Friday 8th to Sunday 10th July 2011 Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co Kildare, Eire, Ireland �224.50 for 3 day including camping
Due to the sheer volume of big name acts, Sunday was the most anticipated day at Oxegen. The main stage opener however was not your stereotypical international crowd puller. Unlike many opening acts however, the Rubberbandits managed to pull a more than decent crowd. With festival goers unable to attend any kind of religious service, the Rubberbandits kindly provided their own take on a Sunday mass and the crowd that grew throughout the performance loved every moment of it. Not afraid to push boundaries, the duo from Limerick entertained the crowd with such songs as 'Up the 'Ra' and 'Horse Outside', the latter of which actually reached number 2 in the Irish charts. In the former they relate Beyonce, Ian Paisley and R2D2 among others as being members of the IRA while in the latter they question the use of having a car when a horse is perfectly fine. This disparity in themes is reflective of the Rubberbandits in itself. I dont think they quite know who they are or where theyre going but who cares? It is a comedy act more than a music act and the performance made for an extremely enjoyable Sunday afternoon.
At approximately 7pm on Sunday evening the Vodafone Stage played host to the iconic alternative rock band from Arizona: Jimmy Eat World. One could assume that this band has been around forever and when we consider that they formed way back in 1993, this assumption isnt too far off. Nevertheless, Jimmy Eat World's fans that congregated in front of the Vodafone Stage could not be placed into a particular demographic; they really appeal to all ages. They do not however appeal to those who are afraid of getting wet; a fact evidenced by the crowd dispersal when the heavens decided to open. Those who braved the elements were treated to the usual brilliance of a Jimmy Eat World show; full of energy but oozing a natural flow that other alt. rock bands can only stand and admire. Their performances of 'Sweetness' and 'The Middle' were nothing short of sublime with the former song providing a moment of the weekend. Eighteen years on and Jim Adkins has not lost any of his trademark passion.
As Oxegen neared its annual closing on a beautiful if somewhat cold Sunday night, British-Australian outfit Pendulum took to the Vodafone stage to play an incredible set of drum n bass inspired electronic rock. If the music hadn't captivated you, the light show certainly would have. The constant flashing lights worked perfectly with the high tempo beats and sent the crowd into nothing short of a frenzy. Pendulum mixed old classics such as 'Slam' and 'Propane Nightmares' with new creations 'Witchcraft' and 'The Island' but you kind of got the feeling the audience didn't care what they played, as long as they kept playing. The Pendulum set was undoubtedly a highlight which is no surprise considering the increasingly high value placed on them among festival organisers.
