V97, V98 and Leeds Festival 1999 at Temple Newsam?

[LDe]

Hi,I was wondering if anyone on here attended one of the three following festivals: V Festival 1997, V Festival 1998 and Leeds Festival 1999, all held at Temple Newsam.There are barely any pictures or stories on the Internet about these events, so if anyone has either of these to share I would be grateful to see/read them.Even if you didn't go, maybe you lived in the area when V/Leeds Festival was held at Temple Newsam so maybe you have an account of what it was like to be a resident of Colton/Whitkirk/Halton on August Bank Holiday between 1997 and 2002.Cheers!

[WiggyDiggy]

Leeds Fest 99 (and 00-05 as well)What would you like to know?Some stand out things:Tickets were cheap - £90ish for the full weekend inc trains, and only bought a few days before we wentBlink 182 on Vans Warped tour cancelled - gutted as this was just before Blink 182 went huge and would have been a great show.Suger Hill Gang - Brilliant, in the wake of a certain Slim Shady that had become big recently they brilliant covered and laid claim to several of his tracks.No distractions - just music, bars and food. Can't remember a fun fair being placed close to the stage like later years.1st day we actually walked to within around 40ft of the stage, try that theses days! I dont think the event sold out.Interlopers - The campsite wasnt secure, a lot of the more enterprising of the locals took to thieving from the tents.The Riots - apparently started as someone heard Reading had rioted and Leeds 'could do it better', continued as a tradition until thankfully a few years they managed to control them but it was directly responsibly for the festival losing the beautiful Temple Newsam site.Fine Young Canibals - No they didn't play, but loved the security guard asking if they were and being dissapointed being told 'No mate its the Fun Loving Criminals'The supermarket at Crossgates being the nearest, and upon arriving numerous trolleys were stolen as carts for the walk back.The campsites were on the 'right' side of the park, not too far a walk to the arena. In later years they were moved to the other side of the woods which was actually nearer to housing when I look now.Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners performing in womens underwear an interesting medley of covers.Blur playing for seemingly 2.5 hrs - loved itRed Hot Chilli Peppers closing the festival and us being sat on the hill (where they later placed a carnival, idiots) and being very happy.Pick Up/Drop Off points - in the city it was in front of Mill Hill Chapel, City Square before they expanded the footpath there. Drop off was pretty much at the gates. The last one I went to at Temple had the drop off on Pontefract Lane some distance from the campsites.Oh and the food vendors - giving away free food on the last night as it was only going to spoil anyway.Lots of good memories of Leeds Fests (-:

[LDe]

Cheers WiggyDiggy. I think I know roughly where the campsites were, one (maybe the one you're referring to in 1999) was in that sort of valley-like place behind the arena, which backs onto the M1, behind that long hedge-type thing. And the other campsite was through the woods, in the fields just off Bullerthorpe Lane?I've been to a few of Leeds Festivals myself, 2005-2009 to be exact and I quite like Bramham Park even if does have a sprawling feel to it and sometimes it can be a long walk from certain campsites to the arena. How does it compare to Temple Newsam?I also keep hearing of oddly named places at Temple Newsam, such as Jimmy Hill, Pooh Bridge, Lemon Entry, Maiden Over, etc. What were these places? Were they like Gyspy Lane, Piccadilly Circus and Trader's Alley at Bramham, places given names to make them stand out as a meeting point?Lastly, I know Temple Newsam was really bad for trouble in 2000, 2001 and 2002, but was there anything like this in 1999?Great help that mate, interesting to hear from someone who was at the first ever Leeds Festival

[JoCrow]

Hi,I went to V97 and V98, then it became the Carling Weekend (the 'nothern' leg of V99 was held near Derby) and then The Leeds Festival - I think!The festival came along at the tail end of the 'Britpop' era, so many of the main bands were of that ilk.Personal highlights were Divine Comedy, Blur, Bluetones, Dodgy and Catatonia.V97 and V98 were 2 day festivals, so I always though the line ups were good value for money. When they became 3 days it seems that the same number of good bands appeared, but they were stretched over an extra day.Another memory was that the stages were in different positions each year - one time facing the house and onother at 90 degrees to it.Anyhoo, I've gone on long enough.Cheers.

