“I wish I had been one of the 3.7million people who went to spike Island, the 40000 who saw the pistols at the 650 capacity 100 club and the entire population of earth who went to woodstock back in 69. I missed out big time,” writes one Youtube commenter under the above celebration of the Stone Roses’ high water-mark.
Today, with news reported elsewhere (everywhere) that the 90s band who released one incredible album and made indie work with dance and psyche are to reform for some shows next year, it’s a nice chance to look back over footage of their Spike Island show. The show, framed by day-glo chemical smoke from nearby factories, on reclaimed toxic waste site Spike Island in Widnes on 27 May 1990, and was attended by approximately 27,000 people. Unbelievable as it is to immagine in this day and age, such a major event was not filmed, and no footage of the band onstage is known to exist. However, numerous clips, bootlegs and other folk remembrances are floating around the Constant Universal Index, which we’ve selected below.
