It was forty years ago today as we waited for Hawkwind and the Solstice sunrise that a very strange band indeed took to the stage, for many it was a first encounter with Cardiacs. It was also the last time there was a proper Free Festival and loads of bands at Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice, 1985 and the Battle of the Beanfield was just one year away. Who was that strange man getting us to count in a count? Life changed for many that night…
“The Stonehenge Free Festival was a free festival from 1974 to 1984 held at Stonehenge in England during the month of June, and culminating on the summer solstice on June 21. The festival was a celebration of various alternative cultures. The Tibetan Ukrainian Mountain Troop, The Tepee People, Circus Normal, the Peace Convoy, New Age Travellers and the Wallys were notable counterculture attendees. The stage hosted many bands including Hawkwind, Gong, Doctor and the Medics, Flux of Pink Indians, Buster Blood Vessel, Omega Tribe, Crass, Selector, Dexys Midnight Runners, Thompson Twins, Bronz, The Raincoats, The 101’ers, Jeremy Spencer & the Children of God, Brent Black Music Co-op, Mournblade, Amazulu, Wishbone Ash, Man, Benjamin Zephaniah, Inner City Unit, Here and Now, Cardiacs, The Enid, Roy Harper, Jimmy Page, Ted Chippington, Zorch and Ozric Tentacles, they all played for free…”
The Festival Archive is always worth exploring
And in 1982…
THE ORGAN 