Over the past 10 days there was this big festival in Hyde Park that I was very lucky to be able to work at. Each day of both the weekends had at least one incredible band that we got to enjoy! Holy moley I lost the plot... like, a lot!
There were 3 coffee stalls at the event and we all got to have a go at each! There were so many people there everyday. It could fit 65,000 and it was so fun because the people were so different depending on who was playing!
The first day BUSH, THE KAISER CHIEFS, and BON JOVI were playing and I was working at the coffee bike. Bush were great! I didn't really click who they were until they started playing and I knew every song! I got to run and watch them for a wee bit.
Bush again
I missed The Kaiser Chiefs because I was left at the bike by myself with a massive queue but I was right beside the stage so they were very loud and I sang along to Ruby!
Next was Bon Jovi and I got to watch them for a bit. During one of the songs Jon's guitar-guy-roadie-man of 25 years came out for a macchiato and a chat! He said he knows the set list so well he knows exactly how many minutes he has to get a macchiato before Jon needs a different guitar haha. We told him to wind Jon up until he snapped, but the man said Jon doesn't need any help in that department lol. He was great.
Bon Jovi were very good, but as is implied by how the man said he knows down to the minute how long he has, it seemed a very rehearsed set. They could have just been playing the greatest hits CD and running around the stage lip syncing for all I know!
Here is a picture of the park. They had set up so many things! There were rides, stalls everywhere, seats, trees, lights, and all the bars were giant buildings they had built for the event.
We got a lot of free food. We swapped coffees for food with loads of different traders. We got ostrich burgers, pizza, calzones, chorizo, beer, champagne, churros, buffalo wings, schnitzel, spit roast, everything!
I am still learning how to use my new phone so I have A LOT of accident pictures like this one. Mostly of the ground and my fingers. Two very uninteresting subject matters.
This is Bon Jovi again. Obviously our new friend had given Jon his guitar.
We sold so much water, like it's almost absurd. This pile fell over in the van - oh no! I have such great muscles now after working at this event.
The next day I left the event early to go to a different concert with Robert - MUMFORD AND SONS!
I was too late to see Ben Howard *sadface* but I did make it in perfect time for VAMPIRE WEEKEND! They were so fun! I just jumped and bobbed around the whole time - Such fun!
Mumford and Sons were just amazing. Seriously, better than Bon Jovi! Their songs are epic and even though there were 60,000 people there, it still felt personal. Dust Bowl Dance was incredible and it's my absolute favorite song by them so I was so pleased!
Their set was amazing with the lights and the sepia screens.
Two children sitting on their dad's shoulders!
As their encore they all stood around one mic and sang Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire and then got Ben Howard, Vampire Weekend and the other band that played to all come on the stage together with them and they all sang The Chain by Fleetwood Mac my god it was so cool I went a little mental!
Everyone heading home!
Back at Hyde Park and it's THE BEACH BOYS day!! The weather was so perfect every day was at least 25 and so so sunny! The beach boys were amazing, wow! So fun! They sang a lot of songs from Pet Sounds which I was stoked about! But they also did the classics like Barbara Ann and I Get Around. I didn't get any good pics because I was too busy dancing!
This photo does it no justice but each day had such a beautiful sunset! Probably because of the pollution haha.
Here's the van! It was just so hot in there.
Views from the van! I was bored.
Inside the van!
This is the stall.
The drinks are ready to go! This is just some of them.
Everyday I have to swap tube trains at Mile End station. One day I noticed this - very clever guys.
This is ELTON JOHN day! Unfortunately he got appendicitis and had to cancel so they refunded everyone's tickets and made the event free. First was ELVIS COSTELLO eeeee! I had to work at the shop but after I finished I ran to Hyde Park and arrived just when he started singing She! It was so much fun! He sang all the good ones. I missed Alison but it's OK because I got to see Pump it Up!
When I saw RAY DAVIES on the poster I was like... Who? Why is he playing after Elvis Costello? That doesn't seem right. But then I clicked, oh my goodness he was the front man for THE KINKS! I think actually he was my favorite of all the acts. He sang so many Kinks songs! He sang Sunny Afternoon, All Day and All of the Night, Dedicated Follower of Fashion, You Really Got Me, seriously, you name the Kinks song, he probably sang it! And he is still so good! He is a great performer and so good with the audience. It was so fun!
And of course he sang Lola! He sang it last and dedicated it to his brother. Amazing.
He had a few wardrobe changes throughout the show which was fun haha. We pushed our way to right up near the front which made it so much fun too! He even sang some old Kinks songs that weren't super famous!
This was my favorite shirt that he wore! Amazing!
OHHHH MYYY GOOOODD IT'S THE ROOOOLLLINGGG STOOOONNNEEESSSS!!!!! In real life! Of course they opened with Start me up! it was great! They sang everything - Paint it Black, Emotional Rescue, Ruby Tuesday, Midnight Rambler, Honky Tonk Woman, Keith Richards sang two songs as well!
My favorite was when Mick was introducing everyone and they made Charlie say hello and then they said "HE SPEAKS!"
Mick was running around the stage just like when he was young! I feared for his hips.
I thought their set would be seamless but they had long gaps in between songs which seemed odd. I guess Mick's not as smooth a wardrobe changes these days!
But they were still incredible. When Gimme Shelter started it was so exciting! It wasn't quite as epic as I thought it would be but it was still amazing!
Another costume change! The best one was a gold shirt that I sadly didn't get a picture of.
During Brown Sugar Sara, Liam, Josh, Kelly, Steve and I decided to go on the swing ride - I can't even describe how much fun it was flying around and around over a crowd of 65,000 people with lights everywhere and The Rolling Stones playing right there! The view of the stage from the ride was amazing, it was completely surreal!
This is a picture of Liam and Josh on the romantic double seat!
I tried to take a picture of us before the ride started but it started just as I took it so we were so excited I completely forgot to look glamorous.
After the ride we got off and The Stones played You Can't Always Get What You Want and what a way to finish. Such a fun night!
It was a bit messy after the event finished! They have this amazing tractor that drives around and picks up all the rubbish. I wanted to borrow it to clean my bedroom.
The last day of the event - so sad.
It was another amazingly hot day! And today would bring J-LO and LIONEL RICHIE!
I had to work during J-Lo but I could see the stage from the van and to be honest I didn't really mind haha. Her and Lionel did sound check in the morning when we were setting up and Lionel did it perfect and only sang Easy and one other song, but J-Lo my goodness! She was a diva and a half. Her backup dancers couldn't get it right and she was being so snarky to them. She took like an hour to do sound check!
Lionel was great. What a lovely man he is! Easy was so good and he sang Hello as and encore!
What an epic couple of weeks it has been!
