I have had no cause in my life to visit the London Borough of Hackney or its famous Hackney Marshes, and Leyton Orient Football club is only one of two London club Charlton Athletic at the Valley, the other, which I have not visited. The ones that I have are Crystal Palace, the Old Millwall Den Stadium, the former Wimbledon stadium, Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham Hotspurs, and the former Arsenal Stadium together with Chelsea and Fulham, although it is a decade since visiting any of them. I visited the Old Wembley for three Cup Finals, two or three Internationals, two Rock concerts, including the first Live Aid and once for a weekend competition. I have visited the new Wembley for the Diana concert and will be visiting this August for an Olympic Football match.
I mention the London Borough of Hackney (where one its Members of Parliament is Diane Abbott a regular sofa sitting on the late night Political Programme This Week), because the latest of The BBC Radio 1 free but ticketed rock and pop concerts was held there this past weekend in direct competition to the Isle of Wight Festival covered by the Sky Arts Channel and Sky 3D over three evenings at the same time.
Because of the availability of 3D and the advertised appearance of Bruce Springsteen on the Sunday evening I opted to watch the Isle of Wight event and have only caught up with the BBC event since then. The reason why I have been able to do this is that unlike the Sky Channels the BBC not only provided red button coverage of the music in addition to the main magazine style live coverage with videos and some live performances, but now has hours of full performance on line, at least for the remaining part of the subsequent seven days.
I have been an admirer of the BBC event in the past which in my view ranks along with their coverage of Glastonbury where the concert and the BBC coverage has attracted world wide fame and standing, I must confess that it is rare for me to listen to BBC radio 1 these days or to view the various pop and rock Music channels on Sky and with the departure of Top of the Pops I only keep in touch with what is happening in the music and pop scene now and again with the Festivals from the comfort of my armchair.
I would like to have been a Festival goer and have been tempted when younger but now the idea of sleeping under canvass or standing for hours; often in the inclement British weather has less appeal. The scale of music festivals is extraordinary and if I was to start going then it those which provide traditional jazz and swing music, usually in a hotel where one can sit and enjoy, would top of my list. I did have one glorious weekend in my youth when I went to the Cy Laurie Club on the Saturday night followed by the all nighter at the Skiffle Club where those appearing including Lonnie Donegan, and then after a wash, made my way to the Thames embankment for a day long River Boat Shuffle to Margate and back where the hit was Sandy Brown playing an extended version of the When the Saints go Marching In which continued for at least twenty minutes if not longer as the boat had difficulties tying up on return and which blew the minds of Sonny McGhee and Howard Terry the American Blues singers who had also made the trip. I then went to what was Humph’s club at 100 Oxford Street which is still in existence to this day as the 100.
I did plan to go to the Whitely Bay Jazz Festival which for several years was the only one to concentrate on traditional jazz and swing from the 20’s through to 50’s and sixties, only to find that it had been held the weekend before and which incidentally takes place at a hotel in greater Newcastle and not the Bay or even North Tyneside, and now occurs in October and is already sold out. In the past there were whole jazz and swing bands from across Europe who also played sets at the Mouth of Tyne Festival on a stage next to the Rock of Gibraltar Pub at Tynemouth. This year there is jazz by the Rock but only from the UK on the second weekend of July. The Whitely Bay event will feature about 30 musicians who specialise in playing trad jazz and swing from the 20’s and 30’s. I met someone at Tynemouth who is a regular for the Glasgow event which covers a week beginning to day where the cost of attending all the pay events comes to over £300 plus hotel accommodation. The problem with the Glasgow events as with many other is that in order to attract an audience there is a wide range off jazz usually provided and which if good is good but can also prove unenjoyable or boring. Looking at some of the annual events available the one which did attract me was Scarborough where one of the sons of Take Five Dave Brubeck is performing with his quartet in September.
For the general music lover there are hundreds of festivals events each year with over 30 in the classical music and choral with the Proms the most well known over eight weeks with Aldeburgh, Chichester, Edinburgh, Glynebourne, and the York Early Music Festival the most well known. Bestival is the most prominent for Dance and Electronic Music along with the entire genre Glastonbury among also among 30 others. Cambridge and Edinburgh are known for their Folk music festivals among forty others. The Party in the Park and T4 on the Beach headline concerts devoted to contemporary popular music with the Isle of White, Knebworth and T in the Park for Rock and the list of all forms music has well over 100 from the well known to the most obscure e.g. Sheep Music and The Midge Death Free Festival. Not on one list was the important annual Leeds and Reading Festival which takes places in both cities/towns over the same weekend.
