Billy Cox and Jimi Hendrix
Billy Cox and Jimi Hendrix backstage © Bradbury
Afton Festival - August 1970
Fiery Creations Logo

Fiery Creations, headed by Freshwater brothers Ron and Ray Foulk and South Coast promoter Rikki Farr, literally hijacked the Isle of Wight Tourist Board during August 1970 when they staged their third and final Island festival. A half a million attended the five day event. The Melody Maker headline ran 'Five Days That Shook The World'.

    The festival was Jimi Hendrix's last UK appearance. Hendrix flew into Bembridge airport and stayed at the Seagrove Hotel, Sandown.

"I saw Joan Baez and Jimi Hendrix's roadies backstage. They said that Hendrix was very out of it in somebody's garden and they were worried that he wouldn't be able to play." - Ralph McTell.

"In 1970 I went as a punter, but was rowed in by Charlie Watkins to help mix Hendrix's sound. A photograph of me at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 was in a Sunday paper, possibly The Sunday Times, within the last year, in an article about 60s fashion, although they did not realise it was me."
- Dave Gilmour, Pink Floyd
in a letter to Vic King, Isle of Wight Rock Archives.

    Jimi Hendrix died in London 18 days later.

 See Jimpress issue 40 for coverage on Jimi Hendrix's Isle of Wight peformance. Jimpress - Jimi Hendrix Collectors Magazine available from Jimpress, PO Box 218, Warrington, Cheshire, WA5 2FG, England. Tel/Fax 01925 723541 (+44 1925 723541 from abroad); email sr@jimpress.u-net.com web http://www.u-net.com/~jimpress/

"Do you know the moment that I remember the most about that festival? Free came on stage and they started playing (sings) 'Alright Nowwwww' and that hot air balloon went up behind the stage, man I hit my knees, that was an amazing, absolutely amazing sight." - Shawn Phillips

AFTON FESTIVAL BILL
From the air
Afton from the air
Wednesday 26th: Judas Jump, Kathy Smith, Rosalie Sorrels, David Bromberg, Redbone, Kris Kristofferson, Mighty Baby.
Thursday 27th: Gary Farr, Supertramp, Andy Roberts Everyone, Howl, Black Widow, Groundhogs, Terry Reid, Gilberto Gil.
Friday 28th: Fairfield Parlour, Arrival, Lighthouse, Taste, Tony Joe White, Chicago, Family, Procol Harum, The Voices of East Harlem, Cactus.
Joan Baez
Backstage in a caravan: Joan Baez © Bradbury
Saturday 29th: John Sebastian, Shawn Phillips, Lighthouse, Joni Mitchell, Tiny Tim, Miles Davis, Ten Years After, Emerson Lake and Palmer, The Doors, The Who, Melanie, Sly and the Family Stone. Mungo Jerry were there but decided not to play.
Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim with Islanders Cas Caswell bass, Jack Richards drums
Sunday 30th: Good News, Kris Kristofferson, Ralph McTell, Heaven, Free, Donovan, Pentangle, Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, Richie Havens.
Hawkwind took over from Pink Fairies in Phun City inflatable marquee outside the main arena to perform throughout the festival. They played on till Monday night.
The chaotic, hand to mouth organisation of the festival is caught on Murray Lerner's film Message To Love (1995)
Afton pictures and memories
Festival site
The view from the hillside © Box
Pregnant lady
Who are this couple? Where is the baby now? © Bradbury
The baby in this picture would now be in its mid twenties. We wonder who the lady is, who the guy is and where is that baby?
Sandy Denny and Bert Jansch
The late Sandy Denny and Bert Jansch backstage © Jacqui McShee
All together now . . .
All together now . . .

"I remember sitting around at a pub in Alum Bay four months later. A woman came up and said: 'Haven't you lot gone home yet?' " - Island musician Paul Athey
Dr Quantrill
Dr. Douglas Quantrill twenty five years after Afton

"It was a memorable event and most of the Islanders were tolerant towards it, but a vociferous minority were determined that there would never be another. A Bill was passed by Parliament to (in theory) control these events on the Island, but in practice it banned them. That was the last of the pop festivals on the Isle of Wight." - Dr. Douglas Quantrill, Island Medical Officer during Afton Festival
Map reference: (Few miles east from Freshwater on B3399 to Newport)
All quotes unless noted are from interviews conducted by Isle of Wight Rock Archives some of which appear in Isle of Wight Rock - A music anthology. The above is merely a snapshot from the book.