Thursday 7 June 2007

Thursday Thirteen

Today, thousands of crusty revellers descended upon my Island. Their reason? The annual Isle of Wight Music Festival.

Whilst I am not best pleased with the prospect of so very many humans on MY turf, I thought I should give a nod to the festival and the economy it brings to the Island. That was my nod.

Anyway, for those of you who are music fans, here are Thirteen Facts About the Isle of Wight Festival:

1. The Isle of Wight festival is a music festival which takes place annually on the Isle of Wight, England.

2. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970.

3. At the height of the flower-power era, hundreds of thousands of music fans came from all over the world to chill out in the fields of the Isle of Wight

4.They packed onto the Isle of Wight ferry from the mainland for up to five days of live rock, communal living, free love and mind-bending substances (like catnip?).

5. The 1970 event wasn't all 'nip and peace. There were punch-ups, fires broke out and the police had to take action when Hells Angels tried to impose their own brand of law and order.

6. 10,000 people attended the first festival, 150,000 witnessed the second one (when Bob Dylan was also present) and a massive 600,000 flocked over to the West Wight for the third festival in 1970 when Jimmy Hendrix starred.

7. The 1970 event was by far the largest and most famous of these early festivals; indeed it was said at the time to be one of the largest human gatherings in the world.

8. The most notable of over fifty performers were The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, The Doors, Ten years After, Joni Mitchell, Melanie, Donovan, Free, Chicago, Richie Havens, John Sebastian, leonard Cohen, Jethro Tull and Tiny Tim.

9. The event was revived in 2002 at Seaclose park, a recreation ground on the outskirts of Newport, Isle of Wight.

10. Many notable artists have performed since its revival including Ray Davies, Robert Plant, The Proclaimers, David bowie, The Who, R.E.M, Coldplay and Bryan Adams.

11. Ticket price for an adult camping this year is £125 (about $200)

12. This weekend, the line up includes Groove Armada, Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini and The Rolling Stones.

13. Now in its sixth year the festival has sold out faster than ever before with 50,000 tickets being snapped up within just one week of being released.

Bonus fact: My human can’t go because she has spent all her money on steak for HRH Yao-Lin, toys for HRH Yao-Lin and booster jabs for, you guessed it, yours truly. Ha!

18 comments:

Daisy said...

Wow, what an amazing event. My Mommie says when she was younger, she saw The Who and The Rolling Stones in concert, but she is too old to go now!

Ali & Fiona said...

What no pictures of your handsome face? Sigh....

Ali & Fiona said...

P.S. Momma says she likes Groove Armada, "I see you baby, shaking that...."

MaoMao said...

Wowie kazowie, my momma's droolin' over all those kool performers!

LZ said...

I heard about this from my other British cat friends. It sounds great but I bet its busy and crowded!!

Latte

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

The furst ever concert my mom went to was wif her big bruther when she was 13 and dey saw Jimmy Hendrix and Jethro Tull and some others. Mom sez Mr. Hendrix was one hellofa guitar player. I think dat $200 cood buy a lot of stinky goodness and toys so it's good dat yoor mom has her priorities strate.

Oscar the Puppy Cat said...

Mommy says that sounds like a lot of fun. She loves music! In New Orleans, Louisiana (that's where she grew up) they have a festival called the Jazz Fest. It's not only Jazz but that's how it got its start. Jazz is still the highlight and the festival brings in hundreds of thousands of people each year. Mommy wants to come to your festival and she said she'd bring me if she EVER got to and then I could hang out with you and I would bring nip and we would have lots of fun!

The Meezers or Billy said...

mom says "THE STONES??? COOL"

i had no idea watching stone roll around was fun. - Sammy

Tara said...

Those are some pricey tickets for such a crowd! Mom's taste goes more for the traditional music festivals, like the one in Miltown Malbay on the west coast of Ireland in July (although she has never been to that one). Those are crowded too, but at least she can get up close and personal, and sometimes share a tune with the musicians!
Tara

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Our mum has nefurr been to a proper festival, but she wishes she could haf. When she wuz young a squillion years ago, the furrst concert she went to wuz the Beatles, and she seen Donovan and David Bowie.She neerly saw Jimi Hendrix but he had to cancel cuz he wuz pawly.

Mr. Hendrix said...

I thought at first all those people were coming to see you! Imagine, 50,000 individual gifts, sigh, so close!
Man, 1970 was a good year for a rock concert wasn't it?
The Rolling Stones rule! Mommy has seen them 3 times! She and daddy went for his FIRST time last year for a birthday/anniversary/Christmas present (the tickets were uber expensive). They said it was totally worth it.
I just think all that money going to tickets instead of stinky goodness...

Parker said...

Mommy swooned at # 8. She is older than dirt.

Donny and Marie and Casey said...

Wow - 600,000?!?!?! That would be scarey even to the stoutest of heart! I'm glad it's only 50,000. I'm also glad that you made your mommy spend all her money on you! Hehehe....

One who also spent all their money on the vet,

Marie

snowforest said...

Seems to be quite an event - so much buzz and excitement! I wonder if they sing kitty limericks in it :)

The Furry Kids said...

That sounds like fun. Mom saw the Stones a couple of years ago and she says they rock!!!

Ali & Fiona said...

Hello Handsome,

You have been tagged, see our blog for details.

Purrs & Cuddles,

Fiona

Anonymous said...

Quite a few of my work colleagues will be there - hope they behave themselves! ;)

Boo said...

The rolling stones or another band has dropped out and been replaced by Lily allen! :) Sadly, i missed out on my ticket