I am a little late with my blog this week, but as you probably know, this weekend marked the fiftieth anniversary of the legendary "Woodstock Music and Art Fair" (as it was originally called), which took place in White Lake, NY on a sloped field that was owned by farmer Max Yasgur.
I was originally going to write step-by-step as to how the events of Woodstock came to be, from the preparation to the bands that played, but I think everyone knows that story of how the planners had to change venues a couple of times and finally secured Yasgur's farm at virtually the last minute, and how they were in a rush to build the stage (at the price of not building a venue, essentially making it a free concert), while early concert-goers were showing up several days early.
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| Poster for the original Woodstock Music and Art Fair |
As I had blogged last week, a documentary show "The American Experience" on PBS was broadcast about the behind-the-scenes preparation and the goings on. Several articles and websites show never before scenes from the festival, with the focus on those attending rather than the performers. Radio station WXPN, broadcasting from University of Pennsylvania, this weekend is broadcasting the festival as it happened fifty years earlier, complete with the musical performances as well as the announcements over the PA system that took place between acts. I was able to hear performances by Country Joe McDonald, John Sebastian, Mountain, and especially Santana, who jammed through many awesome songs, capped by their legendary performance of "Soul Sacrifice".
We've heard so much about this festival over the last half-century, that perhaps, like many other legendary events, there have been many myths, true and untrue that have been told over the years. The festival was portrayed as pretty much a love fest involving the "counterculture", a "nation" of young people who had felt rather isolated from the goings on in this country, which was very divided, mostly over issues such as the Vietnam War, and other issues. This was their time to show that they were a community of four hundred thousand strong, that they supported one another, and would lend a hand if things got out of hand; a unified group.
At 12 years old, of course, I was too young to attend the festival as I was between seventh and eighth grade, although one month earlier I was in that general area at Frost Valley WMCA summer camp. The weekend the festival took place, my family headed down to Manasquan at the Jersey Shore for our annual vacation, which that year lasted two and a half weeks, all the way until Labor Day. News outlets were referring to the happening as a "hippiefest" as it had gotten big press that weekend. In fact, the stage announcements each day would focus on what the major papers such as the New York Times and Daily News were reporting.
But, in spite of the thought of young people, who had, on college campuses, vehemently protested the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, were portrayed as a peaceful group that weekend in the Catskills. All of this, in spite of many problems that would inherently plague an event like this: Clogged roads, food and water shortages, drug overdoses, topped by periods of heavy rain causing not only a delay in the music, but also creating a vast field of mud.
And yes, while there were issues, it seemed the "community" was prepared for them. As this generation was so detached from the current society, the organizers---including a young Michael Lang---touted a California based commune called The Hog Farm, to "police" the concert, as well as to provide food and water to the attendees. While that might not be the best way to go---remembering the Hell's Angels doing the same at the Altamont Free Concert just a few months later---it worked. Listening to the radio broadcast over WXPN, you get a much better perspective as to what had actually happened, especially from the PA announcements. Yes, the "don't take the brown acid" was indeed real, and the announcer (Chip Monck) rattled off what seems to be an endless array of announcements. In the era way before smartphones, many attendees left messages at the front near the stage to be announced, whether it was to meet up at a certain area, someone who was sick and wanted to go home, or messages from parents.
Many of those announcements felt like indeed, this was a nation of the counter-culture. But, despite of all the hardships and frenzy that occurred, they had things set up, such as three first-aid stations around the site. Monck had advised those suffering from illness, injury, or yes, overdose to go to these stations rather than the nearest hospital, as the perceived notion from the "outside world" was deemed unfavorable. You have to remember that the town of Bethel was opposed to this concert and some even boycotted Yasgur's milk products. After the concerts, residents sued town officials for allowing a permit to stage the festival there. Those who were affected by health issues were transported there by helicopter as there was a makeshift helipad set up (which also aided bands to get to the venue). In an instance in which the U.S. Army had provided water and food, Monck stressed that "they are our friends".
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| Aerial Shot of the festival |
Of course, there was dissention. While it was played up that there was no violence, a few people did die and many injured, but it was perhaps just incidental to a festival with almost half a million there. A common occurrence, as noted in the broadcasts, were those who climbed the scaffolding on the towers to get a better view of the performances, unaware they were blocking the views of others. Monck many times, gently, strongly encourages them to come down and help out with the goings on. Not all complied but many did.
