Woodstock 40th anniversary

[tr4252]

I was there in '69. Saw and heard things I'd only read about. Knew instinctively, having seen what a mess things could degenerate to if you put enough hippies together, that the counter-culture was dead. Enjoyed the drugs and rock and roll immensely, but didn't get laid. Had, in other words, the time of my life (to that point).

We (Onondaga County Sheriff's Dept.) got there a day early, and the place still looked like countryside. That sea of mud you see in the movie was still knee high grass at the time; I got my bell bottoms soaked to the knees walking down to the not-yet-completed stage. The grass (hay?) was still wet with dew Thursday morning. I wasn't with the Sheriff's Dept then, was too young, but still got a set of tickets stamped "Complimentary". The Great Santini was a squad leader, and I was just tagging along, actually. Nepotism has its rewards.

The music was great, but anybody who says that was the main attraction doesn't know s**t. Experienced festival-goers probably knew what to expect, I certainly didn't. Dealers were hawking drugs of all descriptions like the newspaper boys in old movies. Some exceptionally pretty girls were running around undressed, doing all manner of exciting things, and many others were not so pretty, but equally uninhibited. I didn't happen to notice what the guys were doing, being preoccupied with the girls. Couples were....well....coupling, here and there. Every conceivable type of counter culture type was there to be gawked at; Hell's Angels, Merry Pranksters, Hog Farmers, SDS, Krishnas, all the stereotypical freaks, and huge numbers of types I'd never even heard of. But the majority were normal American kids, as was I. Most of this activity took place away from the stage, which was surrounded by seemingly tens of thousands, in the vast wooded areas on the site. It was like some kind of huge freak city, and it was then that I realized that a thing like this just couldn't be sustained. Vendors sold everything; I still have a little pipe I bought for $1.00. The people of the town nearby graciously ripped us off for every cent, even charging for water from a garden hose (I paid 50 cents for a quart milk carton of water, and was greatly relieved to have it.) Friday afternoon, I think it was, I actually went close to the stage, and watched Ravi Shankar, Canned Heat, and I think Credence Clearwater Revival. After that I stayed away, because getting caught in that crowd looked like it could be fatal if they stampeded. The music was loud enough to hear everywhere, so seeing the acts was secondary.

Exhausted, after 3 days, we retired to a local hotel, paid for by the county (was it Dutchess county? I don't remember). Box lunches, a few laps in the hotel swimming pool, a little nap, and I was ready for more. We left then, Sunday morning, since by Friday night the festival area had been wide open, and the law enforcement guys were mainly trying to protect the safety of the participants, and handle the numerous drug freakouts and the few minor injuries. The festival was definitely winding down at last. Never got to see Hendrix, which had been a goal of mine, but The Who, Mountain, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby Stills & Nash, etc., etc. played background music for the whole thing, I didn't consider it much of a loss. I'd seen him before, anyway.

I was in a local band at the time, and was determined to get on that stage and play my ass off. Never had a chance; security there was pretty good.

What did we learn? Not a damned thing, I guess, except that it might be possible to drop dead from an overdose of sheer fun. It'll never happen again.

Tom

[JerrBear]

Mr. tr4252,

I know I will regret axing, but I can't help myself - What do a half-million people do inna middle of a field when "nature calls?" I mean, in all the film I have seen, I've never noticed huge banks of "Porta-Potties..."

(It's perfectly okay to ignore this stUPid question iff'n ya wanna ).

[vernfonk]

Awesome story. I wanted to read more. Thanks for sharing.

[jim d,]

Hey Jerr,

Perhaps it wasn't just the rain that turned those fields of green into fields of brown mud.... Your thoughts Tom??

Jim

[tr4252]

Not a dumb question at all Jerr, sanitation was a real problem there.

Jim, in 40 years, it never occurred to me; now I shudder at the thought. To the attendees credit, not once did I see anyone add solid waste to the generally miserable conditions. At one point a few guys walked up to a sort of pond where many people were bathing, and one of them pissed into the water about 4 or 5 feet from the nearest bathers. I shouted at him to show a little respect, he came at me, and I backed off, not wanting to end up in one of the field hospitals over a few naked hippies who didn't seem to care any way. I'm sure this kind of thing happened a lot, these people were pretty loose. There were numerous porta-johns, but the lines were just too long, I pissed behind whatever tree was convenient when I felt the need. Mostly, it was the girls lined up at the porta-johns, as I recall. Though it was like what I imagine a refugee camp might be, people generally showed each other consideration.

