Hawkfest 2012

DaiPunk · **Posted:** Fri May 11, 2012 7:05 am

Erm, I stopped reading when it got shouty...

Didn't expect a Hawkfest when it wasn't sorted months ago.....
Roll on next year, name a time and place & I'm there...

And something later in the year is something to look forward to...

Cheers
D

Jimski · **Posted:** Fri May 11, 2012 9:23 am

Robbo wrote:
Drakrats wrote:Kozfest or Hawkfest...there really is no debate....

quite why it would be seen as an act of aggression or otherwise is beyond me...there are many festivals going on at all times of the year....

I'm sure there would be many people who would've gone to the Hawkfest over any other Festival...after all , it's not just any festival but a chance to see Hawkwind that is what makes the Hawkfest such a wonderful thing...Something that Kozfest can never in a month of 'Last weekends in July' can ever hope to replicate.....

The only naysayers are the ones who are greedy and want to get a Hawkfest and another festival...you paid your money and backed the Kozfest...tough luck if you miss out on a Hawkfest....

However, you've now, with your griping about a festival clash, ruined it for the rest of us who held out for a Hawkfest..putting off family holidays and many other things in the hope of seeing Hawkwind at their own festival this year........

Does anyone else remember the first Hawkfewst when there was only a few of us sitting in the Dorset sunshine when the majority went off to Guilfest which clashed with the Hawkwind festival and had a certain 'other' band playing? a perfect weekend...peace, a whole field to ourselves and wonderful music...

So, bring on a clash of festivals.....I know where i'd be....

Well said Sir!! I totally agree. Hmmm do you think that if 1000 people emailed Mission Control asking for a Hawkfest on the last weekend in July they might change their mind?

The first Hawkfest was possibly my favourite. 'Twas lovely to sit there amongst like-minded friends all weekend, and make lots of new ones too. the other fest is so similar to HF that it really would split everything down the middle. It's not a matter of being greedy - it's a matter of logistics.

I know it's only 350 people but I have personally seen most of those people at Hawkfests, Leamington, etc. and the bands are (quite literally) most of the same that appear at HF (Here & Now, Aurora, Tribe of Cro, Flutatious, Litmus, Sendelica, Spirits of the Earth, etc.).

I know that one of my favourite elements of the Hawkfests has been discovering new bands, but it's also true that it's nice to see old friends playing new music - i.e. Here & Now went down a storm last Hfest.

I think it's a shame, but it's a good decision. The problem with being at the top of their game is Hawkwind get it in the neck (quite wrongly) for exploiting their position. There are already the usual detractors stirring on social media, but I think it's a brave decision that not only puts the spirit of festival first, but has also made the made some friends amongst those with more open minds. Roll on the next Hawkfest........

And a quote from the guys at Kozfest themselves.....

"I think that seriously we can have nothing but respect for Hawkwind in this matter, it would have been very easy for them to just go ahead anyway. Shame we cant get them to headline KozFest indeed, but anyone who may want to blame us for being the reason for there being no HawkFest hopefully will understand that our date was booked immediately after last year's event, and at no time were we intending to "block" or compete with any other festival. I think I speak for all here that any subsequent Hawkwind event will still be fully supported and attended by the vast majority of KozFest attendants! Onward!!"

HairyGT4 · **Posted:** Fri May 11, 2012 10:36 am

Thanks for the update guys - looking forward to 2013!

Will358 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:18 pm **Posts:** 203

I'd like to personally thank Hawkwind for their decision. We aren't that large a tribe and ought to stick together. Having two events that cater for a the promotion of similar music must be to the benefit of musicians and the audience who gets to see quality emerging bands performing that music. I didn't send any e-mail and it saddens me to hear of accusations of aggression. However, I was sincerely hoping the two events wouldn't clash datewise. I'm very pleased that they don't. I'm looking forward to Winter Hawkfest. I reckon it'll be an out of season Butlins or similar. I went to a Rock,Punk and Blues festival at one of those. A good time was had by all! It'd be quite nostalgic for me!

Jimski · **Posted:** Sat May 12, 2012 8:24 am

Will358 wrote:I'd like to personally thank Hawkwind for their decision. We aren't that large a tribe and ought to stick together. Having two events that cater for a the promotion of similar music must be to the benefit of musicians and the audience who gets to see quality emerging bands performing that music. I didn't send any e-mail and it saddens me to hear of accusations of aggression. However, I was sincerely hoping the two events wouldn't clash datewise. I'm very pleased that they don't. I'm looking forward to Winter Hawkfest. I reckon it'll be an out of season Butlins or similar. I went to a Rock,Punk and Blues festival at one of those. A good time was had by all! It'd be quite nostalgic for me!

