Day one of Electric Picnic is all about getting the party started, with the main stage acts, presumably, being chosen with that in mind. Festivities kicked off with rising dance star Jazzy, who was followed by ‘00s dance royalty in the form of Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who swathed Stradbally in a fun, retro-disco soundscape.

The West-Londoner is best known for her 2001 mega-hit 'Murder on the Dancefloor.' The bop has seen a resurgence in popularity as of late,  after it featured in the Barry Keoghan-starring Saltburn. It's her most streamed tune by some distance, leading to some murmurings of ‘one-hit wonder’ amongst punters.

These suggestions (baseless to begin with, considering Ellis-Bextor has multiple top ten hits to her name) were dispelled immediately, as the dramatic schlager piano line to 'Crying at the Discotheque' asserted itself. Dressed in glittery, tasseled attire, the singer was the embodiment of disco glamour, while her bandmates added a quirky touch by donning rubber animal masks—sharks, dinosaurs, and wolves among them. This is a band who don't take themselves too seriously, while still being killer musicians capable of showcasing their cops via stank-face inducing solos.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor at Electric Picnic 2024 by Liam Murphy.

Though her recent albums have taken a more folk-oriented direction, Ellis-Bextor knew her audience, staying true to her disco diva origins. The set was infused with a retro '70s vibe, with ornate, string-embellished arrangements that harkened back to the genre's  golden age. That being said, she wasn’t afraid to mix things up, adding some tempo variety with touching numbers like 'Young Blood', dedicated to her mother and step-dad's

In addition to her own hits, Ellis-Bextor delighted the crowd with some well-chosen old-school bangers, including Madonna’s 'Like A Prayer' and ABBA’s 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!'

There was also an endearing charm and humour that shone through. Between songs, she took a moment to express her love for the festival, passing a piece of paper around the audience, asking them to write their names on it so that she could get everyone’s name tattooed on her back. Whether she’ll actually fit tens of thousands of names on her back, I'm not sure,  but the sentiment was a testament to the connection she forged with the audience.

The atmosphere reached its peak when the band closed with the timeless and anticipated 'Murder on the Dancefloor', drawing in passers by and even seducing those waiting in the dinner time food queues to abandon their spots and soak in the moment, capping off  a feel-good set which brought the spirit of disco to EP 2024.