Stonehenge Spring Equinox Performance
Sarah Tonin β Perform at Stonehenge Spring Equinox
It was the 19th March 2018, a freezing night with the temperature fluxing between 1 and 0 degrees centigrade and on the drove of Stonehenge the band Sarah Tonin from Tunbridge Wells are assembling their entire live set up for the Spring Equinox. Until last year amplified music hasn't been allowed at the world heritage sight since the 1980's with access tightly restricted to the public, only allowing free visits at the equinox's for religious and spiritual gatherings.
Along with The Stonehenge Free Festival Campaign's main objective of allowing free access to the stones to the general public, they are also currently protesting about plans to develop a new tunnel underneath the stones, redirecting traffic so drivers will no longer be able to enjoy the idyllic view over looking the mystical stones of Salisbury plain.
And so on a crystal clear night with the stars shining down and with some snow still on the ground, magic was in the air as the crowds came out for the show. After they were warmed up by incredibly upbeat and gritty political folk singer Mischa of Mischa and his Merry Men, everyone experienced for the first time the funk, psychedelic and progressive rock of Sarah Tonin, reinventing styles creating their own sound and captivating the audience of druids and festival organisers.
As Free Festival Campaign have said in their newsletter - The campaign first attended in Jan 2012 quickly winning the support of the Arch Druid of Stonehenge and Britain Rollo Maughfling, who is a campaigner for the restoration of traditional rights of access to druid sights and respect for ancient druidic ceremonys. The main druid orders that have continually celebrated the seasons at Stonehenge say βIt'll be an amazing thirty years of pubic service this June (2018) that Rollo has presided over the Solstices & Equinox rituals at Stonehenge. Both Rollo and Arthur Pendragon, an English eco campaigner, neo druid leader and media personality played a huge part early on in campaigning for and highlighting the need for open access 'for all'β. Sarah Tonin have been asked to return to perform again at the Summer Equinox Festival at Woodhenge near Stonehenge this year and will continue to support the campaign. Find out more about the band on their Facebook page and at www.sarah-tonin.com.
Chris Parris β Sarah Tonin