The Radio 1 event has now had three transformations with the biggest this past weekend when it changed from to the Hackney Weekend to celebrate the Olympics 2012 Cultural Programme which has now been published in a 100 page plus brochure of free and other events to be included over the coming months, The former Big Weekend Festival has increased the number of stages from four to six and doubled the number of free tickets made available. Because the concert is not residential it originally assumed that the majority of those attending would be local but this did not take into account its growing popularity so that the queue to get ticket policy resulted in an estimated half the tickets allocated on a two per applicant basis going to those from outside the immediate area. Now there is a ballot with 95% going to the area where the weekend is held. In order to combat the free tickets being offered on E Bay a passport photo has to go with application to so that there is a ticket and applicant match up on the day. So far the weekend has been held in Manchester and Cardiff 2003, Londonderry 2004, Birmingham, 2004, Sunderland 2005, Dundee 2006, Preston 2007, Maidstone 2008, Swindon 2009, Bangor 2010 and Carlisle 2011.
The artists appearing tend to be very current rather than from the past fifty years and therefore the weekend as does Radio 1 generally appeals to the youth of today and provides an important platform for new music and new singers. The post popular return appearing on other stages to the main one before moving to the point of being the headline events. Last year as well as this, for example Plan B and Professor Green, Jessie J, Dizzee Rascal. the Rizzie Kicks, Vaccines, Tinie Tempain appeared again and unlike other festivals notably the Isle of Wight, Artists, however big they have become are prepared for their full performances to be available on the Red button at the time and online for the next week over 75 in total. This is also a feature of BBC Glastonbury.
In 2011 the headliners were Lady Gaga the Black Eyed Peas and the Foo Fighters. 2010 Florence and the Machine, Dizzee Rascal, Justin Bieber and Scouting for Girls, Cheryl Cole and Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Pixie Lott, In 2009 Snow Patrol, Kasabian. Dizzee Rascal, Lily Allen, Scouting for Girls, Maximo Park, Gossip, Enter Shakiri and Lady Hawke. In 2008 there was Madonna, Usher, Fatboy Slim, Editors, Duffy, and Scouting for Girls, The Kooks, the Raconteurs and the Wombats.
2007 saw the Scissor Sisters, Razorlight, Kasabian, the Frantellis, Natasha Bedingfield, Kaiser Chiefs, Rihanna, Bloc Party, Dizzy Rascal and Gossip. In 2006 it was Paolo Nutrini, Corinne Bailey Rae, Razorlight, Snow Patrol, Pink, The Feeling, Feeder, The Editors, Keane and Franz Ferdinand. 2005 the Foo Fighters, Kasabian, Natalie Imbruglia, Chemical Brothers KT Tunstall, Basement Jaxx, Kaiser Chiefs, The Black Eyes Peas, Maximo Park and Jamiroquai.
I mention only those I knew in advance with some only from having watched them at Glastonbury or other festivals before on the TV. This past weekend the star turn divided between three young women, the first Rihanna who brought along her full troupe ensemble of singers and dancers and whose hour set performance is available in full for the next few days. She wore an extraordinary sexy outfit and had command of everyone’s attention throughout. The second was local girl made good through the X Factor, Leona Lewis and who I have seen live as part of the X Factor Tour which caused my membership of My Space when I saw that she had a site. She opened her half hour set 25 minute set with Tell the World I am coming home. She included her Chart Single success Bleeding Love and another of her successes accompanied by a local choir. She was evidently thrilled at the opportunity to sing in the town where she was raised. It is debateable if the third female would describe herself as young anymore and it was the BBC who brought Florence and the Machine to UK attention back in 2008. Florence another local girl from South London came home for the concert from her two year round the world tour! She provided a 40 minute set with her tour group on the Sunday after originally being advertised for the Saturday. You Got The Love was one of her chart topers performed before she has said finding somewhere in East London to get drunk.
Two of the previous participants joined forces to provide another memorable hour long concert available on line Plan B with Professor Green both I would describe under the broad church of white rappers and for once what they had to say could be understood and was appreciated. I listened to the set twice.
I also had a good listen and look at Ed Sherran, the young man who was given a spot at the Diamond Jubilee Concert and who has entered into the spirit of the Festival type performance by getting mass audience participation in his 45 minute set. He had the type of voice, Leona Lewis is another, that should be listened to rather than become part of a collective singalong, jump up and down and hand gesturing which tends to be the most sophisticated participation today’s concerts goes are capable, unlike the intricate and watchable traditional jazz dancing of two people who danced together on a regular basis.