Hear, hear. (Re: Winter fest, like ATP?)

Psychic Warlord · **Posted:** Sat May 12, 2012 10:11 am

-Good to have a decision and respect to Hawkwind for not wanting to clash with Kozfest.

I have got tickets for Kozfest as its 10 miles up the road from me and the line up looks great, hawkfest without Hawkwind!
But if there was to be a Hawkfest same w/end, then I would go to Hawkfest, no contest.

I think what needs to happen for next year is that a decision and a week-end for Hawkfest is booked much earlier, say by March time?

I know it must be difficult as the band probably want to nake themselves available for festivals, should promoters wish to book Hawkwind. But by March I would have thought a lot of summer festivals have booked or are in negotiations with bands and therefore Hawkwind could see what w/ends are available for Hawkfest.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so I'm hopeful of a great Hawkfest in 2013 (but pleased to say I wil be seeing the lads in Bridport in a couple of weeks)

smugdruggler · **Posted:** Sat May 12, 2012 10:39 am

I've never been to either Hawk or Kozfest and am very intersted in what's gone on here. It looks as if there's an opportunity for some good healing within the camps. Mutual respect and all that.

HairyGT4 · **Posted:** Sat May 12, 2012 11:06 am

Loving the idea of using an out of season holiday camp! Loads down the east coast. Chalets with heating, hard parking, proper cooking facilities and fridges. No redcoats or chavs. And a beach for clearing the heady on fuzzy mornings. Whats not to like?

Jimski · **Posted:** Sat May 12, 2012 12:22 pm

smugdruggler wrote:I've never been to either Hawk or Kozfest and am very intersted in what's gone on here. It looks as if there's an opportunity for some good healing within the camps. Mutual respect and all that.

In a nutshell, a couple of years ago someone took a picture of Kozmik Ken (psche DJ at lots of festies, former roadie for Porcupine Tree and all-round nice guy http://aural-innovations.com/radio/kozmik.html) slumped in a camping chair andposted it online. Someone else then posted bubbles above it with band names and it was titled "Kozmik Ken's Psychedelic Dream".

Then someone said "That'd be a dream line-up for a festival." Someone else said "If you hold the festival, we'll play." Then another band, then another. And so a festival was born.

The bands play, essentially, for free (nominally for petrol money). We've got a friendly farmer who holds this and his own festie every Summer. Tix are about 40 quid, strict limit.

In atmosphere, bands, audience and most respects it's identical to the Hawkfest (with smaller stages) except there's a huge communal bonfire. Both are about as near to free fests as you can get, with established bands and new faces, and all monies going to running the events. The organisers have fought the fuzz, the council and other objectors, and one organiser even overcame a heart attack to sort the first one (and subsequently played the main tent). Like Hawkfest, it's been built out of love of an ideal - the festival spirit.

Which is better? Neither, in themselves, except one has Hawkwind. I rate them both as highlights of the festie season, because I like cosy events where you can get to know everyone, and a large number of people go to both.

Will358 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:18 pm **Posts:** 203

It would be great if the two events liased with one another for next year. This is easily done and would be a good thing for everyone involved. The whole 'scene' would benefit.

pete · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 5:06 pm

At last year's Beautiful Days the Oysterband put on the Big Session (their festival) in the big top tent as they had lost their own venue. They had the big top for the whole day and it worked well.

Based on that we could have Kozfest presenting Hawkfest or Hawkfest presenting Kozfest

illegalalien · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 1:50 pm

Will358 wrote:
"It would be great if the two events liased with one another for next year. This is easily done and would be a good thing for everyone involved. The whole 'scene' would benefit."

I do not think that liaison is the issue; the Kozfest guys booked their weekend last July. Hawkwind did not try booking anywhere until very recently; perhaps if they had looked for a date rather earlier, they would have found a suitable one that did not clash with Kozfest. I can understand them hanging on in the expectation of getting bookings to play at other festivals but, if you are going to put on your own event, you have to commit to it in plenty of time.

Ideally, it would be great to have SRS, Kozfest and Hawkfest happening but the key thing with putting on a festival is to get the date booked early:).

janethesnail · **Posted:** Sat May 19, 2012 6:23 pm

In a strange way I am quite relieved, as I have to work the last weekend of July because I'm running an event at work (a food festival - no bands at all). It's bad enough missing Kozfest, and I have to miss OBTC because of work as well, but if I'd have missed Hawkfest, having been to all of them, I think I would have killed myself! Please, please can the band consider us poor souls who have to earn a crust and need to know what's going on asap? Ideally knowing the date around March or April would be best. But if Hawkwind headlined Kozfest that would just be fantastic.

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