HI THERE, LET’S MAKE SOME MUSIC
Woodstock was the event for all the people who love music, as it provided them a chance to get away from all the problems and despair of the world and completely indulge in the spell of the music. This event was not just to promote love for music, but it gathered all the hippies who believed in spreading love and harmony over the globe. Hence it was the perfect event for music lovers and individuals who aimed to share their love.
It seems it’s not just the music that everyone was enjoying, they might be under the spell of some substances too. That helped them get lost in the music and celebrations. These substances can be as powerful as spiritual catalysts to make the people see the earth as a better place to live, or so they believe.
JANIS JOPLIN AND SOME LIQUID COURAGE
Janis Joplin was also there at the Woodstock event. She was 69 years old at the time but looked beautiful, stunning, and confident in her unique, hot tie-dye printed dress with silver shoes. To complete her look, she wore some accessories including a necklace and bracelets.
She got intensely occupied with a lot of reporters and fans, and she was not able to sit for a long time as she had to address a lot of reporters' questions who approached her. Because of this, she lost all of her energy before her performance on stage. To regain her energy and regain her nerves, she took the help of the wine. But unfortunately, she had an overdose of wine due to which she kept on forgetting the lyrics during her performance.
SMILE FOR THE CAMERA, JERRY GARCIA
Jerry Garcia was one of the famous lead songwriters and vocalists of the reputable band "Grateful Dead" in the 1960s. He was there at the Woodstock Festival to give his best performance. But he was unaware of all the problems that he was fated for that night before getting this picture clicked.
He is looking really happy and satisfied in the picture. His thick beard, curly hair, and round-colored glasses make us wonder if it was all included in the fashion trends of the 1960s. Unfortunately, that Saturday night was not for him, as he faced a lot of technical difficulties. All of these problems made that night horrible, which he must have thought to be one of the best nights of his life.
JANIS JOPLIN SHOWS OFF HER MOVES
From attendees to performers, everyone was enjoying the Woodstock Festival by dancing or making hippie moves. It was an event for everyone to have the best time of their lives as there was no one to stop or judge them. The beautiful Janis Joplin, who performed the hit song "Ball and Chain" at the event, was also enjoying herself to the fullest.
This picture shows how she was having the best time of her life during the performance. But the reality is, at the time of clicking this picture, she was celebrating her break from singing when one of her band members, Snooky Flowers took the mic from her. We can imagine how professional photographers deceive their audiences by providing misleading information about the pictures.
JIMI HENDRIX – THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
Jimi Hendrix was one of the most popular singers of the 1960s. In case you are not aware of him, you can judge him by his dress - he was one of the best flower children of that time. Also, his performance in a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" remained popular for over a decade.
His performance at the Woodstock was one of the most awaited performances but unfortunately, by the time he with his band, "Gypsy Sun & Rainbow", appeared to perform, half of the crowd had already left. From half a million, the crowd went down to less than 50,000. And only those people were lucky to experience Jimi Hendrix and his band's live performance at the event. It must be an enduring moment for Jimi Hendrix fans.
JOHNNY WINTER GIVES THE CROWD WHAT THEY WANT
Johnny Winters' performance was the most thrilling performance at the Woodstock event, and we can guess from the picture how he shared his energy with the crowd and made the audiences scream out of the thrill and excitement. He performed some of his best songs, which included, MeansTown Blue, Mama Talk to Your Daughter, and Tell the Truth. He gave one of his best performances at the event and we can witness just how much people enjoyed him.
Did you notice that most of the names of well-known singers at the event began with the letter J? Jerry Gracia, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and now Johnny winter, all of their names start with the letter J. Maybe letter J proves to be lucky for music artists or it might just be a coincidence.
IT CAN’T RAIN ON MY PARADE
In this picture, we can see mixed expressions of the people at the Woodstock Festival. Some are happy and excited, some are worried and tensed, some are confused, and some are expressing extreme disgust, as is evident from their expressions. We wonder what might have caused such a mixture of emotions among the attendees of the events. It might be the sudden rainfall during the event.
Rainfall is generally not admired by everyone but for some, it brings joy and happiness. Therefore, some people seem to be more excited than others, as others might be worried about getting wet or about other consequences related to rain. Woodstock Festical is considered a prestigious event in history as it used to gather people of all races for a shared cause of spreading love and harmony on earth.
