topic Re: What do you remember about Woodstock? in Rock N' Roll

What do you remember about Woodstock?

VickiM68 — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 17:45:41 GMT

Were you there? Or, maybe you just experienced the spirit from afar. Share your stories of what you remember and how the festival affected you.

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

BeatleloverKT — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 20:41:40 GMT

I was a young impressionable teenager in 1969. I remember that most of the music was so different then what I was listening to ( which pretty much was the Beatles) My biggest memory was of my best friend bringing over her newly purchased Woodstock album and playing it for me in my room as loud as could be. Although we loved it, my Father did not. By the time Country Joe&the Fish came on, he’d had just about enough. He took that album right off the turntable and flung it outside just like a frisbee. I thought my friend was gonna have a stroke. Needless to say, after that, we never listened to that album at my house!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

Cirice — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:47:33 GMT

I don't remember Woodstock at all. I was only 4 years old 😉

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

1968Hoya46 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 00:38:51 GMT

I wasn’t allowed to go to Woodstock. Not by my parents, but by the Army, who insisted (after drafting me out of law school) that I attend Basic Training instead. So I spent those 3 days (and many others) doing soldier things in the 180° heat of Fort Gordon, GA. Surprisingly, about a year later I saw Woodstock (the movie) at a movie theater at Fort Riley, KS. I guess the Army liked good music...

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

dg83639026 — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 23:18:49 GMT

In August 1969, I was 15 years old living in New Jersey. My parents sent me to an overnight camp in New York state. Two of my friends came too. It was a camp for the performing arts; I was into theater at the time. One of the planned field trips was to Woodstock! My parents didn't have a clue what it was all about but I was totally excited. So that's how I got there. On a bus with chaperones and everything. I remember nothing about chaperones once we arrived but at this point some of my memories are rather hazy. I had a great seat in front of the tall speaker tower to the right of the stage. I was glued there--the music was absolutely incredible. Best music memories: Joan Baez singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Santana because I'd never heard anything like them before; Sly & The Family Stone; Janis Joplin. We left on the morning of the third day, having had enough of the mud and rain. I love that I was there, treasure the memories, and feel very fortunate to have had the experience of a lifetime there. And I'm so glad I wasn't my parents, who were terrified reading about it all in the New York Times!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

MarkR4 — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 17:22:25 GMT

We left Hartford on Thursday afternoon. Ran into a lengthy traffic jam/party.

I had my mother’s '64 Tempest convertible, with a large cooler full of beer in the back seat (very cool for 19 y/o's)

We camped in a pasture about a mile away from the festival site, or so it seemed.

Most vivid memories are listening to Jefferson Airplane around a camp fire and Joe Cocker in the rain & the mud. There are snippets that occasionally pop up, but the rest is pretty much a haze, purple I’d guess.

I recall walking to the festival grounds Saturday morning and getting a festival printed newspaper, explaining what was going on and declaring the festival to be the 3rd largest city in New York! That would have been something to save.

My mom knew we were going to a music festival, but totally freaked watching the news about Woodstock. She would frequently mention that I took her beautiful car to Woodstock! My brother totaled it the next year.

I still have my tickets and stay in touch with the guys I went with.

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

MaVolta — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:10:47 GMT

I remember watching the news accounts and various film clips of the traffic jams, the rain and mud, people playing in the mud like children, people looking stoned, and others just hanging out taking it all in. It looked like they were all having fun. They were also reporting some of the difficulties that organizers were having to get performing acts in and out, sometimes shuffling schedules, but the artists were all cool about it. And then there was the Jimi Hendrix moment. That one got played a lot!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

f339830s — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:11:00 GMT

Late July of 1969 my boyfriend and I heard about this amazing concert that was to take place in New York in mid-August. We lived in Minneapolis so it was quite far for us. As we discussed thoughts about going, we also were making plans for our wedding in October. We decided we should not spend the money to attend the concert, plus getting time off work would be a problem with additional time off for our wedding. We really wanted to attend and reflecting back it would have been amazing. Much more fun than my wedding. I had friends who were able to go and was able to listen to their stories about Woodstock.

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

bgsdaughter — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:24:06 GMT

While I didn't get to go to Woodstock, I remember how amazing that all these people assembled there to listen to all those great musical acts, and how there were no problems. Remarkable because 1968, the year before Woodstock, was so tumultuous with the assassinations of RFK and Martin Luther King, as well as the Chicago 7 at the Democratic Convention later in the year. I felt we had turned a corner and the world was looking somewhat better!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

smetro — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:47:19 GMT

I didn't go, and have regretted it ever since, despite the negatives that we've all heard over the years (the mud, the drugs, the fact that often one was NO WHERE NEAR the actual stage...!). So, when it came up, I did have a chance to go-but with this big guy I'd just met. He seemed nice enough, but, no. Didn't seem like something I'd want to do, esp. since was sure there was a price..somewhere down the line, IF you atch my drift.... Still, I wish I had gone just for that unique experience...

