Britain’s Defining Festivals of the 70s

Get ready to plunge back into the electrifying era of the early 1970s, a time when open-air music gatherings exploded from local scenes into mammoth cultural spectacles!

These were more than mere concerts; they were chaotic, spiritual, and utterly defining events that tested the limits of logistics and music technology.

The entire concept of live music was changing dramatically.

Sound engineer pioneers, like Charlie Watkins, were working magic, linking massive amplifier chains to realize "unlimited power potential" for the crowds.

This resulted in an immediate arms race of volume: while the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival demanded a hefty 1,500 watts, the upcoming 1970 IOW Pop Festival promised to shatter expectations with a booming 3,000 watts of power.

The audience, too, was transforming; people moved away from simply dancing and instead focused on sitting down and intently watching the complex progressive acts unfold.

If the era had a flashpoint, it was the massive international gathering held off the coast of England.

Isle of Wight Festival (IOW): The Height of International Rock

The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival featured an astonishing lineup of international rock legends, including the Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Doors, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, and Joni Mitchell.

It was also the thrilling stage for the world debut of the super-group Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP).

In fact, Keith Emerson later explained that they intentionally sought out the IOW spot over Plumpton, wanting to earn their top billing through their performance, rather than resting solely on their existing famous names.

However, this spectacular scale also introduced spectacular chaos!

The 1970 event became tragically famous for violent protests centered on demands for free music.

This conflict ultimately derailed the enterprise, forcing organizers to open the gates to thousands.

Promoter Ron Foulk recognized the disaster, declaring that the festival model, as they knew it, was effectively broken by the attendees.

In the aftermath, the local council stepped in, securing High Court injunctions that successfully halted any immediate plans for large-scale festivals on the island.

Plumpton Jazz, Pop & Blues Festival: The NJF’s Enduring Effort

In contrast to the mayhem of the Isle of Wight, the festivals held at Plumpton represented the organizational expertise carried over from the long-running events organized by the National Jazz and Blues Federation (NJF).

Having moved venues several times previously, the NJF proudly maintained a relatively "trouble-free" reputation.

Plumpton hosted major double-header events in 1970.

Its May Bank Holiday Festival thrilled crowds with Richie Havens, King Crimson, and Ginger Baker’s Air Force.

The later August installment, billed as the 10th National Jazz, Blues & Pop Festival, served as a powerhouse showcase for top British talent, featuring Deep Purple, Yes, Fairport Convention, Elton John, and Colosseum.

Even with their seasoned approach, Plumpton still faced fierce opposition, including the threat of a High Court injunction from a Member of Parliament.

Not every great festival needed tens of thousands of people or international scandal to be a success; some focused on genre and local goodwill.

Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival (Krumlin): The Northern Contender

The Yorkshire festival held at Krumlin in August 1970 proudly advertised itself as providing "50 hours of Top Bands" running non-stop over three days.

In a clever move designed to manage scale and avoid the problems plaguing the huge events down south, organizers made a strategic decision to book exclusively British talent for their inaugural year.

The bill boasted homegrown giants like Pink Floyd, Taste, Pretty Things, Elton John, and Mungo Jerry.

However, despite careful planning, the festival was struck by torrential rain and freezing winds, which led to hypothermia cases and the collapse of many performances.

The local council, initially supportive, later criticized the event’s organization due to the chaotic aftermath.

What was intended as a model of order instead became a sobering reminder of how vulnerable open-air festivals could be to the unpredictable British climate.

Crystal Palace Garden Party: Establishing a Regular Venue

Promoters recognized the need for stable, recurring locations, successfully establishing the Crystal Palace Bowl as "Britain's biggest regular rock venue".

In May 1971, the first major Garden Party was headlined by the legendary Pink Floyd, The Faces, and Mountain.

Organizers addressed the notoriously unpredictable British weather by erecting a vast dome of balloons over the site for a subsequent event.

The venue fostered diversity, showcasing specialized music days, such as a Jazz/Pop split featuring traditional jazz acts alongside major reggae/ska talent like Desmond Dekker and the Aces.

Even amid the serious music, the event was not immune to the era’s taste for wild showmanship, evidenced by a prankster known as "Raving Rupert" attempting to pose as Elvis Presley.

By the end of this explosive period, many observers agreed that the era of the "big festival dinosaur" was crashing to a halt.

The sheer scale often resulted in inadequate amenities, like insufficient toilets and washing facilities, leading to chaos despite the organizers' best intentions.

Yet, the hunger for shared musical experience never died!

Critics suggested scaling events down, perhaps limiting them to under 10,000 attendees, to reduce the chaos and commercial hysteria.

The scene was shifting towards smaller, genre-specific gatherings, or expertly handled free concerts like those regularly held in Hyde Park, which successfully generated "incredible" public goodwill.

Ultimately, even through the chaos and disappointment, these festivals delivered unforgettable cultural moments, allowing a generation to witness groundbreaking performances from acts like Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan in environments that felt spiritually, if not logistically, revolutionary.

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