Woodstock

 

Woodstock Music And Art Fair – 3 Days Of Peace & Music – August 15, 16, 17, 1969

The original concept for the legendary music festival involved staging a concert in the town of Woodstock, New York featuring artists known to frequent the area at that time including Bob Dylan, members of The Band, Tim Hardin and others, giving the festival its famous name.

After local residents rejected a proposed site in Woodstock, it became apparent to festival organizers they would have to move the event elsewhere. A farm in Saugerties, New York was planned as a possible alternate location but rejected by the landowner’s attorney. Undaunted, the organizers settled on a site in nearby Wallkill, New York, leasing land for $10,000 in the spring of 1969 with the understanding that attendance would not exceed 50,000 concert goers.

As had happened before in the town of Woodstock, local residents of Wallkill immediately opposed the idea of 50,000 dirty hippies and young people converging on their town for three days of fun in the sun in the middle of summer. In early July, a little over a month before the concert was to be staged, the Wallkill Town Board passed a law requiring a special permit for any gathering of over 5,000 people, effectively ending the festival.

Reports of the ban reverberated throughout the news media in print, radio and television, generating priceless publicity hyping the festival beyond the organizers wildest dreams.

In spite of continued opposition from local residents, some carrying signs reading, “Buy No Milk. Stop Max’s Hippy Music Festival”, Bethel, New York’s town attorney, building inspector and town supervisor eventually approved a special permit to allow the festival to take place on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in the White Lake area of Bethel, New York.

 

 

 

And so it was that a cow pasture on a large, green, grassy hill forming a natural amphitheater which slopped down to a pond would become the ultimate  destination for the Woodstock Music & Art Fair. The stage would be built at the bottom of the hill with the pond forming a backdrop beyond the rear of the stage. Ultimately Filippini Pond became a very popular skinny dipping destination throughout the festival. But the festival had to begin first…

 

 

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

 

 

 

The first day of Woodstock featured folk artists and officially began at 5:07 p.m. with Richie Havens.

 

 

Friday, August 15, 1969

Richie Havens (5:07 PM – 5:30 PM)

1. From the Prison
2. Get Together
3. From the Prison (Reprise)
4. The Minstrel from Gault
5. I’m a Stranger Here
6. High Flying Bird
7. I Can’t Make It Anymore
8. With a Little Help from My Friends
9. Handsome Johnny
10. Strawberry Fields Forever > Hey Jude
11. Freedom (Motherless Child)

 

 

Sri Swami Satchidananda (6:00 PM – 6:15 PM)

Sri Swami Satchidananda gave the invocation speech for the festival, formally opening the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in Bethel, New York on August 15, 1969, addressing a crowd of approximately half a million people.

“My Beloved Brothers and Sisters, I am overwhelmed with joy to see the entire youth of America gathered here in the name of the fine art of music. In fact, through the music, we can work wonders. Music is a celestial sound and it is the sound that controls the whole universe, not atomic vibrations. Sound energy, sound power, is much, much greater than any other power in this world. And, one thing I would very much wish you all to remember is that with sound, we can make—and at the same time, break. Even in the war-field, to make the tender heart an animal, sound is used. Without that war band, that terrific sound, man will not become animal to kill his own brethren. So, that proves that you can break with sound, and if we care, we can make also.”

Sweetwater (6:15 PM – 7:00 PM)

1. Motherless Child
2. Look Out
3. For Pete’s Sake
4. Day Song
5. What’s Wrong
6. Crystal Spider
7. Two Worlds
8. Why Oh Why
9. Let the Sunshine In
10. Oh Happy Day

Bert Sommer (7:15 PM – 7:45 PM)

1. Jennifer
2. The Road to Travel
3. I Wondered Where You Be
4. She’s Gone
5. Things Are Going My Way
6. And When It’s Over
7. Jeanette
8. America
9. A Note That Read
10. Smile

Tim Hardin (8:30 PM – 9:15 PM)

1. How Can We Hang On to a Dream?”
2. “Susan”
3. “If I Were a Carpenter”
4. “Reason to Believe”
5. “You Upset the Grace of Living When You Lie”
6. “Speak Like a Child”
7. “Snow White Lady”
8. “Blue on My Ceiling”
9. “Simple Song of Freedom”
10. “Misty Roses”

Ravi Shankar (Midnight – 12:45 AM)

1. Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat In Sawarital”
2. “Tabla Solo In Jhaptal”
3. “Raga Manj Kmahaj (AIap, Jor, Dhun In Kaharwa Tal)”

Melanie Safka (1:00 AM – 1:30 AM)

1. Close to It All”
2. “Momma Momma”
3. “Beautiful People”
4. “Animal Crackers”
5. “Mr. Tambourine Man”
6. “Tuning My Guitar”
7. “Birthday of the Sun”

Arlo Guthrie (1:45 AM – 2:15 AM)

1. Coming into Los Angeles
2. Wheel of Fortune
3. Walking Down the Line
4. Arlo Speech: Exodus
5. Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep
6. Every Hand in the Land
7. Amazing Grace

Joan Baez (3:00 AM – 3:45 AM)

1. Oh Happy Day”
2. “The Last Thing on My Mind”
3. “I Shall Be Released”
4. “Story about how the Federal Marshals came to take David Harris into custody”
5. “No Expectations”
6. “Joe Hill”
7. “Sweet Sir Galahad”
8. “Hickory Wind”
9. “Drug Store Truck Driving Man” duet with Jeffrey Shurtleff
10. “I Live One Day at a Time”
11. “Take Me Back to the Sweet Sunny South”
12. “Let Me Wrap You In My Warm and Tender Love”
13. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
14. “We Shall Overcome”

 

 

The second day of Woodstock opened at 12:15 PM and featured some of the event’s psychedelic and guitar rock headliners.

