'You can still sense the love': Baby boomers revel at Woodstock 50 years on

[rooster59]

'You can still sense the love': Baby boomers revel at Woodstock 50 years on

By Gabriella Borter

 

People listen to a band during a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival on Max Yasgur's original homestead in Bethel, New York, U.S., August 16, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

 

BETHEL, N.Y. (Reuters) - Baby boomers dressed in tie-dye, rolling wheelchairs and chasing a memory of peace and love flocked to Bethel, New York, for the weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the music festival that defined 1960s counterculture.

 

Thousands of flower-crowned visitors made the journey to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which now owns the original festival site, to hear some of the same musicians including Arlo Guthrie, attend a planned Saturday concert by Santana, and feel the spirit of community that the 1969 festival produced.

 

"Even though I'm seeing the site 50 years later, I feel like I'm there at the first concert," said Peter Hadley, 63, who arrived on Thursday. "Everybody greets us, talks to us. It's the love that started back in '69 and it's present here, now."

 

Woodstock, which was held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm in upstate New York from Aug. 15-18 and featured about 30 acts, became a logistical nightmare when more than 400,000 people showed up, causing traffic gridlock for miles.

 

This weekend, in stark contrast to 1969, attendees found metal detectors, indoor plumbing and abundant food vendors at the Bethel Woods Center, which is hosting several concerts to mark the anniversary.

 

But those making the return trip said they had been unfazed by the chaos and unsanitary conditions in 1969, and instead remembered the kindness of locals, law enforcement and other concert-goers who offered food and medical aid.

 

"Everything that could go wrong went wrong. But everything went right," said Duke Devlin, 77, who hitchhiked to Woodstock from Texas and has lived near the festival venue ever since. "We were bombarded with bliss."

 

Arlene Seymour, 69, arrived for the weekend wearing the same tie-dye shirt she bought on her way to the 1969 concert.

She fondly recalled sharing food with people she had just met and sleeping in the trunk of a stranger's car to avoid the rain.

 

"It just wouldn't happen like that today," she said. "Because of the environment in the world, people would be worried to have it so loose."

 

The anniversary attracted not just baby boomers. Younger people, dressed in throwback bell-bottoms and fringes, came to experience the atmosphere they missed in 1969.

 

Down the road from Bethel, a more informal reunion with music was taking place to mark the weekend in a style reminiscent of 50 years ago.

 

"You can still sense the love," said Michelle Lecuyer, a 53-year-old sales director from New Hampshire, who described standing on the field where rock legends like Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin performed as experiencing "a slice of heaven."

 

Previous Woodstock anniversaries have not fostered such harmony. People threw mud at performers at a rain-drenched Woodstock '94 in Saugerties, New York. A fire broke out at the 30th reunion in Rome, New York, and the event devolved into violence.

 

Last month, original Woodstock producer Michael Lang's plans for a 50th anniversary festival fell through when the organizers failed to secure a venue and headliners including Jay-Z and Miley Cyrus dropped out.

 

But the gray-haired crowds gathered in Bethel were determined to have peace. Ignoring the rain on Thursday and Friday and the omens of Woodstock reunions past, they held hands in a circle around a peace sign on the lawn, smoked blunts while singing along to Arlo Guthrie, and swayed to the rhythm of their generation.

 

(Reporting by Gabriella Borter; editing by Jill Serjeant and Richard Chang)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-17

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[bannork]

A wonderful time to grow up in, the era of big festivals and good vibes. We never had an Altamont in the UK, just bad weather. We used to hitchhike everywhere.

I remember Bardney Festival in Lincolnshire in 1972. A tremendous list of acts from Roxy Music to Rory Gallagher, the Beach Boys, Humble Pie, Sha Na Na etc.

Nobody bathed for 3 days, too cold and few facilities, and the stench after 3 days was pretty overwhelming, yet somehow everyone managed to get home, pity the drivers who gave us lifts!

 

[atyclb]

you can find many a teenager around the world playing guitar on youtube inspired by jimi hendrix, a force of nature that visited planet earth a long time ago.

[oldhippy]

50 years ago, there was hope and confidence.

Now, there is only despair.

