I live very close to Knebworth which is a park that often holds quite big gigs and festivals. It's in walking distance and in the past I have been up there to try to sneak into Oasis (this was many years ago, I really don't like them and at the time it was simply because it was a cool thing to do), which unfortunately didn't work.
Last year the Sonsiphere festival was on, and I knew several people who were going. For weeks I'd boast that I'd try to sneak in and meet up with them, but deep down I didn't really intend to bother. On the Friday though, I saw that a friend of mine, Brad, had done just that. Sneaked in easily simply by walking through the carpark. This made me wonder if I should risk it.
I woke up Saturday morning and for a while kept changing my mind on if I should or shouldn't risk it. I was so bored out of my skull that I decided to have a walk up there at least, still not totally sure if I should risk trying to sneak in.
When I got there I realised I could have got a free shuttle bus up there, which was somewhat annoying as it'd have taken a lot less time to get there. Anyway, I scouted out the area and tried to look for some weak points in security. Seeing the carpark I made my way to the gate there, but a woman stopped me. I asked if I could get through and she said 'no', so I stood around for a while, texting and calling Nina, Ross and Maddie to tell them I was outside, still boasting I'd get in. The thing is, I was seriously considering going back home, yet part of me (the Spike part) decided 'bugger this for a bunch of bananas' and I was then considering jumping one of the fences to get into the campsite. However there were several watch towers, and I'd have easily been seen.
So, I then decided to walk around the campsite, continueing to look for weak spots in security and where I could jump the fence, or even crawl under it. Unfortunaly there seemed to be security covering every spot, and I knew that it'd take a good couple of seconds to climb or crawl under, in which time I'd be caught. So I continued walking for a good 20 minutes, until I got to Knebworth House and a little grave yard, which was a dead end (no pun intended).
Just as I was about to walk back, I noticed a huge gate open. There was no one by it, and it looked as if it lead into the main stage areas. My heart was beating fast, but I went for it and walked through the gate. There were lots of trailers parked there, and as I then noticed security and police everywhere! I couldn't turn around and go back now thoguh as they'd have known I'd sneaked in, so I carried on walking, prepared to get out one of my business cards to claim I was entertainment and didn't have a wristband.
My heart was beating more and more as I approached at least 3 policemen and 5 security guards, but they said nothing. I walked straight past them and they didn't say a word. Wow, what a feeling that was, I had been so scared, yet at the same time was totally buzzing!
However I now realsied that I was not in the main stage area, or the campsite, I was inbetween both, and needed a wrist band to get into either of them. I called Ross, told him where I was and said I was going to try to get into the main area. I was now quite scared and was once again looking for weakspots in security, but now there really were none. I sat down on the grass and watched people passing through, most were being thoroughly checked. I then got chatting to a teenager and explained to him I'd sneaked in. He told me I'd be better off going along the path a bit and walking in there as it was more crowded.
Now up the path, the security guy was shouting 'let me see your wristbands please' as people passed through. But so many people were passing through that he couldn't see them all, so I waitied for a big crowd of people and lost myself among them as I walked in with them.
I did it! Spike got into Sonisphere! It was an amazing feeling, I couldn;t stop laughing to myself. Passers by must have thought I was nuts or off my face. I then met up with the group and had a fantastic day seeing acts such as Skunk Anansie, Motley Crue, Placebo and Ramstein.
After Ramstein, I decided to try to sneak into the campsite for more beer with the others. Again, I simply walked through a big crowd of people and had no need to show a wristband. However it was now just Maddie and myself walking back to the tent, as the others had gone earlier. Maddie had no idea where the tent was, so we spent at least two hours walking around campsites looking for a lobster flag. There were unfortunately several lobster flags, and each time we found one, it was the wrong one.
We met lots of people and attended a few brief tent partys on our way to finding Nina and Ross though. When we finally made it back, we chatted for a bit, then everyone went to bed. I decided to stay for a bit and met a group of people having a 'Dave' party, where everyone was renamed Dave. I was of course magic Dave. Spent a couple of hours there, witnessed a very weird bloke shouting things out and starting riots, which then involve dlots of police coming along, then thought I had better head home as it was about 4am and I had to be up early for a charity event in Hyde Park.
I made my way out which looked a bit different to how I remembered it, but I put that down to being drunk. I then had to walk down a country lane in the pitch darkness, with a tiny keyring torch as my only light. When I finally got off the country lane I realised I was totally lost. I was in some sort of village, and looking at a map in a village square I realised I was in Codicote. What was even worse was my phone was dead and out of battery, and being gone 4am even if I found a phonebox I didn't know who I could call who wouldn't be pissed off about being woken up.
I decided to walk back through the pitch back country lane and back to the venue. There was a guy on the gate and I asked him if he knew the way to Old Knebworth Lane, he said he didn't, but I knew it must be the other side of the park. He couldn't let me through though as I didn't have a wristband. I was now well and truly stuck, what the hell was I going to do?
Then suddenly I saw a car driving out, so i ran in front of it and stopped it. It was a guy and his girlfriend who lived in Ware. I explained my situation and said I'd give them money for petrol if they could give me a lift to Stevenage, which thank god they ageed to. I gave them a fiver, thanked them, and then started the 5 minute walk home, finally getting home about 5am. A few hours later and I had to be up for my charity walk, needless to say, I was exausted, but couldn't break tradition and let Debbs down.
So, overall a fantastic day, with a great story to go along with it, I plan to do it all again this year!
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