stage hopping.

My musical highlights were:

Björk
This woman is the cutest little button and her Biophilia show was manic and extravagant. After she thundered out a massive track, she showed her gratitude by quipping 'Thank you' in her wonderful Icelandic way. It was a joy to watch and I'd like to invite her, and her giant crystal hat, to live with me.

Disclosure
Disclosure's Settle has been my main album of the summer. It has been firmly on repeat since its release so when their live set matched up to my pounding grá for the record, I was delighted. I hope that they're an act we'll see headlining again over the next 10 years.

David Byrne and St. Vincent
Not only was this the greatest set I saw all weekend long but it is the most fantastic set I have seen in a very long time. In 2012, the god that is David Byrne teamed up with St. Vincent for a brass-orientated album, Love This Giant, and the moment the horns kicked into action on the Sunday night, magic was made. St. Vincent rolled out some of her solo songs, including 'Cheerleader', but Byrne stole all of her thunder when he conducted the biggest sing song of the entire weekend with Talking Heads' 'This Must Be The Place', 'Road To Nowhere' and 'Burning Down the House'. He even threw in 2002's 'Lazy' for good measure. I will be talking about this show for years to come.



What has it got?

Seating: The Electric Picnic site is massive but, luckily, they have so many areas where people can rest their weary legs. If there's one thing that the Picnic does well, it's throwing together an assorted range of shit for people to sit on. 

Viewing platform: A lot of the time, the viewing platforms in the smaller tents felt like a creche. Children at a festival is a debate for another day but when I'm restricted to having one friend with me on the platform, it's a bit unfair that the kids can run riot. I avoided the platform at the main stage because it was so far away and my eyesight is useless. 

Ground: There was no mud at all this year which made getting around so easy. However, with an outdoor festival, you have uneven ground pretty much everywhere and if you're not paying attention, you could definitely tip out of your chair. Every now and again, you'd come across a tiled pathway but these would end abruptly or lead to the staff area. They should place more of these about the festival site just to make life a little easier for everyone. 

Campsite: There was a disabled campsite available at EP but it was the furthest campsite away from the main area. I camped in Oscar Wilde, which was just beside the Salty Dog stage. I camped on the very edge of the site so other tents weren't in my way and it worked out perfectly. If I had used the disabled campsite, I would had a huge trek ahead of me every day which is incredibly inconvenient especially with the rough ground. 

Bathrooms: At most toilet areas, there was a large portaloo for wheelchair users. The campsites didn't have this luxury. To find a clean portaloo at a festival is like a gift from the gods but when it came to hygiene levels in the wheelchair portaloos, things could have been better as many wheelchair users don't have the privilege of hovering. If they could increase the amount of wheelchair portaloos about the place, it would be much better.

Spaciousness: I didn't have any problems with space and didn't feel overcrowded at any point (other than the viewing platforms that doubled as childcare).

Helpfulness of Staff: The staff at EP is made up of paid staff and volunteers so the helpfulness depended on who you came across first. A number of the security guards went above and beyond to help out, especially around the main stage area.

Parking: I parked in the disabled parking area which was in the disabled camping area. It was monitored closely so it never got too packed. 

Rating: 7/10

Why did it lose points? Electric Picnic is Ireland's greatest music festival and because it is so large, it's hard to cater for everybody. They have all of the facilities for disabled guests in place but they feel a little bit like token gestures. The disabled camp site is so far away and the path to and from it is rough. The viewing platforms are far away from the stage and you are restricted to bringing one friend up with you. There aren't enough wheelchair portaloos about and more pathways could have been placed to combat the uneven ground. 

If I had used all of the facilities available, I would not have had as much fun as I did. I came up with my own system for camping and for watching bands. If EP focused a bit more on their facilities for disabled users, they could come up something that would enhance the festival experience for whoever used them. 

That being said, my voice is gone and I had a fantastic time but I wish that the organisers would be as creative and inventive with their accessibility as they are with everything else on offer. 

Legless At Festivals

Front row scrounger. 

