Woodstocked

I attended Woodstock 99, held ten years ago this week in Rome, New York.  The press portrayed it as the epitome of the decline of western civilization: bonfires, $4 bottled water in 90+ degree heat, rivers of human waste, rampant drug use, and general civil unrest.

Compare that to Woodstock 69: no bonfires, lack of drinking water, rain, rivers of human waste, rampant drug use, and general civility.  OK, so maybe some things do change over time.

While I was dismayed at the expense and over-commercialization of the 99 event, I wasn’t affected by the bonfires, and so my memories of the concert were mostly positive.

But check out this video, which provides a more cynical view (warning: adult language):

There is a new movie about the original 1969 Woodstock concert, and the trailer is now available.

The film Taking Woodstock tells the true story of Elliot Tiber, who helped organizer Michael Lang secure a concert permit for 1969 music festival in upstate New York.  The film was directed by Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and also stars Emile Hirsch, Liev Schreiber, Imelda Staunton and Eugene Levy as Max Yasgur, whose farmland became the stage for Woodstock.

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