In spite of all the hardships, the "self-sustaining community" in the end, seemed to work out, and pretty much made a statement that this generation was very together and supported peace. However, of course, it wasn't all a bed of roses, with all the people in one spot there was bound to be chaos, most often not being able to hear the music and many were a mile or so away from the stage. Some got there, couldn't get any closer, and left to go home. But compared with Woodstock '99---the epitomize of decadence and the antithesis of the original mantra of "3 Days of Peace and Music", the original festival was just that, and it was portrayed as a positive in the mainstream press.
The legend that was Woodstock never really grew in the subsequent decades, as it was big to begin with, but perhaps the myths that occurred got even more noticeable. The movie documentary as well as the soundtrack album came out the following spring, and two songs' "Woodstock" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (who performed at the festival), and "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain), by Melanie (who performed on the folk-leaning first night) were hits that summer. Just about each year on the anniversary, many have returned to "the garden" to celebrate, even though it wasn't an "official" celebration
Although there have been various compilations of the music of Woodstock after the initial soundtrack albums, Rhino Records has just released a 38-CD retrospective of the festival from the opening announcements to the last farewell, with only a few songs missing. What a way to relive (or check out for the first time, as the case may be) the festival weekend.
While the 1994 and '99 iterations are the best known, there were many other gatherings to celebrate. In 1979 there was a hint of some sort of "reunion", which actually took on Long Island, as well as one in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Many of the original performers also performed at these two shows. On the 15th anniversary in 1984, a plaque on the original site was erected which still stands. In 1989, for the 20th anniversary, there was, believe it or not, an impromptu concert on the original site. Folk guitarist Rich Pell traveled to the site and spontaneously organized the performance on the site (which gets frequent visitors on its anniversary), with permission from the then-current owners. Wavy Gravy, a personality at the original, and Al Hendrix (father of Jimi) were present. An added attraction was a lunar eclipse during one of the nights of the festival and that was worked into the show.
While Woodstock 1994, held in Saugerties, which was a briefly proposed site of the 1969 festival after Wallkill turned it down, is known to everyone, there was actually some artists showing up at the original site at the same time. And following the '99 disaster, the 40th anniversary that occurred in 2009 was less known. The series of concerts, billed as the "Heroes of Woodstock" tour touring the country were headlined by many of the original performers, or derivations of such, which included the original site (now called Bethel Woods Center for the Arts) on August 15th, the anniversary of the first night of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair.
While, as most everyone knows by now, the planned "Woodstock 50" concert organized by Lang was cancelled, the many celebrations, concerts (including those by some of the original performers) and festivities are taking place this weekend at Bethel Woods. While the times have changed, the original Woodstock is still on many minds. Perhaps it has been romanticized over the decades, but there's nothing wrong with that, especially one that delivers a message of peace, love and music.
And that, perhaps, is universal for the ages.
SNS 100: Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus' "Old Town Road" extends its Billboard Hot 100 record with its 19th week at the top. Here, the song is at its second week at #1; however, the momentum of the past couple of weeks which catapulted it to the top of my playlist as stopped; the song loses a few points this week, but it's still ahead of the #2 song, "Go", by the Black Keys. "Go" is #1 on Billboard's Triple-A chart for the third week, and is slowly climbing Alternative Songs at #15 this week. The Keys are in a position for their sixth #1, which would be half of the total of Fitz & the Tantrums. Blanco Brown's "The Git Up" advances to #3; the country trap song loses another notch on the Hot 100 (#16), but still has a shot to top my list. The song spends its third week atop the country songs chart on Billboard though. "Low", by The Driver Era drops to #4. Numbers five and six switch positions, "Shy" by The Big Takeover and "Kombucha" by Winnetka Bowling League. Both songs, which peaked a few weeks ago, the latter spending three weeks at the top, actually gain points this week: The Takeover announcing a concert at Bethel Woods on October 5, while the Bowling League---fronted by Matthew Koma, debuts on Alternative at #39. Koma, who has been present on many pop and electronic hit songs but never as a performer on the Hot 100, finally makes a major chart with this project which fits squarely into alternative rock. If the song rises on that chart, be prepared to a big, long run here on SNS. Shannon Marsyada grabs her fourth top 10 as "Caught Falling" advances 11-8.
