Woodstock Festival: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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GBP 90 - 110 The Star Inn
 The Star Inn is located in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, a 10-minute walk from Blenheim Palace. It offers spacious room with views of the town, free Wi-Fi, … MoreGBP 40 - 95 Woodstock´s Own
 A short walk from the centre of Woodstock, Woodstock´s Own offers bed and breakfast as well as a café bar with homemade food and cakes. Parking… MoreGBP 125 - 259 The Feathers
 The Feathers Hotel, situated in the centre of historic Woodstock on the doorstep of Blenheim Palace. Originally seven separate houses, the hotel boast… MoreGBP 53 - 180 Marlborough Arms
 A 14th-century former coaching inn, The Marlborough Hotel is set in the heart of beautiful Woodstock, near Oxford, overlooking the town´s histor… MoreGBP 195 - 595 Hope House
 Hope House offers stylish, air-conditioned accommodation, luxury breakfasts, free Wi-Fi and free parking. It is in the pretty village of Woodstock, wi… MoreGBP 99 - 315 Macdonald Bear Hotel
 In picturesque Woodstock, just 20 minutes’ drive from Oxford centre, Macdonald Bear Hotel offers free parking and a restaurant. Set in a 13th-centur… MoreGBP 57 - 120 Duke Of Marlborough
 The Duke of Marlborough is a quaint building just outside Woodstock and Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. It offers free parki… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Woodstock Festival: Guide
The Woodstock Music and Art Festival was a Woodstock", which memorialized the event, became a major hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Though attempts have been made over the years to recreate the festival, the original Woodstock festival of 1969 has proven to be unique and legendary.
The festival
The List of music festivals|festival bears the name "Woodstock", because it was originally scheduled to take place in the town of Woodstock (town), New York|Woodstock, in Ulster County, New York|Ulster County; however, the town offered no appropriate site to host such a large event due to their belief that over a million people would attend. A site was found in the town of Wallkill, New York|Wallkill. When local opposition arose, the event was almost cancelled, but Sam Yasgur persuaded his father Max to allow the concert to be held on the family's alfalfa field, located in Sullivan County, New York|Sullivan County, about 40 miles southwest of Woodstock.
Although the show had been planned for a maximum of 200,000 attendees, over 500,000 eventually attended, most of whom did not pay admission. The highways leading to the concert were jammed with traffic. People abandoned their cars and walked for miles to the concert area. The weekend was rainy, facilities were overcrowded, and attendees shared food, alcoholic beverages, and recreational drug use|drugs. Local residents of this modest tourist-oriented area (including those at nearby Camp Ma-Ho-Ge), gave blankets and food to some concertgoers.
The festival did not initially make money for the promoters, although through Sound recording|record sales and proceeds from the highly regarded film of the event it did eventually become profitable.
Three people died at Woodstock: one from a heroin overdose, one from being run over by a tractor while sleeping in a nearby hayfield, and one from falling off a scaffold. Two unconfirmed births reportedly occurred at Woodstock.
Among the stars of Woodstock were platinum.
Jimi Hendrix had a big impact with his performance, including an alternative version of "The Star Spangled Banner". The song was somewhat controversial, as the Vietnam War was underway and the sound effects that Hendrix generated with his guitar paralleled the sounds of the violence of the conflict. These two performances are held by fans as some of the greatest in rock history, though both The Who and Hendrix regarded their performances as sub-par.
Woodstock's promoters were Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld, John Roberts and Joel Rosenman. Roberts was the financer, backed by a trust fund bankroll; his friend Rosenman, a graduate of Yale Law School|Yale Law, was an amateur guitarist. Their associates were Kornfeld, a vice-president at Capitol Records, and Michael Lang. An unlikely businessman, Lang was a light-hearted hippie who had owned a head shop and hoped to build a recording studio in the Woodstock area to serve artists such as Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin, who had homes nearby. When Lang and Kornfeld presented the idea to Rosenman and Roberts, Rosenman hatched the idea of a rock concert with the same performing artists. After toying with an Age of Aquarius theme, they settled on the slogan "Three Days of Peace and Music", partly as a way to placate suspicious local officials and partly to appeal to anti-war sentiment. They hired commercial artist Arnold Skolnick to design the artwork, which incorporated a catbird design.
Lang would go on to produce successor concerts in 1994 and 1999, but he did not participate in the Woodstock-named concerts of 1979 and 1989.
Drugs were commonly used and available at Woodstock. LSD and marijuana use were prominent throughout the festival.
A young twenty-year old named Stephen Victor Tallarico (aka Steven Tyler of Aerosmith) showed up in the crowd as a fan.
In 1997, the site of the concert and 1,400 surrounding acres was purchased by Alan Gerry for the purpose of creating the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. It opened on July 1st, 2006 with a performance of the New York Philharmonic. On August 13, 2006, Crosby Stills Nash & Young wowed 16,000 fans at the new Center — exactly 37 years after their historic performance at Woodstock.
