The Knockanstockan Saturday Report

Resting on the Blessington Lakes shores, beneath the towering grassy hills, Ireland's up-and-coming artists showcased their talents in a collection of intimate venues. The day was championed by indie-rockers who brought their own diverse and unique sounds.
The Pillow Queens had a warm vibe, handling their instruments loosely but producing a forceful sound . The female quartet transitioned from sweet harmonizing to yelling in songs like ‘Ragin’ and ‘Cuckoo’.

Pillow Queens - Knockanstockan 2018

Spudgun gave the most theatrical performance to accompany their ambient rock style. They sported bizarre costumes and adopted personas of alien space-travelers fighting giant babies bent on eating dreams.
Representing the metal scene, This Place Hell had the wildest set of the day with its meagre crowd of loyalists. Members hopped to the floor and jammed with fans as the others whipped their long hair and shredded along to deep, harsh screaming.

This Place Hell - Knockanstockan 2018

The Murder Capital gig oozed with attitude and high-energy: easily a standout performance of the day. The air became filled with screeching, echoey guitars as the lead-singer bellowed ‘More is Less’ and ‘Never Enough’. The music moved them sporadically around the stage as some dropped to their knees to rock harder.

The Murder Capital - Knockanstockan 2018

Bitch Falcon packed out their tent, playing tracks from their newest EP like ‘TMJ’ and ‘Syncope’. Their hard-rock had every audience member head banging as small pockets of mosh pockets emerged. The lead singer wailed on her guitar and into the microphone as her bandmates passionately jammed along.

There’s a reason the festival is affectionately nicknamed “the Christmas of the summer”. There’s an overwhelming sense of love in community, with artists freely mingling with fans and supporting each other's work. The sesh carried on into the early hours of the morning with cheery sing-songs and story-swapping before eventually trudging back to tents as the sun rose rose into the sky.