GROOVY IS THE WAY TO GO
This picture is not from any mountains or hill areas, it is a picture of a part of the Woodstock Festival venue. It seems Woodstock did not only have music and dance, but it had adventure, too, for adventure-loving people. Such places can be dangerous, as they have slippery, muddy pathways which can lead to horrible accidents. Also, such dirty pathways can make people’s shoes and clothes dirty and are often not easy to walk on.
But these ladies in the picture are quite satisfied. It seems this place was comfortable and safe for them, as they do not look worried about any untoward incident. This picture surely gives us an imagination that the Woodstock event was for everyone, and for adventure-loving people, the groovy way was the most suitable choice.
PEACE, LOVE, AND FLOWER POWER
This bright smile and glow on the lady’s face make it evident that the couple is madly in love with each other and are celebrating their love at the Woodstock. The Woodstock Festival did not only allow people to freely dance, drink, enjoy the music, and carefree behaviors. But it also provided an open space for the love birds to have some romantic moments at the event.
The beauty of the Woodstock Festival was that it gathered people from all walks of life who had a shared aim to spread love. So what other place could be better than the Woodstock event for loving couples to spend their romantic time? The event provided the freedom to the people to express their love and enjoy their life to the fullest.
A HEAD-TURNING OUTFIT
This beautiful blonde lady is wearing a simple pink knitted top and pants, but it seems she loves to wear accessories as her all fingers, wrists, and neck are covered with flashy jewelry. Maybe she wanted to present herself as a personality who keeps a balance between simple and chunky things.
At the Woodstock event, everyone was free to dress up as they wanted to. However, people generally dress up according to their personality traits and accept those fashion trends in which they feel comfortable. A person dresses up according to what he wants to display about himself to the world. A lot of things such as the person's preferences, ideology, sense of maturity, and other personality traits can be concluded by judging him according to his dressing style.
JOE COCKER PLAYS INVISIBLE GUITAR
On day three of the Woodstock Festival, "The Grease Band", an English band marked the start of the festival with their crowd-pleasing numbers. After entertaining the crowd with the instrument covers of "Who Knows What Tomorrow Brings" and "40,000 Headman", Joe Cocker made an appearance with his first set.
Even though Cocker's cover of Pete Dello's "Do I Still Figure in Your Life" left the audience asking for more, his cover of "Let's Go Get Stoned" - a much popular number by "The Coasters", was enough to leave the excited crowd satisfied in a tremendous way. The audience cheered him on and sang alongside him at the top of their lungs. It was a soothing sight to witness! One cannot deny that this was the band's call to action.
A UNIQUE SUNBED
The hype of the Woodstock Festival '69 was such that an outstanding number of more than five hundred thousand people decided to attend the event. If you're a bit imaginative, you can picture the amount of traffic on the roads between the 15th and 18th of August. Many of the attendees decided to show up early to avoid the much-anticipated rush hour. However, little did they know that the number of early birds themselves was huge!
The traffic was moving at a snail's pace, so you can imagine that the temperature inside the car was not ideal. In this picture, you can see that instead of resting inside a heated car, the female driver chose to take a quick nap on the roof of her car. She must have been more at peace than the other drivers.
JOHN SEBASTIAN’S IMPROMPTU PERFORMANCE
We're sure John Sebastian needs no introduction. He has made his name familiar in the music industry and has become more recognizable as a singer. There was no slot for his performance at the Woodstock Festival. But the crowd quietened down after Santana’s set so someone had to make an appearance and engage the spectators again. This is when John Sebastian hopped on the stage.
Here’s a glimpse of him in the most colorful pants and jacket that you can imagine - and what's more, he himself had tie-dyed both of them. In the middle of his impromptu performance, he dedicated "Younger Generation" to someone from the audience who'd just become a parent. This won him huge applause from the audience and we could sense that they were all truly amazed. So are we!
MELANIE SAFKA – FIRST LADY OF WOODSTOCK
The Woodstock Festival was an amazing experience for everyone, spectators and performers alike. But for Maline Safka, it was a one-of-a-kind event to be a part of. She had performed before, but for a crowd of such a great magnitude, it was to be her first performance. And naturally, she was on her nerves about it, considering the fact that she had to be completely on her own out there.