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

ms58712368 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 21:04:18 GMT

I wanted to go to The Woodstock Concert but my college roommate was getting married that weekend. He had gotten wounded in Vietnam Nam. So my young wife & I went to his wedding. But I loved the music from the concert so much that my wife & I moved to Woodstock, NY a year later. We also lived on a commune in Woodstock where many musicians lived. We had a great time being there!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

MarybethG691589 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:21:10 GMT

I was just 7 years old at the time and my family were on the New York State Thruway going on vacation to the Adirondack mountains and to see all these massive amounts of people walking to the area was a sight to see!!! Love peace music people were friendly my dad at the time a police officer and I asked him what is going on he said a big concert and I am glad that I am not patrolling !!!! Lol but hopefully that everyone will be on best behavior and no problems!! Tie die flower child looks wow everyone made peace signs to everyone on the road!!!!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

8strts — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 02:24:04 GMT

In 1969, I wanted to go to Woodstock with my older brother but he got shipped out, so I did the next best thing- daydreaming and catapulted myself there.

I listened to Jimi on his awesome guitar, the man could make you feel somewhere else in a heartbeat.

Then, Janis came on, a most unusual voice that sang over the fields and beyond. Sad, that she was plagued in drugs.

I listened to Creedence Clearwater Revival, that were a Mecca band for me, getting me thru the high school jail mode. I always felt I was in jail with high school, so many stupid rules!

I love Jefferson Airplane, loved the singer with another unusual voice!

Santana, a man, on a mission, spreading love and compassion with his guitar.

Joe Cocker, which I loved intensely! Still have a CD of him. He sang so beautifully, lots of passion in his voice- You are so Beautiful to Me- can't you seeee! Your everything to me! I cry everytime I hear that song, since my husband has gone.

Crosby, Still, Nash and Young, a harmonious group that ever was. Crosby is on its own with his family still singing and Neil Young with his wild band as well. Neil Young has another unusual voice and is so talented with many instruments, one of my favorites- the harmonica- it makes me so alive and full of happiness!

My parents hated their music- it was too loud and noisy, they said. I told my Dad, like your marching bands, Tchaikovsky, and Frank Sinatra? They sighed.

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

2Papa — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 05:08:33 GMT

STD!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

BarbaraNBill — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 05:37:26 GMT

Actually, it's pretty much a blur ... but I do remember deciding to go on the way to Canada for a brief getaway before my husband was to ship out on active duty wth the Navy. Fortunately, we had a few blankets, a plastic dropcloth and a cooler filled with drinks plus a box of food, because supplies at the festival dried up quickly. (Girl Scout experience paid off, ha!) We found a spot under trees, which proved the right idea once the rain started, and that's where we stayed. The Mustang was parked, oh, I'm not sure how far down the road. The music, well, when it started the atmosphere changed: the mood grew more mellow and people were actually happy ... dancing and lots of laughter and sharing stuff and not sleeping very much because bands were not following the schedule and we didn't want to miss anything. Sure it was dirty and muggy and wet, but still, I can't even now remember feeling more at peace or safer than I did then. Yes, it could've been the herb (a LOT of herb) but there was no fighting, anger, etc. People shared, people helped one another and the farmers were kind and generous. Listen to the soundtrack of the film ~ the music speaks for itself and pulled us together for a brief time. I remember Jimi, Janis, CSN ("We're scared **bleep**less, man!") and all the others. When we somehow left, we were caked with mud, very hungry and ecstatic. Once we got to the car and on the road, I drifted off ... when I woke up we were in a motel outside of Toronto. To this day I have absolutely no idea how we got there or how I got across the border ... groovy. PS:I still have the bellbottoms and fringed leather vest I wore ...

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

RobKesselring — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 11:08:36 GMT

I was a junior in a Schenectady high school when my best friend heard about the Woodstock Music Festival and suggested at the last moment we head down there for the weekend. Despite some misgivings from my mother and a massive traffic snarl we made it to the big event. It’s a myth that everyone at Woodstock was on drugs and having wild sex that certainly was not true for us. What I do remember was how kind and patient everyone was, I did not witness a single act of violence or even rudeness. Many of the townspeople in Bethel had even graciously extended their garden hoses to the sidewalks giving festival walkers a source of fresh water.

What might surprise today’s generation was the total lack of cell phones. There were plenty of pay-telephones at the festival but ironically they were all so jam full of dimes that they were inoperable!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

LookOverYonder — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 11:52:42 GMT

Max Yasgur:

"The important thing that you've proven to the world is that a half a million kids--and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you--a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I God bless you for it!

August 17, 1969

FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

KristineL832750 — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 12:06:35 GMT

My husband, Tim, was one of those naked toddlers running aroung the festival grounds!! He really doesn't remember much unfortunately!

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

jb22769563 — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 13:57:51 GMT

While I didn't attend Woodstock, my best friend did. Since she's no longer alive to tell her story, I'm happy to tell it for her.

Mara was only 14 when her summer camp decided that a field trip to a 3-day music festival at Woodstock was a good idea. It only took one day there, however, for the camp to change its mind. But during that one day, my friend told me, she had one of the most memorable times of her young life.

Despite the hardships while there, she said it was a magical experience when the audience took out their lighters and held the flames up to the night sky in a show of support and appreciation for the artists performing on stage.

Hearing her tell her story, I was envious; I wished at the time I could have been there, too.

Re: What do you remember about Woodstock?

CharlesW375014 — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 16:49:44 GMT

I was 7, so I obviously didn’t go, but my brother did. He was 22 and the only one in our family entrusted to drive our mom’s car. He was definitely the golden child. Our grandmother lived in Callicoon, which was a stone’s throw from the venue. He told our parents he was going upstate to visit Grandma, a stop he included in the trip, but it was certainly not his primary destination. To my knowledge our parents never found out. Moral of the story: if you’re going to lie to your parents and implicate sweet little Grandma, make it worth the effort and do something spectacular like Woodstock!