Holidays In The Sun Festivals (HITS) UK

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WOODEYE

The HITS (Holidays In The Sun) festivals have have been running for many years. The first one I attended was in 1996 in Blackpool (the first one?) and I have been to each one from then to 2002. Each time there has been a festival it has been in either Blackpool (1996 & 2002), or Morecambe (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2001).     

At these festivals there has been many great bands which I cannot mention them all, but include (in no specific order).
 
The Damned, Peter & The Test Tube Babies, 999, The Drones, Sham 69, B-Bang Cider, Stiff Little Fingers, Slaughter & The Dogs, UK Subs, Sick Boy Federation, The Crack, The Pink Torpedoes, Anti-Nowhere League, The Dickies,  The Buzzcocks, No More Heroes.....  

The First HITS festival I attended in 1996 (9th, 10th & the 11th August) was superb, as a result the organisers released 3 videos (one for each day), I strongly recomend you get one of these if you can as they are each great. There was also two seperate albums released which are also very good. The Drones , B-Bang Cider, The Buzzcocks, Sham 69, 999 & Slaughter & The Dogs were the best and most memorable groups from that year.      

Weekend ticket for HITS 1996
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1997 was the least memorable festival there has been (not that it was bad). I cannot remember why it just did not seem so good. If I was comparing it to a great 1996, or not I do not know?

The 1998 (24th, 25th & 26th July) that was for me one of the best years there has been.
The Friday I was with No More Heroes (this is also refered to on the No More Heroes page on this site) back stage. No More Heroes played after Stiff Little Fingers and before the Ramones tribute band (I cannot remember their name). I also ran into V2 and Splodge back stage. The rest of the day was also very good.
On Saturday enjoyed myself with the remaining members of B-Bang Cider (whom had just split) and The Drones. This was also a good day.
 Sunday being the last day of the festival did have it hard tring to compete with Friday and Saturday. It was however still very good and the festival finished on a good note. Some of the best bands of the show were The Drones, The Crack  

Weekend ticket for HITS 1998
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The Drones with Lars & myself
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Monique (EX-B-Bang Cider) & myself
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1999 (4th, 5th & 6th June) was the first time I took a camera to a festival and I was pleased I did. The main hall for the fetival had now changed from the Dome, which was very good, to what is basicaly a night club. Each day was great and met up with some old friends. The best bands of the festival were The Damned, 999, Peter & The Test Tube Babies & Vice Squad.

Weekend ticket for HITS 1999
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999
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The Damned
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2000 new mellenium, no lodgings. This was also not a good year in a similar way to 1997, but this was due to next to no sleep over the three days. There was also unfortunatily no photographs taken due to this. The festival was very good I think, but I think that the main hall had changed back to the Dome as the hall of use in 1999 had gone bust I think? I can only remember 999 from this festival. 

2001 (6th, 7th & 8th July) was another goodyear the only slight problem was that the main hall was now the market hall which was nice and big. The problem was only one area though you could hear the right sound when you were in there. The other venues such as The Dome (the best one of the three) and the Platform. The best bands were for me The Damned, Peter & The Test Tube Babies, The Dickies & Stiff Little Fingers. It would have been however better if they were in the Dome.  

Peter & The Test Tube Babies
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Sick Boy Federation
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Devotchkas
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2002 (19th, 20th & 21st July) back in Blackpool. It should have been like it was in 1996, but it did not feel as good to me. There was the same venue (which I think was the best) and with some very good groups. The groups which were great was The Pink Torpedoes, 999 & The Dickies. The shame is that I was unaware of this being the last HITS in Blackpool.   

Weekend ticket for HITS 2002
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The Pink Torpedoes
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The Pink Torpedoes again
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Yet again, The Pink Torpedoes
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Goodbye Blackpool
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The Last and Final "HITS" in the UK, will be on from 20th June to 22nd June 2003.