The Archive.
Last update Sept 2006 >knebworth festiva
|
|
Hi
My name is Mickey O'Connor and I am 50 years old....hard to believe all that
water has flowed under the bridge ...but there ya go.
In 1974 I was 18 and lovin it !
I was living in a small Scottish coastal town called Helensburgh, about 30 miles
north of Glasgow. We were having the time of our lives. I was part of the happenin
crowd (thats what I thought anyhow) .Hair down our backs,loon pants and desert
boots were the order of the day.
I can't remember who first suggested going to Knebworth but believe me I didn't
have to be asked twice.Giles, one of the crowd had often talked about seeing
Hendrix at the Isle of Wight (he was a couple of years older than most of us)...I
was green with envy I can tell you. The chance of seeing the Allman Brothers
live was not to be missed.
A few of years earlier some local hipdoos had organised the Peaton Hill free
festival in an old army barracks a few miles from Helensburgh. A clutch of bands
from Glasgow and the local area played....it was my first open air gig and my
first spliff...what a combination...I was blown away :)
From memory 14 of us set off for Knebworth the day before the gig. Our transportation
was one hired transit van...yup thats right ONE van....no seats other than those
at the front. We chucked a couple of old matteresses in the back and piled in.
We set off at about 9.30pm ...totally wired with exitement we stopped off in
Glasgow to pick up Graham and his girl friend Valery. When I think about it
now, that many bodies in one van was madness...if we had had an accident it
would have been bloody carnage.
We arrived at the site the
following morning in plenty of time to get what we thought was a good spot...we
were actually a fair distance from the stage but no one seemed to care...we
were just overjoyed to be there. A few of our gang decided to take a trip....Edith,
my girl friend at the time and myself decided to remain on planet earth.
I vividly remember John Peel chucking frisbees into the crowd before introducing
Tim Buckley who gave a fantastic performance....the sun was beating down by
now...it was going to be a hot day in more ways than one. The atmosphere was
wonderful and people were there to simply enjoy the music...there was a lot
of peace and love around.
Like another festival goer who has submitted his memories of the gig I slept
through most of John McLaughlin but have great memories of all the other performances
culminating in the appearance late in the day of the Allman Brothers...who were
simply amazing..the sound was fantastic I remember...after the show we all piled
back to the van in the car park/camping area and attempted to get some sleep...
which proved fairly difficult....three or four of the original 14 did not make
the return trip but headed off to Cornwall for a holiday so there was a bit
more room in the van of the return journey to Scotland.
At the border we pulled into a service area to get something to eat. We opened
the back doors of the van and started to fall out.
Un- beknown to me we had parked up right next to my parents car (they had been
house searching in Wiltshire prior to moving back down south)....My mum said
we looked like a bunch of dirty hippys as we piled out of the van...which of
course we were- not having washed for nearly three days.My folks offered me
and Edith a lift in their car for the remainder of the journey which we gratefully
accepted.
Great memories....love to do it all again :)
Contents .
or you can read the
individual
Band
reviews which also contain recording details,
set list and band line up info as well as links to each artist where available..
Knebworth Concerts 1974-79
Knebworth links