It was raining heavily at the time of Safka’s performance that night in 1969. She chose to perform "Momma Momma", "Close to It All", and "Mr. Tambourine Man" as her solo acts. The heavy downpour increased the impact of her sweet but short performance on the crowd. This is the main reason that she earned her title of the First lady of Woodstock for the event.
COME RAIN OR SHINE
You'd think that such a heavy downpour would somewhat reduce the crowd at the Woodstock Festival, or at least lower the spirits of the people who were already participating in the event. But think again. It was more than the event was such a huge success that the rain could not help but make its appearance as well, to figure out what the hype was about.
Check out this group’s photo where they seemed to have struggled to fit underneath the very limited shelter. Rain or drizzle, hot or chilly, they did not seem to mind the weather conditions to a great extent. It also looks like they did not have much room to dance to the music playing but they did not mind as long as they would still be a part of the Woodstock Festival.
KIDS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
You could see a lot of kids and children of younger age at the Woodstock Festival as well. This would make one wonder if the parents did not want to leave their kids to the nanny or a babysitter for an event that was to last for three to four days. Or maybe it was the fact that the grandparents were not available for a couple of days and wanted to spend quality time with each other instead.
Whatever the situation was, it did not look like the kids were forced to come to the event. In fact, they seemed to be enjoying just as much as the adults, if not more. Take a look at this picture of a little girl swaying away to the beat of the music, without having to worry about anything.
WHEN THE PARTY’S OVER
When the five hundred thousand or more people were participating at the Woodstock Festival, they had no idea that they were becoming a part of the most iconic '60s event to make its way in history. However, they did know that whatever they were becoming a part of at Max Yasgur’s farm was nothing ordinary. In fact, it felt seriously momentous.
The upsetting part about this is good things always come to an end, and so was the case with the Woodstock Festival. The participants were undoubtedly sad about the ending of the event, and their feelings could be openly read on their faces. So is the case with the young man in this picture. By his facial expressions, you can tell how uneager he is about returning home.
YOUNG, WILD, AND FREE
Human beings are a creative lot, you cannot deny that fact. This is especially true when you are having fun or partaking in activities that require some sort of physical effort. Consider building a make-do scaffolding to make yourself comfortable during the Woodstock Festival and also while you wait for things to kick off. However, you don’t have to work solo.
In the picture, the people who found themselves a place to sit on the pole do not look too at home with the seat. But the person to notice is this brave guy who is taking a flight from the platform only to land on the pile of hay. The spirit of this person resonates with the entire audience and all the people participating - happy go lucky and enjoying life to the fullest.
COLD NIGHTS AND WARM HUGS
The nights at the Woodstock Festival were of an entirely opposite setting than the day. It was chilling with strong winds blowing between the crowd. This was in stark contrast to the warm days filled with mad passion and exhilaration. There was not enough preparation done from the side of the management to create sheltered spaces or provide tents for the audience to combat the cold. Hence, most of the spectators simply chose to rest on the ground and cover themselves with blankets that they’d brought from home.
Some were lucky enough to cuddle against the warmth of their friends or family members. What better way to spend the night than be close to your partner while enjoying the most remarkable of musical performances? In this picture, you can see the young couple is experiencing just this moment.
NICK ERCOLINE AND BOBBI
It wasn’t only the musicians who found fame, all thanks to Woodstock '69. This couple in the pink would have never thought that a four-day festival would put them under the spotlight. Nor would be have imagined that they would appear on the cover of Woodstock's album.
It had been three months since Nick and Bobbi had started dating before attending Woodstock in August ’69. Bobbi was captivated by the charm, sight, smell, and sensation of Nick. However, what made the whole experience even more memorable was that she got to share it with the love of her life. The beautiful couple is still together.
JUDY AND JERRY GRIFFIN
When Judy and Griffin decided to attend Woodstock that memorable weekend, both of them had different plans for it. The plans did include having fun, enjoying music, and maybe ending up making new friends, but none of them would have thought of finding love there. Of course, life at times catches you off-guard.
On the way home, Judy’s car broke down and Jerry was happily offering her help. Having three days to themselves was enough to have a connection, one that lasts longer. Everyone loves this fantasy of happily ever after, followed by its recreated picture.
