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Woodstock
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was an event held at Max Yasgur's
600 acre (2.4 km²) dairy farm in the rural town of Bethel, New York from August 15 to August 18, 1969. For many,
it exemplified the counterculture of the 1960s and the "hippie era." Many of the best-known musicians of the
time appeared during the rainy weekend, captured in a successful 1970 movie, Woodstock. Joni Mitchell's song
"Woodstock," which memorialized the event, became a major hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Though
attempts have been made over the years to recreate the festival, the original Woodstock festival of 1969 has
proven to be unique and legendary.
Woodstock has been idealized in the American popular culture
as the culmination of the hippie movement. - What started as a paid event ended being free with over 400,000
attendees or flower children. Although the festival was remarkably peaceful given the number of people and
conditions involved, the reality was less than perfect. Woodstock did have some crime and other misbehavior,
as well as a fatality from a drug overdose, an accidental death caused by an occupied sleeping bag being run
over by a tractor and one participant died from falling off a scaffold. There were also three miscarriages
and two births recorded at the event and colossal logistical headaches. Furthermore, because Woodstock was
not intended for such a large crowd, there were not enough resources such as portable toilets and first-aid
tents. As a matter of fact the original plan for holding the festival in Wallkill, NY was scrapped because
the town officially banned it on the grounds that the planned portable toilets wouldn't meet town code.
Maybe they would have preferred full bathroom suites.
There was some profiteering in the sale of "electric Kool-Aid."Woodstock began as
a profit-making venture; it only became a free festival after it became obvious that the concert was drawing
hundreds of thousands more people than the organizers had prepared for, and that the fence had been torn down
by eager, unticketed arrivals. Tickets for the event (sold in 1969) cost US $18 to buy a ticket in advance
(which would be US$95.58 in 2005 with inflation factored in) and $24 to buy a ticket at the gate for all three
days. Ticket sales were limited to record stores in the greater New York City area, or by mail via a Post
Office Box at the Radio City Station Post Office located in Midtown Manhattan.
Yet, in tune with the idealistic hopes of the 1960s, Woodstock satisfied most
attendees. Especially memorable were the sense of social harmony, the quality of music, and the overwhelming
mass of people, many sporting bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes.
Friday, August
15 The first day, which officially began at 5:08
p.m. with Richie Havens, featured folk artists.
Richie
Havens(opened the festival - performed 7
encores) High Flyin' Bird I Can't Make It Anymore With A Little Help w/ me Strawberry Fields Forever Hey Jude I Had A Woman Handsome Johnny Freedom/Motherless Child Swami Satchidananda - gave the invocation for the
festival
Country Joe
McDonald, played separate set from his band, The
Fish I Find Myself Missing You Rockin All Around The World Flyin' High All Over the World Seen A Rocket flyin The "Fish" Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag
John
Sebastian How Have You Been Rainbows Over Your Blues I Had A Dream Younger Generation Sweetwater What's Wrong Motherless Child Look Out For Pete's Sake Day Song Crystal Spider Two Worlds Why Oh Why Incredible String Band Invocation The Letter This Moment When You Find Out Who You Are Bert Sommer Jennifer The Road To Travel I Wondered Where You Be She's Gone Things Are Going my Way And When It's Over Jeanette America A Note That Read Smile
Tim
Hardin, an hour-long set If I Were A Carpenter Misty Roses Ravi Shankar, with a 5-song set, played through the
rain Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat In Sawarital Tabla Solo In Jhaptal Raga Manj Kmahaj Iap Jor Dhun In Kaharwa Tal Melanie Beautiful People Birthday of The Sun
Arlo
Guthrie Coming Into Los Angeles Walking Down The Line Amazing Grace
Joan
Baez Oh Happy Day The Last Thing On My Mind I Shall Be Released Joe Hill Sweet Sir Galahad Hickory Wind Drug Store Truck Driving Man (I Live) One Day at a Time Sweet Sunny South Warm and Tender Love Swing Low Sweet Chariot We Shall Overcome Baez Source: Arthur Levy, annotator of the expanded editions of
the 12 Joan Baez CDs on Vanguard
Saturday, August
16
The day opened
at 12:15 pm, and featured some of the event's biggest psychedelic and guitar rock
headliners.
