Bring Back Woodstock: Hippiefest 2008
If there is one thing I regret about my teenage years, it is that they did not take place in the late 60’s. To me, there has always been something so incredibly inspiring about the 60’s- granted they were not easy times, but they were progressive times. Times filled with life, character, and crazy ideas that, in the scheme of things, were not so crazy after all. There was color, and energy, and awakenings in music, art, and literature the likes of which most of what there is today cannot touch. It was the time of the hippie, and lord do I wish I had been alive to soak it all in.
Luckily, for throwbacks like myself, and other ex-hippies yearning to surround themselves in a sea of tie-dye, Bethel Woods holds an annual Hippiefest, celebrating the sounds of the sixties and commemorating the festival that took place so many years ago.
For anyone who has not been to Bethel Woods (the site of the original 1969 Woodstock) within the past few years, it is important to note that the grounds are nothing remotely close to their original state. In 1996, Sullivan County resident Alan Gerry purchased land in Bethel, including Yasgur’s farm. What proceeded within the next ten years was a whirlwind of planning and creativity, which resulted in a complete renovation of the grounds and the addition of a massive Center For The Arts, including a concert pavilion, great lawn, Common Grounds Café, and interactive Woodstock Museum, all of which are nothing short of visually stunning.
Nothing however, not even the overwhelming beauty of the Center’s massive stone fireplace, or the hundreds of wild flowers which spurted from the ground’s immaculately kept lawns, could come close to the magnificence of the music we heard that night. Starting the concert off was Terry Sylvester, formerly of the sixties Brit-Rock band The Hollies. Armed with an acoustic guitar and charming British vocals, Sylvester delivered a set of sunny sweet pop rock, the likes of which have been greatly missed in this age of constant rap nonsense and alternative angst.
After a set of five songs or so, Sylvester departed and Bad Finger took the stage, instantly bringing back the classic rock sound that the sixties became known for. While I had heard of the band before, I was honestly not familiar with any of their music, causing me to sit in a stupor throughout their entire set, taking in this beautiful rock madness I was experiencing, and silently hating myself for never having known about it sooner.
The talent kept progressing from there, bringing forth Melanie, an original Woodstock performer known especially for her songs “Beautiful People” and “Brand New Key,” both of which she sang with a voice and spirit so vivacious and strong you’d never have known she had aged a good 40 years since the last time she performed at Bethel. Accompanied by her youngest son, whose ability to play the guitar could have easily landed him a solo career of his own, Melanie delivered life, wit, and passion through the means of an acoustic guitar. I truly admired her.
Next was the Turtles, engaging the audience in a trip down memory lane as they recalled their past sixties experiences, comparing their drug preferences of then to their drug preferences of now, an example of which can be summed up with their statement: “Back then we took so many drugs trying to kill ourselves, and no we’re taking so many drugs trying to keep ourselves alive!” They then proceeded to slam out a solid set of happy-go-lucky rock, leaving the entire audience on their feet, dancing and singing along to “So Happy Together.”
Time stopped for me however, when Jack Bruce of Cream took the stage. Starting off with an achingly beautiful acoustic piece, he transitioned into “Sunshine of Your Love” and everything just exploded from that point forward. I was on the edge of my seat, so absorbed by that familiar bass line, those crashing drums, and that INSANE electric guitar solo. There were moments when I was so mesmerized by the musical brilliance that was taking place only a few feet from my awe-struck eyes, that I felt as though I was experiencing these jam sessions from another realm; like I was undergoing an out of body experience of musical proportions! After “Sunshine”, Bruce continued in this manner, flooring me with three other amazing pieces, re-defining the definition of “rocking out” by the time he put down his guitar and walked off the stage, leaving the audience in a frenzy, and leaving me unable to find any words other than “Holyyyy…WOW.”
While Jack Bruce’s performance still stands as my favorite, it was Eric Burdon and The Animals who wrapped up the night with a tremendous display of energy, passion, and fun, diving into lengthy jam sessions where electric guitars and bass guitars reeled with drums, and bells, and Burdon’s strong vocals. They lit up the stage and created such a tremendous surge of excitement within the crowd. It was mind-boggling; truly an experience I will never forget.
As I type this I can’t even find the words to properly describe the extent of the musical genius I witnessed within those four hours, crowded under the Bethel Woods pavilion, imagining a time when my row of seats was an open field where people danced, and sang, and felt the music in a way that has since been lost.
I sat in that audience, surrounded by men and women who were dominantly in their 50’s and 60’s, yet the way they responded to the music, you would never be able to tell. I saw the music melt away the layers of age that life had brought them, until we were all just a bunch of ageless fools, singing, dancing, and embracing the sounds we were hearing. There in the music, we were timeless.
