Pick your top 5 Woodstock performers

[The Dean]

The stories regarding some of the talent that didn't show is pretty interesting. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Bob Dylan, The Stones. All invited but for reasons didn't show up.

 

Iron Butterfly.

 

They were stuck at LaGuardia Airport. There is an apocryphal story of them trying to get to the concert that goes something like this:

 

Iron Butterfly were stuck at LaGuardia Airport in New York and couldn't get to the festival by ground transportation, so they demanded the festival promoters send a helicopter for them. As the story goes, the promoters sent the band’s manager a telegram, the first letter of each line spelling out the words “F*** You.” Iron Butterfly never arrived at the festival.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/woodstock-trivia_n_4334870.html

[Chef Jim]

 

 

Iron Butterfly.

 

They were stuck at LaGuardia Airport. There is an apocryphal story of them trying to get to the concert that goes something like this:

 

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/woodstock-trivia_n_4334870.html

 

Jethro Tull

 

"I asked our manager Terry Ellis, 'Well, who else is going to be there?' And he listed a large number of groups who were reputedly going to play, and that it was going to be a hippie festival," Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson once told SongFacts, "and I said, 'Will there be lots of naked ladies? And will there be taking drugs and drinking lots of beer, and fooling around in the mud?' Because rain was forecast. And he said, 'Oh, yeah.' So I said, 'Right. I don't want to go.' Because I don't like hippies, and I'm usually rather put off by naked ladies unless the time is right."

 

 

[Gugny]

Jethro Tull

 

"I asked our manager Terry Ellis, 'Well, who else is going to be there?' And he listed a large number of groups who were reputedly going to play, and that it was going to be a hippie festival," Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson once told SongFacts, "and I said, 'Will there be lots of naked ladies? And will there be taking drugs and drinking lots of beer, and fooling around in the mud?' Because rain was forecast. And he said, 'Oh, yeah.' So I said, 'Right. I don't want to go.' Because I don't like hippies, and I'm usually rather put off by naked ladies unless the time is right."

Ian Anderson-related, but not Woodstock-related. Years ago (late 80s), Tull was playing a concert at the RPI Fieldhouse in Troy. Anderson asked the local classic rock radio station (WPYX 106.5) to announce throughout the day that he requested that the people in attendance NOT sing along to their songs. He felt that it was disruptive and wondered how they could enjoy listening to the music if they were singing along. Total dick move, in my opinion.

[The Poojer]

I think Chef can attest, but this isn't too dissimilar to Robert Fripp and King Crimson, especially on this tour, trying to dictate how to enjoy the concerts...sure i get photos and recordings can distract from live shows, but you almost felt as if you had to sit on your hands and show "proper respect" to Fripp & Co. We buy the records, we pay for the tickets for the show, we buy merchandise...be thankful people are willing to show up and support you, don't tell us how to watch your show.

 

Ian Anderson-related, but not Woodstock-related. Years ago (late 80s), Tull was playing a concert at the RPI Fieldhouse in Troy. Anderson asked the local classic rock radio station (WPYX 106.5) to announce throughout the day that he requested that the people in attendance NOT sing along to their songs. He felt that it was disruptive and wondered how they could enjoy listening to the music if they were singing along. Total dick move, in my opinion.

Edited December 26, 2014 by The Poojer

[Gugny]

I think Chef can attest, but this isn't too dissimilar to Robert Fripp and King Crimson, especially on this tour, trying to dictate how to enjoy the concerts...sure i get photos and recordings can distract from live shows, but you almost felt as if you had to sit on your hands and show "proper respect" to Fripp & Co. We buy the records, we pay for the tickets for the show, we buy merchandise...be thankful people are willing to show up and support you, don't tell us how to watch your show.

I am an amateur (at best) musician and I've written my own songs. It is a DREAM to have 10s of thousands of people to know the words to my song and sing it as I'm performing it. I would imagine most musicians ... even the pros ... feel the same way. I agree with your sentiment 100%.

[Rico]

I can only go 4 deep, too much is muddled together after the best of the best.

 

For that weekend:

1. Sly

2. Santana

3. Jimi

4. Ten Years After

 

 

For their career:

1. Dead

2. Neil (have no real use for CSN except for some Stills)

3. Who

4. Jimi

Edited December 27, 2014 by Rico

[The Dean]

Jethro Tull

 

"I asked our manager Terry Ellis, 'Well, who else is going to be there?' And he listed a large number of groups who were reputedly going to play, and that it was going to be a hippie festival," Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson once told SongFacts, "and I said, 'Will there be lots of naked ladies? And will there be taking drugs and drinking lots of beer, and fooling around in the mud?' Because rain was forecast. And he said, 'Oh, yeah.' So I said, 'Right. I don't want to go.' Because I don't like hippies, and I'm usually rather put off by naked ladies unless the time is right."

 

I heard Ian hated hippies and that's why he didn't go to Woodstock. But I had never heard this story. Very funny. Funnier still is that Ian Anderson looked very much like a dirty, drug-addled hippie, back then.

