Rock legend and undercover cops deal with freezing weather in the Peak District.
In the early 1970s, the Peak District hosted a significant music festival that showcased some of the most prominent rock acts of that era. The Buxton rock festival, occurring in Derbyshire, was established in 1972, just two years after Glastonbury. Lasting until 1974, the festival grounds at Booth Farm were teeming with attendees sporting long hair, beards, tie-dye shirts, loon pants, and large Party Seven beer cans. Festival-goers braved the freezing Derbyshire weather as they camped out on the hills to catch performances from renowned bands like Mott The Hoople, The Faces, Canned Heat, and Chuck Berry.
Journalist Jane Goddard vividly recollected Chuck Berry’s appearance at the festival, noting his abrupt exit from the stage in response to a persistent biker trying to dance with him. This incident left a memorable mark on the festival-goers, witnessing a rock and roll legend from the Fifties like Berry. Another attendee, Pete Feenstra, remembered arriving in Buxton and observing a town filled with eccentric individuals. However, not all those present were what they seemed, as many were undercover cops patrolling the event.
The festival’s ambiance was tinged with whispers of undercover officers mingling among the crowd, a fact that was confirmed by some attendees. Pete Feenstra recalled the presence of these undercover agents, further emphasized by his uncle working within the scientific civil service, confirming that one of their buses even got lost en route to the festival. Among the festival’s attendees from 1972 to 1974, the enduring memory for many was the harsh Derbyshire weather conditions they endured throughout the festival’s duration, likely contributing to its relatively brief existence.
Former festival-goer Phil Underwood recounted his experience of feeling like he was “freezing to death” amidst the cold Derbyshire weather while attending the festival. Another attendee, Rob C, shared a comical yet grim anecdote of trudging through the dark chilly night to find his shoe sucked off by mud or cow dung, only to recover it with a pungent smell confirming it as cow dung. The struggles and challenges faced by festival-goers due to the freezing weather undoubtedly left a lasting impression on their memories of the event.
From candid pictures and testimonies of festival attendees, it is evident that the Buxton rock festival was not just a music event but a testament to the camaraderie and resilience of those who braved the elements to enjoy performances by iconic rock bands of that era. The festival may have been short-lived, but its legacy continues to be immortalized through fond memories, stories, and images captured during those freezing nights amidst the scenic Derbyshire hills.