I guess calling this a review considering I was involved in running the event is probably incorrect so lets call it an outline of what happened at INDIEPENDENCE 2010. A new site, some good weather and over 100 bands meant that the 4,000 strong crowd were treated to a pretty enjoyable weekend all told or so was the general consensus around the campsite on the Sunday and Monday morning.

Saturday kicked off with the only shower of the weekend but that didn't dampen the spirits of the 1,200 campers who had decided to rock up on Friday night and make their own fun in the campsite. The highlights on Saturday included Reverend and the Makers energetic main stage performance while Delorentos packed the Cyprus Avenue Stage. Main stage headliners Alabama 3 kicked things off with Mao Tse Tung Says as they attracted fans from all over the site to the main stage like flies to a light. The night ended with the customary queues at the silent disco, Dashka rocking in Cyprus Avenue and Super Extra Bonus Party joined by Fight Like Ape's May Kay in the Monster Tent.

Sunday morning and coffee and breakfast rolls were the order of the day as hundreds of happy campers flooded into Mitchelstown for some early morning revival. What a day Sunday turned out to be. The Riptide Movement entertained the masses in the campsite with an impromptu set before ripping it up (excuse the pun) in the Cyprus Avenue Stage later that evening. Post Punk Rockers God is an Astronaut and And So I Watch You From Afar shredded everything within a ten mile radius off the main stage before the stage was set for some of the performances of the weekend. Fred convinced a couple of thousand main stage revellers to sit down before Duke Special sang and crowd surfed his way into the hearts and minds of those present. At the same time, The Coronas had probably the biggest main stage crowd of the weekend, finishing with a great version of the late Nic Christopher's Hey Day and so it was upon us, the weekends main headline act took to the stage, and what a headline act White Lies are. They may just have one album behind them, 2009's UK No.1 To Lose My Life but when that album is filled with quality from start to finish, as a live show, it really is something to behold.

So that was it, the short version of what happened, I've left out the zorb balls, the great food, the Bavaria, Ham Sandwich's confetti cannon and so much more. In an area like Ballyhoura with so much beauty and so much to do outdoors from mountain biking to kayaking to walking, its great to have one weekend where you can indulge yourself, maybe drink a little much, eat too much and see some great bands, thats what the weary but happy heads leaving the campsite on Monday thought anyway!