Peace, Love, and Music. The Woodstock Music Festival focused on these three things. Young people came from all over the country to go to Bethel, New York in 1969 to listen to many influential musicians perform. With about 400,000 participants, the venue was packed with not only people, but with drugs, sex, and alcohol. In the end, the concert-goers left with a different view of their lives and had developed a new philosophy of understanding, peace, and love. Although there were many obstacles in the planning, producing, and carrying out the event, Woodstock was a success in that it played a significant role in bringing young people together as one culture through community and music, and it became the symbol of the 1960’s American counterculture. …show more content…
The food supply was not enough for the huge mass of people. Likewise, sharing 600 portable bathrooms and inadequate water facilities was very hard with over 300,000 people. None of the organizers were prepared for the wave of bodies that formed. Many of the audience members got sick from a drug overdose, so to help get them out them concert, they hired helicopters to fly them out, because traffic was blocking all the streets. Casting an even blacker blanket over the happenings was the death of 17-year-old Raymond Mizak, who was run over by a tractor Saturday morning when he was laying in his sleeping bag. There was another death on Sunday from a drug overdose. This caused a lot of negative attitudes toward the …show more content…
For example, they focused on the fact that there were a lot of illegal drugs at Woodstock. The media made it seem like 99% of the festival-goers were smoking or doing drugs (Sheehy, 243). In addition, the young people who made Woodstock so historic were not interviewed by the reporters covering the story. There were 3 young people interviewed, however, none of them talked about the cultural impact it had on them. The public nudity and casual sex was noted in Woodstock news reports. This reflected the points of tension between the older and younger generations, where the older Americans saw it as a threat to the social order (Sheehy, 243).
However, some news reports took time to focus on cultural impacts of the festival. The Times magazine quoted one of the promoters, Michael Lang, in a sidebar. He talked about how the youth culture “came out of the alleys and the streets.” He recognized that the youth wanted and valued more than material things: “they valued each other” (Sheehy, 243). They also quoted another promoter, John Roberts: “. . . we felt that a cultural exposition created by youth could be of inestimable value in bridging the gap” (Sheehy,
Most were killed either in the crash to exit the building or overcome by fumes while trying to find an exit. The immediate cause was well documented due to witness reports and a videotape that was taken during the concert. In the period that followed the tragedy, there were many attempts to fix blame. Following a Grand Jury investigation, several of the parties involved pleaded guilty to violations of the law and served or are currently sentenced in prison. The Station
The 1960’s was a radical decade filled with political tensions, social strife, and overall cultural intrigue. The beginning of the decade allowed for the transition from President Eisenhower to President Kennedy, the youngest President to take office, and the first Roman Catholic. The move represented a shift from a Republican to Democratic administration in the Oval Office. Kennedy became a symbol for the young vibrancy of the American populous, as he was quickly accepted by the grand majority. After Kennedy was assassinated and Lyndon B. Johnson took office, the nation was further engulfed in the war that would come to define America for years to come. The Republican Party regained office as Richard Nixon was elected in his second attempt to run as the decade came to a close. Activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X paved the way for the civil rights movement that swept the nation and captivated the spirit of not only black Americans, but white Americans as well. The race between the United States of America and The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for domination of space escalated as Kennedy pushed for a man on the moon by the close of the decade, achieved in 1969. The possibility of nuclear war became all too real in 1962 as the launch of nuclear missiles became an abundantly clear possibility. The drug culture emerged in the 1960’s in large part due to the newfound accessibility of illegal drugs, such as marijuana and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, or LSD. American society was entrenched in the chaotic desire for new, improved highs. The profound ascent of the drug culture was truly realized when the 3-day music festival, Woodstock, took place in 1969, as “sex, drugs and rock n’ roll” symbolized America’s...
...g force. One thing that I am certain of is that Woodstock, like any icon, should have never been duplicated. They attempted this in 1994 and again in 1999. Sequels never measure up to the original. People even try to imitate icons with no success. Madonna and Anna Nicole Smith both tried to be Marilyn Monroe, but there is only one Marilyn. To be able to recreate Woodstock, you would also have to be able to recreate Vietnam, The Civil Rights Movement, and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. The fact that Woodstock can’t be copied is what makes it an Icon. I only wish that I could have been there.
Despite the negative portrayal in mainstream 1960s media, justifications expressed by counterculture activists for further investigation, education and experimentation under government control of LSD were rational and valid arguments. Sex, drugs, protests, war, political upheaval, cultural chaos, and social rebellion; the many comforts TV dinner eating, republican voting, church going, suburbia conformists tried to escape through conservative ideals, town meetings, and The Andy Williams Family Hour. National consciousness in the 1960s United States was alive, but existed differently in every mind it dwelled, and stirred uninterrupted in every life to which it was introduced. A dream of money, success, and a house with a white picket fence still existed within the pandemonium of the nation and many still relished in the idea of “Americanism.” Television was a base for a magnitude of world news and national information.
Woodstock became a symbol for a whole generation by the coming together of the political environment, the pop culture, and the current events of the time. The ‘baby boomers’ were searching for ways to separate themselves from their parents’ generation and see themselves as a more loving, compassionate, tolerant group of people. Woodstock came at a time of the youths desperation for authority and gave them beliefs they could live with. They wanted to revolt against the political chaos that they had been enduring during this memorable decade, and Woodstock was a symbol of this for the youth.
