Category Archives: Glastonbury

Pilton Party 2018 with Liam Gallagher

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Rosemary and I set off for Somerset and the Pilton Party in the campervan. We stopped off for lunch on the way at the Lion and Fiddle where we both had a pint and a curry for lunch. We were in plenty of time so we again stopped in Shepton Mallet. The High Street seemed to be in terminal decline with so many units unoccupied and decaying. We did manage to buy some bungee cords at a hardware shop. We then heard all about a hornets nest in someone’s garden! Weird!

We arrived at the Pilton Party car park at the Glastonbury Festival Red Gate. This year they must have been expecting more people because another field had been opened up for additional parking. When we arrived we were one of the first ten to park.

We queued for the gates to open and were soon in the party field. The Pilton Party is located on the site used by the John Peel Stage during Glastonbury Festival.

It was a perfect evening for the party, the ground was dry, the grass green and the sun was shining and a very light breeze. There was the usual huge bar and quite a few food outlets. We ended up eating at the same stall as in Glastonbury Abbey Festival and ate a Vegan Wrap.

Some Villians at Pilton Party 2018

There was now a long wait until  the first band came on, They were an unsigned band called Some Villians and had gone through a selection process at the Pilton Working Mens Club. Sorry about the poor sound on this video

Katy Hurt at Pilton Party 2018

The crowds had now become to arrive and the field was heaving with people. I discovered the quietest place to go was on the right hand side of the stage.  The next singer was Katy Hurt a country & western singer. A little better sound track on this one.

Liam Gallagher at Pilton Party 2018

Finally it was the turn of Liam Gallagher to finish the event. He went down very well, People keep saying there must be an Oasis reunion one day. I expect the odds have increased on Liam headlining one of the slots at Glastonbury 2019.

Strangely, R hated the whole evening, being appalled at the litter and general behaviour. Not like the Glastonbury Abbey Festival, she muttered.

The Morning After Pilton Party 2018

Back at the campervan we settled down for the night and were soon were asleep.  In the morning we were the only camper van that had stayed the night, though a few empty cars littered the field. We were soon off to a local cafe called Hartleys Kitchen where the meet & greet dog Bentley was on duty. We ate excellent breakfasts of deviiled kidneys (me) and eggs benedict (R). 

 

Pilton Party 2017

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During the Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza I knew the Pilton Party tickets went on sale. While R and I were drinking at The Who’d A Thought It pub we saw the ticket office queue, snaking around the corner. After our drink, the queue was smaller.  I joined and left with a ticket, cash only. Any tickets left over went on sale on Monday in the village of Pilton.  The rest went on the Internet.  None made it to the Internet, all tickets sold on the two days with no national advertising. It is supposed to be a local event.

On the Friday I drove down to Somerset, had lunch at the The Who’d A Thought It pub and then bought four special Torsy Moorsy fruit cakes from Burns the Bread. Headed over to Pilton and parked in the party car-park. Camping is not catered for, but there were a few vans, and overnight many cars were left in the car park. I parked next to another camper who had been at the Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza, and had been next door to us.

Walked up to the field where the event was held.  It is near where the John Peel stage and The Wood is. (At least I think so.) It was all fenced off, bar food and stage.  Somewhere like 4,000 people were expected, and the weather was lovely.

First on were two winners from the long-running Pilton Working Men’s Club ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition, UK:ID and Arcadia Roots. As you can see not many came to see UK:ID.  A rap band with a woman singer who was very good. I saw a tweet which is asking for bands to audition for next year’s Pilton Party. Though Glastonbury is not running, the party is.  Watch this space.

Next up on the line-up is the fabulous Declan McKenna, who won the Emerging Talent Competition in 2015.  And finally topping the bill this year were the incredible Bastille, who were last in Pilton to play a triumphant set on the Other Stage at Glastonbury 2016. They also had played Leeds & Reading in 2017, where I saw them with Selina..

I have a few pictures of Michael Eavis, should have got a selfie with him. Was so close.  