As Mick Jagger explained in the Black and White Film on the day the Stones gave their extraordinary free concert in Hyde Park in 1969 and the Hells Angels provided security, if you want to listen to music you buy the record and put on the Hi Fi. Whereas in the past people went to concerts to be entertained in a passive way, the Stones Concert, as the Isle of Wight and Glastonbury signalled you went to participate. Originally people also went to get drunk, take drugs, exposure flesh and participate in casual sex. I am not pretending these aspects are not part of festivals as they are part of most social events involving young people today, but the emphasis today is being part of the event, singing along as well hand gesturing and jumping up and down.
I also watched something of all the 20 artists and their bands who appeared on the Introduction Stage noting that some attracted only what appeared to be fifty to a hundred people but the one which I thought the best and seemed to have drawn the largest crowd was the Skints with a West Indian beat and female lead singer who was very very good and also played several musical instruments. They have been worth listening to again and as consequence of doing this I heard they are having a headline tour later in the year.
I also enjoyed the UD Vocal Collective, a local choir of some 20 voices who were in a good grove. (Kershon Bailey, Stevie Neale, Savages, Joe Black, Arthur Beatrice (I liked the voice of Beatrice?) Driving Lolita (was anything but) Lala K.... Kickers, Sehzar, Lecke Brugge, My Panda Shall Fly, Random Impulse, Issac Dayguach, Paigey Cakey, and Lil Sims In Search of are some of the names from my scribbled notes to see if they make it. I thought most would remain playing to family and friends and local support in pubs and clubs around heir neighbourhood although the musicianship was often a good to high standard, but they just did not have that factor which is likely to get them a chart toping success or International fame and Festival headlining. I hope for their sakes, given the effort that had obviously gone in I am proved wrong.
The weekend was held on the former Hackney Marshes which is part of the Lee Valley Park with adjacent land forming part of the New Olympic Park with the view of sculpture work visible as the skyscrapers of the City and Canary Wharf. As at the Isle of White in addition to the stages including the Circus Tent style all weather stage there were Fair ground attraction including the 37 metre swing arm thrill ride all lit up witch I noted at Brighton for £5 for 11 revolutions to the one minute. There was also the usual range of food outlets, merchandising toilets, lost property and lost people provision with security and all round event enclosure. It appeared an all round positive atmosphere with plenty of too for everyone, all 50000 invited for each of the two days
This all contrasted with my disappointment at the Arts Channel and 3D Channel presentation of the Isle of Wight three day festival. It was first held over three years in the last sixties. It commenced in 1968 as a small affair, comparative speaking with 10000 participants, Jefferson Airplane, Arthur Brown. Tyrannosaurus Rex, Pretty Things and the Move.
The event explored in every sense in 1969 because of his appearance of Bob Dylan after recovering from his motor accident. 300000 of the hippy generation descended on the Island over the summer and some are said to have never returned home. Dylan was supported by Ritchie Havens (seen Live at the sage Newcastle, Joe Cocker, the Who, The Moody Blues, The Nice, Pretty Things, Pentangle, Julie Felix, Free Marsha Hunt and the White Trash and the Bonze Dog Doo Dah Band
Given that the Island population was then well under 150000 it is not difficult to imagine the effect on a local population where the aristocratic sport of Yachting with the Royal Cowes Week is most notable event other than being the former holiday home of Queen Victoria, a holiday resort, and then retirement centre for the middle class and where I had two summer holidays with the aunties in the late 1940s, early fifties at Bembridge and Sandown followed by two three visits over the past five years as well as a single day in the eights or was it the nineties? I also became interested in the allegations of historical child abuse on the island, with Masonic, political and other worrying allegations which were brought to my personal attention in the 1990’s.
However it was the appearance of Jimi Hendrix, only a short while before his death which brought and estimated 600000 people to the island, brought down the barriers and led to action being taken top repeat events. In fact the event itself was peaces as confirmed in the testimony of Hampshire’s Chief Constable to the Inquiry committee which was set up afterwards. I still have a tattered poster of the line up somewhere. On the Wednesday Kris Kristofferson had a hard time because of the acoustic limitations something which Paul McCartney experienced at the end of the original Live Aid Concert. There was also Procul Harum, Mungo Jerry, Lighthouse, Chicago and the Family on the Friday, John Sebastian, Joni Mitchell, Light house, Miles Davis, Emmersen Lake and Palmer, Ten Years After, The Doors, The Who, Melanie, Sly and the Family Stone provided a sensational Saturday. Joan, Byez, Leonard Cohen, Hawkwind, Ritchie Havens, Pentangle, The Moody Blues, Jethro Tull and Kristofferson, The Moody Blues, Ralph McTell, Free and Donovan all built up to the performance of Hendrix. Although the numbers and anarchistic nature of the event resulted in its closure the following year the first Glastonbury event was organised as a direct consequence and which over the past forty years one or more millions of people have participated and enjoyed.
