T. Rex at the International Essen Pop & Blues Festival – October 25, (1970)

On Sunday October 25, 1970, Tyrannosaurus Rex performed on the final day of the 3rd International Essen Pop & Blues Festival (also known as the Essener Songtage or Essen Blues & Pop Festival) at the Grugahalle in Essen, Germany.

The Festival Context

The International Essen Pop & Blues Festival was a pioneering event in European rock history, running annually from 1967 to 1974 in Essen, West Germany (now Germany). Organized by promoter Konrad Olbrich, it was one of the continent's first major rock festivals, predating Glastonbury and Woodstock in its influence on the European scene. The 1970 edition (October 22–25) drew around 10,000 attendees per day and featured a diverse lineup of progressive, blues, and emerging rock acts, reflecting the post-psychedelic shift.

Other performers for October 25 (Final Day)

The Taste (headliners, Irish blues-rock band with Rory Gallagher)

Chicken Shack (British blues band led by Christine Perfect, later Christine McVie)

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Guru Guru Groove (German krautrock experimentalists)

Witthüser & Westrup (German folk-rock duo)

Setlist:

One Inch Rock,

By the Light of a Magical Moon,

Jewel,

Organ Blues,

Summertime Blues

The festival as a whole included acts like The Moody Blues, Supertramp, Savoy Brown, and Xhol over the four days, with a focus on blues, prog, and jazz-rock. Tickets cost around 12 Deutsche Marks (about €25 today), and it was held at the Grugahalle, a multi-purpose arena in Essen's Grugapark.

Billed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, the duo consisted of Marc Bolan (vocals, guitar) and percussionist Mickey Finn, and were actually announced as T. Rex

Did you catch Tyrannosaurus Rex live in their folk days? What's your favorite Bolan setlist? Share in the comments!

---