Festivals are tricky when it comes to wheelin' or crutchin' around so these are my tips for making it as easy as possible.

• The disabled camping areas tend to be the furthest camp site away from the venue which is bizarre and completely inconvenient if you're on crutches or in a rush to get to the main stage. I usually camp in whatever site is nearest to the main arena. I place my tent on the very edge of the camping area with my door facing out so that pegs and lines and bodies don't block my way in and out.


• When it rains, the mud starts to pop up like Emeli Sandé at an awards show (i.e. everywhere). I have a very run-of-the-mill wheelchair so this is a big hassle for me. I have seen a few chairs that attach a 'third wheel' to their chair which makes mud and uneven ground much easier to go through. It's called the Go Free Wheel and even though it's a bit late to get one for the Picnic, if you save up your sheckles, your festival summer of 2014 could be easy sailing.


• If you're heading on crutches, the main problem with festivals is that there's not enough seating areas. It's a pain in the ass to get up off the ground when you're using sticks so keep a lookout for potential perching spots and own them like you're the Queen of Sheba.


• I'm not a fan of the wheelchair platform areas because you're kept far away from the crowd, the view isn't amazing and you feel removed from the festival. My main trick is to get to the very front of the barrier and watch from there. The key thing with this is to be sound to those around you and to the security guards and you shouldn't have any problems. Of course, this is probably against security regulations but you have paid for a ticket and you shouldn't have to be booted to the very back to watch everyone else have fun.


• Wheelchairs are great hiding spots for booze. I've given myself away here but it's all for the greater good.


• The ground is rough. Wheelchair users know how to navigate the ground because we're a metre away from it and can see when a dip or rock is in the way. Those pushing may not see what's ahead and you could end up flying out of the chair. So if you're wheeling yourself and getting a heave here and there, keep that in mind and hold on.


• If you're on crutches, avail of the piggy back. There's probably grounds for a romcom in someone giving you a piggy back at a festival because you broke your foot. If you get married, include me in the speech.


• Even though there are wheelchair toilets, there aren't very many. If there is a queue at the wheelchair portaloo, ask if you can skip it. There are hundreds and hundreds of regular-sized poratloos and very few wheelchair-friendly ones. Common decency and common sense should hopefully mean that you won't have to queue for too long at a wheelchair portaloo.


• A lot of the First Aid tents have a wheelchair portaloo behind them. Again, this probably isn't meant to be public knowledge but if you're miles from one (like in the regular campsites), this could be your best bet. 

Wheel responsibly and don't see a good weekend off-roaded. 

Festival Review: Castlepalooza

Castlepalooza
Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
castlepalooza.com

As I said many, many times over the course of the weekend, Castlepalooza is my new favourite festival and, no promo, but I did a wee review of it for the Irish Times (the first half is the work of Una Mulally and the second half is all me). And now, down to the Legless stuff.


What has it got?

Seating: There were plenty of picnic tables and benches about the place but they were high in demand so you'd have to fight tooth and nail for them. 

Doors: The only doors you'd have to tackle here are in your tent, the toilet or the doors you metaphorically constructed yourself.

Ground: The castle grounds were very easy to get around. There was very little mud, even after it rained, which was great for wheelchairs but tough if you were trying to pitch a tent. Wood chippings were scattered around potential danger zones. But all in all, easiest festival site I've ever had the pleasure of rolling through. 

Stairs: If you wanted to get into the castle, you had two steps into the front entrance and there was a big staircase that brought you up to the other rooms. I just loitered in the entrance playing with kittens. 

Bathrooms: Big props to the ladies in charge of the toilets at 'palooza. There was one wheelchair toilet that actually flushed (and it had a sink! VERY exciting) and the two wonderful women were there at all times to make sure that no one used the wheelchair toilet if they didn't need it. 

Spaciousness: Castlepalooza is a small festival so you were rarely overcrowded. 

Helpfulness of Staff: Ridiculously helpful. 

Parking: I got to park right beside the site entrance which meant I only had a 5-minute walk between my car and the stages and camp site. 

Rating: 10/10

Why did it lose points? I literally have no complaints.