Electric Picnic coverage is brought to you in association with Ramsbottom’s Portlaoise
DJ Mark McCabe is all set to play the Electric Arena at Electric Picnic this evening at 10pm.
In 2000, he released “Maniac 2000” and it went to number one, as the second biggest-selling record ever in Ireland.
As a club anthem, the song was incredibly popular with a certain generation who were either heading to nightclubs or discos in the early 2000s.
However, McCabe’s life changed back in 2015 when he was invited to perform at the Electric Ireland tent at Electric Picnic.
He explained: “This year is 25 years of Maniac, which is really just surreal to be honest with you.
“Ten years ago, 2015, I did the Electric Ireland stage, and that was kind of the first time in ten years that I’d actually performed Maniac at a gig in front of a crowd.
“The Electric Island Arena in 2015, which was just really, really special. I don’t know, something just happened.
“It built up energy from 5 or 10 years of people appreciating the track, and it all just came together in that night.
“The tent was rammed, we had about 10 people out the back of it as well, so it was just a really special night.
“It just was a life-changing experience, really was, because it just made me realise what that track means to people.
“From then I’ve just been on the road, doing shows, travelling the world, bringing Maniac to all the Irish people all over the world.
“I just can’t get enough of it. So this year is really special because it’s 25 years of that track, and 10 o’clock Saturday evening, Electric Picnic, it’s peak.”
Did McCabe ever expect that his song would prove to be still such a hit a quarter of a century later?
He said: “No, you don’t get that longevity, it just doesn’t happen.
“So when it does, it’s normally for something which is way more intricate or meaningful.
“You think of a track by Elton John or Angels by Robbie Williams or something like that.
“So Maniac is unique, we all know it’s unique, and it’s on its own in that way, but it is what it is, and I’m glad to be the chariot.”
Electric Picnic coverage is brought to you in association with Ramsbottom’s Portlaoise
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