the spirit of 71?

Ramblin drove Luke and myself down to Bristol on Thursday night where we stayed over. The drive down to Glastonbury on Friday morning was a breeze. No delays and the route to our stage was well planned and stewarded.

Glastonbury Festival in the mud and incessant rain is a nightmare unless you are young, care free and determined to enjoy and triumph no matter what. Luke has vestiges of the young festival attendee but he is very clear about the likelihood of his not camping at Glasto in the near future. I think the part about triumph no matter what applies to both of us, most of the time, so that’s what we set out to do.

photo dave randell ( ramblin)

I am sure Bono didn’t get any mud on his shoes and nor should he but the disparity between the provision for the bands at the top of their game and the likes of us Spirit of 71 performers was shocking and something akin to the difference between the Victorian ruling classes and the very poor. Two or three porta-cabins were parked along side the Spirit of 71 stage. Eventually we were allocated one. Inside was a table with crisps, water, a carton or two of juice and about five beers. Take away the extravagant hospitality items and I was back working for Tarmac on Warwick bypass on a rainy day in one of their huts. It was better than the Glasto version though. We had a kettle and an electric fire that we upturned to toast sliced bread on.

Glasto did ask for a rider and I gave them mine. It is very modest but it was ignored. Even the metal walk way from the unloading point to the stage ramp was an after thought and insisted on by the stage crew. Had it not been put in at the last minute there would have not beeen any Sprit of 71 shows in the rain.

Ok so what else? The stage management was very good. The sound guys were top end practioners and all of the staff were very pleasant and helpful. The BBC 2 crew who filmed us for a piece about the 71 stage were also very pleasant and very professional.

So what did I enjoy about it all? It was great to meet up with Andrew Kerr 71 Original Glastonbury Fayre organiser who told me Michael Eavis wasn’t too keen on the 2011 / 71 Stage idea until Andrew showed him a list of artistes who could appear. He says Michael looked down the list and came to yours truly. Michael said that if they had Edgar Broughton they could also have … and soon a list of performers was selected. Makes you feel all warm doesn’t it?

At around 6pm all my usual pre gig anxiety faded and I began to feel strong and clear. I remember saying to Luke that I was ready for action as we tuned our guitars. The thought that I was feeling those good Reiki vibes was very present.

photo dave randell ( ramblin)

It was nice to meet up with Arthur Brown and have a chat. I met his son for the first time. I had a little chat with Nick Turner and many others.

Getting all our bits and pieces together and onto the stage in the driving rain was a total hassle but with the help of Ramblin it came together and at half past seven in the evening we walked out on to the stage. The sound took a minute or two to fix and I launched into Arabesque and we were away. I felt my power and found my voice easily and got lost in the music except for when I had a brief chat with audience. The audio spill from three nearby stages meant that we had to concentrate very hard during our set and try to filter out the noise.

photo by phil moody

Luke sang two songs which gave me a little break to take a photo or two and to take in the atmosphere. The audience was lovely and very appreciative. Mr Brown, the God of Hellfire, commented that the set allowed my voice to really shine which was very nice.

photo by phil moody

Richard Brunton and The Spirit of 71 House Band were a thoroughly nice bunch of guys and top players. We had a smacking little rock out together and the end of our set. The 71 strat felt like some one elses axe in my hands at first . I’d restrung it, having removed the rusty strings from it’s last outing and I prefer it when the strings are not brand new. It had been a while since I played it in anger but I soon got it to sing and indulged myself with a little over the top wah-wahed, fuzzy grunge at the end of proceedings.

The whole show passed by in a flash as the rain beat down on the hardcore audience who refused to be bowed by the UK summer. We came off stage and began to come down from the experience. I have to say that I was as much relieved as any thing else that it had all worked out ok.

photo by phil moody

Now came the logistical nightmare of trying to get our equipment and our selves back to our car. We were ready to go by 8.30 but a Health and safety directive insisted that no onsite traffic could move due to weather conditions. Eventually, at around 11.30 the lovely Becky arranged for transport from the stage area to our car. That was a relief as we still had to drive back to London. We piled our gear and luggage into the back of a Land Rover and with the help of two stewards we slowly drove through the crowds who parted like the Red Sea as we slithered along the top of the old railway line that bisects the farm. It has to be said that we neither heard nor saw any bad behaviour from any one and the Glastonbury crowd is definitely special. The whole place is full of good vibes.

It felt good as we loaded our stuff off the Land Rover and into the Ramblin mobile. After a careful exit from the drenched field where we had been parked, we were on our way home. Job done! Would I do it all again? The answer is probably not.

It is Saturday and as I write this the sun is shining at Glastonbury and on the festival goers. I am so very pleased for them. They deserve it. I hope they are blissed out in the sun shine and long may it last. Next stop Mollington for the next FDPFAFDW show. It’s a village fete and we are the minstrels for the show in the village hall in the evening.

peace