This Day in History: Woodstock

On August 16, 1969, a young generation converged on a small 600-acre farm in upstate New York. During the sometimes rainy weekend, thirty-two acts performed outdoors in front of 500,000 concert-goers. The following year, the release of the documentary "Woodstock" brought the event to hundreds of thousands more, bringing the experience to those who missed the "3 days of peace and music" in person, and cementing the concert in the minds of Americans as one of the defining moments in popular music history and an embodiment of a generational spirit.

Like a good literature, the experience of watching the film changes with multiple viewings, and especially at different ages. When I was young and my father read Huckleberry Fin to me, I thought it a thrilling tale of boyhood adventure. When I later read it in college, it revealed itself as a portrait of race and racism in the American South. Likewise, when I saw the documentary as a 16-year-old brimming with idealism and romanticism, I connected to the music, clothing, and the "don't trust anyone over 30" attitudes of the flower children. To me, they were teens like me, and I so wanted a VW bus--especially a window van--and wanted to paint flowers and peace signs on the sides and drive around the country with my lover and "do our own thing" without "hassle." Like many of those who actually attended Woodstock, I looked at the concert as a model of getting along and a loving one another. 

Now, watching the film, I pick up on the lines about how the promoters lost millions of dollars. I see the hippies in line at the porta-a-potties and think about the behind the scenes coordination of getting those toilets there and the guy who is cleaning them and how many of the stoned concert goers would stop to think of what was being provided them. I see the shots of how trashed the field was and much garbage was left, soggy sleeping bags, and stray socks and water mellon rinds. In this light, it's easy to see the wasteful excess of the Baby Boomers, their self-centeredness wrapped in self-richousness and, saddest of all, blinded by naivety. My idolization of the Woodstock goers swung toward resentment. 

As I grow older, my opinion on Woodstock continues to evolve. As Joni Mitchell said, "I look at clouds from both sides now." (She was originally slated to perform, but canceled at the urging of her manager to avoid missing a scheduled appearance on The Dick Cavett Show.) Woodstock was a truly unique and significant event in American history, for both good and bad reasons. It captures the essences of a privileged generation's attempt to "change the world" by sitting on their asses, getting stoned, and listening to music. But, it also captures a moment of fun, freedom, and youthful energy that arguably hasn't been manifested so succinctly at one singe place at one single time. (The 20th anniversary of Woodstock, in comparison, was thoroughly forgettable.)  

My favorite part of the whole film was the skinny dipping in the lake. That really seemed to capture, to me, an openness and love amongst people. 

If I had a time machine and could go back in time and check out Woodstock, would I? No doubt about it.