Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Woodstock – Music, Mud, and Memories of 1969
Pouring rain and ankle-deep mud. Thunder and lightning. Lack of sanitary facilities and first aid. Shortage of food and water. New Orleans after the hurricane? No—Woodstock in 1969! The Woodstock Music & Art Fair began as a small-scale commercial venture, but quickly escalated into what has been called one of the most pivotal moments in music history.
Thirty-two acts signed on for the “Three Days Of Peace & Music,” scheduled for August 15-17. Organizers sold $24 tickets and anticipated about 200,000 attendees. But closer to 500,000 showed up to Max Yasgur’s 600-acre dairy farm, creating crowds and chaos, the likes of which little Bethel, NY, had never seen and for which the entire state was totally unprepared. Yet, with all the potential for overwhelming devastation and catastrophic failure, Woodstock was considered an enormous victory. Nearly half a million people spent those three wet days with nothing but music, peace, and social harmony as their focus—and not one riot or otherwise violent uprising clouded the event.
Forty years later, we’re still talking about the impact Woodstock had on pop culture. Authentic collectibles command high prices, and the bohemian fashions of the day are once again back in style. Since the release of the first concert album in 1970, several more have been produced, including additional musical performances, crowd noises, rain sounds, and more—so generations of us who weren’t there can experience it as if we were. Taking a trip back in time has never been so easy!
posted by Betty at
9:39 AM
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