In the second ten, Nick Waterhouse grabs the Impact award with his sixth top 20 in a row, "Song For Winners", while Fitz & the Tantrums move 22-17 with "I Need Help"; making it the band's 19th top 20 song in a row. They have a shot at twenty, as their other song, "Don't Ever Let 'Em" moves 31-25. New Jerseyan Donna Missal grabs her second top 20 as "Transformer" moves to #18, while Kungs has his fourth in a row with "More Mess".
NEW THIS WEEK: It's mostly a pop add this week as the latest from Miley Cyrus, whose "Malibu" ruled my summer of 2017; she is back with "Slide Away", a more current pop vibe, but still very accessible and listenable; also the latest from Jonas Brothers and Shawn Mendes, with the latter's "If I Can't Have You" having been a fixture on the Hot 100's top 3 for a few weeks. I believe it's his first solo effort on my list. However, the big debut goes to the pure rock band from Long Island, Offguard. This is the five-piece band fronted by Matt Weiss who is the son of my longtime friend Annette Weiss. Their "Strawberry Moon" hit #2 in late 2017, which had followed the #7 "Maybe", earlier in that year. The new song "Lights" is from a forthcoming album Losing My Mind with my Heart, and has an awesome video, and is a melodic rocker. The band has already announced a follow-up single, "Bounce" which I'll add once "Lights" runs its course.
Lauren Daigle's "You Say" re-enters my list at #87 after a friend posted the song; the song had spent 17 weeks on my chart, and last week hit #1 on Adult Contemporary, knocking out Maroon 5's "Girls Like You" after a 33 week run. The reign, however, was short lived as Adam Levine's band retakes the #1 slot for the 34th week.....For the first time in recent memory, all the songs on my SNS 100 have been there for less than half a year, with Slothrust's "Rotten Pumpkin" (#99) the oldest at a mere 22 weeks; only two others, "Lo/Hi" (The Black Keys), and "Oceans" (Shannon Marsyada) at 20 weeks. Next week that number will undoubtedly shrink to 21 as the Slothrust song drops off; however "Oceans" is still climbing, "Lo/Hi" and "I've Been Waiting" have slow decents, plus other songs are taking their time moving up the list. A record number of 100-point songs (27), which is about twice the average, are listed as well. There ARE a lot of great songs out there! Listen!
Next blog will be my 9th anniversary edition. I will look back at those years, but also look forward as there will be changes in store.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
August 11, 2019
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 1 |
NUMBER ONE:
Album: 7
(2 weeks at #1)
|
8 |
| 2 | 3 | The Black Keys - Go | 9 |
| 3 | 4 | Blanco Brown - The Git Up | 7 |
| 4 | 2 | The Driver Era - Low | 11 |
| 5 | 6 | The Big Takeover - Shy | 12 |
| 6 | 5 | Winnetka Bowling League - Kombucha | 10 |
| 7 | 9 | The Horrors - Point of No Reply | 9 |
| 8 | 11 | Shannon Marsyada - Caught Falling | 6 |
| 9 | 10 | Molly Burch - Candy | 16 |
| 10 | 13 | Foster the People - Imagination | 5 |
| 11 | 15 | Amber Arcades - Something's Gonna Take Your Love Away | 9 |
| 12 | 7 | Lana Del Rey - Doin' Time | 10 |
| 13 | 14 | The Lumineers - Gloria | 14 |
| 14 | 19 | Band of Skulls - Love is All You Love | 7 |
| 15 | 33 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
Album: Nick Waterhouse
|
4 |
| 16 | 17 | Phantogram - Into Happiness | 9 |
| 17 | 22 | Fitz and the Tantrums - I Need Help | 6 |
| 18 | 24 | Donna Missal - Transformer | 5 |
| 19 | 8 | Meg Myers - Running Up That Hill | 14 |
| 20 | 21 | Kungs ft Olly Murs and Coely - More Mess | 7 |
|
|
Songs with the greatest increase in favorite
points over the prior week.
● Songs
with 25 or more plays on my iPod.
▲ Songs with 50 or more
plays on my iPod.
¨ Songs with 100 or more
plays on my iPod.
The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list
of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.
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