 

Ian Anderson-related, but not Woodstock-related. Years ago (late 80s), Tull was playing a concert at the RPI Fieldhouse in Troy. Anderson asked the local classic rock radio station (WPYX 106.5) to announce throughout the day that he requested that the people in attendance NOT sing along to their songs. He felt that it was disruptive and wondered how they could enjoy listening to the music if they were singing along. Total dick move, in my opinion.

I think Chef can attest, but this isn't too dissimilar to Robert Fripp and King Crimson, especially on this tour, trying to dictate how to enjoy the concerts...sure i get photos and recordings can distract from live shows, but you almost felt as if you had to sit on your hands and show "proper respect" to Fripp & Co. We buy the records, we pay for the tickets for the show, we buy merchandise...be thankful people are willing to show up and support you, don't tell us how to watch your show.

 

I'm of two minds about this sort of thing. I understand people want to go to a concert to have fun. And sometimes that fun translates to standing and dancing, and singing along. But others, who also paid money to see the concert, go to hear (and see) the artist perform (no this isn't a Prince reference)--not the drunk guy/girl next to them. And while there is a time in a concert to stand, having people stand in front of you the entire time can be quite a pain in the ass. Fortunately, in most venues, for most bands, the crowd figures this stuff out on their own. But other times rude audience behavior can really kill a concert, IMO.

 

I think there are some decent ways to handle this, and some over-the-top obnoxious ways. For example, at the Tralf, the David Grisman Quintet was performing. There were tents on the tables that said something to the effect of: This is an acoustic, instrumental show. Please be courteous and keep conversations to a minimum." I thought that was a perfectly reasonable way to deal with the situation. There is nothing more disrespectful to the artist, and to other patrons, than ignoring the music and gabbing the entire time the performer is playing. Some were put off by this, but I was happy as hell. When I go to see/hear music I want to listen to it without being subjected to extraneous conversations. That's not to say there is no room for any talking, but be reasonable. I can't believe people go to hear music and talk the entire time.

 

On the other side of the coin, Keith Jarrett (an extremely talented jazz pianist) as been known to walk off stage and end concerts because he heard people in the audience cough. For the most part, I don't think they are coughing on purpose. These are humans, and not automatons, for goodness sake.

 

Part of this is venue-related, I think. When you go to an outdoor festival, you don't expect proper behavior of any sort (or you shouldn't). But if you are in a proper concert hall, a different code of behavior should apply. Part of this is band/genre related. Don't go to a Dead concert expecting people to sit down and listen---ain't going to happen. But if you go to see complex music, that needs to be LISTENED to, you shouldn't have to deal with some idiot who thinks his singing/dancing is just as important than the artist's.

 

For some reason, Saint Augustine concert crowds are unbelievable. The most enthusiastic and appreciative audiences I have ever experienced. I was quite shocked the first few times I experienced it. When I saw Steely Dan for the first time in St Augustine (I'd seen SD many times before, elsewhere), I was a bit disturbed by the crowd singing along and dancing the entire concert. But it was hard to be mad, as they were clearly having the time of their life---and the band loved it. (Fagen in his recent book, where he trashes many of the audiences for The Dukes of September, actually mentioned how good the St Augustine audience was.) So, despite my desire for everyone to STFU and LISTEN, I had to go with the flow and enjoy it for what it was. Still, I prefer the crowd not sing-along, except for a song or two when it clearly is what the band wants.

Edited December 27, 2014 by The Dean

[Gugny]

Part of this is venue-related, I think. When you go to an outdoor festival, you don't expect proper behavior of any sort (or you shouldn't). But if you are in a proper concert hall, a different code of behavior should apply. Part of this is band/genre related. Don't go to a Dead concert expecting people to sit down and listen---ain't going to happen. But if you go to see complex music, that needs to be LISTENED to, you shouldn't have to deal with some idiot who thinks his singing/dancing is just as important than the artist's.

 

Excellent points. I saw Waters perform The Wall at MSG. Two guys in front of me kept standing up, fist pumping and bobbing their heads. After about 20 minutes, I politely asked them to sit down and enjoy the show ... like the other 18,998 of us who'd paid a schit load of money to enjoy it. They said, "it's a concert, man!" To which I replied, "Yes, but it's not a Poison concert. Please try to understand." Everyone within an earshot echoed my sentiment and they finally sat down like big boys.

[The Dean]

Excellent points. I saw Waters perform The Wall at MSG. Two guys in front of me kept standing up, fist pumping and bobbing their heads. After about 20 minutes, I politely asked them to sit down and enjoy the show ... like the other 18,998 of us who'd paid a schit load of money to enjoy it. They said, "it's a concert, man!" To which I replied, "Yes, but it's not a Poison concert. Please try to understand." Everyone within an earshot echoed my sentiment and they finally sat down like big boys.

 

 

Excellent.