Quill, forty minute set of four
songs They Live the Life BBY Waitin' For You Jam
Keef Hartley
Band Spanish Fly Believe In You Rock Me Baby Medley Leavin' fuct Halfbreed Just To Cry Sinnin' For You Santana Waiting You Just Don't Care Savior Jingo Persuasion Soul Sacrifice Fried Neckbones
Canned
Heat A Change Is Gonna Come/Leaving This Town Going Up The Country Let's Work Together Woodstock Boogie
Mountain, hour-long set including
Jack Bruce's "Theme For An Imaginary Western" Blood of the Sun Stormy Monday Long Red Who Am I But You And The Sun Beside The Sea For Yasgur's Farm (then untitled) You and Me Theme For An Imaginary Western Waiting To Take You Away Dreams of Milk and Honey Blind Man Blue Suede Shoes Southbound Train
Janis Joplin (Performed 2
encores;Piece of My Heart and Ball and
Chain). Raise Your Hand As Good As You've Been To This World To Love Somebody Summertime Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) Kosmic Blues Can't Turn you Loose Work Me Lord Piece of My Heart Ball and Chain
Sly & the Family Stone
started at 1:30 am M’Lady Sing A Simple Song You Can Make It If You Try Everyday People Dance To The Music I Want To Take You Higher Love City Stand! Grateful Dead St. Stephen Mama Tried Dark Star/High Time Turn On Your Love Light
Creedence Clearwater
Revival Born on the Bayou Green River Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won't Do) Commotion Bootleg Bad Moon Rising Proud Mary I Put A Spell On You Night Time is the Right Time Keep On Chooglin' Suzy Q
The
Whobegan at 3 AM, kicking off a 24-song set
including Tommy Heaven and Hell I Can't Explain It's a Boy 1921 Amazing Journey Sparks Eyesight to the Blind Christmas Tommy Can You Hear Me? Acid Queen Pinball Wizard Fiddle About There's a Doctor Go to the Mirror Smash the Mirror I'm Free Tommy's Holiday Camp We're Not Gonna Take It See Me, Feel Me Summertime Blues Shakin' All Over My Generation Naked Eye
Jefferson
Airplanebegan at 8 a.m. with an eight-song set,
capping off the overnight marathon. Volunteers Somebody To Love The Other Side of This Life Plastic Fantastic Lover Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon Eskimo Blue Day Uncle Sam's Blues White Rabbit
Sunday, August 17 to
Monday, August 18
Joe Cocker was the first
act on the last officially booked day (Sunday); he opened up for the day's booked acts at 2 PM.
The day's events ultimately drove the schedule nine hours late. By dawn, the concert was
continuing in spite of attendees' having left, returning to the workweek and their other normal
obligations.
Joe Cocker Delta Lady Some Things Goin' On Let's Go Get Stoned I Shall Be Released With a Little Help from My Friends After Joe Cocker's set, a storm disrupted
the events for several hours. Country Joe and the Fish resumed the concert around 6 p.m. Rock and Soul Music Thing Called Love Love Machine The "Fish" Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag Ten Years After Good Morning Little Schoolgirl I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes I May Be Wrong, But I Won't Be Wrong Always Hear Me Calling I'm Going Home The Band- Set list confirmed via Levon Helm's book "This Wheel's On Fire" Chest Fever Tears of Rage We Can Talk Don't You Tell Henry Don't Do It Ain't No More Cane Long Black Veil This Wheel's On Fire I Shall Be Released The Weight Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever Blood, Sweat and
Tearsushered in the midnight hour with five
songs. More and More I Love You Baby More Than You Ever Know Spinning Wheel I Stand Accused Something Coming On Johnny Winter featuring Edgar Winter, his
brother, on two songs. Mama, Talk to Your Daughter To Tell the Truth Johnny B. Goode Six Feet In the Ground Leland Mississippi Blues/Rock Me Baby Mean Mistreater I Can't Stand It (With Edgar Winter) Tobacco Road (With Edgar Winter) Mean Town Blues Crosby, Stills, Nash &
Youngbegan around 3 a.m. with separate acoustic and
electric sets. Acoustic Set Suite: Judy Blue Eyes Blackbird Helplessly Hoping Guinnevere Marrakesh Express 4 + 20 Mr. Soul Wonderin' You Don't Have To Cry Electric Set Pre-Road Downs Long Time Gone Bluebird Sea of Madness Wooden Ships Find the Cost of Freedom 49 Bye-Byes Paul Butterfield Blues
Band Everything's Gonna Be Alright Driftin' Born Under A Bad Sign Morning Sunrise Love March Sha-Na-Na Na Na Theme Yakety Yak Teen Angel Jailhouse Rock Wipe Out (Who Wrote) The Book of Love Duke of Earl At the Hop Na Na Theme Jimi Hendrix had insisted on being the
final performer of the festival and was scheduled to perform at midnight. Due to various
delays, he did not take the stage until nine o'clock on Monday morning. The crowd, estimated at
over 400,000 at its peak, is reported to have been no larger than 80,000 when his performance
began. His set lasted two hours -- the longest of his career -- and featured 17 songs,
concluding with "Hey Joe"; but it played to a relatively empty field. The full list of
Hendrix's Woodstock performance repertoire follows: Message to Love Hear My Train A Comin' Spanish Castle Magic Red House Mastermind Lover Man Foxy Lady Jam Back At The House Izabella Gypsy Woman Fire Voodoo Child (Slight Return)/Stepping Stone Star Spangled Banner Purple Haze Woodstock Improvisation Villanova Junction Hey Joe
Cancelled
Appearances
The Jeff Beck
Groupwas scheduled to perform at Woodstock, but
failed to make an appearance due to the band's break-up the week before.
