Giddings Enjoys IOW Hobby

John Giddings says Isle Of Wight is like having a hobby in the sense he’s always thinking about it. But it’s also helpful that 55,000 other people also happen to enjoy what he’s creating.

Paul McCartney, who closed the show on the third day, marked the 40th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix’s appearance at the original IOW by singing a few bars of “Purple Haze” tacked on to the end of his “Let Me Roll It.”

“There must have been well over 200,000 people standing in fields over the weekend,” Giddings told Pollstar as the major British festival started in earnest. Download and IOW both happened June 11-13.

Giddings resurrected the festival nine years ago. If he hadn’t, it would have ended up as a rock ’n’ roll relic with millions claiming to have been among the estimated 600,000 or so who were at the famous gathering 40 years ago.

“I’ve had a Beatle and The Rolling Stones and I’m already thinking about what I should be going for next year,” Giddings added. His festival certainly hasn’t been short of rock legends over the last nine years.

Apart from Macca, the 2010 IOW also had Pink appearing from a box hoisted 100 feet above the stage. Giddings’ festival is also never short on spectacular showmanship.

“It’s the first time that every act has put in a great performance,” Giddings explained, acknowledging that most festivals will usually have one or two performances that fall a little short of the audience’s high expectations.

“I think because people travel by ferry they go with the feeling of going on holiday and that may have something to do with the good atmosphere there always is.”

He was also grateful that the rain stayed away apart from the occasional shower, and that the site benefits from having a £300,000 drainage system. In the soccer season it’s used to accommodate 30 football pitches. Most of the weekend basked in bright sunshine.

The other acts helping Giddings enjoy his hobby included Jay-Z, who brought on Kanye West as a guest, The Strokes, Spandau Ballet, Editors, Blondie, Orbital, Florence & The Machine, La Roux, Crowded House, The Saturdays, Suzi Quatro and Biffy Clyro.