Special thanks to ThisDayinMusic.com.
America had Woodstock in 1969, and that same month Britain countered with the legendary Isle of Wight festival with The Who, Free and, returning from hibernation, Bob Dylan. It was watched by a 150,000-person audience that included Eric Clapton, Elton John, some of the Stones and all of The Beatles. In August 1970, the Isle of Wight did it again, this time with Jimi Hendrix raising the roof.
Somehow, as rock and roll’s story has been told and written, another festival that took place in June 1970 in England, has largely been overlooked. Musically it was as good as if not better than the Isle of Wight, and for many festival-philes it was a far superior communal experience.
Just why this other festival got left behind remains a maddening mystery. The Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music did have a ponderous name that hardly tripped off the tongue, but for those who were there on June 27 and 28, 1970, this was among the greatest musical events in U.K. history.
The lineup advertised on flower power posters was remarkable, combining the best of U.K. blues and rock acts like Peter Green, the Nice, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin with west coast heavyweights from America, like The Byrds and Frank Zappa
Record Mirror magazine was there and had this to say: “It was a great day for armpits and whiskers and not an idle one musically. Led Zeppelin and the Nice appeared to have stolen the show, but all the other acts were received with voluminous applause. The only incident occurred during John Mayall’s set when one monumental idiot who had been annoying the crowds and bands for hours chucked a bottle that was promptly chucked in return. Things otherwise were handled well by the genuine people who came down to hear some good sounds.”
Not everything went smoothly. Bands had a tough time getting in the site, so crowded were the approach roads and a massive downpour saw the Moody Blues cancel and The Byrds play an acoustic set for fear of electrocution.
Some acts were dismayed that the backstage bar ran dry, though not the ever-professional headliners Led Zeppelin however, whose singer Robert Plant told Record Mirror: “We’re not supposed to drink, so the bar doesn’t affect us. The only drawback to the show was the short sets. We have trouble with short bits because you can’t connect as people unless everybody has a chance to do their solo. But still, there were a lot of acts to go on!”
Stuart Godfrey was just 18 when he attended this, his first music festival. He remembered the highlights to UKRockFestivals.com: “Had a lift with a guy I knew slightly who had an old VW Beetle; my girlfriend left me for the Beetle guy but I did not mind at all, the music was so great that nothing else mattered.
“Biggest early crowd reaction was for Led Zeppelin who came on ridiculously early: I remember looking around at the gaping jaws and popping eyes as Jimmy Page did his violin bow routine… Plant was in terrific voice and he looked great – a real peacock figure amongst all the denim and leather. A flamboyant, extravagant performance – it was clear they were destined for much bigger things.”
Mark Pettigrew remembered the audience as much as the music to UKRockfFstivals.com: “I remember the friendly nature of people around me, and a great feeling of belonging, of recognition of like-minded souls.”
One of those souls was a young Michael Eavis who got into the event through a hole in a hedge. Eavis loved the festival vibe so much that he went home to his farm near Glastonbury and put on his own festival with Marc Bolan headlining, a decision that would culminate in one of the greatest, long-running rock and roll festivals in history – The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts.
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