THE VIEW’S BETTER FROM THE TOP
Knowing the number of people that attended Woodstock, not everyone got the chance to see many of its performances. And when you drove hundreds of miles just to watch your favorite performances, you will not be happy going back without having a look at the stage.
These sound towers were not there to carry extra weights and with the number of people that climbed there just to get a good view of the stage, a fall was evident. You should applaud these people who had the determination of climbing to such a height, welcoming the danger only to get a good view.
A FREE RIDE TO NEW YORK CITY
Not everyone who was at Woodstock had the privilege to reach there in their own vehicle. For those who did not have any car or motorcycle to travel there, their determination and reluctance to not miss the highlight of the year remained the same which left them with the only to reach there – hitchhiking. However, getting to the compound was just the tip of the iceberg.
When the festival ended, these hitchhikers had to reach home in any way possible. This young lady found a creative way of doing so. Hope she gets a free ride to New York City.
FRINGING IT UP
Fringe clothing was a trend in the 1960s. Artists like Jimmy Hendrix owned this trend which added to its popularity. We hope you aren’t among those who think fans that copy the looks of their favorite celebrities is a habit that emerged from the current generation.
The young girl in a messy bob looks like she is having fun and we are taking a wild guess and say that her outfit was inspired by Hendrix. As she sways with the music, her long fringe and tiny beads move along the wind, which must have been quite a mesmerizing sight. Who would have thought that she gets along with the rain very well, when it came pouring down during the festival.
SAVED BY THE TENT
People are spread around the world, as far as we can see. Even though this picture shows a small part of the crowd at Woodstock, if you look closer it also narrates the story of arrangement and readiness.
We can easily identify those who attended the festival with a concrete plan and those who just went with the flow, leaving it up to fate to decide for them. However, fate couldn’t have done much when the skies decided to open up, completely changing the weather from a hot, dry day into a wet one. Some of those present there were smart enough to carry tents with them.
WOODSTOCK KID
With approximately 400,000 people who attended the festival, it did not come out as a surprise to see a diverse range of age groups at Woodstock in 1969. This child is not the only one who appeared in the pictures but is amongst many of the kids who attended the festival with their parents or caretakers.
Before going on to make conclusions as to why would any parent let their child attend an event like this, take a closer look at the girl, how much at peace she is being there – a kid wearing a purple sweater, blowing bubbles, just enjoying where she is.
A MOTORBIKE MADE FOR NAPS
You will blend into the festival and the people there like everyone else, having no relation with whether you live in a mansion or an RV, you will become like them once you get there. When given the liberty to enjoy as you wish and from being their authentic slaves, most of you will affiliate themselves with "normality".
In the present time, a person found sleeping on his motorcycle will be questioned for his sanity but at Woodstock, that did not matter at all. Since there are no vacant rooms available to make room for the attendees, you can’t blame someone for changing your bike into a bed. On the contrary, he should be applauded for his creativeness.
JIMI HENDRIX – THE GLITCHES
It did not come out as a surprise to see Jimmy Hendrix blend it with the crowd at Woodstock since he is known for his sense of style and music. Conversely, he must have inspired thousands of these people to attend the event and his performance would have cherry on top.
The expressions he give-off when playing the chords of his guitar are of complete concentration. The braided band of the instrument looks equally pretty as his pink scarf. However, at the end of his performance, the only thing people could think of is his artistic performance of Star-Spangled Banner.
TEN YEARS AFTER – I’M GOING HOME
The British blues-rock band "Ten Years After" hit the Woodstock Stage just as the day progressed towards the night on day three. However, if they thought that there will be a smooth change from the earlier performers, they had another thing coming - technical issues disrupted their performance.
However, they did not let their rain-drenched equipment destroy the show. Once they started with the cover of "I Can't Keep from Crying", the crowd erupted. When the lead singer and guitarist, Alvin Lee, announced their last song of the night, the audience was putty in their hands. Choosing to end their performance with "I'm Going Home” was a clever move.
A LESSON IN PATRIOTISM
There are various ways to make a political statement as well as express your love for your country. However, there is hardly anything shown that says "I am Devoted to My Country" while at the same time show-off the American flag. And this person knew that better than anyone else.
