Isle Of Wight’s origins hold a special place in music history.
In just its second year of three in its original form some 150,000-250,000 made the trek to the festival to see Bob Dylan play in his first paid performance since the infamous motorcycle accident that occurred around three years earlier.
Many had believed that Dylan would make his comeback at Woodstock, but the folk troubadour left for England the day that legendary festival took off.
But Dylan would make the 1969 Isle Of Wight an event to remember simply because many of the attendees had made it to the British event as they thought they would never see the songwriter perform live again.
If you thought that was hard to top the festival returned a year later with approximately 600,000 people (that’s more punters than Woodstock) turning up to see the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis and Leonard Cohen to name just a few.
However bigger didn’t necessarily mean better as it spelled the death of the event with the government passing the ‘Isle Of Wight Act’ in 1971 to prevent more than 5,000 people on the island without a permit.
In 2002 the festival was resuscitated and while it has never reached the heights (both in terms of lineup and participation) of the past it has grown into one of the UK’s most significant music events.
The likes of Robert Plant, David Bowie, R.E.M., The Prodigy, Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Neil Young, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen have helped build a yearly attendance that ranges between 50,000-60,000.
Isle Of Wight may not be as rambunctious as Glastonbury or Reading and Leeds but the event distances itself with just two main stages.
The Main Stage is home to the festival’s biggest rock acts, while the Big Top tent is skewed towards electronic music.
The festival may never conjure up the folkloric type tales of Dylan and Hendrix in the late 60s, but its modern day self has become a reliable source of big names and quality live music
Lineup
Three huge rock acts will headline the 2014 festivities with Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro, the Followill clan that is Kings Of Leon and LA four-piece Red Hot Chili Peppers topping the bill.
Calvin Harris, Rudimental and Boy George will all bring the dancefloor jams to the event, while Katy B, John Newman, Tom Odell and Starsailor will provide the pop anthems.
Glasgow four-piece Travis will headline the Big Top stage on Sunday while The Horrors Fall Out Boy, Anna Calvi, Polyphonic Spree and The 1975 are sure to be festival highlights.
Check out the full lineup here.
Where And When
The festival is held on England’s Isle Of Wight at Newport’s Seaclose Park. The 2014 dates run from the 12th to the 15th of June.
How To Get There
Punters should book their flights to London as soon as possible to get the best airfares available.
We’ve listed estimated prices for return airfares below that were available at the time of writing.
Airlines that travellers can book with include but are not limited to British Airways, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qatar airways.
Adelaide: One-stop flights start from $2100, while two-stop journeys are valued from $2000 onwards.
Brisbane: One-stop flights start from $2000, while two-stop journeys are valued from $1700 onwards.
Melbourne: One-stop flights start from $200, while two-stop journeys are valued from $1500 onwards.
Perth: One-stop flights start from $2000, while two-stop journeys are valued from $1900 onwards.
Sydney: One-stop flights start from $2000, while two-stop journeys are valued from $1700 onwards.
From London ticket holders are should take the easy of option of taking the Big Green Coach rather than driving themselves. This bus service departs from 14 different locations across the country (including three for London). A return coach, ferry pass and direct travel to the festival is worth £59. To purchase a Big Green Coach ticket follow this link.
Where To Stay
Like all big camping festivals in the 21st Century there are a multitude of options to suit each punter no matter how thick or thin their wallet is.
The Tangerine Fields are a company who do the work for you by providing and setting up a tent in an area that includes a bar, café, toilets, showers, a “Pamper Parlour” and 24 hour security. The company runs across most UK festivals with the cheapest camping package valued at £165.00.
Podpads could almost be described as semi permanent cabins with the company providing seven different styles of accommodation from luxury to basic. Most options include security locking, lighting and off floor beds. Prices start from £28 per person per night.
Eve’s Tipis are also available for different group sizes. Three person tipis start from £480 with a furnishing package worth an extra £120. For more details click here.
The festival also provides the Love Your Tent and Respect camping fields for those punters looking for a relaxed environment with the former providing hot showers, toilets, an ethical café and free phone charging. Follow this link for more details.
Families and disabled campers are also catered for.
How To Get Tickets
A full weekend ticket with camping included will set you back £190, while individual day tickets are valued at £75. Expect a booking fee to be added on when you’re at the online checkout.
Kids under the age of 12 are free of charge, however child tickets must be booked in advance.
Get your tickets here!
Insider Tips & Tricks/Things You Shouldn’t Miss
Gates open at midday on the 12th of June so get in early if you want a prime camping position. The gates into the main arena are open form 2pm the next day.
Alcohol is allowed in the campsite, however it must not be in glass bottles. Alcohol is not permitted in the festival site. Same goes for food, you can bring your own, but it is not allowed in the festival site.
There are several extra curricular activities for ticket holders to indulge in between sets. The Intoxicated Tea Rooms serves gin-based cocktails out of vintage china, while Life’s A Beach brings the sand to you.
Bathing Under The Sky includes wood-fired hot tubs and barrel saunas and Field Of Dreams caters for the sports crazed fans by allowing them to keep up to date with their teams and watch a match on the big screen.
The Kids Zone will keep the little ones busy, while there’s also Hipshaker, Bohmeian Woods and Kashmir Café to keep you entertained.
Before you get to the festival make sure you download the festival app. It includes handy info, which includes the program, an interactive map that includes direction and a pin-dropping feature, which allows you mark your camp location on the map.
Gumboots are a necessary evil for the festival. It has been known to rain in years past. If you forget you can catch a short taxi ride to Newport to ensure you survive the mud.
Food wise the festival has a variety of independent food stalls with previous attendees talking up the Yaki Soba noodles, Moroccan meatballs, Thai green curry, kangaroo burgers and Indian kebabs.
For more details head to the official Isle Of Wight website.
