With last year’s festival leaving a bad taste in the mouths of many (and not just from the sea of mud they had to contend with) this year’s festival certainly seems to have a lot resting on it. In the organisers’ defence however, it seems already that no plight has fallen on deaf ears, and no complaint gone unacknowledged.

While Y-Not has grown substantially in recent year, shedding its tag line of ‘Small, Fresh and Loud’ in the process, the fact that the concerns and complaints of last year’s festival have seemingly been addressed suggest the festival still retains its original ethos as being entirely about the punters, rendering some last year’s backlash instantly moot. And though much of what was raised by attendees was certainly pertinent, the metaphorical deluge weathered by organisers following last year’s event was almost as bad that which forced the festival to be cancelled in the first place.

Of course, though change may be at the forefront of everyone’s mind as we approach this year’s festival, it would be remiss not to mention the positives that surround Y-Not year after year, and the reason people return, year after year.

Aside from your usual big name bands that grace the Main and Quarry stages, which this year includes the likes of The Libertines, Manic Street Preachers and Catfish and the Bottlemen, Y-Not has always championed unsigned bands and local talent, regularly partnering with the likes of UK promoters This Feeling as well as BIMM, giving punters the chance to catch the next big thing, before they blow up.

This year is no exception. The aforementioned This Feeling will take over The Allotment Stage, bringing with them underground heroes in the form of No Hot Ashes, Proletariat, Vida and Bang Bang Romeo. And though many festivals these days offer up a taste of the ‘unsigned’, the intimate surroundings of Y-Not means there’s every chance you could be literally rubbing shoulders with the next big thing while watching the current!

While music obviously plays a huge part of the weekend, Y-Not’s always been touted as a family-friendly festival, with plenty to do for everyone across the course of the weekend. Not much seems too have changed in that respect, and if it has, it’s certainly for the better. With the Octopuses’ Garden area keeping young ‘uns occupied with workshops and games inside the arena itself as per usual, the main addition to this side of things is the activities taking place in the morning over in the Family Campsite. And though little has been revealed yet as to what this side of things entails, you can bet it will be more fun for kids than sitting around and waiting for the arena to open!

Easily one of best festivals of its size in the UK, and one with its heart in the right place, anyone stubborn enough to not give the festival another go after one bad year seriously needs to have a word with themselves. See you there!

You can find more information about the festival here.

The first three acts confirmed to play next year’s Indiependence music festival in Cork have been announced today. The 12^th annual festival at Deer Farm in Mitchelstown will play host to Manic Street Preachers, The Coronas, and Sigma from August 4-6 2017.

Last year’s Indiependence was headlined by Editors, Bell X1, The Kooks, Ash, and Walking On Cars with the likes of BARQ, MINDRIOTmt Mt, Bitch Falcon, Oh Boland, The Strypes, Idlewild, Wyvern Lingo, The Frank And Walters, King Kong Company, Otherkin and Saint Sister also playing over the weekend.

Welsh rockers, Manic Street Preachers make their very first appearance at Indiependence but they are no strangers to headline slots after playing at Glastonbury, T in the Park, V Festival and Reading. The Manics have won eleven NME Awards, eight Q Awards and four BRIT Awards and their anthemic tunes will rock the Rebel County in August.

Four years since they last headlined the festival, The Coronas return. The band's latest album, The Long Way, has already achieved platinum sales, with a new album out in 2017.

Leeds drum n bass duo Sigma have already sold over 3 million singles from their 2015 debut album Life, and had two Number 1 singles with ‘Nobody To Love’ and ‘Changing’.

Ticket info:

Early bird tickets sold out within 24 hours and fans will be happy to hear that subsequent ticket tiers will remain at 2016 prices – there will be no increase in the price of any indie tickets in 2017.

3-Day Weekend Camping – €119

VIP Indie Garden Upgrade – €50

Tickets are available online at www.tickets.ie with a limited amount for sale at Mitchelstown Post Office.