Myths, realities, and the legacy of Woodstock
Woodstock has been romanticized and idealized in American popular culture as the culmination of the hippie movement — a free festival where nearly 500,000 people came together to celebrate peace and love. Although the festival was remarkably trouble-free given the number of people and conditions involved, the reality was less than perfect. Woodstock did have some amount of crime and other misbehavior, as well as a fatality from a Hard and soft drugs|drug overdose, an accidental death caused by an occupied sleeping bag being run over by a tractor, and one participant died from falling off a scaffold. There were also 3 miscarriages and 2 births recorded at the festival as well, and logistical headaches. Furthermore, because Woodstock was not intended for such a large crowd, there were not enough facilities such as toilets and first aid|first-aid tents. There was some profiteering in the sale of "electric Kool-Aid".
Woodstock began as a profit-making venture; it only became a free festival after it became obvious that the concert was drawing hundreds of thousands more people than the organizers had prepared for, and that the entry gates erected had been torn down by eager arrivals. Tickets for the event (sold in 1969) cost US$18 to buy a ticket in advance (which would be US$95.58 in 2005 with inflation factored in) and $24 to buy a ticket at the gate for all three days. Ticket sales were limited to record stores in the greater New York City area, or by mail via a Post Office Box at the Radio City Station Post Office located in Midtown Manhattan.
Yet, in tune with the idealistic hopes of the 1960s, Woodstock satisfied most attendees. Especially memorable were the sense of social harmony, the quality of music, and the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting Bohemianism|bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes.
Simon Warner's chapter "Reporting Woodstock" in the book Remembering Woodstock, Ashgate Publishing, Andy Bennett, editor, May, 2004.
Performing artists and sequence of events
Friday, August 15
The day, which officially began at 5:08 p.m. with Richie Havens, featured folk artists.
Richie Havens (opened the festival - performed 7 encores)
#High Flyin' Bird
#I Can't Make It Anymore
#With A Little Help
#Strawberry Fields Forever
#Hey Jude
#I Had A Woman
#Handsome Johnny
#Freedom
Swami Satchidananda
Country Joe McDonald, played separate set from his band, Country Joe And The Fish|The Fish
#I Find Myself Missing You
#Rockin' All Around The World
#Flyin' High All Over the World
#Seen A Rocket
#Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixing-To-Die Rag
John Sebastian
#How Have You Been
#Rainbows All Over Your Blues
#I Had A Dream
#Darlin' Be Home Soon
#Younger Generation
Sweetwater (band)|Sweetwater
#What's Wrong
#Motherless Child
#Look Out
#For Pete's Sake
#Day Song
#Crystal Spider
#Two Worlds
#Why Oh Why
Incredible String Band
#Invocation
#The Letter
#This Moment
#When You Find Out Who You Are
Bert Sommer
#Jennifer
#The Road To Travel
#I Wondered Where You Be
#She's Gone
#Things Are Going my Way
#And When It's Over
#Jeanette
#America (Paul Simon song)|America
#A Note That Read
#Smile
Tim Hardin, an hour long set
#If I Were A Carpenter
#Misty Roses
Ravi Shankar, with a 5-song set, played through the rain
#Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat In Sawarital
#Tabla Solo In Jhaptal
#Raga Manj Kmahaj
#Iap Jor
#Dhun In Kaharwa Tal
Melanie Safka|Melanie
#Beautiful People
#Birthday of The Sun
Arlo Guthrie
#Coming Into Los Angeles
#Walking Down the Line
#Amazing Grace
Joan Baez
#Oh Happy Day
#The Last Thing On My Mind
#I Shall Be Released
#Joe Hill
#Sweet Sir Galahad
#Hickory Wind
#Drug Store Truck Driving Man
#I Live One Day At A Time
#Sweet Sunny South
#Warm and Tender Love
#Swing Low Sweet Chariot
#We Shall Overcome
source: Arthur Levy, annotator of the expanded editions of the 12 Joan Baez CDs on Vanguard
Jay Underwood got most of the bands to perform and was also on stage for many of the songs.
Saturday, August 16
The day opened at 12:15 pm, and featured some of the event's biggest psychedelic rock|psychedelic and guitar rock headliners.