Saturday, August 16, 1969

Quill (12:15 PM – 1:00 PM)

1. They Live the Life”
2. “That’s How I Eat”
3. “Driftin’”
4. “Waitin’ for You”

Country Joe McDonald (unscheduled performance) 1:20 PM – 1:30 PM

1. Janis”
2. “Donovan’s Reef”
3. “Heartaches by the Number”
4. “Ring of Fire”
5. “Tennessee Stud”
6. “Rockin’ Round the World”
7. “Flying High”
8. “I Seen a Rocket”
9. “The “Fish” Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag”

Santana (2:00 PM – 2:45 PM)

1. Waiting”
2. “Evil Ways”
3. “You Just Don’t Care”
4. “Savor”
5. “Jingo”
6. “Persuasion”
7. “Soul Sacrifice”
8. “Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries”

John Sebastian (unscheduled performance) 3:30 PM -3:55 PM)

1. How Have You Been”
2. “Rainbows All Over Your Blues”
3. “I Had a Dream”
4. “Darlin’ Be Home Soon”
5. “Younger Generation

Keef Hartley Band (4:45 PM – 5:30 PM)

1. Spanish Fly”
2. “She’s Gone”
3. “Too Much Thinkin’”
4. “Believe in You”
5. “Rock Me Baby”
6. “Sinnin’ for You / Leaving Trunk / Just to Cry / Sinnin’ for You”

The Incredible String Band (6:00 PM – 6:30 PM)

1. Invocation”
2. “The Letter”
3. “Gather ‘Round”
4. “This Moment”
5. “Come with Me”
6. “When You Find Out Who You Are”

Canned Heat (7:30 PM – 8:30 PM)

1. I’m Her Man”
2. “Going Up the Country”
3. “A Change Is Gonna Come / Leaving This Town”
4. “Too Many Drivers at the Wheel”
5. “I Know My Baby”
6. “Woodstock Boogie”
7. “On the Road Again”

Mountain (9:00 PM – 10:00 PM)

1. Blood of the Sun”
2. “Stormy Monday”
3. “Theme for an Imaginary Western”
4. “Long Red”
5. “For Yasgur’s Farm” (song was untitled at the time)
6. “Beside the Sea”
7. “Waiting to Take You Away”
8. “Dreams of Milk and Honey / Guitar Solo”
9. “Blind Man”
10. “Dirty Shoes Blues”
11. “Southbound Train

The Grateful Dead (10:30 PM – 12:05 AM)

1. St. Stephen
2. Mama Tried
3. Dark Star
4. High Time
5. Turn On Your Lovelight

Creedence Clearwater Revival (12:30 AM – 1:20 AM)

1. Born on the Bayou
2. Green River
3. Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do)
4. Commotion
5. Bootleg
6. Bad Moon Rising
7. Proud Mary
8. I Put a Spell on You
9. The Night Time Is the Right Time
10. Keep on Chooglin’
11. Suzy Q

Janis Joplin (2:00 AM – 3:00 AM)

1. Raise Your Hand
2. As Good as You’ve Been to This World
3. To Love Somebody
4. Summertime
5. Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)
6. Kozmic Blues
7. Can’t Turn You Loose
8. Work Me, Lord
9. Piece of My Heart
10. Ball and Chain

Sly & The Family Stone (3:30 AM – 4:20 AM)

1. M’Lady
2. Sing A Simple Song
3. You Can Make It If You Try
4. Everyday People
5. Dance To The Music
6. Music Lover
7. I Want To Take You Higher
8. Love City
9. Stand!

The Who (5:00 AM – 6:05 AM)

1. Heaven and Hell
2. I Can’t Explain
3. It’s a Boy
4. 1921
5. Amazing Journey
6. Sparks
7. Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)
8. Christmas
9. Acid Queen
10. Pinball Wizard
11. The Abbie Hoffman Incident
12. Do You Think It’s Alright?
13. Fiddle About
14. There’s a Doctor
15. Go to the Mirror
16. Smash the Mirror
17. I’m Free
18. Tommy’s Holiday Camp
19. We’re Not Gonna Take It
20. See Me, Feel Me
21. Summertime Blues
22. Shakin’ All Over
23. My Generation
24. Naked Eye

Jefferson Airplane (8:00 AM – 9:40 AM)

1. The Other Side of This Life
2. Somebody to Love
3. 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
4. Won’t You Try / Saturday Afternoon
5. Eskimo Blue Day
6. Plastic Fantastic Lover
7. Wooden Ships
8. Uncle Sam Blues
9. Volunteers
10. The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil
11. Come Back Baby
12. White Rabbit
13. The House at Pooneil Corners

The third and final scheduled day of Woodstock was dominated by blues and roots rock.

