Castlemorton 1992 - 25 years ago today

[William of Walworth]

Short bit from Alan Lodge in the Guardian yesterday

Ravers having it large at Castlemorton, 1992: Alan Lodge’s best photograph

‘In 1992, 20,000 people gathered for an illegal rave at Castlemorton Common. It was the thing to dance on speaker stacks or on the top of buses or trucks’

www.theguardian.com

I'm glad ypu linked to that -- spared me bothering

Alan 'Tash' Lodge's Traveller and Festival photography from 'back in the day' is amazing -- I've been in friendly correspondence about it with him, in the past! He was really nice!

Plenty archived here! With lots of non-festival stuff also included!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Short bit from Alan Lodge in the Guardian yesterday

Ravers having it large at Castlemorton, 1992: Alan Lodge’s best photograph

‘In 1992, 20,000 people gathered for an illegal rave at Castlemorton Common. It was the thing to dance on speaker stacks or on the top of buses or trucks’

www.theguardian.com

Alanis will have something to say about this, that photo wasn't taken at Castlemorton, but at Lechlade over the Beltane weekend at the start of May that year...

 

[Ground Elder]

Alanis will have something to say about this, that photo wasn't taken at Castlemorton, but at Lechlade over the Beltane weekend at the start of May that year...

I was going to say that, but figured Tash knew better than me

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I was going to say that, but figured Tash knew better than me

The bare-back-bezerker in the trousers and the hat was fucking legend that day, was up there for hours!

 

[William of Walworth]

Alanis will have something to say about this, that photo wasn't taken at Castlemorton, but at Lechlade over the Beltane weekend at the start of May that year...

That's a shocking error!

I'm quite surprised about Tash with that .... he generally seems such a good archivist with his photos!

 

[ruffneck23]

That's a shocking error!

I'm quite surprised about Tash with that .... he generally seems such a good archivist with his photos!

To be fair, we were pretty all fucked up during those years, and letchlade was one I regretfully missed, but there were a fair few more..

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Ground Elder this is for you mate:

 

[cupid_stunt]

Ground Elder this is for you mate:

I would dispute it only happened as a result of 'word of mouth', there was a massive police operation to prevent the travelers from holding a festival, a joint operation between four police forces - Devon & Cornwall, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Avon & Somerset, as the lead force running up to that weekend.

It was getting extensive coverage over several days on the regional TV news, lots of us in Taunton were following 'hippy watch' and hoping we were in for a great weekend, then the news broke, they had gone over the border into Worcestershire and as West Mercia police was not part of operation 'hippy watch' they were unprepared, and there was the regional TV news telling everyone where the site had been established.

As a result, thousands upon thousands of more ravers hit the road, we were there within a couple of hours of hearing and seeing it on the TV news, credit where credit is due!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I would dispute it only happened as a result of 'word of mouth', there was a massive police operation to prevent the travelers from holding a festival, a joint operation between four police forces - Devon & Cornwall, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Avon & Somerset, as the lead force running up to that weekend.

It was getting extensive coverage over several days on the regional TV news, lots of us in Taunton were following 'hippy watch' and hoping we were in for a great weekend, then the news broke, they had gone over the border into Worcestershire and as West Mercia police was not part of operation 'hippy watch' they were unprepared, and there was the regional TV news telling everyone where the site had been established.

As a result, thousands upon thousands of more ravers hit the road, we were there within a couple of hours of hearing and seeing it on the TV news, credit where credit is due!

BBC news told me where it was, was watching with my mum and she said, "Makes a change that I'll know where you'll be this weekend!"

 

[ruffneck23]

Off to see the free party doc at Ritzy in Brixton in an hour or so.

Well looking forward to it.

 

[ddraig]

Off to see the free party doc at Ritzy in Brixton in an hour or so.

Well looking forward to it.

Saw it the other night, quality! Not a bad crowd for Cardiff either, bet it will be fun in Ritzy, a few good laughs in it and great lovely people of course, enjoy!
Director joked in the Q+A after that it was his 32 of Castlemorton FOMO

 

[ruffneck23]

It was good, saw some faces in the ritzy and in the film i haven't seen for ages, and gave a decent overall story, although some huge stuff missed out re the cjb stuff.

Hope it at least gets a mainstream release somewhere.