Oxegen turns 21 - a look back at the festival that became a rite of passage for 2000s teens

Extra.ie​

08-07-2025

While music festivals are seen as a staple of the scene nowadays, it was only the 1990s and 2000s that they really came into their own.
While one day festivals had been a thing for the past few decades, three-day, camping festivals became all the rage at the turn of the millennium. And one of the biggest in the country was… Witnness — a festival that started out in Fairyhouse racecourse in Co Meath before moving to Punchestown in Kildare, which ran from 2000-2003.
While Witnness was a success for those four years, a rebrand occurred in 2004; one which strikes nostalgia (or fear) into the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people who've gone through those gates over the years. That festival was Oxegen. Music fans at the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
The inaugural Oxegen took place 21 years ago this weekend (July 10-11) and for prices ranging from €59.90 for one night to €130 for the two nights with camping, music lovers were able to see acts such as The Cure, The Strokes, and The Darkness, who had to replace David Bowie after he pulled out due to health issues. The Cure playing at the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Getty Images
Other notable bands, who were either on the cusp of something great or who were stalwarts of the music scene, included a pre Sex on Fire Kings of Leon — who are set to close Electric Picnic this year — The Black Eyed Peas, and P!nk, while the Scissor Sisters and Snow Patrol were also huge additions to the lineup. And remember, this was back when festivals announced a lineup and then released the tickets! Fans enjoying the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
The main attraction, of course, was David Bowie, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be, as the singer suffered a heart attack while on his A Reality Tour. The Darkness, best known for I Believe in a Thing Called Love, replaced him, and while they weren't a terrible band… come on. Who's going to want to replace David Bowie? Joyce Clarke, Melissa Kenny and Jerri Kenny at the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
Revellers who were there admitted that they were sorely disappointed at the replacement, with one person commenting on a reddit post during last year's 20th anniversary 'Having Bowie pull out to be replaced by The Darkness a few days before the gig was like being told Christmas is cancelled but it's ok, you're going to the dentist instead.'
'Big gang of us went for the weekend. I only went to see David Bowie. Hadn't heard the news until I saw The Darkness coming out,' another remembered. 'Was at the front and a few people asking what the story was and security saying Bowie had to withdraw. Devastating.' Emer O'Neill and Vivienne Garry at the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
Oxegen became a rite of passage for people in their late teens and 20 somethings, and only went on to get bigger and bigger, expanding from two days to three and including acts such as Green Day, The Who and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, before expanding to pop and hip hop as well as rock music — with headliners in its twilight years including Beyoncé, Eminem and Calvin Harris. Pink performing at the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
While the festival took a break in 2012 (similar to Glastonbury's fallow year), it came back in 2013, but with a totally different lineup to what people were used to — with acts including Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and Rizzle Kicks, something that drew heavy criticism from people who were expecting lineups of old. The Strokes playing at the Oxegen festival in 2004. Pic: Getty Images
Despite 50,000 people in attendance across the three days, the writing was on the wall, and it was indeed the final Oxegen — with other festivals, such as Electric Picnic, All Together Now and Longitude taking its place.