The history of music festivals is often traced back to the late 1960s. Within the midst of American counterculture, young hippies were seeking to find themselves through the arts or… more alternative methods. The Woodstock Music Festival was seen as a culmination of the counterculture era, promising three days of peace and music. Honestly, what more do you need?
Historians look back at this event as one that captured a time when thousands of people gathered on a farm in upstate New York to watch the most prolific artists of the time perform in the name of peace and unity. The stage and venue might have been put together last minute, but that was part of the experience. Those three days in August 1969 were an escape from the ongoing tension and materialism that consumed American society.
With the 50th anniversary approaching this year, the announcement was made in January that the festival would return with the same promise of three days of music and peace. Michael Lang, one of the original promoters, is intending to recreate the feeling that was present 50 years ago. It’s an ambitious endeavor and it will undoubtedly be a challenge to regenerate that feeling of nostalgia that is much older than the typical festival-goer.
Part of what made Woodstock special was how distinctive it was. It was more of a gathering for the so-called hippies of the time on a dairy farm in New York that was isolated from the rest of the country and the world. It was also one of the first music festivals. There might have been jazz festivals in the 1950s, but they weren’t to the extent of Woodstock. It was also the first of its kind; you were either there or you weren’t.
Now, of course, music festivals are annual events that take place all over the country and attract a massive amount of people. The closest comparison is Coachella which promotes a similar nostalgic vibe (as long as you have a spare $500+ lying around). Taking place in mid-August, Woodstock 50 fits right in rather than sticking out and taking away some of its charm.
Social media has taken over the entire live music-listening experience. It is not uncommon to see a crowd full of cellphones pointed toward an artist on stage and recording a 10-second video to share on their Snapchat. Obviously social media did not exist back then, so it was already a more immersive experience to watch an artist perform. Now, it’s much more about sharing pictures of what you are wearing on Instagram and getting likes from strangers.
While Woodstock had already been revived many times before, they could never quite capture the same feeling. The festival has taken on many forms, from an indoor concert to a three-month tour across the United States. Woodstock in the ‘90s was a riot, to say the least. People threw mud at the stage, mosh pits frequently broke out and the American flag was set on fire while Rage Against the Machine played. This was not exactly the time for peace and love.
With a return to focus on activism through music, Woodstock 50 attempts to promote a similar feeling to the original festival. It was announced that the headliners would include The Killers, Miley Cyrus, Chance the Rapper, Jay-Z, Halsey and Cage the Elephant. Will this be the peaceful weekend it sets itself up to be or yet another corporate-funded festival?
Editors note: This article was published prior to the recent updates regarding Woodstock 50
