Counterculture Essay: Woodstock 1969
Curtis Markosky
English 15A, Section 001
12/9/10
Counterculture Essay: Woodstock, 1969 When one thinks of hippie movement of the 1960s, a few things come to mind: namely free love, drugs, and rock-n-roll. These things represented the counterculture of the time, in which the youth of the nation we rebelling against the stricter conservative values of their parents’ generation. All this came to a peak for three days in the summer of 1969, near the little town of Bethel, New York, in what was called the Woodstock Festival. Few would know it at the time, but it would become the defining moment of the age of the hippie. Woodstock was at first not meant to be as big of a deal as it became. Four organizers named Michael Lang, John Roberts, …show more content…
Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld came up with the idea for an outdoor music and arts festival, possibly featuring a few of the big name artists (such as Bob Dylan and The Band) who lived in the area. But they found it difficult to get the big names to sign, that is, until the hugely popular Creedence Clearwater Revival agreed in April 1969 to play for $10,000. Once their name was on the board, it was significantly easier for them to get the bands they wanted. Originally the concert was not free, and tickets cost $18 in advance and $24 at the gate for all three days (equivalent to $105 and $140 today). About 186,000 tickets were sold beforehand and it was anticipated that somewhere around 200,000 total festival-goers would turn up. In spite of this, officials of the town of Wallkill were assured that no more than 50,000 people would attend the concert. The festival was quickly opposed by most of the towns’ residents. In July of 1969, the Wallkill Zoning Board of Appeals officially banned the concert, which turned out to give the concert even more publicity. After being shut down in Wallkill, the concert was moved to a 600-acre dairy farm near Bethel owned by Max Yasgur. It had a large, gently sloping field that formed a natural amphitheater, and the stage was constructed at the foot of the hill. Strong resident opposition was also met here, with people refusing to buy Yasgur’s milk in order to stop his “Hippy Music Festival,” as written on many signs posted around the area. Once again, the Bethel officials were informed that no more than 50,000 people were expected to attend. This late venue change put the festival organizers in a bind.
At a meeting three days beforehand they realized they only had the time to do one of two things: improve the fencing and security around the venue, or use their resources to complete the stage, which would cost Woodstock Ventures a fair amount of money. During this time, people were already showing up earlier and in greater numbers than was expected, so the decision was made to complete the stage and remove the fence, essentially making the Woodstock Festival a free concert. Concertgoers were pleasantly surprised to find this out as they neared the farm. All in all, 500,000 people attended the three-day …show more content…
festival. The veritable migration of concert attendees created a huge traffic jam on all the major roads and highways in the area. Bethel did not enforce its codes, as officials feared chaos as the many thousands of people descended on the town. Announcements were made on radio stations as far away as Manhattan urging people not to set off for the concert. On top of all this, recent rainfall had caused many roads and fields to turn into muddy messes, and the facilities at the concert were not equipped to provide sanitation or first aid for the large number of attendees. Sullivan County declared a state of emergency and New York governor nelson Rockefeller nearly ordered 10,000 New York State National Guard troops to the event, only deciding against the idea when festival organizer John Roberts persuaded him not to. Despite the huge potential for violence and crime that came with half a million people congregating in one place, and only 12 police officers in the area, the entire three days of the event was remarkably peaceful. There were two recorded deaths: one from a heroin overdose and another caused by accident when a tractor ran over a concertgoer sleeping in a nearby hayfield. There were also two recorded births and four miscarriages. These might seem like high numbers for just one event, but they are actually lower than the average statistics for a city with an equivalent population. Despite these incidents, Woodstock was seen as a great success by most of the attendees. Firsthand accounts say there was a great sense of social harmony and friendship present among the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes. The pond behind the stage ended up being used as a skinny-dipping spot, and there were some reports of couples having sex out in the open. The use of drugs and alcohol was widespread, with some concertgoers claiming to have been drunk, high, and tripping on acid all at the same time. Combine this with the stellar lineup of musical acts, and a large number of people believe that this was the best rock concert to ever be put on. The festival did have a huge list of performing artists, with 32 acts performing over the course of four days. Some of the notable names were Arlo Guthrie, Santana, Canned Heat, Mountain, The Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin with The Kozmic Blues Band, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who (who began at 4 a.m., playing a 25-song set that included the entirety of their album Tommy), Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Country Joe & The Fish, The Band, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and last but not least, Jimi Hendrix, who is widely believed to have given the best performance of the entire festival. Bands who were asked to play but couldn’t for various reasons include: Bob Dylan, The Beatles/John Lennon, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and The Byrds. Many of these bands wanted to perform but had prior obligations, or they thought Woodstock was going to be just another summer festival. All regretted not being able to perform after the fact. Woodstock made national news, with most of the initial coverage emphasizing the problems and negative aspects of the concert. By the end of the festival, though, coverage became more positive, pointing out the cooperation, generosity, and good nature of the attendees. This national recognition made Woodstock the biggest and most important event of the hippie counterculture. What was largely thought to be a collection of small and ragtag radical groups was shown to actually be a large united community that was thrust into the national spotlight. Much more of the country was exposed to the counterculture, and therefore many more people became more accepting of it, with some outright joining its ranks. Participating musicians, industry insiders, and rock critics and historians agree that Woodstock changed the way that popular music was programmed and marketed.
