Woodstock Festival 40th Anniversery

Fourty years ago an amazing thing happened in Bethel,New York called "Woodstock.' I had just graduate high school the year before. Music was my life line back then.I heard there was going to be a huge festival and I thought I gotta see this. Little did I know how big this was gonna be. I asked everyone I knew if they were going my friends didn't even know what I was talking about. I couldn't find a ride to what was to become famous for being the greatest cultural event of the 60's. A concert that promoted love and peace for anyone in the whole country that wanted to go,

There many issues going on then in that time , the Viet Nam War and politics mainly. The concert was a way to make some money for the promoters while giving young people something to believe in.

Tickets were on sale for $18.00 in the beginning then inflated in price after the promoters saw there was going to to more than the estimated 5,000 people. Well, it seems if you didn't have one they let you in anyway at the gate. How cool was this? Hundred's of people gathering together to celebrate life and freedom of speak. What a unique combination! The festival was to be in the summer of August 15-16,1969.

Between 400,000 to 600,000 people turned up and there would have been more if the traffic hadn't been so bad. One of the main roads was closed down that sure didn't help any. A few of the bands didn't show up because they couldn't through. Army helicopers brought most of groups in with their heavy band equipment.

So many awesome bands were there like Credence Clearwater Revival,Janis Joplin,Santana,Canned Heat, Ar-lo Guthrie,The Who,The Band,Ten Years After,Jimi Hendrix and more performed there. The music, wonderful, looking for the inner soul, touching love and peace songs. Richie Haven and his little band started off the entertainment his song "Freedom" rocked the crowd . He didn't have enough songs prepared so he actually wrote this one right then and there. That is so cool. He played for an extra long amount of time an hour and a half waiting for the other bands to get their instruments to the still unfinished stage.

Joe Cocker was there with his famous hand gestures emphasizing his hit song "With A Little Help from My Friends" There was a lot of mud and no toilets. The place became a giant mud-hole when the hard rains came down. There were no shower so the crowd bathed in the rain, natures shower. A small pond was also on the site and this a favorite swimming hole it became really polluted. The crowd was pretty well behaved considering all that happened. Not everyone used drugs some just go high from Love of the music. The festival ended up lasting an extra day.

There is a museum on the site now dedicated to the 60's culture and events that took place. Festivals are held like the John Lenno film and Video Tribute 2009. Arts and crafts classes that teach about the hippie culture. can be taken. A light show called the 60's Revolution is a magical mixture of lights and music from the sixties era. Parties are allowed with a reservation.

Soon the 40th anniversary of the original Woodstock is arriving. A new movie is coming out that has been eagerly awaited "Taking Woodstock 2009" is based on the true story book by Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte. Elliot Tiber actually tells the exciting way he got the permit and planned the music festival. Without him there may have been no Woodstock. The origin of how Woodstock was dreamed up and took place is in this revealing movie. It goes into the real life changes of the people responsible for the historic event. It is seen as it is going to be a marvelous movie testament to Woodstock.

It will be really interesting to watch. I know I will be in the theatre with my soda and popcorn. The movie poster created is outstanding colorful psychedelic art. I'm sure the movie soundtrack album will be a big hit too. Love and Peace everyone!