After efforts to stage a massive event celebrating Woodstock’s 50th anniversary failed to materialize, the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York’s Catskills region became the only game…
’s 50th anniversary failed to materialize, the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York’s Catskills region became the only game in town. For months, organizers quietly promoted a weekend of concerts that would put the focus on the 1969 event and its musical and cultural importance — without the drama, and with no shame about appealing almost exclusively to nostalgic instincts.
Before going into his 1969 song “Coming Into Los Angeles,” which appeared in the “Woodstock” movie directed by Michael Wadleigh and on the triple-disc soundtrack album, Guthrie said he wasn’t featured on stage during the movie because his microphone was off for the first part of the number. “There are a lot of cutaways of people smoking dope” during the song, he added. “They couldn’t synch it.”
& His All-Starr Band were booked as the headliner. Of course, the Beatles did not appear at Woodstock, but the drummer has made a solo career of extolling peace-and-love homilies, so he was a somewhat appropriate choice.band that rocketed to fame after their incendiary performance of “Soul Sacrifice” appeared in the movie and on the concert album.
Winter reprised a number he did with Johnny, “Tobacco Road,” and also dusted off his 1973 hits “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride.” Winter, reccognizable as ever with his trademark long white hair, moved deftly from keyboards to saxophone to drums, all while singing in a piercing falsetto. The two highlights were the crowd singalongs to “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help from My Friends” — or, as the air-guitar playing cockney referred to it on stage, “With a Little Help from Me Friends” — even though, surprisingly, Starr did not mention that the latter Beatles song was memorably covered by Joe Cocker at Woodstock.
The fight over the Woodstock property kept Bethel Woods at bay until the local officials finally decided to parcel it off to Cablevision founder Alan Gerry. Many locals felt the property should remain untouched, a landmark to that epochal ’60s moment. Back across the road at the sprawling Bethel Woods concert venue , a new group of aging concertgoers, many wearing tie-dye shirts with the Woodstock dove emblazoned on them, were readying for the Day 3 concert featuring Santana and the Doobie Brothers, who are currently on tour together. A light rain sprinkled between 6 pm and 7 pm.
Led by co-founders Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, the Doobie Brothers offered a perfunctory set of mostly hits like “Black Water,” “Long Running” and “Listen to the Music,” omitting the No. 1 “What a Fool Believes” and other numbers sung by the absent Michael McDonald. The show ended on a dubious note: Santana’s version of the Youngbloods’ hippie anthem “Get Together.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tyler Cameron & Gigi Hadid Spotted Buying Wine During Weekend GetawayThe two took a trip to upstate New York after going on a handful of dates in the city.
Read more »
This fall upscale travelers are hunting for new adventures. Here is where they are finding them.Tried-and-true destinations remain popular but a number of new destinations are emerging as the rich seek out more private, low-key travel experience or travel with family on multigenerational trips.
Read more »
Pregnant Allison Holker and Stephen 'tWitch' Boss Reveal Sex of BabyAllison Holker and Stephen 'tWitch' Boss are having a...
Read more »
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas Stun For Joe Jonas’s James Bond-Themed Birthday PartyThe couple went all out with their birthday party looks.
Read more »
The low-key, Harley-riding senator Democrats are leaning on to win the majoritySen. Gary Peters is counting on his understated style to win reelection over star GOP recruit John James.
Read more »
Woodstock 1969: Photos From the FestivalCheck out some of the best photos from the original Woodstock festival in 1969 📸
Read more »