The tensions of the 60's erupted in various ways. The most unfortunate were the riots, notable ones occuring in Watts, California, Detroit, Newark, Chicago, and Washington D.C. More peaceful statements were made by sit-ins and marches.
But an amazing statement was made in the form of a three-day music festival on an upstate farm owned by dairy farmer Max Yasgur.
Yasgur no doubt never knew what he was getting into. It was planned for up to 200,000 to attend the Woodstock Festival. By the time non-paying stragglers wandered in from all over the country, there were 500,000. Yasgur's farm was essentially destroyed. But he remained good-natured about it, and received a $50,000 check from the festival organizers to make things right.
The nation held its breath as young people, all of whom were angry about things like the Vietnam war, the Civil Rights movement, and Spiro Agnew's condescending rants about their opinions, gathered in a VERY large group. This could be very, very ugly.
But, as it turned out, the biggest problem was finding a place to go to the bathroom.
The rains fell more or less steadily over the weekend as an impressive group of musicians played sets that began in the afternoon and continued until well after sunrise. The performers included Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Canned Heat, Joe Cocker, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Arlo Guthrie, and curiously, Sha-Na-Na. That was one wild gig for an oldies act.
It was Jimi Hendrix who capped the wild weekend with his 9:00 AM Sunday morning two-hour set. It may have been the performance of his career. Ironically, it was also the least-attended event. The crowd was down to 80,000 by then. But Hendrix wowed 'em with his immortal playing of the Star Spangled Banner, complete with warlike sound effects. And of course, setting his guitar on fire on stage is one of the festival's defining moments.
Life Magazine did a ten-page spread on the festival, and that's what I remember most vividly. It was kind to the concept that a significant statement had been made peacefully. It just didn't smell too good where the statement took place.
Perhaps the ultimate statement was made when the US Postal Service issued a stamp honoring Woodstock in 1999. What was once viewed in fear as the ultimate potential riot has been immortalized with a postage stamp.
Nothing like Woodstock has taken place since. And it will likely ever be repeated. It was the first time such a group came together, and nobody knew what to expect.
Comments (4)
Yes, Tony & I left for White Lake around 12 noon Friday August 14, 1969 a day that would be momentous & historic. We were the only "short hairs" in attendance that weekend - at least in the vast minority of short hairs! We had to walk with our camping gear on our backs to the gates. We paid a big $15/weekend (wow that was expensive). We approached the gate only to find out that the concert was declared "free" by the promoters...what a bummer...; here I was only an E-4 in the US Navy, making coolie wages-"I coulda spent that $15 on another lid, man!"
The concert started with Richie Havens, that toothless minstrel, who wowed the crowd with his "wooden" music. Country Joe & the Fish sang ascerbic antiwar songs as did Joan Baez...
Saturday kicked off around 1p.m. with Santana- whew! Then the day started to blur considering that I was in "an altered state of consciousness." All I remember from the day was electric guitars blaring at 3 a.m., Sunday from "Ten Years After," & "The Who" as I stared at the stars above Max Yasgur's Farm...what a trip.
Sunday was a mess, but such fun; lotsa naked folks having sliding around in the mud; the thunderstorms were a bit scary, but Joe Cocker was incredible...it was all I could do to resist giving him anti-seizure medications for all the wild gesticulations he made in front of the mike singing, "With a little help from my friends."
I remember coming home late Sunday night, my jeans covered to my knees in mud and thinking: "how am I gonna explain being A.W.O.L. from the US Navy!" What an experience! Everyone with whom I share about Woodstock are amazed that there were approx. 500,000 folks in attendance, that babies were born ( I think 3)and some people died (same number); that it was a peaceful, fun time for us despite the inclement weather; that we closed down the NY State Thruway...there's more but I wanted to conjure up some memories for the other "dinosaurs" out there who remember and/or who were in attendance of one of the seminal events of our generation.
Posted by Frank Gucciardo | March 20, 2007 11:21 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 11:21
Correction to the Woodstock comments. Jimmy Hendrix played on Monday morning, not Sunday morning...from my spotty,drug-laced memory, I seem to recall that Sunday's sets really didn't start until ~1pm with Joe Cocker
Posted by FRANK GUCCIARDO | March 20, 2007 4:31 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 16:31
Wow, through the eyes of a veteran, thanks a ton for your amazing post, Frank!
Posted by Ron Enderland | March 21, 2007 9:33 AM
Posted on March 21, 2007 09:33
To Cool on Franks Post! Wow man! The closed the NY State Thuraway! I have seen the footage (movie) and the music was good! I know a couple of friends who did go! I was to young and besides, they were burning our city down! DC! Sha Na Na! To much!
Posted by Rivers End | May 29, 2009 11:11 PM
Posted on May 29, 2009 23:11