 

 

 

 

[khaowong1]

I was in Vietnam when Woodstock happened.  We were listening to the music on Armed Forces radio.  When Jimi stood up and played the National Anthem, we all cheered.  Gave me goose bumps.  ✌️

[Jingthing]

I was too young to go when it happened by a a few years. However I had a friend my age that did go and wow he became like a local legend. Of course he was in a rock and roll band. Lost track of him but I imagine if the LSD didn't totally fry his brain that he probably became an accountant.

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[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎8‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 2:26 AM, rooster59 said:

Younger people, dressed in throwback bell-bottoms and fringes, came to experience the atmosphere they missed in 1969.

They wouldn't have found it though. That was a one time thing, and most of the hippies have sold out.

It wasn't even a world wide thing, as I didn't see anything different where I lived.

Happily, some good music came out of it.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, oldhippy said:

50 years ago, there was hope and confidence.

Now, there is only despair.

 

 

 

 

I would substitute greed for despair.

[HaleySabai]

inherent

On 8/18/2019 at 4:25 AM, oldhippy said:

50 years ago, there was hope and confidence.

Now, there is only despair.

 

 

 

 

There has always been despair in this world....the "hope" & "confidence" was/is a bliss-ninny pipe-dream.

No matter how 'real' it may appear it's only a thin veil over the inherent horror that this world really is.

[oldhippy]

1 hour ago, HaleySabai said:

inherent

There has always been despair in this world....the "hope" & "confidence" was/is a bliss-ninny pipe-dream.

No matter how 'real' it may appear it's only a thin veil over the inherent horror that this world really is.

At least we had this thin veil, that's more than young people have nowadays.

 

[Damrongsak]

It's interesting to see how much each act was paid at Woodstock.  Considering the entourage, equipment and all, seems like Joan Baez made out like a bandit. (I met her in BKK one time in 1979, rode in her van one day in Loei into the refugee camp. I still have an autographed picture.) 

 

$750 for Santana and their brilliant performance ?!!!  Must have still been wetbacks at the time.

 

01. Jimi Hendrix – $18,000
02. Blood, Sweat and Tears – $15,000
03. Joan Baez – $10,000
04. Creedence Clearwater Revival – $10,000
05. The Band – $7,500
06. Janis Joplin – $7,500
07. Jefferson Airplane – $7,500
08. Sly and the Family Stone – $7,000
09. Canned Heat – $6,500
10. The Who – $6,250
11. Richie Havens – $6,000
12. Arlo Guthrie – $5,000
13. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – $5,000
14. Ravi Shankar – $4,500
15. Johnny Winter – $3,750
16. Ten Years After – $3,250
17. Country Joe and the Fish – $2,500
18. Grateful Dead – $2,500
19. The Incredible String Band – $2,250
20. Mountain – $2,000
21. Tim Hardin – $2,000
22. Joe Cocker – $1,375
23. Sweetwater – $1,250
24. John B. Sebastian – $1,000
25. Melanie – $750
26. Santana – $750
27. Sha Na Na – $700
28. Keef Hartley – $500
29. Quill – $375

[Airalee]

27 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

It's interesting to see how much each act was paid at Woodstock.  Considering the entourage, equipment and all, seems like Joan Baez made out like a bandit. (I met her in BKK one time in 1979, rode in her van one day in Loei into the refugee camp. I still have an autographed picture.) 

 

$750 for Santana and their brilliant performance ?!!!  Must have still been wetbacks at the time.

 

01. Jimi Hendrix – $18,000
02. Blood, Sweat and Tears – $15,000
03. Joan Baez – $10,000
04. Creedence Clearwater Revival – $10,000
05. The Band – $7,500
06. Janis Joplin – $7,500
07. Jefferson Airplane – $7,500
08. Sly and the Family Stone – $7,000
09. Canned Heat – $6,500
10. The Who – $6,250
11. Richie Havens – $6,000
12. Arlo Guthrie – $5,000
13. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – $5,000
14. Ravi Shankar – $4,500
15. Johnny Winter – $3,750
16. Ten Years After – $3,250
17. Country Joe and the Fish – $2,500
18. Grateful Dead – $2,500
19. The Incredible String Band – $2,250
20. Mountain – $2,000
21. Tim Hardin – $2,000
22. Joe Cocker – $1,375
23. Sweetwater – $1,250
24. John B. Sebastian – $1,000
25. Melanie – $750
26. Santana – $750
27. Sha Na Na – $700
28. Keef Hartley – $500
29. Quill – $375

