Nathan ClareGiven that the dust has now settled after a momentous weekend at Rock Farm in Slane after the second edition of Otherside Festival, we felt it would be beneficial to outline what made this magical weekend a truly standout one for a second year running.
Otherside Festival’s 2023 chapter has come to a close after a special showcase of events filled with dancing, laughing and togetherness. Now bearing our sights on next year’s edition, we felt it would make sense to discuss what makes Otherside unique.
With every great festival that takes place, it can be said that the setting and location of these events are paramount in what makes the overall experience rise above the rest. For many, it feels as though Rock Farm ticks that box and provides a naturally welcoming feeling to its attendees with such an inviting layout. This and the fact that the overall size of the site can be reached in a matter of minutes is something that really shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Leading on from the point that Rock Farm’s location and everything it offers is so idyllic that it compliments what Otherside is trying to bring to the table in curating a memorable festival experience. They combine the site’s natural dipping pool with a collection of hot tubs and saunas on-site to enhance and shape people’s perceptions of what the ideal festival experience is for them.
Another notable thing that is part of Otherside’s identity is the focus it places on a range of quality and diverse food options that cater for its festival-goers. From roast dinners to tacos, fish and chips and more, there was quite a range of high-quality food available over the course of the festival that really made the eating experience stand apart from a lot of other events which is an underrated aspect of the all-round festival buzz. Given that many do normally associate these events with the artists they’ve seen perform and the scale and production of these events, people can and will rave about grade-A meals and eating experiences across the weekend in conjunction with quality artist performances.
It feels that Otherside accomplishes this particularly well and is understanding of the importance its attendees place on being able to obtain the quality of food one would want when at home (but, in this case, they’re at a festival). Whether that is trad, brunch, comedy or all of the above. All aspects hold significant importance when it comes to creating these memorable moments.
Otherside certainly had no shortage of standout performances across the weekend by any means, with acts like Confidence Man, CMAT, Billy Bunzari, Pretty Girl, Spray, Shee and many more stealing the show at Rock Farm by means of their stellar sets. Not to mention the wonderful back-to-back partnership between Pagan and Tyvion Valentine that first debuted at Otherside last year and was once again a defining moment of this year’s edition Beneath The Trees.
When asked about his experience at Otherside, Pagan shared that: ‘Otherside is a really special event that offers something very unique to the Irish festival circuit. The smaller capacity means that everything feels more personable and close-knit, with the organisers making sure that each stage has a unique look and personality. It’s easily the most scenic location I’ve ever played at, and that forest stage is an absolute dream to DJ in. There’s something about dancing in a woodland setting that just makes everything that bit more fun. For the past two years, it’s been a highlight of my summer, that I’ve looked forward to for months in advance. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for something different this time next year!’
Keep up to date with Otherside here.