Ronan O'BrienI spent a fantastic weekend drinking cans in a field in the middle of nowhere. What I mean is, I enjoyed a monumental weekend at Forest Fest – one of the best hidden gems you should know about.
Forest Fest
Founded by Laois native Philip Meagher, Forest Fest was created with the clear intention of bringing exceptional music to audiences who value carefully curated line-ups and a truly premium festival experience. Championing the best of indie and rock, as well as multiple local talents, it’s no doubt the festival was voted No.1 in The Irish Times Critics’ Poll 2025, shortlisted for Best Small Festival 2025 in the IMRO Live Music Awards and crowned Best Event / Festival at the Midlands Hospitality Awards 2025.
A new style layout was introduced for 2026, with the festival located in the serene village of Emo. The site itself was fit for purpose wonderfully, with a vibrant atmosphere evident from the offset. Dotted across the site were a multitude of stages, carnival and art exhibitions, along with the usual food & drink stalls and bathrooms. At the heart of the festival grounds stood the large main stage, with tented stages facilitating the many other live performances.
Arriving on the Friday morning, I parked up and received my wristband. The arduous walk to the campsite is part and parcel of every festival, which only helps build the excitement. Expecting massive queues, I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of entrance. The site was already busy, mainly attributed to the campervans and caravans who were required to access the site on the Thursday. What I find especially cool is that Forest Fest have a night of performances for these people, which is a rare bonus. This year, the caravan folk were treated to a short evening, headlined by Hermitage Green.
Friday 24th July
Early Afternoon Gems
As a very important writer, I was given the option of camping in the general or staff campsite. Being ever so humble, I decided to slum it out with the common folk. Following an ordeal while pitching my tent, I quickly made friends with my neighbour for the weekend. Once the struggle was over, I deservedly tucked into some beer and took a breather. From the campsite, the main stage could be heard so clearly. Performing at that time was the first act of the day, fellow Limerick men Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets. While I did not manage to see the band, their sound was good and served as a warmer for the crowd.
Now ready to see some live acts myself, I made my way over to the Perfect Day Stage, where the ethereal vocals of Driven Snow lured me in helplessly. The husband & wife duo of Emily Aylmer and Kieran McGuinness were fantastic. From the dream-pop sounds to beautiful vocal harmonies, I was immersed by the band. My ears were pricked when the band launched into a Delorentos track, the band McGuinness was in previously. While still relatively unknown, Driven Snow are certainly one to watch. Their sophomore album is out this September, and I will be waiting.
Speaking of artists to watch out for, a further gem was welcomed to the Perfect Day Stage in the form of Sadhbh Keane. At just 18 years old, Keane appeared as if she was a veteran. Captivating vocals and lyrical depth, this is an artist I won’t be shocked to see headlining festivals in years to come. A bright young talent, Keane’s debut album will be out in October, which is another one I cannot wait for.
The Tribute Acts
A time clash meant I had to leave Sadhbh’s performance to catch one of the many tribute acts. The Village Stage was packed to see These Charming Men, a tribute act to The Smiths. While admittedly I am not the biggest fan of Morrissey, his counterpart Al played the part to perfection. Bouquet in hand, his execution of hits like “Bigmouth Strikes Again“ and “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now“ were sublime. Even sound issues didn’t falter the band, which they cleverly followed up with a rendition of “Panic“. Like many, I left the tent reevaluating my opinion on The Smiths.
A short rest and some food later, I treated myself to yet another tribute act. The Classic Beatles served as a time capsule back to the swinging sixties, with the band looking exactly the part. Donned in grey suits and mop-top wigs, the band sounded superb. The Perfect Day Stage was alive with people of all ages twisting and shuffling to the sound of the greatest band in history. Sporting Paul McCartney‘s signature bass and emulating the Liverpudlian’s humour, they are another tribute band I will absolutely be seeing again.
The Headline Acts
Hanging around by the main stage, I managed to experience the full force of The Charlatans. And by full force, I mean it. The band performed as if it was their first and last show, leaving me very impressed. While many, including myself, assumed the band would be a relic of the past in a sense, I was delighted to be proven wrong. Tim Burgess has not aged a day, and thankfully neither has his voice. As well as that, the band seemed genuinely happy to be there, unlike some others. I’ll get to that in a bit.
