Woodstock 50 to come in August
Labeled as “three days of peace and music”, the infamous Woodstock music festival took place on August 15-18, 1969 on a dairy farm in the town of Bethel, New York. More than 400,000 people attended to enjoy the talents of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, The Who, and many more artists from the decade.
Those who think of Woodstock may think of the iconic impact it had on music history, accompanied by drugs and dirt during the festival. Well, now a new generation will be able to get the Woodstock experience, hopefully more cleanly and less drug-filled. The co-founder of the unforgettable music festival, Michael Lang, has announced a 50th anniversary concert in remembrance of the original Woodstock.
Named “Woodstock 50”, the festival will take place on August 16-18, 2019 in Watkins Glen, New York. According to a press release, the festival “will give generations of fans the opportunity to join together in the festival’s foundational intent of harmony and compassion.”
According to CBS News, organizers of the festival say more than 60 rock, hip-hop, pop, and country artists will be featured and “it will be primarily contemporary talent, but the legacy acts will be represented and honored,” according to Lang. Possible tributes include those to Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and Joe Cocker. The set list is scheduled for release when ticket sales begin.
Not only will this be a memorial concert for the legendary 1969 festival, but a way to bring attention to various political and social issues, similar to the original Woodstock decade when civil rights, women’s rights, and the antiwar movement were prominent during that time.
“We want this to be more than just coming to a concert,” Lang told The New York Times. “And hopefully a lot of the bands will become part of this effort to get people to stand up and make themselves heard, to get and out vote. And if they don’t have a candidate that represents their feelings, to find one — or to run themselves.”