Sunday, April 28, 2013

Festival Memories (Part 1)


GLASTONBURY 1997

My first and currently my only Glastonbury Festival. It had its customary year off in 1996 which meant 1995 was the last time it had been held - and that one boasted Oasis, Pulp, The Prodigy, Jeff Buckley, Black Crowes, Supergrass, The Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey and so much more. Of course, as most of us now know, Glastonbury 1997 became known as 'The Year Of The Mud' thanks to widespread flooding brought on by torrential rain leading up to the weekend, plunging us immediately knee-deep in it at some areas.



The one thing I remember about Glastonbury above all others is making my way back to my tent in the pitch black darkness of fri night/sat morning after watching The Prodigy grind to a halt after two songs due to technical problems which I'd followed up by going for a wander with 2 girls from Edinburgh I randomly met at some hippy stall. Anyway, I ended up losing touch with them somewhere near the actual end of the world and as I picked my way back across guy ropes, bodies and god knows, I fell down a hole which , it turned out, some guy had dug out ready to put a totem pole in to, but had decided to go for a lie down before positioning the pole, leaving a 5 foot hole uncovered....It felt like I was tumbling for hours, or 100 feet at least - maybe I'd fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in a land of magic?  Thankfully I was unhurt (though my pride was completely fractured) but falling down holes in the dark is the scariest experience ever.


Not sure if I can describe this next one as a memory but the headlining slot by Radiohead on the Pyramid Stage on Saturday night has been described as one of the greatest sets in the history of the festival and also considered the night Radiohead hit their creative peak, never again matching the brilliance of that night. There are official recordings, bootlegs and photographic souvenirs of this mindblowing musical happening...And where was I? Watching fucking Kula Shaker on the other stage because I thought they'd be the greater of both bands to witness. Knob! Knob! Knob! They were shit, their songs sounded shit, their guitar playing was shit....and Mr Crispian Mills you psychedelic charisma-drenched frontman......you were also shit! Only highpoint from that was bumping into Glaswegian punk girl Sarah-Jane and spending the rest of the night in her company. 'Why were you watching Kula Shaker'? she asked.......'Oh, I promised my 6yr old niece I'd get photos of them' I cheesed. 'Awww' said she......'Aye'  said me!

Bands I managed to see play
ASH
KULA SHAKER
RAY DAVIES
STEVE HARLEY
STEREOLAB
SUPERNATURALS
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS
BILLY BRAGG
ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER
LEVELLERS
ECHOBELLY


Coming Soon: The Wizard Festival (they came marching out of the woods and started fighting with everyone)

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