Back to the camper van where I slept, very noisy in the car park, the party seemed to go on there for a while.  In the morning after a lie in, headed off to find some brunch at a cafe called Hartleys Kitchen.  Its on a country industrial estate and seemed very popular with cyclists on a Saturday. Two groups, one with normal bikes, and another with the latest carbon bikes and SPDs.

 

David Bowie at the Proud Gallery

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On Thursday I traveled to London to visit the Proud Gallery on King’s Road to see an exhibition of photographs of David Bowie.  The gallery is a small gallery and had a selection of photographs of Bowie priced from a couple of thousand to over sixty thousand pounds.  Needless to say I was not buying.

I also visited the V&A gallery to see their small free exhibition of Glastonbury.  The exhibition was not about the music, but the performing arts side of Glastonbury.  I took a look at other sections of the V&A and have promised myself another visit.

Ate a late breakfast at an Italian restaurant on King’s Road, seemingly used by builders, which serves a good English breakfast.  I ate poached eggs on toast, Eggs Benedict no less, and drank a good coffee.

The Friars Club exhibition at Aylesbury Museum

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Marillion Poster at Friars Club exhibition

Marillion Poster at Friars Club exhibition

I have returned from the Friars Club exhibition in the Aylesbury Museum.  It has been on for several months and I have only just managed to get to it.  The Friars Club was the host for many rock bands during the 70’s and early 80’s.  Famous names like Free, David Bowie, Blondie, Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer played Aylesbury in their early days of success.  Friars club was still running when I first moved to the area back in 1982, alas the club stopped in 1984 before I had even heard of it.  It has reformed, but is not running the weekly events it was renowned for.

Emerson Lake and Palmer poster at Friars Club

Emerson Lake and Palmer poster at Friars Club

The exhibition consisted of the advertising posters, band booking contracts, ticket stubs, band pictures, news letters etc.  There was a drum set from Pink Floyd on show, along with the bass guitar from Marillion.  To me the Friars club did not exist, the exhibition though was still a throw back in memory lane, remembering all those bands who had played in my formative youth.  When I saw a poster for Rare Bird, I immediately thought of the vinyl album back at home which I have not played for years.  That will be going on the record deck shortly.

Pink Floyd drum set at Friars Club

Pink Floyd drum set at Friars Club

I went around the the exhibition with a friend who was in her teens in the early 80’s, she had visited Friars club in its later days between 1982 and 1984.  She said it had been the only good thing to have come out of Aylesbury.  She recounted how her £6 pocket money for the week went on £4 for a ticket to Friars and the £2 on drink and chips.

Another pricing point, in the early 70’s a ticket cost 70p.  Glastonbury first ticket in the 70’s was a pound, with free milk on tap.  Now the price is £210.  OK can’t compare the first Glastonbury festival with a Friars Club gig, and todays Glastonbury.

Glastonbury Festival 2013

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Well I made Glastonbury 2013, my sixth Glastonbury, the last four all in a row, This time I arrived on Wednesday evening, driving up from Bournemouth where I had been working. Arrived at 7 to a nice sunny evening, pitched my tent in a quiet spot and met up with Ed for a few pints.

Weather wise it rained on Thursday evening and most of the night, and cleared up for a lovely festival weekend.

Bands I saw all the head lines on the Pyramid stage, Arctic Monkeys, Rolling Stones and Mumford and Sons. Other bands to remember were Nick Cave, and Vampire Weekend. The rest of the weekend was a bit of a haze.

 

Glastonbury Festival 2010

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It is over for another year.  Glastonbury festival, the 40th anniversary is over and finished.  Rosemary and I are back, and I have sorted my photographs and from 650 I took, managed to trim then down to a little over a 100.  I am sure R would do a better job.  I am looking forward to next year, but I expect I will be going on my own.  Click on this link for a  write up and picture gallery for Glastonbury Festival 2010

Thank you Michael Eavis, we love you,