Isle of Wight Festival 1970 50yrs on.
Discussion
Ah, 50 yrs on and the truth is at last coming out.
All the press stories back then of drugs rife, fights and anarchy as many of us there said at the time, it was all b
ks.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/25/hipp...
Biggest ever gathering at a concert ever still stands.
Although some still querying the attendance of 600,000 - that's because it was more like 700,000.
Apparently, there were 117 arrests for possession of drugs.
Douglas Osmond, Chief Constable of Hampshire police, is said to have dressed up like a hippy and went incognito for a day.
He says he saw less violence than at a typical football match!
The hippies we saw were nearly all down by the sea, naked and cavorting. As you'd expect!
Great time. Great music, All for 3 quid the whole Fri-Sun weekend and if you were there before on the Wed/Thurs those days as well.
Glad it's being remembered.
And not forgetting the irony.
As someone else as now pointed out who was there at the time: 'It was a very peaceful event. The odd bit of naughtiness, but as the Chief Constable put it, far less than at a football match. Imagine my amazement getting onto the car ferry home to read in the newspaper - The Guardian, no less - that the Festival had broken up in chaos and disorder.'
'Lesson learned.
Be very sceptical about anything you see or read in the media.'
Some things change, others don't.
All the press stories back then of drugs rife, fights and anarchy as many of us there said at the time, it was all b
ks.https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/25/hipp...
Biggest ever gathering at a concert ever still stands.
Although some still querying the attendance of 600,000 - that's because it was more like 700,000.
Apparently, there were 117 arrests for possession of drugs.
Douglas Osmond, Chief Constable of Hampshire police, is said to have dressed up like a hippy and went incognito for a day.
He says he saw less violence than at a typical football match!
The hippies we saw were nearly all down by the sea, naked and cavorting. As you'd expect!
Great time. Great music, All for 3 quid the whole Fri-Sun weekend and if you were there before on the Wed/Thurs those days as well.
Glad it's being remembered.
And not forgetting the irony.
As someone else as now pointed out who was there at the time: 'It was a very peaceful event. The odd bit of naughtiness, but as the Chief Constable put it, far less than at a football match. Imagine my amazement getting onto the car ferry home to read in the newspaper - The Guardian, no less - that the Festival had broken up in chaos and disorder.'
'Lesson learned.
Be very sceptical about anything you see or read in the media.'
Some things change, others don't.
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