Woodstock

Woodstock Music was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace and Music", held at Max Yasgur's, dairy farm near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969.

Woodstock was initiated through the efforts of Michael Lang, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld. It was Roberts and Rosenman who had the finances. They placed the following advertisement in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal under the name of Challenge International, Ltd.: “Young men with unlimited capital looking for interesting, legitimate investment opportunities and business propositions.”

Lang and Kornfeld noticed the ad, and the four men got together originally to discuss a retreat-like recording studio in Woodstock, but the idea evolved into an outdoor music and arts festival, although even that was initially envisioned on a smaller scale, perhaps featuring some of the big name artists who lived in the Woodstock area (such as Bob Dylan and The Band). There were differences in approach among the four: Roberts was disciplined, and knew what was needed in order for the venture to succeed, while the laid-back Lang saw Woodstock as a new, relaxed way of bringing business people together.There were further doubts over the venture, as Roberts wondered whether to consolidate his losses and pull the plug, or to continue pumping his own finances into the project.

Woodstock Ventures made Warner Bros. an offer to make a movie about Woodstock. All Artie Kornfeld required was $100,000, on the basis that "it could have either sold millions or, if there were riots, be one of the best documentaries ever made," according to Kornfe

The late change in venue did not give the festival organizers enough time to prepare. At a meeting three days before the event organizers felt they had two options. One option was to improve the fencing and security which might have resulted in violence, the other involved putting all their resources into completing the stage which would cause Woodstock Ventures to take a financial hit. The crowd which was arriving in greater numbers and earlier than anticipated made the decision for them.[15] The fence was cut the night before the concert by UAW/MF Family[16] prompting many more to show up.

Performing artists

Friday, August 15

• Richie Havens

• Swami Satchidananda - gave the invocation for the festival

• Sweetwater

• The Incredible String Band

• Bert Sommer

• Tim Hardin

• Ravi Shankar

• Melanie

• Arlo Guthrie

• Joan Baez

Saturday, August 16

• Quill, forty-minute set of four songs

• Keef Hartley Band

• Country Joe McDonald

• John Sebastian

• Santana

• Canned Heat

• Mountain

• Grateful Dead

• Creedence Clearwater Revival

• Janis Joplin with The Kozmic Blues Band 

• Sly & the Family Stone

• The Who began at 4 a.m., kicking off a 25-song set including Tommy

• Jefferson Airplane

Sunday, August 17 to Monday, August 18

• The Grease Band

• Joe Cocker

• Country Joe and the Fish

• Ten Years After

• The Band

• Blood, Sweat & Tears

• Johnny Winter featuring his brother, Edgar Winter

• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

• Paul Butterfield Blues Band

• Sha-Na-Na

• Jimi Hendrix