There is a certain feeling I get when I watch clips from Woodstock '69. I wasn't there, nor was I even alive at the time. However it feels as though I was. I feel like old Max Yasgur's farm was a familiar place to me. I feel as though I should be sucked into the screen and taken back to when this happened. Amazing footage. Even though it is just random video of people going about their business, there is definitely a great deal of interest in mystique about it.
Since yesterday, August 18th was an anniversary of the end date of the Woodstock festival, I thought I would add something, having found an old poem, written during that summer. Here follows some background, and then a poem by my then, 20 year old self. July 1969, the summer of love, and when the US astronauts walked on the moon for the first time on July 20th, and it was telecast on tv. I watched in a bar that was full of people drinking beer, and celebrating the moment. I lived in a rented room in a house of a family. The father was an artist, mom worked in Kingston, and two children, a boy and a girl. I was treated like a member of their family. But I also had privacy and my own entrance/exit out of the house, as my room was sort of an addition to the house. Every morning I bicycled to The Art Student’s League, and studied painting/drawing with Arnold Blanche. Later that summer, Aug. 16-18 was the Woodstock Festival at Max Yasgur’s farm, close to our summer bungalow in the Catskills, outside of Monticello, New York. I returned to our house in the Catskills, from Woodstock, just in time to go to the festival. I returned wearing a headband around my head and down my back, and a bracelet of bells around my feet. The world was changing. The poem below are impressions of my month in Woodstock, where I studied painting. Tales of Woodstock A rainy misty day. The song of Groovy, and how we skipped through the streets. The space around us was filmed in a fine mist. The air was warm, and we were like children. Piling into a car, watching the countryside rush past. Girl in white dress, patchouli wafting in the air. Harmonicas were played, and the harmonies existed. Bluesy songs, sung from the heart and soul. The flower children sat atop the car. Not only on top, but all over it. There was food, and everyone shared. Besides that, there was love between them, and the feeling of being one. The flower children thrived on life, and yes, “wore flowers in their hair.” People slept in cars at night, but lived at Becky’s during the day. For there was music at Becky’s. Music is emotion, something to groove on. Climb into the sound, and the music will speak to you. Song of how we tromped through the streets together, arm on shoulder, arm on waist. How we would pool our money together, 36 cents rich, with a penny to spare. Sometimes hustling money. Other times playacting for food. Laughing through the hallowed alley, then the lot for cars which was painted with white lines, o v e r the log, careful not to step in mud or glass, down the street and past the dogs to the cafe, where friends would gather. Weighing the importance of Indian Pudding. To leave we would walk up the hill, and it did not “bring us down.” It was a song of how we played like children, walking arm on shoulder, arm on waist, through the streets of town, like the sun with laughter. Mountains surrounded the town, like a strong, strange army, forming a complete circle in the distance. The gentle guru, old, white haired man, would tell the tale that once under the shadows and spells they cast, the mountains would bring you back. You would have to return someday. Glimpsed while speeding down the hill on your bicycle, in the cold morning, the mountains seemed blue, and a rich green. Colors to be used in your watercolors, later that morning. At times the mountains would be covered in mist, or buried under billowy clouds. Other times the view of their majesty was completely clear.
+Christine Stearns Oh man to have been there!!! It must have been almost magical. I remember the 70's and there where always a million teenagers around our house and they actually socialized with each other.
I was born three years too late to experience that journey of 1969. There are some things that went on then that I may not agree with, but in the same breath, there were some amazing things that happened that I am completely fascinated about. I cannot explain what I am about to say, and I hope that knowone is offended, and yes...I know that what I am about to say may not make much sense, but I feel deep inside me, that I miss the 60's ; it changed the world.
Same here, I always look to see me and my parents in these video's! i was only 11 years old then, but still remember like it was Yesterday. So glad I was part of that time.
AGREE! What the counter culture stood for might not have made sense to some back then. Many Americans thought they simply were too unpatriotic to fight for the US, but--after watching the continual wasting of our resources, the continuing globalization (at the cost of American labor jobs) to increase the profits of large corporations, the gradual disappearance of the middle class, and the widening gap between the haves and the have nots-- their message is more important now than ever
I always look to see if someone happened to capture me in the crowd but still not luck. Your film captures a lot of the places I was at but didn't capture me. :) Nice job on the clean up of the film!
I was 8 years old and I went with my older brothers..it wasn't as great at it looks 45 years later. It was hot, wet, packed with people and the sound system sucked. Granted I was just a kid but I remember people there hating it and wishing they could leave but couldn't due to all the people and cars blocking the roads. Time has made this event seem magical but to me it was hell.
so how come there were only 30,000 people left when Jimi Hendrix played? you think if they enjoyed it so much they wouldnt decide to leave, but as someone who actually experienced it just commented, the rain and amount of people and lack of food and there of wouldve made it seem far less dreamy than portrayed. In tome everything seems better because you only focus on the positive.
Thank you for telling the truth. May I ask which act, or what performer sticks out the most? if you could pick one person, song, memory, what would it be?
I get what your saying, over a period of time, everything seems to better. The fish gets bigger, you had more yards and scored more points, the girls were better looking, you seem to forget the bad things and remember the good things more. I do believe that those of us that were lucky enough to live in the 60,70 and 80's heard the best music ever made. ✌😀
Wonderful!! Your home movies are a great document. They add a perspective and a detail that the film didn't capture. Have you thought about contacting the Bethel Woods Museum? They may be very interested to include your movies.
