HEATON PARK…happy days..
We’re all just about back to normality now after a monumental weekend at Heaton Park. Think we’re all still in shock at the overwhelming hospitality shown by all the Oasis crew and Promoters SJM, who made us feel like kings.
We got there about 8.15am as we needed to soundcheck and get ourselves installed before the crowds descended. Hot-footed it to over to the catering tent (marquee more like) for a few coffees and a bite. (Have to say the food provided was immense and we never stopped eating the whole weekend). After that we went over to check out our dressing room and inside we found another table laden with goodies - crips, choccy, sweets, fruit, alcoholic beverages - everything you’d want really. It was pissing down during the day and a bit freezing but a girl still drove over in a buggy (!) specifically to deliver ice cubes to our dressing room so that our beers stayed nicely chilled in the cool box…..! It was funny watching people zipping about all over the place in buggies and on their walkie talkies - it was all just like a scene from that film Westworld with Yul Brynner..! The sheer scale of the operation at Heaton Park was astounding and I don’t think any of us had seen anything like it before (and probably won’t again, unless Free Peace get to support Elton John - which is unlikely) - cranes, trucks, portakabins, ambulances, buggies, stewards as far as the eye could see.
Mr Noel came by and said hello - think he was still a bit frustrated by the previous night’s kerfuffles with the sound but nonetheless in good humour as usual. We had a short convo about electric cigarettes and other stuff and then he went back out into the rain with a massive golf umbrella..
Did the sound check. Trefor was gettin into the music and head banging at the side of the stage and suddenly someone appeared at his side and started head banging too. Tref said he was well surprised to turn around and discover it was Liam! He then went over and started playing with Nick’s ears apparently while he was on the kit. I think he loves Free Peace almost more than we do….. We passed him a cd of the new stuff and about ten minutes later he’d listened to it and told us the names of the songs he particularly liked.
Free Peace were on at 4.50pm precisely. They rocked from the outset and although the crowd didn’t move that much we think they enjoyed it. They were probably quite chilled to the bone, having stood there for hours in horizontal rain, and probably couldn’t care less who Free Peace were - but judging by the reactions we’ve had following the gig people really liked it. S’pose it didn’t help that Edgar went ‘hello - we’re Free Peace - from Liverpool!‘ to a load of Mancs…
More of our Heaton Park adventure to follow…..............