Promoter noticed that large numbers of fans were willing to put up with subpar facilities and as a result the number of festivals increased after Woodstock. On the other hand, they also understood that increased ticket prices would need to be offset by better-quality sanitation and protection from inclement weather. By the mid-1970s, this led to concerts being moved from fields and outdoor venues to convention centers and sports arenas. This in turn led to the shortening of shows to just a single day or evening, with just a few performers, as opposed to the huge number of high profile artists seen at festivals such as
Woodstock. Nearly everyone can agree that Woodstock was the defining moment of the hippie movement in the 1960s. It marked the change from the conservative ideals of postwar America to the social reformation that came with the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, and into the more liberal age that was the 1970s. It also affected popular culture and music in a way that was irreversible. Woodstock truly was a huge moment in America’s history.
Sources "Woodstock Festival." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 13 Dec. 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock_Festival>.
Weiser, Glenn. "Woodstock 1969 Remembered." CelticGuitarMusic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.celticguitarmusic.com/woodstock.htm>.
Doyle, Michael Wm., Ph.D. "Statement on the Historical and Cultural Significance of the 1969 Woodstock Festival Site." Woodstock Preservation Archives. Woodstock Preservation Archives, 25 Sept. 2001. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.woodstockpreservation.org/ SignificanceStatement.htm>.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Woodstock Festival of 1969." About.com. The New York Times Company, 2010. Web. 13 Dec.2010. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/1960s/p/woodstock.htm>.
"Woodstock Music Festival Of 69 Tribute." Squidoo. Squidoo, LLC, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.squidoo.com/woodstock_69>.
English 15A, Section 001
12/9/10
Counterculture Essay: Woodstock, 1969 When one thinks of hippie movement of the 1960s, a few things come to mind: namely free love, drugs, and rock-n-roll. These things represented the counterculture of the time, in which the youth of the nation we rebelling against the stricter conservative values of their parents’ generation. All this came to a peak for three days in the summer of 1969, near the little town of Bethel, New York, in what was called the Woodstock Festival. Few would know it at the time, but it would become the defining moment of the age of the hippie. Woodstock was at first not meant to be as big of a deal as it became. Four organizers named Michael Lang, John Roberts, …show more content…
Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld came up with the idea for an outdoor music and arts festival, possibly featuring a few of the big name artists (such as Bob Dylan and The Band) who lived in the area. But they found it difficult to get the big names to sign, that is, until the hugely popular Creedence Clearwater Revival agreed in April 1969 to play for $10,000. Once their name was on the board, it was significantly easier for them to get the bands they wanted. Originally the concert was not free, and tickets cost $18 in advance and $24 at the gate for all three days (equivalent to $105 and $140 today). About 186,000 tickets were sold beforehand and it was anticipated that somewhere around 200,000 total festival-goers would turn up. In spite of this, officials of the town of Wallkill were assured that no more than 50,000 people would attend the concert. The festival was quickly opposed by most of the towns’ residents. In July of 1969, the Wallkill Zoning Board of Appeals officially banned the concert, which turned out to give the concert even more publicity. After being shut down in Wallkill, the concert was moved to a 600-acre dairy farm near Bethel owned by Max Yasgur. It had a large, gently sloping field that formed a natural amphitheater, and the stage was constructed at the foot of the hill. Strong resident opposition was also met here, with people refusing to buy Yasgur’s milk in order to stop his “Hippy Music Festival,” as written on many signs posted around the area. Once again, the Bethel officials were informed that no more than 50,000 people were expected to attend. This late venue change put the festival organizers in a bind.
