17 Hippies welcomed in England!

31st August 2011

Over the August Bank Holiday the 17 Hippies came over to England where they played three very contrasting festival in three days.

Starting with a storming gig in Towersey’s Festival Dance House, they kept a throbbing, wall-to-wall crowd on their feet. How do you follow 17 Hippies? With 3 Daft Monkeys, of course! 

On to Shrewsbury, where band member Christopher Blenkinsop (right, in the picture) demonstrated the Maori tradition of hongi with the band’s rather bemused agent, Graham Breakwell! The band played at the WOMAD festival at Tarananki in New Zealand last March and were honoured to be welcomed by the local tribe at a Powhiri, a ceremony reserved only for very special guests. The hongi is a gentle pressing pressing of noses and signifies the mingling together of the sacred breath of life and the two sides becoming one before moving into their beautifully decorated feasting hall.

Whilst over in Australia and New Zealand they were joined by their old friend and honorary 18th Hippie, Johnny Kalsi – and who should turn up by surprise to play with them in their finale on Shrewsbury’s main stage…..??? You can’t keep him away!

Then to the wonders of Shambala, a visit to which is like visiting your favourite dotty aunt, you don’t quite know what to expect but it will definitely keep you entertained; a truly magical experience full of music, mayhem and lots of new found friends, where you think to yourself when you’re back in the World of normality, did that really happen?

 

 

 

 

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