I'm up in Washington State and I didn't hear about it until it after the fact. But I did go to Sky River, the one at Wodenvil and Strawberry Mt. in Canada. If Woodstock was more awesome, then it's a wonder I'm still alive.
+Christine Stearns I wanted to go, but given the fact that Woodstock happened 2 months before my second birthday my parents where a little nervous about me hitch-hiking. They where always a bit over protective.
Ask yourselves this question truthfully and be honest ? In retrospect, how did so many people make it their business to find a way to cover or uncover (depending on your take on what you thought you saw) each others asses for almost six days? The music was delivered and performed incredibly well under the most extreme live concert circumstances in history. I watched each day as they built that stage and it was a labor of love by an amazing, dedicated team of young men. People pitched in and worked through every possible problem that mother nature could throw at them. Sure, it wasn't a picnic! But, we made our point. The echoes of that era live on. That's apparent by all the various discussions and books being written about the "Golden Age," some fifty years later. The "counter culture" movement. It kinda of has a nice ring to it, even by today's standards. Don't you think?
Man, people were awake in those days! I was in the US. Army in August 1969 in process of being sent to my death by idiots. I was overjoyed when I heard about Woodstock! I survived U.S. Military service. Then played in my Rock Band for the rest of the 70's to rebuild my head. Mostly CSN&Y, John Prine (RIP), Leon Russell, Jefferson Airplane, Seals and Crofts, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Others. The Music saved our Souls from the mindless idiocy of the System. The Age of Aquarius will yet flourish. We must now STOP WWIII!
See film maker, Barbara Bedick's blog at www.cookingthekitchen.com, for a memoir-ish food blog with musings on life, this and that, and including recipes. Link to Cooking the Kitchen on my profile.
We know that something is wrong. Back then everyone had little comfort, not much space and all skinny. Today, the minor discomfort, droplets of rains or accidental touches can make the whole bunch of fat-angry-youngsters to go into deadly fights and angry lengthy posts on social networks. And there is no way to go back to the old good days!
There are some music festivals that invoke the spirit of Woodstock, check out Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN USA. 3 days of music and camping and peace and love. Although not the same as Woodstock, it is one of the best times you'll ever have as a teenager today. But don't go expecting to hear bubblegum rock, you can leave that shit at home. And don't think about bringing kids, leave them at home.
Interesting film capture. Good historical reference material for sure. Couple of things I noted from these clips. Looks like there were more guys there than gals. The lawn layout was totally random (must have been tough to find your way back to your friends if you left and came back, especially buzzed). Must not have been much glass allowed or around. No busted bottles and lots of bare feet. Cool clip.
I used to shoot 8MM movie film back in the 60's and 70's and so on ..I have quite a lot gonna have to yank it outta storage and see about getting it transferred onto something that will last ..don't know ?/ DVD or ?? any Ideas people ??
Hi Robert, I'm doing a documentary on my dad's band, Quill, who opened the second day of Woodstock. I've been looking for some home movies I might be able to use for my short doc. I tried to link the Facebook page which I started on Quill but this message box wouldn't let me. Anyhow, I'd love to talk and for you to be part of this thing. Amanda
@iRantQuiteOften Yah, man that ol kodachrome and ektachrome super8 film was amazing...the colors!! I have shit from the '50's of my granfolks, aside from the cars and clothing styles, it looks like it could be from last week!!
That's not completely true either, you do have some control to live however you choose, to become whoever you want to be. People can still get together and have a good time. And we do still have the choice as to who or what may influence us. I don't have what state of life you're in, but this is how I live mine. And the day you give up on what you believe in your heart is the day you die. But it's all your choice. You can do be or say anything you want to, if you want to.
corporatism has taken over and all concerts are now in controlled venues open air or otherwise.People had passion and were not afraid to express themselves in spirit,mind,emotions and BODY!!!Nowadays the word "cool" has conditioned most to feel stiff inside out!Now they have to go to therapy because they don't know how to BE!!Sitting behind their computer gadgets is the new "life fulfillment",lol!!!!We were more spontaneous and natural back then!
i was born in a wrong place in a wrong time. i hate this, i can't go anywhere cause if i don't answer my phone everybody is already like 'what happened ?!' or 'you don't use facebook ? what's wrong ? everybody does !' is that so wrong that i don't like to waste my time ? or that i hate walking the street and seeing everybody wearing the same clothes ? everybody looks the same. they can't have a normal party, just go crazy cause they need to take a nice photo of them, and post it
Note: Very very few over weight people to be seen. If any. And that is because of a number of reasons. Far less process foods, people were far far more socially active, and society wasn't yet trained by mass media campaigns to turn society into over-weight lazy low brow slobs.
Why do you generalize & compare generations at all,are you insecure ? what makes you a representative who speaks on behalf of millions.I just don't get this "were better" BS.The elders of that period or previous generations considered Woodstock goers & the like the beginning of the end,counter culture,boneheads.Every Gen. is the coolest,ever notice that ? All generations do the best with what they have in their time including todays,cave men were more spontaneous than you