[The Poojer]

I get all this, I really do, we as rock/music fans grow older and allegedly more mature, but in my overly simplistic mind, rock music(especially) is not meant to be enjoyed while sitting down and behaving. I was at Waters' The Wall in Philly and the only people sitting were those that had partaken a bit too much.

 

Excellent points. I saw Waters perform The Wall at MSG. Two guys in front of me kept standing up, fist pumping and bobbing their heads. After about 20 minutes, I politely asked them to sit down and enjoy the show ... like the other 18,998 of us who'd paid a schit load of money to enjoy it. They said, "it's a concert, man!" To which I replied, "Yes, but it's not a Poison concert. Please try to understand." Everyone within an earshot echoed my sentiment and they finally sat down like big boys.

[Chef Jim]

When i go to shows now I am up front against the stage so I have to stand. It's a blast up there. It's like a club up there. I've seen the same people up front at completely different shows.

[Gugny]

I get all this, I really do, we as rock/music fans grow older and allegedly more mature, but in my overly simplistic mind, rock music(especially) is not meant to be enjoyed while sitting down and behaving. I was at Waters' The Wall in Philly and the only people sitting were those that had partaken a bit too much.

I find it interesting that the behavior between the two venues was so different. Mind you, there were times when the crowd stood. But I would say for about 80% of the show at least 90% of the crowd was seated. That's not the norm for any other concerts I've been to. For most of them, I'm on my feet for the vast majority. Other than the Wall show, the only concert that comes to mind that I was seated the majority of the time was the Allman Bros.

 

When i go to shows now I am up front against the stage so I have to stand. It's a blast up there. It's like a club up there. I've seen the same people up front at completely different shows.

Last front row show I did was my first Jane's Addiction concert back in 1997. I lasted 4 songs and moved back for fear of dying.

[Chef Jim]

 

Last front row show I did was my first Jane's Addiction concert back in 1997. I lasted 4 songs and moved back for fear of dying.

 

I've never been worried at all. Maybe it's the types of shows I've been up front at. The B word is you have to get their early to get in line.

 

[The Poojer]

I'm with you, within reason, I prefer to be in the middle of all the fun, up front, wherever it may be at a show. At 51 you'll never catch me in any sort of moshpit, but i never did that in my teens, twenty's etc...i love going to live shows, i also know when to 'behave' at shows, for example, saw The Hold Steady twice this year, once at the XPonential Festival and was up front totally groovin' and getting into the music, over the summer saw them at a more intimate setting where sitting was expected...that said, we were all doing the seat dance....

 

I've never been worried at all. Maybe it's the types of shows I've been up front at. The B word is you have to get their early to get in line.

[Chef Jim]

I'm with you, within reason, I prefer to be in the middle of all the fun, up front, wherever it may be at a show. At 51 you'll never catch me in any sort of moshpit, but i never did that in my teens, twenty's etc...i love going to live shows, i also know when to 'behave' at shows, for example, saw The Hold Steady twice this year, once at the XPonential Festival and was up front totally groovin' and getting into the music, over the summer saw them at a more intimate setting where sitting was expected...that said, we were all doing the seat dance....

 

It's never a mosh pit at the shows I go to. Everyone for the most part respects your space up there. And you know the shows I go to. I've git tix to four of them the next couple months.

[The Poojer]

i absolutely do know the shows you go to, I am a big fan of your concert escapades. I may do Dark Star Orchestra Monday, would love to Mule over the first couple days of the new year. My kids got me 3 tickets for the Who Turns 50 tour, which at this point is the last date of the tour, possibly forever(?). Absolutely cannot wait for that!

 

It's never a mosh pit at the shows I go to. Everyone for the most part respects your space up there. And you know the shows I go to. I've git tix to four of them the next couple months.

[Chef Jim]

i absolutely do know the shows you go to, I am a big fan of your concert escapades. I may do Dark Star Orchestra Monday, would love to Mule over the first couple days of the new year. My kids got me 3 tickets for the Who Turns 50 tour, which at this point is the last date of the tour, possibly forever(?). Absolutely cannot wait for that!

 

I'm going to Gov't Mule, Umphrey's, Widespread Panic and Yonder Mountain String Band. Will try and be up front for all of them. It's great there is a bar across the street from The Fox so I run I over there to get a drink while I'm waiting in line.

[Gugny]

I'm going to Gov't Mule, Umphrey's, Widespread Panic and Yonder Mountain String Band. Will try and be up front for all of them. It's great there is a bar across the street from The Fox so I run I over there to get a drink while I'm waiting in line.

What is this ... a reincarnation of the overrated bands thread?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(kidding)

[Beerball]

 

I am an amateur (at best) musician and I've written my own songs. It is a DREAM to have 10s of people to know the words to my song

your "crooning" over your lost love (JB) hardly qualifies as a song, but, I do give you props for daring to dream.

[Tony P]

Alvin Lee's "Goin' Home" lead solo = better living through chemistry. Dude was lightning.