Didn't make it either. Stuck in Great Lakes Naval Hospital recovering from a vacation in sunny Southeast Asia. But I woulda if I coulda.
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Didn't make it either. Stuck in Great Lakes Naval Hospital recovering from a vacation in sunny Southeast Asia. But I woulda if I coulda.
Yeah I was 16 and living in SoCal … I did see it as a first run movie. I had to go to L.A. as it was not shown in Orange County. . . .R/
I was 18 and hitchhiked from Pittsburgh Pa. I had even bought a ticket. I don’t recall any mandolin being played but then I don’t remember all of the details of that week but I guess that’s not unusual for many attendees.
I wasn’t there.
I actually didn’t know anything about it until the festival was taking place, and only then because of the news coverage. None of my friends had a clue either.
Later discussions with these friends pretty much solidified the thought that we would have gone had we only known about it. However, we weren’t sure what New York’s reaction would be to a caravan of pick-up trucks filled with Jax Beer fueled college boys from Louisiana.
I was 11 at the time so it was a definite no-go. But, man, I sure would have loved to hear Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young live performance.
Santana was unknown outside the Bay area at that time. Woodstock helped put them on the map and propelled them to the greatness that followed. Don't know if anyone saw the PBS special on Woodstock awhile ago. It was a behind the scene look that I found very interesting. I see that CNN is having a special tomorrow. Should be fun.
My parents said we got stuck in the traffic on thruway on our way to "Story Town". I was 6 at the time.
In my Last Year of 4, in the US Navy, stationed in Brooklyn, had weekend liberty,
with 400,000 going,
It was surprisingly easy to get there and back to be on time ,
to muster in on Monday back in Brooklyn..
:whistling:
Was just shy of my 13th birthday in a particularly miserable summer of my young life, as I recall (very awkward age, had just finished summer school having flunked 7th grade math, and right after that getting off to the hospital to get my tonsils out). Knew nothing about the festival until seeing the astonishing news coverage — me wishing I’d been there and envying the older kids who went, while my parents tut-tutted at the scenes of the unwashed masses and mud. I was in the NYC suburbs so it was not far away. I still wonder how people initially learned about the festival beforehand ... did they see a poster? We’re there radio ads? Word of mouth?
I was on my way to Vietnam. I think I was in SERE School at the time.
I didn't physically make it to Woodstock till the mid 90's while visiting to a friend's family vacation home in the Catskills. Here I am outside of Big Pink. I dated a girl (who was a year or so older than me) who had gone to Woodstock. I saw the movie at the theater when it came out. It was very exciting times for a teenager.
So....50 years ago right now, I was sitting in the mud following the big rainstorm which stopped the music. After a while, the rain let up, the sun half came out and I was soaked. It was stinking, hot and humid and I started to think this sucks. Then...very unexpectedly, the congas from Santana (a no-name at the time band) started playing....life improved rapidly....:grin:
Attachment 179046
And they never collected my ticket..
Very cool Benski. I thought the part of the movie when Santana starts playing Soul Sacrifice after the rainstorm was one of the highlights. I, of course, had to get every Santana album ever made- well, most of them. I see where Carlos is still touring. That would be a great show to see.
I had the opportunity to go, but thought it was just another rock concert. I decided to keep working, and save a little more for my senior year of college. While it would have been a great experience, I now feel I made the right choice. (but it took a lot of years to get to that point)
+1 on Santana being the bargain of the bunch. And if The Who were payed what is listed here, they were a bargain too, considering how well they played. Townsend plays like his life depends on it.
Six of us went in two vw bugs. I got put in the back seat of one because I’m little. Unknown to me a car battery had been transported on the back seat and some acid had spilled and dried on the seat. It was a long ride from Pittsburgh to Woodstock and I got dried acid on various parts of my clothes.
When we got there we were low on gas and were afraid of not finding more. We decided to walk in. We walked and when it rained the battery acid reactivated and my clothes began to disintegrate. A kind soul gave me two trash bags and I made them into a blouse and skirt. That’s what I wore to Woodstock.
It was hard to get near the stage but the music I heard was fantastic. I also remember being hungry and unable to find the food kitchen. I remember standing in a long line to drink from a garden hose on the side of a house. I made my way back to the car and slept in it.
So it was a very mixed experience but I’m glad I went but I sure was glad to leave.
Just took this pic a few minutes ago.
This IS NOT "a reproduction", but an original from 50 years ago, when I was there.
Still in pretty good shape.
Attachment 179055
(right click to open in a new window to see full size)