Since the early twentieth century, the role of music contests and festivals has been integral to the growth and development of school band programs, and parallel to this role has been the discussion of the function of competition in these events. In a study of the first national band tournament Holz (1960) asserted that “[The contest] provided the occasion and the reason for the merging of musical, educational, and commercial efforts in a common cause – the simultaneous democratization and artistic improvement of instrumental music in schools”. Joseph E. Maddy, the first full time Supervisor of Music in Rochester, New York, spoke favorably of the early band contests; “The radical changes in instrument manufacturing, band publications, and improved performance standards which occurred would have taken one hundred years had it not been for the contest movement” (Fonder, 1983). Despite the positive responses from Holz and Maddy, Birge (1966) reported, “ Early in the contest movement educators felt that the intensely competitive factor lessened the educational value of the events”. Music educators of this period were also critical of the (1) contest format, (2) eligibility requirements, (3) adjudication procedures, and (4) the emphasis on “winning” (Payne, 1997). The positive and negative traits of these early band contests have been reported by many (Burdett, 1985; Moore. 1972; Hansen, 2004; Holz, 1960; Humphreys, 1981; Whitehill, 1969; Yarberry, 1979), but the role of competition and contests continues to divide the music profession philosophically and serve as a catalyst for debate when discussing their place in music education.
Another explanation could be that “they were inundated with news about issues such as the House Un-American Activities Committee Hearings, Communism, atomic and hydrogen bomb testing, Emmett Till, Brown versus the Board of Education, Sputnik, and the 2 Kinsey Report”(Goostree, Michele Leigh). Youth In Revolt. How Suburban Youth of the 1950s Rejected the Contradictions of an Affluent Society in Favor of Apocalyptic Zombies and Chicken Runs (7,8). People can be influenced and traumatized easily if they’re forced to handle strenuous events. This may have contributed to juvenile delinquency.
With a country in shambles as a result of the Vietnam War, thousands of young men and women took their stand through rallies, protests, and concerts. A large number of young Americans opposed the war; with a common feeling of anti-war, thousands of youths united as one. This new culture of opposition spread like wild fire with alternative lifestyles blossoming, people coming together and reviving their communal efforts, demonstrated in the Woodstock Art and Music festival. The use of drugs, mainly marijuana, became a staple in the community of anti-war youths. The countercultures’ radical views and actions caused American society to turn its head and look to the young. They set themselves out as a group and were going to stand up for their rights as well as the rights of mankind.
When the word "Woodstock" is mentioned, what do you think of? Perhaps you think of the little yellow bird from the Peanuts cartoons, or maybe you think of a small town in New York. However, you also might know that Woodstock was the largest and most famous of all rock festivals.
During the turbulent era of the 1960s, youth excelled boundaries and expectations to adequately improve the world. Throughout this time, many individuals were trying to juggle the conflicts between racism, sexism, and the turning point in the Vietnam War, the Tet Offensive. This battle occurred in 1968, and was a watershed moment in the Vietnam War that ultimately turned many Americans against bloodshed. “The total casualties – dead, wounded, and missing in action – had grown from 2,500 in 1965 and would top 80,000 by the end of 1967” (Willbanks 6). Destruction from the poignant fighting convinced rising numbers of Americans that the expense of United States’ commitment was too immense. The Anti-War movement gained momentum as student protesters and countercultural hippies condemned this kind of violence. As a result, many American citizens attended a three-day concert, Woodstock, because they desperately needed a place to be rescued from the brutality and turmoil. A young member of “The Beatles,” John Lennon, created music that was essential for the success of antiwar uprisings, as well as Woodstock attendees who justify the purpose of attending. Woodstock abruptly became a compelling icon; a turn of events where even all of the world’s calamities could not conquer the notions of peace, harmony, and cultural expression driven by young Americans to assert their voices as a generation, by genuine music and proclaims made by Woodstock celebrators.
Along with the peak of several movements music began to reach a point of climax. Rock specifically began to flourish in the 1960’s, while expressing the voice of the liberated generation. It is the power of such trends that overall lead to what is known as the greatest music festival of all time: Woodstock Music and Art Fair. The festival started on August 15, 1969 on Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York. Appealing to the time period, Woodstock was designed to be Three Days of Peace and Music. However, many argue that it was more than just a musical art fair of peace, but a historically significant event that shifted American culture. While some regard Woodstock as the beginning of a cultural advancement and the end of a naïve era, others view it as ridiculous hippy festival infested with illegal drug usage. Woodstock cost over $2.4 million and attracted over 450,000 people (Tiber, 1). Despite the debate of whether Woodstock produced a positive or negative effect, it is clear that a note worthy impact was made. When discussing the overall impact of Woodstock it is important to look at the influences and creative plan and the positive and negative effects produced from the festival.
When the documentary was produced, media exposure was limited to private and expensive mediums such as television, movies and radio. These outlets were plagued with marketing agendas designed to sell products under the guise of authentic music and entertainment. Formerly non-existent cultural archetypes such as the boy band, pop diva, and gothic artist were created and promoted by corporations with the intent to profit from their fame. This systematic fabrication of teenage culture was achieved through the monopolization of popular media by people and companies with money. This created a narrow and one-dimensional mainstream cultural media, limiting the prefere...
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