[JoCrow]

Hi,I went to V97 and V98, then it became the Carling Weekend (the 'nothern' leg of V99 was held near Derby) and then The Leeds Festival - I think!The festival came along at the tail end of the 'Britpop' era, so many of the main bands were of that ilk.Personal highlights were Divine Comedy, Blur, Bluetones, Dodgy and Catatonia.V97 and V98 were 2 day festivals, so I always though the line ups were good value for money. When they became 3 days it seems that the same number of good bands appeared, but they were stretched over an extra day.Another memory was that the stages were in different positions each year - one time facing the house and onother at 90 degrees to it.Anyhoo, I've gone on long enough.Cheers.

[LDe]

JoCrow - Was the second stage at V97 and V98 outdoor like it is nowadays?Also, can you remember the campsite locations? Does what WiggyDiggy describe sound familiar?Cheers

[beast]

I was out of work at the time so did a bit of litter picking after the festival finished. The job agency ( Manpower ) disputed that I ever turned up , so I created one hell of a scene in their office in Infirmary Street and enlisted the help of my local councilor to get my money. Finally received it ,with no apology whatsoever.

[JoCrow]

Second stage was open air but dance tent was, well, a tent. Don't remember campsite. I walked home each night.

[WiggyDiggy]

LDe wrote: Cheers WiggyDiggy. I think I know roughly where the campsites were, one (maybe the one you're referring to in 1999) was in that sort of valley-like place behind the arena, which backs onto the M1, behind that long hedge-type thing. And the other campsite was through the woods, in the fields just off Bullerthorpe Lane?I've been to a few of Leeds Festivals myself, 2005-2009 to be exact and I quite like Bramham Park even if does have a sprawling feel to it and sometimes it can be a long walk from certain campsites to the arena. How does it compare to Temple Newsam?I also keep hearing of oddly named places at Temple Newsam, such as Jimmy Hill, Pooh Bridge, Lemon Entry, Maiden Over, etc. What were these places? Were they like Gyspy Lane, Piccadilly Circus and Trader's Alley at Bramham, places given names to make them stand out as a meeting point?Lastly, I know Temple Newsam was really bad for trouble in 2000, 2001 and 2002, but was there anything like this in 1999?Great help that mate, interesting to hear from someone who was at the first ever Leeds Festival CampsitesThe original temple newsam campsites in '99 and '00 were very close, and yes did have the M1 to the south of them. Perfectly sited for the entrances to both the arena and the bus stops it was a damn shame when they turned into carparks. The campsites in '02 were a long walk through what is Charcoal Wood and then were spread a little on the left but mostly on the right towards Bullerthorpe Lane.RiotsSynonymous with the festival for all the years I went the intial excitement of a few burnt toilets of '99 escalated every year. The last year '05 I went the beer trucks were being broken into, large fires being started and lots of random burning of anything near. Not a pleasent experience and one year we attempted to leave but they had stopped running the buses.BramhamI actually preferred the music arena at Bramham - I thought it was larger and better spread out although the still idiotic placement of a fun fair very near to the main stage meant it was sometimes impossible to enjoy a rear position - you just had the incessant chav music blasting from the fun fair constantly.The campsites though were [edited for content], the ground is pretty rough/hard in places and its also a lot more exposed than TN. I always though it slightly colder at nights there although that may be the fact that small campfires were banned (TN used to sell firewood)Odd named placesThis is true, I'd forgotten that! I have no idea if they worked as meeting points, we normally named our own - veggie stand, orange charging point etc etcI do miss going to Leeds fest, it was nice to have one close and a few recent years aside the line ups have been mostly good.But the cost is astronomical - £200 (no fees) this year mean all in with fees, food, booze, travel means I could easy top £350-400 for a 4 day stay (I always tried to get early bird as well). Indeed I just googled the tickets and they have an instalment scheme running this year to help you!Just an alternative - Bingley Music Live - I think I've spent £80 for a 4/5 day stay, 3 days of music and the best campsite on the doorstep of the festival at the rugby ground. Much better value!

[edlong]

I can vouch for the security being a bit rubbish in 1997 - went along with some mates on the off chance of getting "over the wall" and wandered through to end up on the top of the wall in front of the house looking at the main stage in front of us. As we were discussing the fact that we only needed to get down from the wall and we'd be in the "arena", one of the High-Viz ShowSec fellas wandered past"Oi, you lot, you're not allowed up there! Get down here now!"Yes sir!!I remember Beck being good and the The Prodigy being afflicted with technical problems that stopped the show a couple of times.Also attended in 2000, bought a ticket that time! And 2001 (just the day that Jane's Addiction played).