Glastonbury Festival: 5 outdoor festivals that pre-date Worthy Farm

National World - National Videos

It may be the biggest UK music festival, but by no means was it the first.   While Michael Eavis was dreaming of putting an even on at Worthy Farm, here's five festivals that pre-date the first Glastonbury in 1970, which shaped not only Glastonbury but outdoor music festivals decades later.

Transcript

00:00Well, aside from this voice or AI, I'm pretty sure what the people want.

00:05Glastonbury.

00:06The name alone conjures images of iconic performances, mud and musical magic.

00:12But did you know that the festival we know and love today wasn't the UK's first outdoor music experience?

00:19Long before Worthy Farm became a cultural landmark, the UK's festival scene was taking shape.

00:25From humble beginnings to the dawn of the blues boom, these five festivals laid the groundwork for Glastonbury's legendary debut.

00:33The first built-in pop, folk and blues festival in 1970 was a far cry from the Glastonbury we know today.

00:41Just 1,500 people turned up, a stage made of hail bays and tickets for a single pound.

00:48That's right, a single pound.

00:50No dynamic pricing of 150 pounds included a pint of milk.

00:56Michael Evers, inspired by a Led Zeppelin concert, even let people in for free later that day.

01:02But what inspired him before that?

01:05Let's rewind to 1961.

01:08Richmond Athletic Ground.

01:10The National Jazz and Blues Festival.

01:12This was the UK's first organised outdoor music festival, the seed that grew into the Reading Festival we know and love today.

01:21Harold Pendleton of the London's Marquee Club brought the vibrant jazz and blues scene to the open air.

01:28From traditional jazz to the early sounds of rhythm and blues, this festival was a cultural turning point.

01:35Fast forward to 1968 and we go to the Isle of Wight.

01:39Now brothers Ray and Ron Folk organised a smaller, more intimate gathering, but it was the start of something big.

01:47Tyrannosaurus Rex, who would later go on to become T-Rex.

01:51The Pretty Things, Arthur Brown.

01:53This festival set the stage for the massive events that followed.

01:58Hidden away in West Yorkshire, the Crumlin Festival of 1968 was a true grassroots event.

02:06One of the earliest open air rock festivals, it reflected the rise of the counterculture at the time.

02:12A small village, a big spirit.

02:17Royal Windsor Racecourse, 1967.

02:20The Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival.

02:23Cream, Jeff Beck, Fleetwood Mac.

02:26This was the sound of the British blues boom, a pivotal moment in UK music history.

02:33Woburn Abbey, 1968.

02:36Another blues milestone.

02:38This festival captured the essence of the era, showcasing the influence of American blues on British musicians,

02:44a key player in the UK's growing festival scene.

02:48These five festivals, each with their own unique history, paved the way for not only the iconic Glastonbury Festival,

02:57but many music festivals that take place in the UK across the summer festival season.

03:02The five represent a key part of the rich history of UK music festivals.

03:08All that's left to ask you now is, what is your favourite UK music festival?

03:13And which ones are you heading along to this year?

03:16Let us know by dropping a comment wherever you find this video.

03:19I am off to try and rectify my voice.

Category

Transcript

Recommended