Sunday, August 17, 1969

Joe Cocker (2:00 PM – 3:25 PM)

1. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring (without Joe Cocker)
2. 40,000 Headmen (without Joe Cocker)
3. Dear Landlord
4. Something’s Coming On
5. Do I Still Figure in Your Life
6. Feelin’ Alright
7. Just Like a Woman
8. Let’s Go Get Stoned
9. I Don’t Need No Doctor
10. I Shall Be Released
11. Hitchcock Railway
12. Something to Say
13. With a Little Help from My Friends

Country Joe & The Fish (6:30 PM – 8:00 PM)

1. Rock & Soul Music
2. (Thing Called) Love
3. Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine
4. Sing, Sing, Sing
5. Summer Dresses
6. Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife
7. Silver and Gold
8. Maria
9. The Love Machine
10. Ever Since You Told Me That You Love Me (I’m a Nut)
11. Short Jam (instrumental)
12. Crystal Blues
13. Rock & Soul Music (Reprise)
14. “Fish” Cheer > I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag

Ten Years After (8:15 PM – 9:15 PM)

1. Spoonful
2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
3. Hobbit
4. I Can’t Keep from Crying Sometimes
5. Help Me
6. I’m Going Home

The Band (10:00 PM – 10:50 PM)

1. Chest Fever
2. Don’t Do It
3. Tears of Rage
4. We Can Talk
5. Long Black Veil
6. Don’t You Tell Henry
7. Ain’t No More Cane on the Brazos
8. This Wheel’s on Fire
9. I Shall Be Released
10. The Weight
11. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever

Johnny Winter (Midnight – 1:05 AM)

1. Mama, Talk to Your Daughter
2. Leland Mississippi Blues
3. Mean Town Blues
4. You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now > Mean Mistreater
5. I Can’t Stand It (with Edgar Winter)
6. Tobacco Road (with Edgar Winter)
7. Tell the Truth (with Edgar Winter)
8. Johnny B. Goode

(Woodstock Festival Time Overage)

Monday, August 18, 1969

Blood, Sweat & Tears (1:30 AM – 2:30 AM)

1. More and More
2. Just One Smile
3. Something’s Coming on
4. More Than You’ll Ever Know
5. Spinning Wheel
6. Sometimes in Winter
7. Smiling Phases
8. God Bless the Child
9. And When I Die
10. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (3:00 AM – 4:00 AM)

1. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
2. Blackbird
3. Helplessly Hoping
4. Guinnevere
5. Marrakesh Express
6. 4 + 20
7. Mr. Soul
8. I’m Wonderin’
9. You Don’t Have to Cry
10. Pre-Road Downs
11. Long Time Gone
12. Bluebird Revisited
13. Sea of Madness
14. Wooden Ships
15. Find the Cost of Freedom
16. 49 Bye-Byes

Paul Butterfield Blues Band (6:00 AM – 6:45 AM)

1. Born Under a Bad Sign
2. No Amount of Loving
3. Driftin’ and Driftin’
4. Morning Sunrise
5. All in a Day
6. Love March
7. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

Sha Na Na (7:30 AM – 8:00 AM)

1. Get A Job
2. Come Go With Me
3. Silhuettes
4. Teen Angel
5. Jailhouse Rock
6. Wipe Out
7. Blue Moon
8. (Who Wrote) The Book of Love
9. Little Darling
10. At The Hop
11. Duke Of Earl
12. Get A Job (Reprise)

 

After being introduced as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Hendrix corrected his temporary group’s name to “Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, for short it’s nothin’ but a band of gypsies.” Later during the set he introduced them as “Sky Church”. The band performed with Hendrix just twice after Woodstock.

 

 

Jimi Hendrix (9:00 AM – 11:10 AM)

1. Introduction
2. Message to Love
3. Getting My Heart Back Together Again > Hear My Train a-Comin’
4. Spanish Castle Magic
5. Red House
6. Mastermind
7. Lover Man
8. Foxy Lady
9. Beginning > Jam Back at the House
10. Izabella
11. Gypsy Woman
12. Fire
13. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
14. Stepping Stone
15. Star Spangled Banner
16. Purple Haze
17. Woodstock Improvisation
18. Villanova Junction
19. Hey Joe

 

 

 

Woodstock: Three Days That Defined A Generation is a 2019 full length PBS documentary feature film that brings the cultural phenomenon of Woodstock to life through first hand accounts of those who were there.

 

 

To be continued…

 

 

Taking Woodstock is a 2009 film about the 1969 Woodstock festival directed by three time Academy Award winner Ang Lee

 

Editor’s note: One Toke Over The Line. Just a few more pics from the later day Woodstock experience…