Isle Of Wight, the REAL Love Island
Another classic music moment of 2017, thank you Isle Of Wight Festival, special kudos to Jack Rocks This Feeling Stage for kick starting a Summer Of Love with the weekend's sparkliest four-day non stop party...
According to the mainstream; Future festival headliners are supposed to be in short supply, guitar bands to be over, Jeremy Corbyn to be totally unelectable and young people too lazy to vote. If that's true, how come The Shimmer Band are rocking a psychaedelic dream of a set that would not be out of place in the 20th century's Hacienda club (let alone Glastonbury Festival) emitting a #shimmeroflove
In June 2017 youth power made all the difference, creating a hung parliament, but it was great to forget about politics, evil cowards, stress and the other every day Brexitannia struggles for a whole weekend, like stepping into a world of kind and funny children of all ages.
Above; a beautiful game. Below; slide away (towards the cider!)
I really did wonder where I was on Friday morning when a lovely hearted new friend had put me in a sleeping bag and I'd slept like a baby waking up in a Rock Chick Palace. Actually had arrived the day before, with too many heavy things, when it was raining. Massive love to the guys from Plastic People, and later, Sheafs, for helping me get to where I was going.
Stars on stage, for sure. Above; Plastic People and below; Sheafs, both first enjoyed at This Feeling nights.
Even the weather prediction of rain and showers for the whole weekend changed it's mind. Must have been all the hot passion for music radiating from "The Zone" (This Feeling extending family of artists and allies) where the DJs (below, Katie) dropped some absolute bangers between the bands, so this stage was non stop TUNES and became a part of the festival site where so many people spent most of their time...
Sunny days and faces. Music power is magic power. All you have to do is believe. This being a situationist story, I just let the adventure unfold and am feeling blessed that TheZineUK could represent. Especially as so many of the artists and friends in this tale were creating a whole new chapter this weekend. Got so excited seeing friends going down an absolute STORM at their live shows. False Heads, for instance;
Band members were down the front watching each other at This Feeling's stage, which had such a great line up that they spent most of their time there. The atmosphere in the Jack Rocks tent meant that many other people made it their main playground for the weekend, while exploring the rest of the fest. "How did I not know about (fill in band name as applicable)?" said more than one comment on social networks. Such is the quality of the selected line up. Below; Yonaka
Isle Of Wight Festival definitely had good vibes, extra great vibes in The Zone which was definitely inviting. Kind hearts that are more a mix of hugs and tipsters than boring cliques and hipsters. Social inclusion is the way forward, like true punks and hippies really did make a difference to our evolution. The atmosphere was outdoor house party;
All these people made a difference to a zeitgeist of 21st century counter culture where Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes is a tune of (r)Evolution - kindness, hope, talent and energy. Even the Isle Of Wight's police reported a 50% drop in crime at this year's festival. TheZineUK's parallel dimension was really on Love Island.
All in this article are tinted by 1967's nowadays unmentioned first Summer Of Love. With a genuine nod of appreciation to Mikey Jonns of This Feeling for making the last decade help brighten the next decade, it feels worth mentioning, as whatever the political results would have been that weekend, the same star shaped, glittery escapism would have happened anyway. Seriously, music is magic. Hop in DR WTF's TARDIS for a minute, I do believe this is not fake news...
In 1967, The first Summer Of Love happened when the general public became aware of the underground alternative youth-led counter culture of USA and Europe - bohenians influenced by beat generation word smiths like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. that lived cheaply, cast off conservative values, experimented with drugs, sex and unity. Sounds like a lot of our friends now.
In the UK, Ska and Trojan reggae were mixed into our culture (Notting Hill Carnival began in 1966). There are similarities, now, that people's don't need to be aware of, but humanity's sixth sense nature, mixing with the multi stimulation of positivity are still recreating. These days with added technological, global communication.
Like punk, hippies have influenced 21st century culture including environmental awareness, rebellion and political decentralisation. 1967's Psychaedelic albums by The Doors, Cream and Pink Floyd joined the likes of 'Are You Experienced' by Jimi Hendrix and 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in sound-tracking the times. On the #StageStyle side of fashion, the look is forever. The sounds are in there, still, too.
Crapitalist greed saw how to make bucks outta love and killed the first summer of love alongside the drug addiction and overdoses which tripped out the utopia, and the hippy movement died (for most people - not some individuals). But as art, love, romance and rebellion are part of our natural cosmic psyche, you can't kill the spirit. In less than a decade, the Punky Reggae party was in full swing. It hasn't stopped. And here we are, this really feels like something new being crafted from rock music's variety show of heritage. Below, The Cosmics living up to their name.
We have remained colourful in clothes, hair and ideas. International shagging is centuries old. Every aspect of our culture is multi flavoured. Danny Boyle got the Olympics opening ceremony so right in 2012. I doubt the Arctic Monkeys thought they'd play it when they formed, but five years on, a plethora of new bands have witnessed that the sky is the limit. Quite literally, the limit, in Trampolene's case (below)
Potential future festival headliners, guitar bands very much included, were in abundance this weekend, especially at the Jack Rocks This Feeling stage which could not contain the energy and brilliance exploding off it. Below; Strange Bones
Ha ha, they sure gave the much appreciated security a lively weekend as musicians climbed all over the place like kids that had been locked in a cellar, or shoved up a chimney, being let loose in a sweet shop with a play area. For instance, below, Of Empires and The Blinders
The hi-jacking of 1967's positivity by the 1%'s crapitalist system could not stop magic happened at the Isle Of Wight Festival, which was born in 1968 (two years before Glastonbury). Since then, "Europe's Woodstock" has played host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, The Doors, The Who in the 20th Century and courtesy of promoter, John Giddings, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Amy Winehouse, Muse and The Sex Pistols. No wonder there is something particularly special about getting on the bill for this event. Below; Arcades.
When you put 49 key names of the britpunk influenced, independent rock scene, together over a weekend (as the Jack Rocks This Feeling stage did), then musical fireworks gonna happen, especially as most of these talented new stars would not normally have had the chance to shine so brightly. The reactions from the audience, most of whom had never heard of these names, let alone seen them before, prove that Britain has future headline possibilities for venues and festivals of all sizes. Everybody was Big In 2017 on "The Isle Of Zone". Below; Emily Capell.
Right now, it really does feel like there is no hope, but so many people gave our nation, and our planet, some anyway over the last year. Musicians like these play a big part. Below, The Shimmer Band are one of the names taking this movement around the UK this autumn on This Feeling's alive tour.
Onwards then. Stay tuned to this story, as, there is a lot to say, so the reporting will be in chapters. In the spirit of uniqulture, some with taste maker site Northern Exposure who were one of the many documentarians reporting what is happening for posterity. It is very gallant of the mainstream music media to allow so many new music sites, photographers and film makers to document the most exciting anti-scene in decades, first, while it is under radar. Below; Himalayas
It's not just the bands whose reputations swell and stories weave, with each show, but all that support them when they need it. Well deserved, good hearts. We can learn from the past as we forge brand new futures. Below; Plastic People, live at The Isle Of Wight Festival 2017.
The Strawberries
Blackwaters
More images to come... It was one helluva trip, then it was back over the water to a world that didn't make as much sense.
Goodbye (real) Love Island
A huge thank you to DawBell and Team This Feeling for making this all possible. Also to Rock Art Management for the looking after and all at the Rock Chick Palace. Onto the next adventures, then.