Hyde Park free concerts in the sixties
It was Blackhill Enterprises who organised the free concerts in the park. Pete Jenner was an instigator. Pete had been involved with ‘happenings’ like the Pink Floyd thing – ‘Games for May’. The sixties were full of it. There was an anti-capitalist theme. The music was part of the community, for the community and of the community. This was the sixties underground. It was the culture that we shared with the San Francisco scene with their ‘Human Be-ins’ and free concerts in Golden Gate Park. This really was the gathering of the tribes to party and meet up.
There was no exploitation in it. It had no ulterior motive. It was fun in the park.
I went to them from the very beginning. They were small affairs. Roy Harper would play and compere. Bands like Pink Floyd, Edgar Broughton, the Deviants, Pink Fairies and Battered Ornaments would play.
We sat around in the sun. Met new friends, shared everything and there was a great atmosphere.
Word soon travelled around. Soon they were gaining in popularity. Instead of a couple of hundred there were hundreds. The atmosphere started to change. The scene had too many pretend hippies who diluted the vibe.
They changed from being small gathering of like-minded people to huge crowds. By the end with the Stones and Blind Faith they were enormous oceans of humanity. I couldn’t get near the stage and Roy Harper was not even allowed on.
The vibe had gone. I preferred it when it was little.
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Does not always mean bigger is better.
Too true.
Went to a few, including the underwhelming Blind Faith. Saw Harper a few times, always compelling. Remember emerging from the tube station to the sound of ‘Out Demons Out’ more than once …
Broughton was great. I used to love those concerts. Why can’t times be like that again?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind …
Unfortunately the wind from the arse of humanity.