I soon returned to The Village Stage, brimming with excitement to see The Undertones. Speaking of bands who haven’t lost their spark, my god. While the band replaced Feargal Sharkey with the enigmatic Paul McLoone, they were as explosive as I imagine they were in the early days. The energy was raw but the sound was so clean. McLoone commanded the stage alongside bassist Michael Bradley, blasting through hits like “Jimmy Jimmy“ and “You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It!)“. While I loved the show, I was faced with a huge dilemma due to a clash.
I eventually left and returned to the main stage to see the other headline act, Echo & The Bunnymen. To a fantastic backdrop and dim blue lighting stood the band, with Ian McCulloch at the helm. Clad in sunglasses and a leather duster, he mumbled anecdotes about James Brown. He appeared to be moody in some regard and not exactly thrilled to be performing. While it was surreal to hear hits like “Seven Seas“ and “The Killing Moon“ live, they ultimately played a much shorter setlist than they were billed for. So ultimately a tad disappointing.
Saturday 25th July
One Hit Wonders – Not!
A nice early rise had me feeling slightly ropy, but it wasn’t going to spoil my mood. The weather was nice and the first band on was a must-see. The Hoosiers were, to put it simply, way too good of a band to have on first. Emitting beautiful vibes and fantastic energy to boot, the band were celebrating the release of their sixth album, Compassion. Not only did the band champion their big hits like “Goodbye Mr. A“, they performed some hugely enjoyable covers like “Pink Pony Club“ and took themselves as seriously as a pig in a raincoat. A band that has plenty more to offer, definitely one not to overlook.
Following this, David Kitt played in The Village Stage. An artist I discovered at a festival about 10 years ago, he is always enjoyable to watch. From funny little anecdotes regarding Icelandic volcanoes to smoking weed in the RTÉ green room, his vocals and songwriting are always a pleasure. Celebrating 25 years of The Big Romance, Kittser is always happy to champion his successes and crowd pleasers.
On advice from my camping neighbour, I went to see Hugh Cornwell. After realising he was the lead vocalist for The Stranglers, I felt privileged to experience his set live. Such an enjoyable band, the originals like “Stuck in Daily Mail Land“ had my head bopping. Naturally, there was a rendition of “Golden Brown“ which absolutely blew me away to hear in person. What a man.
Ups and Downs
Back to the main stage, enter The Fratellis. My preconceptions pointed to another one hit wonder, but boy was I mistaken. Unapologetically energetic with a stacked lineup, the band were large and in charge. With John Fratelli at the helm, the band matched the energy magnificently. Part of the touring group included the backing singers The Wild Tonics, whose 1920’s style vocals blended in seamlessly. There is so much more to the band’s discography than their biggest hit, but the figurative roof was lifted when “Chelsea Dagger“ was unleashed.
The Kickin’ Up Dust Stage was reserved for country and Americana acts, which I avoided like the plague. That was until Mack Fleetwood were to play. Another tribute band I have been itching to see for a long time, the tent quickly filled up. Although the band certainly looked the part, with Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood eerily similar, the sound was anything but. The vocal harmonies were incredibly disappointing and I lost interest so quickly that I left after a couple of songs.
Soon after, I caught one of the acts I was most excited to see – Mik Pyro. While at first glance he may have seemed slightly disinterested, those thoughts were quickly dispelled. If there was anyone to show what being a frontman is, it should be Mik Pyro. The energy was electric, and the setlist included a delectable mix of his solo stuff as well as Republic of Loose classics. The place was hopping, quite literally. Bluesy, funky and sometimes bizarre, Mik puts on quite a show. Joined by his sister and Emily Aylmer of Driven Snow for songs like “Break!“ and “The Steady Song“, it was probably my favourite performance of the weekend.
Headlines, I Guess?
After a bit of wandering, I headed back to The Village Stage to see one of the Saturday night headliners, The Sultans of Ping. While I will admit I only know of “Where’s Me Jumper“, I was expecting the band to show they are more than a one-hit wonder. I very quickly realised that this was not going to be the case, as I did not enjoy their performance at all. Quite frankly, I found the vocals so annoying I had to leave.
Over on The Perfect Day Stage were The Minutes. A no-nonsense band with some of the hardest-hitting energy I have experienced to date, they brought more punk elements than the so-called headliner. While somewhat enjoyable, I won’t be in a rush to see them again. God help their instruments is all I can say.