Quill (band)|Quill, forty minute set of four songs
#They Live the Life
#BBY
#Waitin' For You
#Jam
Keef Hartley|Keef Hartley Band
#Spanish Fly
#Believe In You
#Rock Me Baby
#Medley
#Leavin' Trunk
#Halfbreed
#Just To Cry
#Sinnin' For You
Santana (band)|Santana
#Waiting
#You Just Don't Care
#Savior
#Jingo
#Persuasion
#Soul Sacrifice
#Fried Neckbones
Canned Heat
#A Change Is Gonna Come/Leaving This Town
#Going Up The Country
#Let's Work Together
#Woodstock Boogie
Mountain (band)|Mountain, hour-long set including Jack Bruce's "Theme For An Imaginary Western"
#Blood of the Sun
#Stormy Monday
#Long Red
#Who Am I But You And The Sun
#Beside The Sea
#For Yasgur's Farm (then untitled)
#You and Me
#Theme For An Imaginary Western
#Waiting To Take You Away
#Dreams of Milk and Honey
#Blind Man
#Blue Suede Shoes
#Southbound Train
Janis Joplin (Performed 2 encores; Piece of My Heart and Ball and Chain).
#Raise Your Hand
#As Good As You've Been To This World
#To Love Somebody
#Summertime
#Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
#Kosmic Blues
#Can't Turn you Loose
#Work Me Lord
#Piece of My Heart
#Ball and Chain
Sly & the Family Stone started at 1:30 am
#Chip Monck Intro/M’Lady
#Sing A Simple Song
#You Can Make It If You Try
#Everyday People
#Dance To The Music (song)|Dance To The Music
#I Want To Take You Higher
#Love City
#Stand! (song)|Stand!
Grateful Dead
#St. Stephen
#Mama Tried
#Dark Star (song)|Dark Star/High Time
#Turn On Your Love Light
Creedence Clearwater Revival
#Born on the Bayou
#Green River (album)|Green River
#Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won't Do)
#Commotion
#Bootleg
#Bad Moon Rising (song)|Bad Moon Rising
#Proud Mary
#I Put A Spell On You
#Night Time is the Right Time
#Keep On Choogin'
#Suzy Q
The Who began at 3 a.m., kicking off a long, 24-song set including Tommy (rock opera)|Tommy
#Heaven and Hell (song)|Heaven and Hell
#I Can't Explain
#It's a Boy
#1921
#Amazing Journey
#Sparks
#Eyesight to the Blind
#Christmas
#Tommy Can You Hear Me?
#Acid Queen
#Pinball Wizard
#Abbie Hoffman Incident (see above section)
#Fiddle About
#There's a Doctor
#Go to the Mirror
#Smash the Mirror
#I'm Free
#Tommy's Holiday Camp
#We're Not Gonna Take It (The Who)|We're Not Gonna Take It
#See Me, Feel Me
#Summertime Blues
#Shakin' All Over
#My Generation (song)|My Generation
#Naked Eye
Jefferson Airplane began at 8 a.m. with an eight-song set, capping off the overnight marathon.
#Volunteers
#Somebody to Love (Jefferson Airplane song)|Somebody To Love
#The Other Side of This Life
#Plastic Fantastic Lover
#Saturday Afternoon/Won't You Try
#Eskimo Blue Day
#Uncle Sam's Blues
#White Rabbit (song)|White Rabbit
Sunday, August 17 to Monday, August 18
Joe Cocker was the first act on the last officially-booked day (Sunday); he opened up for the day's booked acts at 2 PM. The day's events ultimately drove the schedule nine hours late. By dawn, the concert was continuing in spite of attendees' having left, returning to the workweek and their other weekday obligations.
Joe Cocker
#Delta Lady
#Some Things Goin' On
#Let's Go Get Stoned
#I Shall Be Released
#With A Little Help From My Friends
After Joe Cocker's set, a storm disrupted the events for several hours.
Country Joe and the Fish resumed the concert around 6 p.m.
#Rock and Soul Music
#Thing Called Love
#Love Machine
#Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag
Ten Years After
#Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
#I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes
#I May Be Wrong, But I Won't Be Wrong Always
#Hear Me Calling
#I'm Going Home
The Band
#Chest Fever
#Baby Don't Do It
#Tears of Rage
#We Can Talk
#Long Black Veil
#Don't You Tell Henry
#Ain't No More Cane
#Wheels On Fire
#Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
#The Weight
Blood, Sweat & Tears ushered in the midnight hour with five songs.
#More and More
#I Love You Baby More Than You Ever Know
#Spinning Wheel
#I Stand Accused
#Something Coming On
Johnny Winter featuring Edgar Winter, his brother, on two songs.
#Mama, Talk to Your Daughter
#To Tell the Truth
#Johnny B. Goode
#Six Feet In the Ground
#Leland Mississippi Blues/Rock Me Baby
#Mean Mistreater
#I Can't Stand It (With Edgar Winter)
#Tobacco Road (With Edgar Winter)
#Mean Town Blues
Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young)|Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young began around 3 a.m. with separate acoustic and electric sets.
Acoustic Set
#
#Blackbird
#Helplessly Hoping
#Guinnevere
#Marrakesh Express
#4 + 20
#Mr. Soul
#Wonderin'
#You Don't Have To Cry
Electric Set
#Pre-Road Downs
#Long Time Gone
#Bluebird