Festivals - Past and Present

[Garrett]

I did not attend this Festival, I was 13 at the time and about 5,000 miles away...give or take a few. But I bet this was one hell of a good time. So lets see a show of hands from our friends in The UK who attended this Festival!

The Bath Festival of Blues in England

On June 28, 1970 Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin*, Jethro Tull, John Mayall, Ten Years After, Johnny Winter* and Savoy Brown, all appeared at The Bath Festival of Blues in England. Over 12,000 fans attended, weekend tickets cost 50/-, I don`t know the conversion but I bet it was worth ever penny!

For some great photos and information on this festival visit the link below.

The Bath Festival of Blues

* (Led Zeplin)...What`s up with the spelling?

* I don`t know why Johnny Winter is not on the ticket, my guess is he was a late addition to the line up.

This Day In Music

About British Currency









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[Sox]

^^^ I was way, way too young but I think the following year Led Zeppelin topped the bill. The festival was moved to Shepton Mallet as well I reckon.

 

[LG]

I would have been just old enough to attend, but like Garrett I was thousands of miles away.

What a line up, Jethro Tull jumped out at me right off.

 

[Sox]

^^ Just look at the price for an all day ticket in advance 18 shilling and 6 pence .. unreal.

 

[Garrett]

^^ Just look at the price for an all day ticket in advance 18 shilling and 6 pence .. unreal.

Can you do that in US Dollars for the monetarily challenged (Me)?

 

[Sox]

^^ I'll try .. the best I can do is 18x5 = 90 plus six pence = 2.5 .. so about 92.5 pence. I have no idea what that is in American money but an all day gig like that for under a quid is amazing.

 

[gguerra]

A pence is currently about 2 US cents

so 92.5 pence is about $1.85

So either these bands worked for peanuts or there has been some serious inflation.

 

[LG]

^^English currency was worth a lot more back in 1970 than it is now. I would say a Pound Sterling would have been worth between $3-$5 US. At one time it was $7 to one Pound.

I'd say it was the equivalent of about $10 for the all day pass back in 1970.

That is all just a rough guess though.

 

[gguerra]

I would have been just old enough to attend, but like Garrett I was thousands of miles away.

What a line up, Jethro Tull jumped out at me right off.

By my calculations LG you would have been about 11 or 12.... Still kind of young for a show like that but perfectly acceptable with your parents or something. I would have been 7 years old... Great lineup for the time including Savoy Brown the predecessor to Foghat.

 

[LG]

Yeah you are right I was just a kid, but I was developing an interest in rock music about that time so if there ever was a festival like that one where I lived, I would have bugged Dad until he gave me the ready to go.