At a meeting three days beforehand they realized they only had the time to do one of two things: improve the fencing and security around the venue, or use their resources to complete the stage, which would cost Woodstock Ventures a fair amount of money. During this time, people were already showing up earlier and in greater numbers than was expected, so the decision was made to complete the stage and remove the fence, essentially making the Woodstock Festival a free concert. Concertgoers were pleasantly surprised to find this out as they neared the farm. All in all, 500,000 people attended the three-day …show more content…
festival. The veritable migration of concert attendees created a huge traffic jam on all the major roads and highways in the area. Bethel did not enforce its codes, as officials feared chaos as the many thousands of people descended on the town. Announcements were made on radio stations as far away as Manhattan urging people not to set off for the concert. On top of all this, recent rainfall had caused many roads and fields to turn into muddy messes, and the facilities at the concert were not equipped to provide sanitation or first aid for the large number of attendees. Sullivan County declared a state of emergency and New York governor nelson Rockefeller nearly ordered 10,000 New York State National Guard troops to the event, only deciding against the idea when festival organizer John Roberts persuaded him not to. Despite the huge potential for violence and crime that came with half a million people congregating in one place, and only 12 police officers in the area, the entire three days of the event was remarkably peaceful. There were two recorded deaths: one from a heroin overdose and another caused by accident when a tractor ran over a concertgoer sleeping in a nearby hayfield. There were also two recorded births and four miscarriages. These might seem like high numbers for just one event, but they are actually lower than the average statistics for a city with an equivalent population. Despite these incidents, Woodstock was seen as a great success by most of the attendees. Firsthand accounts say there was a great sense of social harmony and friendship present among the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes. The pond behind the stage ended up being used as a skinny-dipping spot, and there were some reports of couples having sex out in the open. The use of drugs and alcohol was widespread, with some concertgoers claiming to have been drunk, high, and tripping on acid all at the same time. Combine this with the stellar lineup of musical acts, and a large number of people believe that this was the best rock concert to ever be put on. The festival did have a huge list of performing artists, with 32 acts performing over the course of four days. Some of the notable names were Arlo Guthrie, Santana, Canned Heat, Mountain, The Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin with The Kozmic Blues Band, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who (who began at 4 a.m., playing a 25-song set that included the entirety of their album Tommy), Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Country Joe & The Fish, The Band, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and last but not least, Jimi Hendrix, who is widely believed to have given the best performance of the entire festival. Bands who were asked to play but couldn’t for various reasons include: Bob Dylan, The Beatles/John Lennon, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and The Byrds. Many of these bands wanted to perform but had prior obligations, or they thought Woodstock was going to be just another summer festival. All regretted not being able to perform after the fact. Woodstock made national news, with most of the initial coverage emphasizing the problems and negative aspects of the concert. By the end of the festival, though, coverage became more positive, pointing out the cooperation, generosity, and good nature of the attendees. This national recognition made Woodstock the biggest and most important event of the hippie counterculture. What was largely thought to be a collection of small and ragtag radical groups was shown to actually be a large united community that was thrust into the national spotlight. Much more of the country was exposed to the counterculture, and therefore many more people became more accepting of it, with some outright joining its ranks. Participating musicians, industry insiders, and rock critics and historians agree that Woodstock changed the way that popular music was programmed and marketed.
Promoter noticed that large numbers of fans were willing to put up with subpar facilities and as a result the number of festivals increased after Woodstock. On the other hand, they also understood that increased ticket prices would need to be offset by better-quality sanitation and protection from inclement weather. By the mid-1970s, this led to concerts being moved from fields and outdoor venues to convention centers and sports arenas. This in turn led to the shortening of shows to just a single day or evening, with just a few performers, as opposed to the huge number of high profile artists seen at festivals such as
Woodstock. Nearly everyone can agree that Woodstock was the defining moment of the hippie movement in the 1960s. It marked the change from the conservative ideals of postwar America to the social reformation that came with the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, and into the more liberal age that was the 1970s. It also affected popular culture and music in a way that was irreversible. Woodstock truly was a huge moment in America’s history.
Sources "Woodstock Festival." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 13 Dec. 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock_Festival>.
Weiser, Glenn. "Woodstock 1969 Remembered." CelticGuitarMusic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.celticguitarmusic.com/woodstock.htm>.
Doyle, Michael Wm., Ph.D. "Statement on the Historical and Cultural Significance of the 1969 Woodstock Festival Site." Woodstock Preservation Archives. Woodstock Preservation Archives, 25 Sept. 2001. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.woodstockpreservation.org/ SignificanceStatement.htm>.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Woodstock Festival of 1969." About.com. The New York Times Company, 2010. Web. 13 Dec.2010. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/1960s/p/woodstock.htm>.
"Woodstock Music Festival Of 69 Tribute." Squidoo. Squidoo, LLC, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. <http://www.squidoo.com/woodstock_69>.