It is quite obvious that showcasing your love for the country wouldn't just be simply as monotonous as a shirt or jacket. And no, if he was to make a public statement, he knew he had to make it right which gave him a chance to show off his slender physique and his not-so-obvious abs. Of course, who wouldn't remember a bare-chested guy wearing low-rise pants, carrying the American flag?
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – THE GLITCHES
Grace Slick is a famous rockstar who performed with her band "Jefferson Airplane" at the iconic Woodstock Festival. She was a professional performer to make the audience sing along with her. During the performance, she got a few electric shocks from her mic due to poor electrical fittings but kept going. She had to wait the whole Saturday night to perform on Sunday morning, and yet in the morning she was super energetic and her outfit was crisp and clean.
She, along with her folks, started their performance with their quite known song "The Other Side of Life". They managed to grip the audience’s attraction immediately, and then they performed their biggest hit "Somebody to Love", which further thrilled the whole crowd. She delivered possibly the best performance of her life.
GRATEFUL DEAD – THE GLITCHES
"The Grateful Dead", a band led by Jerry Garcia, who was a famous artist of the time, was not able to perform up to their standards at the Woodstock Festival, though they tried their best to overcome all the external shortcomings and keep audiences entertained. It was just an unfortunate day for them. Several problems cropped up, like poor setup, uncertain weather, and too many people on stage. These issues were not in their hands, they were just too unlucky not to be able to perform their best at the iconic Woodstock Festival.
We appreciate Jerry Garcia’s maturity, as rather than blaming and cursing the management of Woodstock for his ugly performance during an interview, he confidently confessed that he and his band were not able to give a satisfactory performance that Saturday night.
BOB DYLAN & THE BAND
Bob Dylan was the most promoted and highlighted artist during the Woodstock promotional campaigns. As the advertisements spread, people started impatiently waiting to attend New York’s most famous citizen's performance. Unfortunately, due to a bad motorcycle accident, Bob Dylan got injured, because of which he was unable to perform at Woodstock. This news disheartened all of his fans as they were extremely desperate to attend his live performance.
However, his former band, "The Band", appeared and performed at Woodstock. Though people were disappointed because of Bob Dylan's absence, they still gave a warm welcome to "The Band". But strangely, The Band not only denied their well-received performance, but they also completely refused any association with the festival. This mystery is still unsolved.
SHA NA NA – GET A JOB
Sha Na Na was a musical group that was hardly known by anybody before Woodstock. The band was formed by a group of young students from Columbia University. They were unique from all the other bands of the time, as they used to appear in very casual outfits, and though it was the 1960s, they used to perform the parodies of hit 1950s songs. According to them, they aimed to give tribute to the iconic singers and music writers of 1950 by making their songs heard again after a decade.
No matter what, Woodstock provided them with a great opportunity to represent themselves to the masses, and the band took full advantage of the event. They became very popular after that. Their performance was highly applauded and appreciated by the massive crowd.
WHAT’S ON JOE COCKER’S MIND
When the majority of the crowd was sleepy and dozed under the spell of drugs and alcohol, which were freely flowing among the crowd, Joe Cocker’s thrilling performance woke them all up. He performed one of his best songs "Let’s Go Get Stoned", which not only boosted the energy in the drowsy crowd but also made all hippies scream and dance once again. Joe Cocker was undoubtedly a fine rockstar of the time, who was capable enough to cheer up the crowd through his performance.
We are unable to judge exactly why there is an incredulous look on Joe Cocker’s face, and what was running through his mind at that moment, maybe he was worried, planning about how to thrill the heavy-eyed audience at the Woodstock because his performance brought lethargic audiences back to life.
LESLIE WEST AND THE MOUNTAIN
Unlike most of the famous music bands of the time, such as "The Band" or famous musical maestros like Joe Cocker and Jimi Hendrix, "The Mountain", a musical band formed by Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi, and Steve Knight, was not very famous. The Mountain’s lead musicians named their band after West’s solo album "Mountain". The band was super-excited to perform at Woodstock, as they had already performed live at three events on the West Coast and through Woodstock, they wanted to present themselves on the East Coast.
Just like Sha Na Na and many other less familiar brands, Woodstock provided a great space for "The Mountain", to make them acknowledged to the masses. And fortunately, their rocking performance got hit at the event and satisfied the crowd. We can see how happy the singer was while performing.
BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS – MORE AND MORE
Another most-anticipated group "Blood, Sweat & Tears" performed at Woodstock, but just like Jerry Gracia, they also became the prey of poor setup. They faced the issue of poor horn section intonation throughout the performance. The management claimed the problem occurred due to excessive humidity in the air.
Blood, Sweat, and Tears, were highly encouraged by the audience, and they started with their most famous song "More and More". To further cheer up the people that morning, they performed Randy Newman’s "Just One Smile". They performed on the third day of Woodstock, which proved to be a very tragic day for them. Despite facing the problems, they managed to deliver a memorable performance. But they were very disappointed with the way things were arranged and denied participating in the future Woodstock documentary and album.
TIM HARDIN – HOW CAN WE HANG ON TO A DREAM?
Why did Tim Hardin close his eyes during the performance? Tim Hardin was one of the highly talented and respected individual musicians of the time. Just like everyone else has some shortcomings, his shortcomings were extreme stage fright and substance abuse issues. His weaknesses were against his gifted ability. An artist has to be confident enough to make eye contact with millions of his fans and can firmly perform on the stage, but Tim Hardin had serious issues.
Reportedly, he used to take a supportive substance to boost his confidence. He performed on the first day of Woodstock, but he took an excessive dose of that substance that day, because of which he missed his lyrics and vocals and even slurred while singing "How Can We Hang On To a Dream?"
LOVE HAS NO BOUNDARIES
Woodstock is considered an iconic event because it gathered people across gender, color, and religious boundaries. The event happened when America was on the verge of war. This event aimed to spread love and harmony, not war. It provided a carefree atmosphere for everyone so all individuals could express themselves and the differences among them get eliminated.
Woodstock catered to all kinds of people. There was music, merrymaking, a groovy way for adventure, and we believe there was a place for nature lovers too, as people could calmly observe nature and feel its beauty. This couple in simple outfits seems to be close to nature, and amidst the loud music and massive crowds at Woodstock, they chose to peacefully enjoy nature and spend some romantic moments with each other.
MOUNTAIN – SOUTHBOUND TRAIN
This image shows how hyper "The Mountain" singer was. Though the band was not much famous before, with their first performance by playing "Blood Of the Sun", they surprised the massive crowd and received tremendous applause. They further thrilled the crowd by performing T-bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday’.
The Mountain folks wanted to end their performance with "Dreams of Milk and Honey", but because of the enthusiastic response from the audience and their request, the band was forced to give some more time to the attendees and amazed everyone with their final performance on "The Southbound Train", people were still not willing to let them go. We can imagine how powerful the event was, which made an unfamiliar band the most desired musical band among Woodstock's mass, in just a few moments.
Look Matters
The lady in black is looking gorgeous without a doubt. However, as far as Woodstock is concerned, you will rarely see such a conservative outfit. She hasn’t put on those colorful scarves and knit tops, nor can we notice the fringes. But she has teamed up her boot-cut jeans with chunky jewelry and that certainly does make a statement. You will come across many people who exude a commanding aura.
Irrespective of whatever they have on their bodies, they certainly mean business and look super confident. She is a girl from the 60s decade and is one of those people who are not afraid to experiment with their looks but can carry it off with elan. The festival certainly becomes special because of such attendees. Plus, she is a cutie. That adds more to her x-factor.
Folk Royalty
When you talk about folk royalty, you simply can’t leave out the likes of Joan Baez. The Woodstock music festival has always been graced by them. Joan climbed on the stage to close day 1 of Woodstock and when she did, the crowd was enthralled since they knew what was coming up. It was a Sunday morning and Baez kept playing for more than an hour giving the audience a memorable time.
Initially, she was performing alone. Later on, she was joined on stage by Jeffrey Shurtleff and Richard Festinger. Together, they played the cover of the popular number, I Shall Be Released. Joan didn’t forget to inform the crowd about the background of every number between her renditions. She signed off with the number, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. It was just perfect. Her performance was lapped up by everyone present there.
Time to Make a Name
Woodstock was graced with amazing talents. While some of them had already become notable singers before the event, there were musical groups that were newly formed and these groups wanted to utilize this platform to gain a foothold and thereby, make a name for themselves. For Nash & Young, Stills, Crosby, and others, this was a moment they needed to grab and catch the crowd’s fancy.
