Forest Fest Review: Echo and the Bunnymen, James and Madness Deliver Nostalgia-Soaked Weekend in Co Laois
The fifth edition of Forest Fest in Emo, Co Laois, has been hailed as the festival's most successful yet, with Echo and the Bunnymen, James, and Madness delivering headline performances that delighted the 16,000 daily attendees who descended on the new Bees Wing Farm site over the weekend of 24 to 26 July. The Irish Times praised the event's smooth transition to its larger venue and the quality of the programming across six stages, while audiences responded with the kind of wholehearted enthusiasm that only comes from a crowd that genuinely loves the music it has come to hear.
Background
Forest Fest has carved out a distinctive niche in the Irish festival landscape since its founding five years ago, offering a celebration of 1980s and 1990s indie music that provides an alternative to the stadium-scale events that dominate the summer calendar. The festival's original home at the local GAA grounds in Emo gave it an intimate, community-oriented character that its loyal audience has always valued, and the move to the larger Bees Wing Farm site for the 2026 edition was undertaken with considerable care to preserve that essential character.
The 2026 lineup was the most ambitious in the festival's history, with three headline acts — Echo and the Bunnymen, James, and Madness — who between them represent some of the most enduring and beloved music of the past four decades. The decision to programme these acts reflects both the festival's confidence in its audience and its understanding of what that audience wants: music that means something, performed by artists who have been making it for long enough to know exactly what they are doing.
The move to Bees Wing Farm was necessitated by demand. The festival had been selling out at its previous capacity, and the new site — with its proximity to the M7 motorway and its excellent public transport connections — offered the space needed to accommodate a larger audience without sacrificing the festival's essential character.
Key Developments
Friday's headline set from Echo and the Bunnymen was a masterclass in the art of the festival performance. Ian McCulloch, now in his late sixties, remains a commanding stage presence, and the band's set — which drew heavily from their classic catalogue including 'The Killing Moon', 'Lips Like Sugar', and 'Bring On the Dancing Horses' — was received with enormous enthusiasm by an audience that knew every word. The Charlatans and The Wedding Present provided strong support, with The Chameleons' late-night set in the Kickin' Up Dust arena drawing a devoted crowd of post-punk enthusiasts.
Saturday's headline performance from James was the emotional centrepiece of the weekend. Tim Booth's extraordinary vocal range and physical presence transformed the main stage into something approaching a religious experience, with 'Sit Down', 'Come Home', and 'Ring the Bells' generating the kind of communal singing that reminds you why live music matters. Deacon Blue and The Coronas provided excellent support, while Paul Brady's afternoon set was a reminder of the enduring power of Irish songwriting at its finest.
Sunday's closing set from Madness was a joyful, raucous celebration that sent the crowd home happy. The Nutty Boys, now veterans of four decades of performing, delivered a set that was simultaneously nostalgic and vital, with 'One Step Beyond', 'Our House', and 'Baggy Trousers' generating scenes of uninhibited dancing across the main arena. The Dublin Gospel Choir's appearance with Qween earlier in the afternoon was widely cited as one of the weekend's unexpected highlights.
Why It Matters
Forest Fest's success matters because it demonstrates that there is a substantial and enthusiastic audience for music that is not defined by the current moment — music that has stood the test of time and that continues to resonate with people who first heard it decades ago. In an era dominated by streaming algorithms and the relentless churn of new content, a festival that celebrates the enduring value of great songs is a genuinely countercultural proposition.
The festival's economic impact on Co Laois is also significant. A three-day event attracting 16,000 daily attendees generates substantial revenue for local accommodation providers, restaurants, and businesses, and the festival's growing reputation is helping to put Laois on the map as a destination for cultural tourism. This is a meaningful contribution to a county that has sometimes struggled to attract the kind of investment and attention that its more prominent neighbours receive.
Local Impact
The impact of Forest Fest on the local economy was felt across Portlaoise, Portarlington, and Mountmellick, with local businesses reporting strong trade throughout the festival weekend. The shuttle bus services from Portlaoise and Portarlington stations were well used, and the festival's free car parking arrangements helped to manage traffic flows effectively. Laois County Council has been a supportive partner in the festival's development, and the relationship between the event and local authorities appears to be a genuinely collaborative one.
What's Next
Organisers have confirmed that Forest Fest will return in 2027, with planning for the sixth edition already under way. The success of the 2026 event is expected to make the festival an even more attractive proposition for artists and sponsors, and there is speculation that the lineup for next year could include some of the biggest names in the 1980s and 1990s indie canon. Ticket sales for 2027 are expected to open in the autumn.