Oddly, seeing people eating raw, dirty hot dogs from cases dropped by a helicopter which couldn't land (people were EVERYWHERE) is the most disgusting memory I have.

Tom

[natcherly]

Mr. tr4252,

I know I will regret axing, but I can't help myself - What do a half-million people do inna middle of a field when "nature calls?" I mean, in all the film I have seen, I've never noticed huge banks of "Porta-Potties..."

(It's perfectly okay to ignore this stUPid question iff'n ya wanna ).

In the film I saw (there were several versions edited for time / content), one of the most memorable interviews was with the guy who pumped out and restocked those facilites. He demonstrated what his job entailed. He was fast, efficient and seemed quite happy doing a classic s#!tty job. At one point he said his kid was out there in the crowd.

[natcherly]

...Friday afternoon, I think it was, I actually went close to the stage, and watched Ravi Shankar, Canned Heat, and I think Credence Clearwater Revival. After that I stayed away, because getting caught in that crowd looked like it could be fatal if they stampeded....Tom

Indeed. I wasn't at Woodstock but was at one that took place at the Orange County, California fairgrounds a couple of months before. The Orange Co concert was the largest US concert up to that time. My brother and I were bringing in some refreshments, and were waiting to go through the gate protected by 4" steel pipe stanchions embedded in concrete. In those days you had in and out privileges, and they didn’t care what you brought in. With incredible suddenness, a stampede was started by a bunch of gatecrashers. Security immediately stepped in, but after order was restored, I noticed one of the stanchions was bent over at a 45-degree angle to the ground. It took some serious energy to accomplish that, and it doesn't take much to envision what could have happened. Fortunately, our gallon of Red Mountain was unscathed....

[Vagrant]

I had to work but one the guys with seniority went

[tr4252]

I know what you mean, Natch. I saw several chain link fences that had been flattened by the crowd at the festival.

At the Student Moratorium protest of the Vietnam war at Syracuse University I was caught in a mob running from police with tear gas generators. It was like being caught in a strong ocean current; no way to go but to move with the crowd.

Tom

[lars]

Many thanks for telling this great story, Tom! Very interesting! Wish I had been there
Can´t believe it is 40 years ago

[Jeff]

Nice to hear all of that Tom. Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead ( The Merry Pranksters) (The Warlocks) recalled it a nightmare that can only happen when you hope for something good.
Apparently they were getting rained on and shocked by their poorly grounded equipment and amps and realized that the stage they were on was falling apart and comming down as they were getting shocked randomly by there equipment and trying to play. They had to "bail out".
Do you recall any of this?

[Jeff]

At one point a few guys walked up to a sort of pond where many people were bathing, and one of them pissed into the water about 4 or 5 feet from the nearest bathers. I shouted at him to show a little respect

Tom

[tr4252]

lars, some of the memories are so vivid, I can hardly believe it either. Seems like it was last summer to me sometimes (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome? [joke]).

Jeff, I didn't see much of the stage area after the first night, but I do remember that it had been raining off and on that day. While I was watching Ravi Shankar they stopped the performance for a few minutes while they dumped a lot of water from a large tarp that was suspended over the stage.

The one thing I regretted not seeing, after I heard about it, was when Pete Townsend of The Who bashed Abbie Hoffman over the head with his guitar. Couldn't stand Hoffman, I'd have enjoyed watching that.

Tom

[lars]

Tom wrote: Lars, some of the memories are so vivid, I can hardly believe it either. Seems like it was last summer to me sometimes (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome? [joke]).

I agree on that! I only saw the Motion picture, but that was a great experince for a teenager here in Sweden, at that time.
I remember joints passed around the rows during the "play"

[turbo_dog]

The one thing I regretted not seeing, after I heard about it, was when Pete Townsend of The Who bashed Abbie Hoffman over the head with his guitar. Couldn't stand Hoffman, I'd have enjoyed watching that.

I can't believe there is no video of it. This is most of it (all but the actual shove or punch or whatever): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIG7nJ3w6qY