A new band is always shaky before their first performance and therefore, they were all nervous when they went up on the stage. The crowd was not the reason why they were so. The fact that they were surrounded by renowned musicians was playing on their minds. They had no idea that they would be received so well before their performances. Otherwise, they would have gotten rid of their nervousness well before time. They had the crowd swaying to their tunes.
Sly Stone’s Magic
Sly Stone gave himself the 60s and ’60s look and made it more authentic by adding those huge glasses and the chunky choker. The aim was to have an impact on the audience with his extraordinary look. However, his rendition of I Wants to Take You Higher was so passionate that the crowd simply got drowned in his music and kind of overlooked his unique style. The crowd screaming Higher in its response to Stone’s call was a sight to behold.
The singer was like weaving magic around them. More songs from Sly & The Family Stone followed, including Dance To The Music, Everyday People, and You Can Make It If You Try. The crowd had one of the best moments of their lives. They screamed for a repeat and Sly had to oblige. Day 2 of Woodstock ‘69 had such a fabulous beginning.
Sweetwater - Eccentricity Redefined
Eccentric is the term that can be used to describe Sweetwater, the music band. The word unusual defined the 60s decade and Sweetwater was more than unusual as compared to its contemporaries. As a result, they always stood out among the crowd. No one in the band played the guitar. However, members were playing the flute, a keyboard, drums, a cello, and a conga, and that created magic.
Aside from that, Sweetwater was hailed as the pioneer as far as jazz fusion is concerned. The term was attached to their way before it was coined. They were damn good and that’s why they were given the responsibility to open day one at Woodstock ‘69. But as luck would have it, they were stuck in traffic and thus, missed their opportunity. But, a chopper brought them to the event and they could eventually perform.
Canned Heat Rocked It
The group’s extended rendition of the number, Fried Hockey Boogie, was one of the best things that the crowd heard at Woodstock ‘69. The group received the loudest ovations from the audience during the festival probably in its history. Neither the name of the band nor the title of the song would make much sense if you are not a music aficionado. But the people assembled at the festival enjoyed every moment of the rendition that night.
Even after the fabulous performance, the crowd was asking for more as they didn’t have enough of what was delivered. Canned Heat had to give in to the requests and they gave a fantastic rendition of On The Road Again. The band made it a night to remember when Alan Wilson and Harvey Mandel added intense guitar solos to their rendition. All in all, the audience was super satisfied.
Jefferson Airplane and Psychedelic Rock
Jefferson Airplane started its journey as a folk-rock project. However, after they experimented with rock and roll and folk, the group came up with an altogether new sound, that you guys today know as psychedelic rock. When you introduce a unique style of music, it is bound to catch the fancy of the music lovers. Added to that, defiance along with an independent political view would help you get your act perfectly at Woodstock.
So, performing at 7 AM on Sunday would hardly bother you. Jefferson Airplane took everything within their stride and was least bothered about the timing. Their job was to come up with maniac music and they did it in style. All their acts received praise from the crowd. The group’s priority was to keep the crowd glued to them and that’s what exactly happened.
Facing the Rain
The sudden downpour at Woodstock could not dampen the spirits of the crowd. They were least bothered about the rain. However, the performing bands did have a tough time coping with it. Giving an out-of-the-world performance became an uphill task, more so because of the technical glitches as well as the damaged equipment.
The sound equipment faced issues and as a result, the Grateful Dead had to wait for hours before they got the chance to go on stage. While they were performing, they also had to cope with limited lighting. However, the picture here doesn’t reveal one bit of how the group worked hard to pull off their act that went for an hour and a half. Kudos to them for pulling off such a majestic act. No one would ever guess that they were having an off night.
The Downfall of Creedence Clearwater Revival
The band decided not to have their performances recorded for the Woodstock film in 1970. This decision later proved to be sort of a disaster for them and instrumental in their downfall. In the history of the Woodstock film festival, Creedence Clearwater Revival nearly faded into oblivion. Not many remember that they even performed at Woodstock.
Their act went on for around an hour. During their time on stage, they delivered some popular numbers such as Proud Mary, Green River, and Bad Moon Rising. The crowd had a great time savoring their music. There isn’t an iota of doubt that the band was one of the most popular ones on the chart during that period. They didn’t receive what they had expected. Possibly, things would have been different if they would have gone ahead and included their recorded performances in the film. It’s really unfortunate.
