Written by Chris Simoni Friday, 21 August 2009 12:08

August 15-18, 1969 marked the music event of the flowering sixties. Three days of music culminated in the grand finale with Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner on guitar in the early morning hours of the 18^th. Musical acts such as Santana, the Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Blood Sweat and Tears, Crosby Stills Nash and Young and Jimi Hendrix were among some of the more notable.

Some acts that turned down the offer to perform at Woodstock were, the Doors (Jim Morrison did not like outside venues), Led Zeppelin(too many bands on the bill), Jethro Tull(blew if off), The Byrds(were not offered enough money), Bob Dylan(Son was ill), The Moody Blues(double booked), Tommy James and the Shondells(He thought the event was organized by a pig farmer.) I bet some of these bands were kicking themselves after missing the biggest event of the sixties.

The event may have seemed like a success to the outsider, but the promoters lost massive amounts of money putting on the show. With people breaking down fences to enter the festival, few actually paid admission. It was only years later that the promoters were able to recoup some of their loses from promotion of the film and soundtrack that was produced from the event, and later became a success.

This was a place and a time in history that will never be duplicated. Imagine today the commercialism that revolves around musical concerts and events, and how it would have sounded back then. These days even the event location is named after a sponsor. Would Woodstock sound as appealing today if it was held in the “Verizon Pig Pasture”? Or “3 days of Peace and Music” sponsored by Pepsi?  I think not.

There have been several poor attempts to capitalize of the memory of the event by having additional “Woodstock” concerts some years later, but none ever have had the same effect as the original. It may be time to finally put the “Woodstock” name to rest, and remember it as it was, and not tarnish it today with commercialism.