Portlaoise band Pogueology made their Electric Picnic debut in the early hours of Saturday morning.
But their gig had to be cancelled after just 15 minutes when a section of the floor collapsed.
Pogueology – a seven-piece tribute band to the Pogues whose lead singer is Brian O’Mahony – were performing just after midnight at Jimmy Lee’s Juke Joint when a part of the floor collapsed during their fourth song.
“A very scary moment for the people involved as at the time the place was packed,” said one person who was there at the time and got in touch with us.
“People moved quickly to evacuate but some were not as quick to move and the Gardai had to cancel the gig and ask people to leave the area ASAP.
“The band only managed four songs I think before stopping in the middle of their fifth because of the situation.
“Nobody was injured that I know of but a very scary situation. I was on the floor myself when it happened.
“It could have been even worse,” said Austin ‘Watt’ Clancy from Stradbally one of many local people at the performance. “We are all jammed in like sardines … the songs were great, but not enough of them.”
Pogueology thanked their supporters for coming out and posted on their own Facebook page that “we’ve been promised a more suitable slot that ye can’t break over the weekend … we’ll keep you posted”.
“It’s funny we eventually get in as a tribute act – (and) that’s open for debate as well whether that’s right or wrong,” said lead singer Brian O’Mahoney the following year when chatting on the LaoisToday Podcast.
But O’Mahoney knew that the stage they were given wasn’t really fit for purpose. “We pretty much told them was too small for us,”
“We had to forewarn them we’d be under pressure and the whole place gave way, they can no longer use it now. It caused some headlines and (we got) a lot of publicity out of it.
“Because the set was cut so short, they got us a very short slot on the Salty Dog on the Sunday night and they asked up back this year to close the Salty Dog.”
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