Richie Havens Keeps the Audience Glued
The other acts at Woodstock were running late and someone had to keep the audience glued so that they didn't run out of patience. Richie Havens stepped in and spent three hours on the stage, enthralling the crowd. Though not many did know who Havens was before his performance, he made sure that people came to know him properly after he was done with his act.
Engaging the audience for such a long time is no easy job, but he pulled it off and earned appreciation from everyone. His performance paved the way for the Isle of Wright festival that was scheduled to be held two weeks later. After he ended his three-hour act, he slowly left the stage strumming his guitar. That was truly an example of a legend. He had that energy even after performing for so long.
Carlos Santana and His Surreal Guitar Skills
For music fanatics, Carlos Santana doesn’t need any introduction. The Grammy Award winner is known for his exemplary guitar skills and is a legend. This fact has always played in the crowd’s mind and therefore, his hallucination while performing at Woodstock was amusing. With that being said, the picture here doesn’t reveal what he was going through since it seems as if he is lost in his music.
Many of you would know that Satana was the pioneer of a psychedelic jam band that was named after the icon himself. As the fact goes, the band was not very popular when it participated in the festival. However, their rendition of Soul Sacrifice for around 100 minutes set the ball rolling for them. Their performance not only impressed everyone presents at the venue but had a permanent impression on their minds.
Good Music Has Got Nothing to Do With a Name
Country Joe & The Fish? You might be thinking what kind of a name is that? If you want to know how the band got its name, we are sorry we won’t be able to help you with that. But why should it matter as long as the band delivers some great music? The group was scheduled to perform on day three but the initial period was somewhat rough for them.
They were about to go on stage after Joe Cocker ended his performance. But unfortunately, the rain gate-crashed the party. Three hours went by before Country Joe & The Fish was able to start their act. When they finally did, they had the crowd swinging to their music. They rendered one song after another, including Silver and Gold, The Love Machine, and Love. All were crowd favorites and it is needless to say that they walked straight into the hearts of the audience.
Shankar Spun Magic at Woodstock
That Ravi Shankar popularized the sitar throughout the world requires no second mention! The Indian legend was a force to reckon with, in almost every country he visited. At Woodstock, his star status was catapulted by several notches. No longer was he limited to his Indian roots but became an international superstar almost overnight. This picture takes one down the memory lane when Ravi Shankar was accompanied by two great maestros- Alla Rakha Khan on tabla, and Maya Kulkarni with the tamboura. Together, they lit the stage on fire!
The show continued for close to 42 minutes when the trio sat in a cross-legged manner on the carpet. But not everything was great about the weather. It was raining and Shankar was quite happy doing his work in such conditions too. The performance lived up to the expectations of everyone and was soon released as a live album the next year.
Rain No Dampener for Guthrie
Guess most talented musicians are so high on their energy levels while performing that even the crowd pays little attention to the weather conditions prevailing around! Arlo Guthrie resumed his music exactly when the rain stopped. And much to his surprise, people were flocking even till midnight. Their interest and excitement stood intact. Wooden Guthrie, the legendary folk musician is perhaps known to most music aficionados. Arlo is his son. Though his mother was equally well known, and he stayed drenched in creatives for the most part- all of which explains where and how he became a sensation.
However, his experience at the festival he attended was a tad weird. And that's not surprising, especially after he failed to deliver a knockout performance. He closed off with the 'Amazing Grace' rendition, which wasn't meted with a lot of positive responses, simply because his vocals weren't in the best condition. Not every day is a great one, right?
In a Bad Mood
'The Who' belted out some of the most well-known numbers of all time, which eventually became chart-toppers. But just like any commoner, the band also underwent difficult times. For a certain performance of theirs, the team had to wait for more than 12 hours! Naturally, the mood went for a toss.
What was disturbing was how the 'rotten' mood created some backstage disasters. And they were uncalled for. Just when they got started, Pete Townsend kicked off the camera crew from the stage… oops! Thankfully, the angry spell continued for a brief period only. We truly marvel at the professionalism they displayed while delivering one of their career-best performances. An incredible event that it was, the violent activities made no news for the second day. Rather, crooning the famous anthem of 1965, 'The Generation' produced headlines for the next day.