The Isle of Wight festival is one of the most highly-prized and prestigious gigs for any band, even a band of international stature, and is one of the most revered festival events the world rock scene has ever known. This year’s bash takes place on the 12th, 13th & 14th June, as usual, at Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight.
Before giving you a run-down on this year’s billing, let’s go back to the birth of the Isle of Wight festival and retrace its life up to today.
It all started in 1968 with ten thousand mostly English hippies who bravely took the ferry for the 20 minute trip from the mainland to see the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Fairport Convention and the late great Marc Bolan’s Tyrannosaurus Rex, who, like the fans, battled against the cold and rain. The stage consisted of two flat-bed trucks backed up to each other, the sound system was inadequate and the toilets – well - there were none. Just a circular pit hastily scratched into the soggy earth.
Things really took off in 1969 though, the organisers having learned the lessons from ‘68’s rather chaotic organisation. The line-up was brilliant, featuring 25 nationally or internationally-known acts as well as a host of smaller bands.. For those of you who are as old as the author, here’s a trip down memory lane. For the young’uns, go check out these bands.
The 150 000 fans present that weekend were able to see; The Band, Joe Cocker, Dylan, Family, Free, Richie Havens, the Moody Blues, the Nice, Tom Paxton and the Who, as well as many others. Wonderful. The weather was clement and the Who are considered by aficionados to have played one of the best concerts of their long career during their headlining set.
1969 had been an enormous success, but 1970 would do even better. It would prove to be the biggest rock festival ever held on the planet, with well over 600 000 visitors. It was so big in fact, that the organisers’ resources were pushed over the limit. To add to the problems, Anarchist activist groups tried to disrupt the festival, helped by the Hell’s Angels, who were ulcerated at not being hired to provide stage security. Logistical problems piled up steadily during this monster event.
(Incidentally, the biggest-ever rock concert attendance ever award goes to Rod Stewart’s gig at Copacabana Beach, which drew a staggering 3.5 million people. Curiously, over 4 300 women are said to have given birth during the day long event.)
The 1970 festival was where Jimi Hendrix played his last gig. He died shortly afterwards in a London hotel. Other artists included Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, Donovan, Kris Kristofferson, Sly & the Family Stone, Chicago, the Doors, Ten Years After, Supertramp and....Tiny Tim!
All the logistical and other problems caused by the event’s enormous proportions led to bad money management and some big financial losses. This led one of the leading organisers, Ron Foulkes, to say “This is the last festival, enough is enough. It began as a beautiful dream but it has got out of control and become a monster.”
The dream was, in effect, over, and the end of that dream more-or-less coincided with that of another, that of the Hippie era.
(I was at this festival. Hendrix’s set was filmed of course, and the film shows the slightly over-edgy feel to the performance, but it was magic at the time.)
The Isle of Wight festival was revived in 2002, and has taken place every year since.
The festival organisers have had to rebuild its notoriety after the 32-year break, but attendance figures have crept up over the years, with last year’s version drawing a crowd of 70 000. It has played host to numerous international bands. Here are some of them.
Robert Plant, Bryan Adams, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, the Manic Street Preachers, REM, Roxy Music, Foo Fighters, Amy Whitehouse, Bjork, the Police, the Stranglers, Muse, Coldplay and, last but by no means least, the Rolling Stones.
So what’s in store for fans this year?
80 000 people are expected, and they will be offered a savvy billing consisting of a mix of older and newer bands.
Neil Young will be there with a set including songs from his new album, 'Fork in the Road.' His recent Canadian tour shattered attendance records for the venues he played, and this will be his first Isle of Wight date, despite many past efforts by his management and recording companies to get him booked there.
The Prodigy, one of the best electronica acts of the 1990s in my view, before they redirected their sound towards mainstream pop music, are sure to be a massive draw, due in part to their electrifying and hyper stage show.
The Pixies are back! One of the most influential alternative bands of all time, they will certainly kill ‘em dead as usual. This will be their first gig at the Isle of Wight and their only UK festival appearance in 2009.
Also, still going strong after a highly successful twelve-year career that has seen 6 top ten albums, the Stereophonics will be appearing for the second time. If you like hard but melodious and resolutely Brit-style pop-rock songs that you can’t get out of your head, you shouldn’t miss their set.
The impressive dance floor duo Basement Jaxx promise to set the place alight with their eccentric and dynamite-laden act and killer sound. Their new album, ‘Rooty’ will surely yield at least another massive dance floor hit to go with the three others they have already had.
One of my favourite bands, Scotland’s Simple Minds, are still packin’ ‘em in after 30 years. Known for their awesome stage sets and sound, they have had so many hits that it’s difficult to remember the names of all of them. They release their 15th album, ‘Graffiti Soul’, next week.
Killing Joke’s apocalyptic rock and fiery stage presence will also be a major hit this year. These guys are amongst the world’s best-loved “enfants terribles” and a set by them is always likely to contain surprises.
Other well-known artists slated to appear include Colin Bluntstone, the Zombies (remember them?) Bananarama, one of the world's most brash and ballsy girl groups ever, and Ultravox. Ultravox, whose massive hits include 'Vienna' and 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes', will be there with their melodic cult songs, playing their first concert, in original lineup form, since 1985.
On the practical side, tickets are priced at around 140 Pounds (213 US Dollars) and can be obtained from
Ticketzone and other online outlets that can be found on the
Isle of Wight festival site. The site is full of information on the event as well as a very informative section on all the other festivals.
Be there, have fun, and don't forget the suncream just in case.
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