Cool.  Interesting list.  I wonder what the numbers (and rankings) would be today with all the same artists*

 

*yeah...I know that’s impossible, but still...would Hendrix be #1 or would it be someone like The Who?  I’m sure the Grateful Dead would be much higher on the list.

[Damrongsak]

1 hour ago, Airalee said:

Cool.  Interesting list.  I wonder what the numbers (and rankings) would be today with all the same artists*

 

*yeah...I know that’s impossible, but still...would Hendrix be #1 or would it be someone like The Who?  I’m sure the Grateful Dead would be much higher on the list.

Not to mention if some others like The Rolling Stones, Beatles or some others who were not interested or booked at the time. 

 

I missed seeing Hendrix in concert.  I did get to see Janis Joplin and Ten Years After, as well as others not at Woodstock. (Rolling Stones, BB King, Steve Miller Band, Alice Cooper ...)

 

Up in Loei, I stayed in the refugee camp.  A few others went back into town and had an impromptu jam session with Joan Baez on the rooftop of the small hotel.  I sort of regret not going, but I was busy with my Hmong people.  Joan did sing us a little song acapella in the hallway of our office in the US Embassy in BKK.  Marvelous voice.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎8‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 3:17 AM, HaleySabai said:

inherent

There has always been despair in this world....the "hope" & "confidence" was/is a bliss-ninny pipe-dream.

No matter how 'real' it may appear it's only a thin veil over the inherent horror that this world really is.

Good topic for the Farang Pub.

[thaiguzzi]

On 8/24/2019 at 1:47 AM, Damrongsak said:

$750 for Santana and their brilliant performance ?!!! 

Ditto $1375 for Joe Cocker - one of THE most memorable performances, that really put him on the map, as did others.

Thanx for the list.

[Nobbie49]

I would substitute greed for despair.

Hate is the right word


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[AlexRRR]

You mean there are people alive who recall Woodstock?

[oldhippy]

10 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

You mean there are people alive who recall Woodstock?

You suggest that those who do not remember Woodstock have ever lived ?

[AlexRRR]

1 minute ago, oldhippy said:

You suggest that those who do not remember Woodstock have ever lived ?

Ho no sir.....that there still alive.....

[oldhippy]

Way back in the 60's I hated the old farts.

I still do, and for the same reasons.

"old farts" is not related to a particular age group.....

 

[bannork]

16 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Way back in the 60's I hated the old farts.

I still do, and for the same reasons.

"old farts" is not related to a particular age group.....

 

Old farts is an oxymoron anyway, a fart can never be old, thank god.

 

[oldhippy]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Old farts is an oxymoron anyway, a fart can never be old, thank god.

 

you could keep it in a plastic bag

[bannork]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

you could keep it in a plastic bag

Let's get back to nature- wherever you be, let your wind blow free.

 

[bannork]

Joe took the rather humdrum Beatles song to another level. in fact he blew it into the stratosphere.

[melvinmelvin]

On 8/23/2019 at 10:45 PM, Damrongsak said:

Not to mention if some others like The Rolling Stones, Beatles or some others who were not interested or booked at the time. 

 

I missed seeing Hendrix in concert.  I did get to see Janis Joplin and Ten Years After, as well as others not at Woodstock. (Rolling Stones, BB King, Steve Miller Band, Alice Cooper ...)

 

Up in Loei, I stayed in the refugee camp.  A few others went back into town and had an impromptu jam session with Joan Baez on the rooftop of the small hotel.  I sort of regret not going, but I was busy with my Hmong people.  Joan did sing us a little song acapella in the hallway of our office in the US Embassy in BKK.  Marvelous voice.

saw a talk show with J Baez recently, interesting woman

 

the only woman in the world who have been naked with both Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen,

but, as she said - alas not at the same time