Essential Festival 2001

Foot and mouth struck again taking this festival, normally held in Brighton to Hackney Marshes in London. The marshes, location of the largest collection of football pitches in Europe (or is it the world?), were completely transformed. Instead of the usual scene of dozens of teams in brightly coloured football strip running / limping around, there were hundreds of people just millin' and chillin'.

Unfortunately my photography wasn't quite up to the mark so this is the best of a sad bunch - better luck next time!

Loads of really good bands on. Sadly didn't get my act together to arrive early enough to see Gill Scott Heron (hadn't bargained for the half hour queue to get into,the festival site!).
Fortunately the day had many other high points for me - Black Uhuru, Sly and Robbie were kickin', Courtney Pine was amazing and George Clinton, Parliament / Funkadelic just drove everyone wild. Other stuff I enjoyed came from Macka B (singing about the evils of hamburgers from well known fast food chain), and cool jazz from the likes of the James Taylor Quartet and St Germain.

Everywhere you went the tunes were just pumping out. The atmosphere was jovial and friendly - everyone was just into having a good time.

My only complaint would be that a number of bands I wanted to see were on at the same time so having to make some difficult choices like not seeing Afro Celt Sound System. Otherwise a great day to round off a great weekend.

Essential Festival 2001 - Hackney Marshes

Black Uhuru - guess who's coming to dinner natty dreadlock

The Parliament / Funkadelic fans just weren't leaving