Kaleidoscope review: Texas among the highlights of family-focused festival in Wicklow

Irish Examiner

07-07-2025

'I see a lot of children on shoulders,' Sharleen Spiteri shouts to the crowd.
And she's right. From the first strain of I Don't Want A Lover, the main field at Kaleidoscope is wild for Texas.
'Irish children are just like Scottish children,' she says, arms outstretched, feeling the momentum from an adoring audience.
Kaleidoscope, the country's family version of Electric Picnic, is celebrating five years and they have struck gold with this main act to mark the milestone.
It's just two years since Texas played the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury and Spiteri's stage presence is every bit as electric at Wicklow's Russborough House.
There's chat, banter and pure divilment between each song, every interaction peppered with a good natured expletive from the Scottish singer. She throws plectrums to the kids on the field, they in return cast balloons on to the stage. The crowd can't get enough.
Sharleen Spiteri and Texas on stage at Kaleidoscope at Russborough House, Co Wicklow.
Her voice is as powerful and pitch perfect as it was over three decades ago when they first found fame with the bluesy anthem I Don't Want A Lover.
The hits keep coming - Summer Son, Say What You Want - and a floor raising finale: Elvis Presley's Caught In A Trap.
With a vibrant green guitar in hand, matching her personality, Spiteri is a dynamic stage presence, and a Kaleidoscope highlight.
Other acts over the three-day festival included Ocean Colour Scene, headlining on Friday night, belting out classics The Riverboat Song and The Day We Caught The Train, while The Coronas were the final band to take to the main stage on Sunday night.
Day time performances included Jerry Fish's rousing set, The Riptide Movement and an appearance by Cork's Allie Sherlock.
The RSA's Seatbelt Sheriff at Kaleidoscope with Cillian Murphy, Luca Murphy and dad Con Murphy. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke
The Zozimus music stage became the festival's dancefloor all weekend long, with ABBAesque, Daft Punk Tribute, These Charming Men and DJ sets.
Beyond the music, families immersed themselves in family areas and stages, from treehouse building workshops from Dermot Bannon, science experiments with Mark The Science Guy, fire acts by Fierce Fire Show, illustration workshops with Steve Simpson, and baby rave parties with Move with Carla. Budding chefs rolled up their sleeves at the Scrumdiddlyumptious Festival of Food, while the National Reptile Zoo brought along lizards to hold.
Strolling through the festival fields, there's storytelling, face painting, big wheels, bumper cars and marching bands.
A festival like no other, this is Electric Picnic cool - created with children centrestage.