Three decades were to pass before The Isle of Wight welcomed a rock festival again in 2002 with Robert Plant and the Charlatons appearing to an audience of 8000 to 10000 although the capacity had been set at 22000 suggesting fears on the part of potential participants about what had occurred before. There is also the additional expense of the high cost ferry travel and the extent of camping and other facilities but I suspect the main problem was limited level of performances and stages. There were similar limitations in 2003 with only Bryan Adams and Paul Weller commanding attention.
The situation became more positive in 2004 with an audience of 32000, and with David Bowie, The Who and Sterophonics headlining together with Manic Street Preachers, the Charlatans and Snow Patrol. It is of interest the bands who played and have continued to perform notable Feeder who returned this year and Roxy Music’s Bryan ferry although he appears to have stopped travelling the circuit. Others on the 50000 attended show over three days included REM, Snow Patrol, Ray Davis of the Kinks, Snow Patrol, Travis and Faithless.
The larger gathering trend continued the following year to 55000 with the Proclaimers, the Foo Fighters and Primal Scream; also back this year, with the Editors and Susanne Vega Coldplay, Maximo Park, the Kooks and Whiter Shade of Pale Procul Harum.
It was in 2007 that the festival reached the heights with The Rolling Stones, Kasabian, Amy Winehouse, and Snow Patrol. The Feeling, Echo and the Bunnymen, Ash, Donovan, Keane as special guest, Paulo Nutrini, James Morrison, The Fratellis, and Melanie C. There were 60000 paying customers.
In 2008 the numbers were down but measures had been taken to reduce queue and offer those who wishes guaranteed tickets for the following three years. In terms of performances it can be said the line up failed to up to the previous year With the Sex Pistols, NERD not everyone’s cup of tea but there was the Police, the Kaiser Chiefs. KT Tunstall. Scouting for Girl who is headlining a free concert in South Shields in mid July, Amy McDonald and Kate Nash, The Hossiers and the Wombats.
In 2009 I enjoyed the Ting Tings also seen at with Basement Jaxx at Glastonbury and Palo Nutrini who did a New Year Eve Show with Jools Holland one year. Headliners were Neil Young, Sterophonics The Prodigy, Razorlight and the Pixies also Maximo Park and Simple Minds, The Human League, Bannerama, Alesha Dixon, Beverely Knight and Pixie Lott. Judy Collins who I have seen at the Sage and should have been headliners was way down on the menu, Ultravox, Will Young, McFly, Eddie Reader, Ladyhawke and the complete Stone Roses.
In 2010 Florence and Machine and Jay Z, headliners also at Hackney, topped the bill on the first night, Blondie and Crowded House on the Saturday, Paul McCartney, The Editor, Pink, Spandau ballet and Susanne Vega, Suzi Quatro, Shakespeares Sister, Noah and the Whale and Oribital. Last year it was the time of Kings Of Leon, Light my Fire, Kaiser Chiefs and a band whose records I have Big Country, the Foo Fighters and Pulp, Kasabian, Pixie Lott and Plan B, Alexandra Burke and Imelda May seen in 3 D. Tom Jones also in 3D and the Vaccines and the Manic Street Preachers.
Which bring me to this year and the great disappointment because of the absence of red button or online sets of the mainliners Bruce Springsteen whose only number of note shown was Wrecking Ball and Pearl Jam. There was little more of Tom Petty and Elbow, Noel Gallaghers (Oasis) High Flying Birds. I have just discovered that it is possible to view the full three evenings broadcasts on the Sky Player over the coming month however this still excludes the full sets compared to the BBC Hackney and able for the limited period of one week. My complaint is therefore at the management of the event in terms of broadcasting rights and the decision to hold both events at the same time which is worthwhile looking into.
An event such as the Isle of White Festival commands big bucks. The event costs £160 per adult with an addition £30 camping fee unless the camper van is hired for £100. A 500000 crown will bring in £10 million on top of which here is the income from broadcast rights and concessions for food, drink and everything else. Obviously the costs of buying the attendance of the artists, creating the site, stage crews, security staff and the ticketing administration from the organiser’s viewpoint are also considerable and a risk but we are talking big bucks profit.
I need to complete the politics writing given the way the events have unfolded over this week and last so I will close this piece but take the time to go over the recordings in the hope of uncovering talent which I have not appreciated to date.
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