One of the more unusual festivals on the summer circuit is Body & Soul’s Summer Solstice Gathering, at Ballinlough Castle in County Meath. Having grown out of its former home, a “village” in the middle of Electric Picnic, Body & Soul is an experience, rather than a mere festival.
This year musical acts such as Ireland’s own Jape, Kormac’s Big Band (a 14 piece orchestra that includes DJs and samplers), The Orb’s Dr Alex Paterson, !!!, pioneering folktronica act Four Tet, Tunng, Gaudi, bassy Basque enthusiasts Crystal Fighters and Voice of Seven Thunders will all be there to entertain you, along with a brilliant selection of artists and other performers.
Among those putting on installations and displays are the Queens of Neon, an artistic double act who won Bridgestone Awards for their work at Electric Picnic in 2008 and 2009. One half of the duo, Sharon Greene, took time to talk to Hot Press in between running the impeccably cool Dublin Flea Market.
“I think that in Ireland especially, gatherings are [part of] ancient culture and traditions and it’s really significant that Body & Soul are having this gathering on Summer Solistice,” she begins.
“Body & Soul is different to any other festival. A lot of the other festivals are more about, y’know, the big bands, and music, and making a profit, whereas Body & Soul is more about really trying to touch people, and a celebration of life.”
“At Body & Soul in 2008 we had a small stall called The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, where we sold toasted sandwiches and tea, and scones and elderflower cordial. We had a pink and white shed, which we traded out of, and a whole set that was a sitting room and it was all to do with nostalgia. It was literally done as sort of your Granny’s sitting room but a bit trippy, Granny on acid maybe. You took your wellies off when you came in, and you just sat down got served with teapots and real tea cups.”
“This year we’ve been invited to do an installation. It’s going to be deep in the woods, and it’s not going to be manned, there’s not going to be any performers, so when you come across it you’re going to enter it and it’s going to be your own experience. You can take what you want from it but I think that what we would like people to take from it is again nostalgia. It’s to do with bringing you back to your childhood. Once upon a time, when we only had love, best friends and our imagination, we were so happy. The simplicity of childhood is so beautiful and when we grow up we complicate our lives so much. It ties in with Body & Soul’s ethos, which is about back to basics. It’s about a celebration of life being simple and not complicated and it’s just about good friends, and good times. It’s a magical, enchanted experience and we’re just trying to remind people that happiness comes from within.”