Pre-Rumours MacNuggets

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Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac and Status Quo at one Nottingham festival but only 2,000 fans turned up
Nottingham Post | Posted: May 22, 2016
http://www.nottinghampost.com/Pink-F...ail/story.html

By Peter Pheasant


IT was on May 10, 1969, that Notts County played host to an 11-hour pop and blues festival at Meadow Lane, Nottingham, which featured Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, the Tremeloes, the Move and Status Quo.

Only around 2,000 people attended out of a possible 40,000 stadium capacity, prompting organiser Roger Jackson to moan afterwards: "Young people don't know what's good for them. They've let us down dismally."

According to Evening Post reporter Tony Willmett, Cardiff trio Love Sculpture were the only group from a list that also featured Van Der Graaf Generator, Keef Hartley, Marmalade, Duster Bennett, Dream Police and guest DJs John Peel and Ed Stewart who had the crowd screaming for more.

Willmett described Georgie Fame and his band as "easily the quality act of the festival" and finished his report with a comment on Pink Floyd, who closed the show with a set that the reporter claimed "sent everybody home with their minds reeling".

One bystander said: "They're either brilliant or they're conning us."

John Moon, of Old Basford, was 16 at the time and travelled from Shirebrook. He recalled: "I set off around 9am and got there just in time to see Fleetwood Mac, just coming on around noon, I think."I was well into blues rock and psychedelia, so it was a great bill for me.

"I was supposed to be picked up at 9pm by my friend's parents but, as Pink Floyd had just gone on, I was not budging an inch and they had to wait for the next 90 minutes... rebel or what... they were not happy!"

"I am not sure if all these acts played as per programme but I loved Fleetwood Mac, Keef Hartley with two great jamming guitarists (first two LPs only) and Floyd took me into another dimension completely... and that was just on tea and a hot dog!

"Sad that Syd (Barrett) was not there, though, replaced by some long-haired guy. I remember not being impressed.

"I remember the pop groups getting booed but everyone was in good spirits and sang along. Georgie Fame did a very pro set, early boogie from Status Quo, which I never thought would catch on! I just wanted Pictures Of Matchstick Men, and more weird stuff."

M Kinton, from Giltbrook, recalled: "The weather was awful, as it poured with rain virtually all day. Perhaps this put people off.

"Fleetwood Mac kicked things off, as they had a gig booked later that day elsewhere. A fabulous band with the outstanding Peter Green on lead guitar.

"It was just a pity the reception and crowd were so quiet, as they played a great set.

"Love Sculpture did a classic version of Sabre Dance. The Move, also in good voice and always a good live band to see. Pink Floyd finished off the festival with a storming set, with Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, and were followed by a giant fireworks display.

"A super festival and not a bad band all day. A very, very memorable day. Probably the best all-day music festival Nottingham has ever seen."

However, it was not the last all-dayer around that time. On July 12, 1969, Nottingham Racecourse staged a 12-hour prog-rock festival featuring the Nice, Eclection, Yes, King Crimson, Juniors Eyes, Edgar Broughton Band, Idle Race, Status Quo, Caravan and Streets Of Sadness, all compered by John Peel.

The following year, on July 25, 1970, the venue switched to Victoria Embankment, where Family, Taste, Atomic Rooster, Mungo Jerry, Anno Domini and Aztec City were on a bill described as "Woodstock comes to Nottingham".