Hyde Park Needs You!

Live music is an important part of my life. Over the years, I have seen some amazing acts at various venues around the World. Wherever I end up on my travels I seem to have a nose for finding the local bands or cultural celebrations going on. And as far as I'm concerned that only adds to the excitement of the journey. Within this category of live music, I firmly place the Festival Experience.

Despite the weather Britain has been host to some truly brilliant festivals over the years but I have become a little jaded by the experience of late. This is nothing to do with my age! It's just that the festivals that were once for the true music fan have been taken over by people who just want to have the right kind of wristband to show off to their friends. Glasto and V are so chav filled these days it's as if the music has taken second place to a cat walk of perma tan and designer names. This is in stark contrast to my own 'festival wardrobe' which sees me without make up, hair in plaits, clothes I don't really care about and footwear that can be bought from Primani for £2 and therefore be disposed of at the end of the weekend (or if you are really lucky stolen from under the van an event that happened in last year's disastrous trip to Benicassim - a chav filled 'Brit Abroad' festival that will never be graced by my presence again!)

Amongst the Chavtastic festivals of the UK there are still a couple of gems. For the last two years running I've been a keen and eager spectator at the Hyde Park Hard Rock Calling gig. Fortunately, the weather is generally kind, the audience is full of musos rather than chavs and the line ups are pretty damn amazing.

2008 saw the guitar legend Eric Clapton headlining on the Saturday and the Police playing the last gig of their 'come back/re-form' tour on the Sunday. What an awesome weekend that was. Unlike Wimbledon, the sun smiled down on the proceedings which only added to the atmosphere. My friend Warlock and I took a picnic and some beers and Pimms and chillaxed whilst listening to Jason Mraz and John Mayer before making our way towards the stage for Sheryl Crow who was the perfect warm up act for Mr Clapton. He held the audience in the palm of his hand as he treated us to hit after hit that took us through the emotional journey that has been his life. The highs (and sometimes quite literally the 'high's) and lows were captured and shared with an audience that spanned all ages. The Police's performance on Sunday was polished and slick. The drummer Stewart Copeland looked as if he was having the time of his life. He attacked his drum kit with the enthusiasm of the gangly youth he was when he formed the Police back in the late 70's.

2009'a line up had The Pretenders, Sea Sick Steve, Fleet Foxes (please go and see them, there is something very mystical and magical about watching them) and then the magnificent Neil Young on Saturday. I've got to be honest, I didn't know how Eric Clapton would be topped but Neil Young was sublime. His folksy, hippy sound exactly suited the outdoor setting and the sudden thunder storm minutes before he took to the stage only enhanced the atmosphere. It was only after the rain had stopped a couple of songs in that Warlock and I reflected upon our choice to stand under the tree while the storm had erupted -not our brightest moment! But that's what happens when anticipation gets you...sense goes out the window!

Just as we thought the night couldn't get any better Sir Paul, yes our very own Macca joined Neil Young on stage to 'help' him along with the encore A Day in the Life. This was a moment not to be forgotten and one that we nearly missed. We had been gradually edging back from the stage ready to tackle the mass exodus when I looked up and turned to Warlock "is that Paul McCartney?!" Warlock flashed me a quick look that clearly said 'you've had too much Pimms' before looking at the stage and saying "Flipping Heck it is!" and dragging me back towards the stage in a virtual crowd surf. Macca and Young had obviously been sampling the wares of the beer tent themselves and were swaying around singing with great enthusiasm. It was a moment in history for me - two legends from a time that I feel a great affinity with, performing together and having a ball. We left that gig on a real high.

This year Warlock and I had agreed we wouldn't be going. The line up announced in January was not one that inspired us. And to be fair, where on earth could the line up possibly go next in order to do that? Let me tell you...

Three weeks ago, my daily journey to work was enlivened by an announcement that none other than Paul McCartney would be headlining on the Sunday night at Hard Rock Calling. Despite the early hour I put my text through to Warlock "Macca's headlining Hyde Park. You in?" Amazingly the text came back within half an hour (and this from a guy who could sleep for Britain and win gold) and simply said one word "IN!!!!". So that was that, tickets booked and we're off to Hyde Park on June 27th.

And then on Tuesday, the icing on the cake. Stevie Wonder was announced as the headline for the Saturday along with Jamiroquai, James Morrison and Corinne Bailee Rae. A hurried exchange was made - and the conclusion was that we'd better go. What an opportunity, two living legends on the same weekend at a festival that is truly there for the greater good of music fans like us. It's the perfect combo!

Long live the Great British Festival!