Fifty Years of Woodstock

Image result for woodstock 1969 logo
August is notable for many things. It's the month where most people get married, you experience the so-called "dog days of summer," and it's when the growing season usually peaks.

But August is known for something more than all this stated in the opening paragraph. For between August 15 and 18 1969, there was a triumphant music festival in rock history - Woodstock!

What is Woodstock?

Woodstock was a music festival that was held in mid August and billed as "Three Days of Peace and Music." The festival attracted 400,000 spectators and was held at Max Yesgur's 60-acre farm in Bethel, NY There IS a town called Woodstock nearby where virtuoso Bob Dylan lived at the time, but he declined. 
Performances:

Woodstock had a lot of performances. The show usually ran for an average of 15 hours, and htere were 32 acts. To avoid making an intensely long post, I will only list the most significant of the performers:

Santana: This is regarded by many as their breakthrough performance. Michael Shrieve, their drummer, was the youngest of the performers at the time at only twenty years old.
Here is Santana's full performance

Jimi Hendrix: He was the last performer playing to a crowd about half the size of the original.

The Band: This less-known Canadian-American band played on the second night and was called back for an encore.
Here is their performance of one of my favorite songs of theirs.

Crosby Stills Nash and Young (CSNY): Sticking to multi-cultural bands, CSNY (adding the Y with Neil Young having joined recently) performed a stunning performance. On August 14, 1969, they performed at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre being their first performance. During the show they said they're, and I quote, "Going to Woodstock the next day," but they didn't know where it is. Their performance, featuring half a million kids, was spectacular and they even recorded a cover of the Joni Mitchell song on their 1970 record Deja Vu commemorating the event. For this show, in addition to Dallas Taylor, the band featured Gregg Reeves on bass. Mitchell herself was supposed to perform but was convinced not to by her manager because she would miss her chance to appear on the Dick Cavett Show. David Crosby's former bandmates, the Byrds, rejected as well because of the fact that Woodstock would be like any other summer music festival that year.

Joe Cocker: He played With a LIttle Help From my Friends, but was interrupted by a thunderstorm.

Sha-Na-Na: A popular 50s/60s cover band who most notabely contributed several songs to the soundtrack to the popular movie Grease. 

Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band: This middle-of-the-night performance featured Joplin with the Kozmic Blues Band. This is her full performance.

Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR): They thought Woodstock was in Virginia, which caused much curiousity as to where exactly Woodstock is.

Grateful Dead: They performad a 50-minute version of Turn on Your Love Light. Check out their ADUO-ONLY performance. It's the best with the whole performance.

Jefferson Airplane: With Nicky Hopkins on piano on the side.

Artists not played?

Jethro Tull: JT were invited to perform; however, Ian Anderson declined because he did not want the band to be known only to hippies or stereotyped. Besides, it would totally be against their style.

The Doors: Did not perform after fear of Monterey Pop festival repeat.

Chicago: They were actually known as the CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY during that time, and even released their debut record under that name (a double-album which was interesting for a debut album). At the advice of Bill Graham, they played at the Filmore West in 1970, only this time under the name of just "Chicago." 

The Moody Blues: They were booked for a few shows in Paris during that weekend.

Jeff Beck Group: Jeff Beck deliberately split the band to avoid playing at Woodstock as he did not want too much attention.

There were many other bands who performed, were invited, or declined.

What about 1994 and 1999?

Many have been trying to replicate Woodstock. In 1994 a two-day event was scheduled on August 12 and 13 in Syracuse, NY. The event featured many modern acts that were popular at the time such a LIve, INXS, etc. 1969 veterans were Santana, the Band, and CSN. 

In 1999 the event featured many acts at their peak at the time and solo performances of former 1969 veterans. The event featured John Entwistle of the who and Micky Hart, drummer of Grateful Dead. 

Many classic rock stations honored (and still honor) the original Woodstock on milestone anniversaries such as for the 40th anniversary in 2009. 


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