Thirty seven years ago this week, 500,000 boomers converged on Max Yasgur’s farm near Bethel, New York for the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, three days of peace, love, music and mud. More than two dozen musical artists performed, two babies were born, two concertgoers died. There were 20-mile traffic backups and thousands got in free when staffers at the gate were overwhelmed by the size of the crowd.
The lineup was a who’s who of the music world: The Who, Santana, Blood Sweat & Tears, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, The Grateful Dead, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane and more. Richie Havens opened the festival with a song of freedom, Jimi Hendrix closed with a psychedelic Star Spangled Banner.
The variety of artists is incredible. Some were already past their popularity prime, some were brand new. One of many signature quotes from the event was spoken on stage by Stephen Stills: “This is the second time we've ever played in front of people, man, we're scared shitless.” Jimi Hendrix, Santana and Janis Joplin were among those at their peak. Many are now considered legends and many still tour.
The festival ran from August 15 through 17, 1969 and a Woodstock movie and 3-album soundtrack came out in 1970. Both Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin died in 1970.
Tickets for the 3 days of Woodstock, featuring more than 25 acts, cost $18 each. Today, tickets for a typical one night, 2-act show (for example: Woodstock performer Santana, who is still popular, still touring and playing in my area next month) cost $30 to $80, plus a service charge of close to $18.
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair thirty seven years ago was a turning point for music and for the youth culture of the time, the baby boomers. Some of us who lived through the traumatic events of the previous year, including war protests, civil rights demonstrations and the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, looked at Woodstock as a symbol of a possible peaceful future. In truth, things got worse before they got better, but they did get better.
Some readers of this blog weren’t even born yet and only know Woodstock as history. They might be surprised to learn that many people of our parents’ generation feared us. Media coverage fueled the fear with an emphasis on our long hair, loud music and “radical” beliefs. But Max Yasgur, who was a few months short of his 50th birthday at the time of the concert that changed the world and his farm, didn’t seem to be afraid as organizers brought him onto the stage. His words to the crowd are immortalized in the film: “This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place, and I think you people have proven something to the world: that a half a million kids can get together and have three days of fun and music.”
3 comments:
Bernie thanks for the reminder. My dad was lucky enough to have gone to Woodstock. He and a group of his friends loaded up their hand painted station wagon and drove up to this "show" that they had heard about. They were able to walk on in when they arrived. I believe they heard Country Joe...
They stayed and hung out with the crowds for a while and then decided to drive back home because there were soooo many people.
Even though he didn't stay very long, I still think it's cool that my dad was there for just a little while. How awesome to have been a part of something that is so historical for our nation.
The closest think since then was Live Aid and I was way too young to go then. I did watch the whole thing on t.v. Ohhh for the days when music was actually on Music TV.....
LeeAndra
That is so cool that your dad went to Woodstock. I heard about it after it was over and probably couldn't have gone anyway. I went to a "woodstock wannabe" concert near New Orleans later that year or the next year, but it just wasn't the same.
I missed Live Aid too. As part of my job at a radio station I worked for then (1985?), I arranged for several tickets and a charter bus from Baltimore to Philly, but I couldn't go myself because of a prior committment. I saw a replay of part of the concert the next day on the channel that should now be called WUTPMTV - We Used To Play Music TV.
I always liked the idea of Woodstock although it occurred before my time. In my novel Just Cause I set two chapters during the festival. It was a lot of fun doing the research.
Ian
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