Iron Butterflywas stuck at an airport, and their manager demanded helicopters and special
arrangements just for them. They were wired back and told, as impolitely as Western Union would
allow, "to get lost", but in other 'words'.
Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills &
Nash, but refused to be filmed; by his own
report, Young felt the filming was distracting both performers and audience from the music.
Young's "Sea of Madness," heard on the album, was actually recorded a month after the festival
at the Fillmore East dance hall.
Joni Mitchellwas slated to perform but her agent informed her that it was more important
that she appear on "The Dick Cavett Show" on Monday, with its national audience, rather than
"sit around in a field with 500 people." Ironically, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and
Jefferson Airplane (who both performed at the festival) also made it to the show. She wrote and
recorded the song "Woodstock" that was also a major hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and
was recorded by Richie Havens on his 2004 album Grace of the Sun.
Ethan Brownwas a solo guitarist highly admired by the 'hippie' youth, but he was
arrested three days before the festival on LSD related charges. He is known best for his
earlier childhood friendship with The Doors piano player, Ray Manzarek.
Canadian bandLighthousewas originally
scheduled to play at Woodstock, but in the end they decided not to, fearing that it would be a
bad scene. Later, several members of the group would say that they regretted the
decision.
Mind
Garagedeclined for various reasons but one
of the primary reasons is that the band had agreed to a paid gig in Cleveland. Had they
known that many of their friends were playing at this concert they would have attended.
Read the entire story byclicking here.
Refused Invitations
The promoters contacted John Lennon, requesting
forThe Beatlesto perform. Lennon said that he couldn't get the Beatles, but offered to play
with his Plastic Ono Band. The promoters turned this down.
The Doorswere considered as a potential performing band, but cancelled at the last
moment. Contrary to popular belief that this was related in some fashion to lead singer Jim
Morrison's arrest for indecent exposure while performing earlier that year, the cancellation
was most likely due to Morrison's known and vocal distaste for performing in large outdoor
venues. There also was a widely spread legend that Morrison, in a fit of paranoia, was fearful
that someone would take a shot at him while he was onstage Drummer John Densmore attended and
can be seen on the side of the stage during Joe Cocker's set.
Led Zeppelinwere asked to perform, their manager Peter Grant stating "We were asked to do
Woodstock and Atlantic were very keen, and so was our US promoter, Frank Barcelona. I said no
because at Woodstock we'd have just been another band on the bill." "Led Zeppelin: The Concert
Files", Lewis & Pallett, 1997, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0.7119.5307.4
Jethro Tullrefused to perform, claiming that it wouldn't be a big deal.
The MoodyBlues for unknown reasons declined to perform. They later regretted not
performing. They were however promoted as being a performer on the third day on early posters
that stated the site being Wallkill.
Tommy James and the
Shondellsdeclined an invitation to perform
at Woodstock, which they later regretted. Lead singer Tommy James stated later, "We could
have just kicked ourselves. We were in Hawaii, and my secretary called and said, 'Yeah,
listen, there's this pig farmer in upstate New York that wants you to play in his field.'
That's how it was put to me. So we passed, and we realized what we'd missed a couple of
days later."
The Clarence White-era
Byrdswere given an opportunity to play, but
refused to do so after a melee during their performance at the Atlanta Pop Festival
earlier that summer.
Paul Revere & The
Raidersdeclined to perform. They later
regretted.
Bob Dylanwas in negotiations to play, however he had to pull out as his son was taken
ill. He also was unhappy about the number of the hippies piling up outside his house near the
originally planned site. He would go on to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival two weeks
later.
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of
InventionQuote: "A lot of mud at Woodstock. We
were invited to play there, we turned it down" - FZ. Citation: "Class of the 20th Century,"
U.S. network television special in serial format, circa 1995.
Woodstock Trivia
Jimi Hendrix's E-string broke when he was
playing Red House and played the rest of the song with five strings, which was
a remarkable feat.
John Sebastian wasn't originally scheduled to
perform. He was enlisted to perform when several of the acts were late in
arriving due to the traffic going to the festival.
Richie Havens's song "Freedom" was totally
improvised. He was called back for so many encores that he ran out of songs to
sing, so he just picked up his guitar and started singing "Freedom." The song
includes lyrics from the Negro spiritual, "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless
Child."
Country Joe McDonald wasn't scheduled to perform
the first day. He was forced into it because many of the acts that were
scheduled to perform that day hadn't arrived yet. He also performed on Day
Three with the rest of The Fish.
A 20-year-old man named Stephen Victor Tallarico
(later known as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith) attended the festival.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young almost didn't
perform at the festival. The helicopter that Graham Nash and the group's
drummer Dallas Taylor were on was less than 25 feet off the ground when the
tail rotor failed and it began to spin. The helicopter almost crashed and Nash
and Taylor were almost killed.
Michael Lang once said that his original idea was
to have Roy Rogers close the festival by singing "Happy Trails."
The character named "Woodstock" from Peanuts was
named for the festival
