History 2002-2009

Mick & Keith

Nobody can quite believe that the Rolling Stones are playing their first rock festival for many decades, until the duelling guitars of Keef and Ronnie Wood circle around each other in the sweet night air, saxophones honk, and Mick dances like a moth in the flames. And other festival guests, notably a fragile looking Amy Winehouse, come up for a duet. But most amazing of all is when the stage sails off into the crowd with only Charlie Watts looking unperturbed, along tracks of steel erected overnight, and no-one misses a beat.

Chris Martin / Dave Grohl - 2006

Coldplay at the end of a world tour look like men released from prison, as Chris Martin dances on his piano stool, and leads the crowd in a massive sing along. For 'Yellow', huge yellow balloons festoon the stage, one of many stunning anthems for a troubled world. Foo Fighters are raw and exciting, with Dave Grohl playing demonic guitar, and treating his throat like sandpaper as he gives everything with no quarter asked or received. The Saturday night crowd go beserk.

Michael Stipe - 2005

His face covered in war paint, a shaven headed Stipe leads REM through twenty years of hits, from a regal 'Everybody Hurts' to the poignant 'Nightswimming' as the dark currents of the River Medina swirl alongside the stage. Michael dances on the spot, his hands clamped to the mike stand, as if in prayer, then crouches down on his knees for 'Losing My Religion'. Thousands sing along, as he intones "just a dream", his eyes gleaming through the mask.

David Bowie - 2004

Dressed in a floor length coat of many colours, Bowie grins at the massive crowd and delivers a set of "old songs, new songs, songs I haven't even written yet". And he makes even the most familiar into something unexpected. 'Station to Station' is full of clanking and foreboding: his crop headed female bassist joins in for an unexpected 'Under Pressure'. He ends with a massive 'Ziggy Stardust', topped off with a loud firework display, and Jimi's 'All Along The Watchtower' on the PA.

Iggy Pop - 2003

The man who invented punk rock, Iggy hits the stage in a blaze of feral energy. The giant video screens pick up every tic, glare and leap, as – stripped to the waist – he hollers out classics like 'The Passenger' and 'I Wanna Be Your Dog', threatening and seemingly not of his world. The crowd had been dozing in the afternoon sunlight, but rush the stage, drawn to his wrecked presence, like lemmings.

Robert Plant - 2002

After a thirty two year gap, Robert Plant kick starts the revived IOW Festival, at Seaclose Park on a green field site with the river Medina running lazily past. With his lions mane of hair and legend intact, Plant revives 'Hey Joe' as a tribute to Jimi, and 'Going to California' as a nod to Led Zeppelin, and his band mix psychedelia and world music to create something new, a bewitching backdrop to Robert's banshee wail.

Jimi Hendrix - 1970

The highlight of the biggest ever live music event seen in the UK, at East Afton Farm, Jimi comes on round midnight to give everything he has left to give. It is his last major performance – within three weeks he is dead. Opening with a distorted version of 'God Save The Queen’, he looks troubled, but sings and plays with a savage grace. Someone sets the stage on fire after his set, like a wake for the 1960s.

Bob Dylan - 1969

The most famous recluse in the world is tempted out of retirement to head up a three day event at Woodside Bay, and amazes everyone with his short hair, baggy white suit and country ways. He blinks shyly at the massive crowd, acts bashful and polite, and sings his heart out, backed by the brilliance of the Band.

Mark Bolan - 1968

Sitting cross-legged on a flat bed truck, Marc warbles Tolkein-like fairy tales of elves, magicians and romany soup as half of Tyrannosaurus Rex. The setting is a cold stubble field, near Godshill (where the ley lines meet) to a hippie throng gathered for a now legendary one day event. The first great UK rock festival.