Saturday Overview

Guildford Live 2000

Friday 28th to Sunday 30th July 2000
Stoke Park, Guildford, Surrey., England MAP
weekend around £60

The Main Stage

We woke on Saturday morning to a much needed blue sky. The ground had dried out from the night before really well and it was a sandals and sit-in-the-sunshine day. Perfect for the mellow festival that Guildford is.

Aswad

The stages had solid 1980's music all day, from Bad Manners at lunchtime on the main stage to Culture Club headlining at the end of the day. Hazel O'Connor was on the Aladdin's Cave stage and 808 State were DJ'ing in that corporate tent, ooh, sorry the dance tent! The audience, who are commonly in their 30's thoroughly enjoyed their reminisences, grooving away to Culture Club as if they were 18 again (despite a sudden downpour).

Stiff Little Fingers

There is a great atmosphere here with audiences enjoying the shows, and they really are shows. Glen Tilbrook had 20 people up on stage out of the audience giving a superb rendition of 'Perfect Day' - Lou Reed eat your heart out.

Gong... pixies and flying teapots

The corporate tent failed to draw the crowds, so if you fancy a good dance to Norman Jay on Sunday you'll find lots of space. It's very hot and sweaty in there though, despite there being less people.

Drink vodka, make the sponsors happy!

The site markets and food stalls have been buzzing as more people turn up. The assortment of food is great, ranging from salmon bagels to curry's and all day breakfasts. It's a bit annoying that you have to walk across site to reach the food, and it's even more annoying that you have to walk through the camp site to get to the Main Stage easily from Aladdins. A break in the kids area en route is a good plan as the free shows will entertain the kids while you basque in the sun.

Culture Club

Sunday promises to be a great day as the sun continues to shine and overall the music is more appealing with Jools Holland, David Gray and Van Morrison gracing the stages.

review by: Neil Greenway

photos by: Neil Greenway