Hoping to catch a decent headliner, I navigated my way through a sea of camping chairs around the main stage to see James. Another band I am not all too familiar with, I quickly realised they too were a one or two-hit wonder. So again, I left to catch some better performances.
Back in The Village Stage was Aoife Destruction. An act not to judge by first impressions, the punk energy delivered was exactly what I needed. Quite an enjoyable band, I really enjoyed the ska-punk elements oozing through the tracks. Even a cover of “Just A Girl“ suited them perfectly.
I did feel a little guilty and felt obliged to return to the headliner. Thankfully at this stage, James had lightened up a bit and had the place moving. Their energy was much better and it certainly helped with big hits like “Sit Down“ and “Laid“.
Sunday 26th July
Sun, Sups & Snares
From falling asleep to the dizzying sounds of King Kong Company to being awoken by The Suso Gospel Choir, it felt like mass on a Sunday. It is the midlands, after all. Once up, I went to The Village Stage to catch a young band called Epilogue. Reeking of Fontaines DC, the Kildare natives are another fantastic gem to discover. Really a great band, the sky is the limit for these lads.
I stuck around for the mellow sounds of Gemma Hayes. As always, a solid performance from Gemma, whose beautiful vocals are like a siren song. It’s hard to believe she has been on the scene for over two decades, but deservedly so. While the folk singer self-admittedly sings mostly of sadness, it was a performance that I truly enjoyed and remained for the duration of.
Another band whose longevity hasn’t changed them is Jesus Jones, who tore through the soundscape of The Village Stage. While I found Mike Edwards sounding like Liam Gallagher at points, it was a performance full of raw energy. Tracks like “Real, Real, Real“ got the place bouncing, as much as my tired legs would allow me. A strange observation, but the snare here was the crispest I have heard all weekend.
One Step Beyond!
Following a recommendation, I caught Black Pistol Fire on The Perfect Day Stage. The Texan duo have some of the most intense energy I have ever experienced. Guitarist and vocalist Kevin McKeown had some serious Jack White aura about him, and the drummer Eric Owen was an animal. The tempo changes were a tad off-putting at times, but the duo oozes talent that is rare to find. From McKeown switching guitar without missing a note to Owen playing bass on a synth while drumming, they are one to keep an eye on for sure.
One of the most anticipated acts graced the main stage, the one and only, The Boomtown Rats. A band I had wanted to see for a long time, they were utterly marvellous. Geldof was in the mood, donning themselves “the best fucking band in the world” to utter delight. Fifty years on, the energy was impeccable and shows they are one of the best in the business. No bullshit, just hit after hit after hit. Apart from one or two political statements from Geldof, but that is completely justified.
Following a performance that went over the allocated time, the anticipation built more and more for the final headliner, Madness. One thing I can say about Madness is that they are exactly what is promised – utter madness! Although the band are more aged and slightly less energetic, they did not show it by any means. Even Geldof joined the band later in the set which topped off a fantastic weekend. While the acts did not stop there, I had little interest in seeing Qween and The Dublin Gospel Choir. But from what I heard, another band that does justice to their idols.
Final Thoughts
Forest Fest always intrigued me due to the lineup they seem to attract. As someone who loves bands from before their time, this is exactly the type of festival I would love – and I did! The site was perfect, the facilities were faultless and the music was second to none. While the weekend wasn’t without its faults, I can only commend the organisers for hosting a fantastic weekend.
Here are some of the issues, however. Firstly, the phone signal is abysmal. While I didn’t care, in fact I liked being disconnected for a bit, I know that can agitate some people. The biggest issue I had was the chairs. Oh my god, the chairs. Chairs everywhere. While the festival is catered for an older audience, and that means camping chairs are allowed into the main festival ground, it hampered so much. On the Saturday night especially, there were so many chairs that I could not move from one area to the next. Thankfully, the designated areas became more defined by the Sunday, and that made all the difference.
While that was a huge annoyance to me, I overall had a wonderful time. A special thanks has to be given to the brilliant ladies at Amplify Agency for the opportunity, and their hospitality. To Rhí, Onagh and Sheena, thank you for putting up with me!
Forest Fest returns in 2027 and all I can say is, don’t miss it – you will regret it!
