#woodenstructure

Awh, the Irish music and arts festival. What can one say, other than, we are privileged to have them. A collective of go-getters, doers and secret fairies, Body and Soul is one that will tempt your soul, open up your chakras, and make you want to fulfill your dreams. As I grow with age and wisdom, I crave different things from a festival. Where I am at now is the smooth running of festivals: step up Body and Soul. It is a beautiful memoir of human existence. Every nuck, every cranny, provokes your thoughts, welcomes you in, and offers you eternity (well, for the weekend anyway!).

As a music put-togetherer (i.e. writer), live performer and general maker, I have seen the festival from most of its angles. Such gatherings have been at the heart of my summers now for around 15 of my 31 years. From working on production teams, building with crew, playing many a stage, sneaking over (or under) the odd fence and once or twice paying for a full weekend pass, I have had the opportunity to truly get to know the festival. As I grow and as the festival scene here grows, I look forward to seeing the field turned into carnival and the mind turn wise every year. This year was/is no different.

We arrived on Friday evening. The car trip down was only an hour from home so we flew down the N3 with the festival glee blinding to other drivers. The usual “spot the festivalites” (cars loaded with people and stuff) was played. With little traffic, we were in the camp site feeling the light by about 5pm. The car was the choice of bed. A Suzuki Wagon Type R, the squarest car a man ever did see!! I had the job of folding in all the seats to make our make shift 4 by 4 foot double bed. A touch of colour, a few cushions and a trusty light and we were home for the weekend. The performer campsite being our new address.

On entry, we had a small wander. Everything was running flawlessly so we were taking our time and joining in on the chilled environment that we couldn’t but encompass. The Sanctuary. Compost toilets. Wow! The space was tucked away so peacefully. Healers, dealers, and wheelers all lined up. Joking!! It was an array of beautiful tents, art work, a giant cuddly concrete sculpture, and a lovely forest area for a sneaky wee over the weekend ( a sustainable wee at that!!). A multi-coloured  circular sand granule live picture rested in the centre of this nurturing space. Every granule had its own mind. Its energy is still with me. Installation-wise, this felt pure and natural to me and I think this is part of the beauty of Body and Soul Each piece/space has its own peace and this will be different for everyone.  The Sanctuary was a safe haven for the next 3 days, with well and being at the core of its structure.

On the road again, we headed towards The Food Board (unknowingly). We were blessed on entry with the smells. A magic sandwich was sought, bought and very much appreciated. The space itself was just like a regular weekend food market, cooler obviously, but what got me was how it felt like it was always there and not just constructed for the purpose of the festival.

As we took ourselves away we mingled through the forest and floated through the colours above us. The tress and birds sang with each step. Trinkets. Wooden hexagons. Paper mache octopuses. An invigorating stringed installation hanging high in the wild. The glass balls. The forest dance floor. We stumbled across Reckless in Love by evening and revisited it at night. The light shows were out of this world. When I think of it today, writing this, they were some of the coolest I have seen at an Irish festival. The projector screens star-studded statute of life, shone so bright over our dreamy moving heads. The stage, made from more beautiful wood, stood still. Able for the banging beats, it created a state of stable amongst the mayhem.

Wood. The wood. I love the wood (NOT TO BE TAKEN WOODINGLY!!!!!). The main stage was other worldly and this is no exaggeration. As a performer and an acoustics addict, to play upon such a monument of nature would be enlightening. Anyone I seen playing it over the weekend looked totally happy and joyous. One thing I do think about at festivals, is how much of this stuff stays and how much is simply ripped down. I was informed that this master of craftsmanship, by Christie Collard and friends, will remain on the Body and Soul home site. Thankfully!

The walled garden was a tremendous find. Funnily enough, it has the sense of a walled enclosed garden, but without the closed and the walls. It was entered by a normal enough size door at one side and this was the mystical wonderland feeling of it. OOOAAHHH, what is through here? Stages, food, water features and the softest grass I have felt through my finger tips. We sat at one point and all I could think about was how soft it was. I wanted to lie flat on it, let my skin feel it, my head rest on it (and I was pretty sober and straight headed). It was perfect. Looked after.

The whole weekend was perfect. It seemed to fly by. My partner in crime and love was performing in The Bulmers Tent and the Library of Progress. Quite a few friends and fellow artists had slots here, too, so we popped in and out when we passed. One guy that stood out was Mango Dazler, a hip-hop/grime artist. He and his beats man rocked the tent, literally. They were so well synced that it was hard not to join in and be present with them. Fearless, they were.

We met people at every corner. People we saw regularly, people we don’t see enough, and people we will always remember. It was a community feeling for everyone I think, not just us.

What was really special about the weekend was I went with no expectation, no calendar, no times I had to be places. I (we) just wandered. If we ended up at something, we listened, took part, and moved on again. If I was tired, I went to bed. I had no need. It was simplistic. It was enough.

On the Sunday, we departed around 3pm. After 15 years of festivals you build up a book of tricks. This year the trick was to sleep rough for 2 nights and head to a spa for the third. A deep soak in a hydro pool. A sauna and a steam. An Epson salt foot bath. A good feed. A 6x 8 foot bed. A balcony. Cows outside. Swallows mingling. The best company. It was one great weekend.

Gentle. Warm. Creative. Motivated. In-love.

A Body and Soul Experience – for the then and now.