Castlepalooza at Charleville Castle, Tullamore

“For Play Use. Only to be used overnight very rarely and then only in extremely good weather.” Not the kind of thing you want to discover about a tent as you’re getting ready to pitch it into the ground, under a sky steadily darkening with menacing black clouds.
Now in its third year, the Castlepalooza festival played host to an eclectic array of Irish and international acts across two days and two stages. Charleville Castle itself proved a welcome, dry and warm haven for the crowds when the heavens opened, which they seemed hell-bent on doing, despite the collective will of all those present.
Saturday night saw an impressive performance from the very likable Chakras before the prodigious Fight Like Apes took to the stage. Lead singer MayKay was in fine voice and wowed the crowd with spirited renditions of ‘Lend Me Your Face’ and ‘Jake Summers’. Lyricist and keyboardist Pockets reacted admirably when his instrument unexpectedly toppled from its perch, quickly dropping to his knees and playing on from ground level. They were followed by Star Little Thing who were spontaneously joined on stage towards the end of their set by three very merry ladies from the crowd.
Headliners Sister Sledge were an almost surreal diversion in genre from the rest of the acts, but the crowd seemed to be in the mood for dancing, despite having to wait what seemed like an age before the ladies graced them with their presence. They coasted through old-school hits before finishing on a high note with a energetic reprise of ‘We Are Family’.
People who had woken up in puddles soon migrated to the comfort and warmth of the castle, wherein canny festival-goers were using the open fireplaces to warm and dry their wet shoes and socks. Having survived the miserable night, the second day of the festival was a welcome reward for those who had the strength of mind (and tent) to stay.
The highlights started early on Sunday. Prison Love may have won a few new fans, as those who would perhaps not usually contemplate attending a bluegrass gig found themselves clapping and singing along. Mainline drew an impressive crowd and The Gorgeous Colours more than lived up to their next-big-thing reputation, but it was Noise Control who stood out for me, and I dare say many other punters: their set was innovative and highly energised – believe the hype.
Inside the castle, Gillian Verrecchia wowed those around her with such a belting, boisterous voice coming from her dainty frame, and later, Scottish rockers Frightened Rabbit played an astonishing set.
Into the night, Neosupervital paved the way for festival closers Spring Break who specialise in covering cheesy ‘80s hits – an act that I had originally thought inappropriate for a festival showcasing new, raw talent. I was very quickly proved wrong, however - after two days of almost flawless gigs, finishing on such a fun note was a very good move indeed.
Despite the horrendous rain, Castle Palooza managed to come out shining.