Off Derby Rock'n'Blues

[Maxine Wesley]

Just started back at work - had the foresight to arrange 2 days annual leave post
festival to catch up on sleep & sanity.

> Date:    Mon, 28 Jul 2003 18:23:16 +0100
> From:    Roger <roger.wynne-jones at VIRGIN.NET>
> Subject: Re: Rock & Blues Custom Show

> Yes we went to the 20th Rock and Blues Custom Show
> We left our house in Wimblebury, Staffs about 5:30 on Friday (Rose had
> to work til 5) and travelled the 45 miles or so to Pentrich at maximum
> Scirrocco speed along a pleasantly traffic free A38, until we hit some
> roadworks round Derby. The weather had cleared up and with sunroof
> open in bright sunshine we pulled on to the Pentrich site about
> 6:45ish and STOPPED! We could see the entrance up the hill but there
> we stayed for 2 and a half  bloody hours whilst bikes and people on
> foot were let in. Police and Security didnt seem to know what was
> happening no-one was being allowed out and no-one could get in.and we
> were all getting pissed off!

Sorry to hear that... and your timing was probably partly the problem - i think we arrived
on the friday at about 2.30pm & there was no queue at all -  not even for us 'cage'
drivers. Far be it for me to defend the outlaws ;-) but cars have always been
discrimited against at the show - well after all it is a bikers festival !!!

>  finally we were directed out of the site and into a
> cowfield where we parked up and looked for a toilet- no chance we had
> to walk (wallow) nearly all the way back to the main arena to find
> one

That's what we thought too.. but as the weekend progressed more and more toilets
came to light - there were 2/3 in the car parking field right over the entrance side which
we didn't find until we were leaving..... and they were regulalry emptied/provisioned
with bog roll..... considering there were 1000's of hairy arsed bikers there I was well
impressed with the loos... thoughts of Devon!! ;-{ ?

> Date:    Sun, 27 Jul 2003 11:32:48 +0100
> From:    =?iso-8859-1?q?Alan=20Linsley?= <alankerren at YAHOO.CO.UK>
> Subject: Rock & Blues thoughts

> Let's try and give you a taste of the atmosphere first - just think of
> Rock n Blues as your classic biker fest.  A field in the middle of a
> gorgeous part of the English countryside turned into a carpet of mud
> and crushed beer cans in a matter of hours.

There was a small clearing up operation on the saturday morning but by sunday
morning the site was a sight to be seen, acres of shiny flattened cans glistening in the
sun....

> You had your tent selling
> official Outlaws MC merchandise, which I thought was a bit bizarre -
> when I were a lad I was taught the Angels belted you if they caught
> you wearing anything resembling "their" colours, now they sell them to
> you.

A ploy by the Outlaws no doubt. ...after all if another 'faction' turned up I figure they
would have felt mildly intimidated by the increase in outlaws 'membership' , bless 'um -
they are a clever bunch!

re: hawkwind set
> I enjoyed it, and it looked like the band did too.  It was a
> shortened, slightly more biker-friendly open-air version of the May
> tour.  The band were tight, all the rockier numbers were solid and
> powerful.

Hear hear... (tell the truth I can't remember much detail of the performance)- just know
I enjoyed the set.

As for saturday - I'm bloody glad I stayed for it - Thin Lizzy - (with Scott Gorham)
phenominal... Stranglers on form  and one hellova party in the beer tent - unmissable.

Thanks to the Outlaws for hosting the event & all the bands for playing their best.



Maxine