Woodstock Aug 15th, 16th 17th 1969

John Sebastian - I Had A Dream (Woodstock 1969)

Massive traffic jam in upstate New York on the morning of August 15, 1969.  Half a million people heading for Woodstock completely overwhelmed the roads.

Woodstock concertgoers begin arriving at Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, NY on August 14, 1969.

Max Yasgur, owner of the farm where Woodstock took place.  Looking over preparations for the festival with Michael Lang, August 14, 1969.

 

Joan Baez performing at Woodstock.  She was the last act to play on the first night, although she actually didn't start her set until early Saturday morning (August 16). Her perfectly arranged song selection combined with her beautiful voice was a fine finish for a chaotic and exhausting first day.   As she worked her way through her set list (below) it began drizzling, and as she finished and wished the audience a final "good morning", it started to rain heavily.

John Sebastian (Lovin Spoonful) wasn’t booked to play at Woodstock, but he happened to be backstage when organisers needed an acoustic artist to go onstage during a rain delay. He borrowed someone’s Harmony acoustic and stepped and sang to over half a million people!

Photo credit: Hulton Archive

On the third day of the festival, just before Joe Cocker's early afternoon set, Max Yasgur addressed the crowd:

"I'm a farmer. I don't know how to speak to twenty people at one time, let alone a crowd like this. But I think you people have proven something to the world — not only to the Town of Bethel, or Sullivan County, or New York State; you've proven something to the world. This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place. We have had no idea that there would be this size group, and because of that you've had quite a few inconveniences as far as water, food, and so forth. Your producers have done a mammoth job to see that you're taken care of... they'd enjoy a vote of thanks. But above that, the important thing that you've proven to the world is that a half a million kids — and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you are — a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I – God bless you for it!"

 

Martin Scorsese down in front inside the fence returning the peace sign to Max. 

Elliot Landy Photography

Woodstock CBS coverage 18-8-1969

Janis Joplin- Try (Live at Woodstock, 1969)