Woodstock and Historical Memory

28 B Y G E O F F R E Y S T O R M How long does it take for historical memory to change a “brand”? maybe no more than a generation––as evidenced by two music festivals thirty years apart, both held in New York and both called Woodstock. uring the weekend and toppled sound towers. for miles. At least two deaths of August 15–18, Why did Woodstock ’99 were reported. The New York 1969, an estimated end in a riot? And what might Times ran an editorial, 400,000 people this suggest about our idealized “Nightmare in the Catskills,” descended upon vision of the original gathering? decrying rampant drug use Bethel, New York for an event at the festival and criticizing that was billed—and is still Selective Memory organizers for their “mis- remembered as—“three days Though it is celebrated as a management” and “lack of of peace and music.” But on defining moment of the 1960s responsibility.” “What kind of July 23–25, 1999 in Rome, counterculture, Woodstock ’69 culture is it that can produce New York, the final act of a was in fact a poorly organized so colossal a mess?” it asked. mega-concert intended to event. Organizers were Maurice Isserman, a pro- commemorate the anniversary unprepared for the number of fessor of history at Hamilton of Woodstock became an attendees. The entire week- College and co-author of inferno of destruction. end was plagued by food and America Divided: The Civil Vandalism, looting, and arson water shortages, inadequate War of the 1960s, attended marred the closing hours of sanitary facilities, and torrential Woodstock in 1969 and Woodstock ’99 as concertgoers rainfall that turned the concert suggests that the phenomenon set bonfires, flipped vehicles, site into a sea of mud. Heavy of historical memory—a torched and plundered con- congestion stalled traffic on subconscious shift in our cession tents, pillaged ATMs, the New York State Thruway perception of historical NEW YORK archives • FAll 2010 29 ©EllIOTT lANDY events—helps to account for cooperative, communal spirit calming effect. And I think that Woodstock’s illusionary legacy helped make Woodstock a made everyone more mellow as a transcendently wonderful success—at least in historical than at a place like a Strategic event. “Historical memory is memory—and underscores its Air Command base… .” Held selective,” he says. “[It] brings contrast to the ill-fated name- at the former Griffiss Air certain things to the fore and sake, although in the weeks Force Base, Woodstock ’99 tends to forget about other leading up to Woodstock ’99, was also commercially oriented, things. It reflects our present- Rome-area young people like with several corporate sponsors day anxieties [in] that we Sean Salce hoped for a sense as well as onsite retailers tend to look back and latch of déjà vu. “I just remember and modern technological on to certain moments…as how excited everybody was, amenities. To prevent gate- greater, more fulfilling time[s] and the sense of pride that crashing, the entire site was than our own.” started going through the surrounded by a brightly IMAGES AP The stage at Woodstock ’99. Tom Starr is a former rock community,” he says, “think- painted, twelve-foot-high radio personality and pro- ing that ‘hey, we’re going to plywood barrier called the Top: Joe Cocker’s band, grammer who was seventeen be a part of history here.’” “Peace Wall.” Inside the wall, Woodstock ’69. when he attended Woodstock. Kristy Clifford lives in Utica, a Woodstock’s own private “It was an absolute miracle few miles from the concert security force patrolled the that the event came off as site: “The name Woodstock grounds. There was a strong smoothly as it did,” he says, drew you in. You wanted to police presence, but under recalling Woodstock’s chaotic be a part…because for me, an agreement with concert conditions. “It was clear right growing up, all I heard about promoters uniformed law from the start that they didn’t was…Woodstock, Woodstock, enforcement officers remained have the scene…together… Woodstock.” outside the perimeter. and the only way it was going The disadvantages of to continue to be a good Trouble in Advance? Woodstock ’99’s location and scene was if everybody was The 1999 festival was a better- commercialism became as accommodating of one planned event than its apparent the first day of the another as they could be, and predecessor, but Isserman notes concert. Temperatures soared as peaceful as they could be, that the original Woodstock into the 90s and were esti- and made the best of it.” “had a different feel to it.” The mated at over 100° on the Indeed, the crowd’s pastoral setting “had a very tarmac, where thousands of www.nysarchivestrust.org 30 impending trouble during Kid eventually returned to the Rock’s set that afternoon. “He stage, and in a planned tribute started to encourage every- to Jimi Hendrix, the original body: ‘Whatever you have, Woodstock’s closing act, played pick it up and start throwing a version of his song “Fire.” it,’” whereupon bottles, cans, Salce remembers walking and debris filled the air. “I’ve across the concert grounds never been in a tornado,” Salce to investigate an “unnatural says, “but I think that may glow” in the darkening sky. have been the closest thing… As he made his way around that I hope I’ll ever experience.” an old hangar that separated Steve Reynolds worked the two main stage areas, he for MJI Broadcasting and was got his first “full glimpse of all assigned to Woodstock ’99 the trailers that were on fire, to report on the festival. He and all the separate bonfires ©ELLIOTT LANDY recalls that “Saturday was a that were set, cars being very testosterone-heavy, flipped over, the concession angry day of music,” which tents being completely over- featured acts like Limp Bizkit run.” Some fans ripped down packed-in fans listened to the (who were widely criticized sections of the Peace Wall, music. The high demand for for encouraging unruly fed them into the bonfires, water sapped pressure at the behavior). “I think that sent and began dancing around AP PHOTO/WILL WALDRON site’s drinking fountains, and an edge through the crowd the flames. hundreds of heat exhaustion that never really dissipated.” According to most cases were reported. “There accounts, the security team was water available on the Violence had dwindled throughout the grounds,” says attendee Mike The real problems began weekend, and by Sunday Kohli, “[but] it was very difficult during the Red Hot Chili night seemed to evaporate to get to…So then you were Peppers’ closing set on Sunday as the situation spun out of Fires burn through trailers and stuck with the $4 bottles of evening. Prior to the perfor- control. Kristy Clifford recalls debris at Woodstock ’99. water, which is what the mance, a group handed out seeing some members taking Top: Martin Scorsese (in hat, mantra of the whole weekend “pax candles” to be displayed off their security shirts in fear below) returns Max Yasgur’s peace was: $4 bottles of water.” in a peace demonstration. of the crowd turning on them. sign. Yasgur was owner of the farm Kristy Clifford remembers But the candles served a very A force of several hundred where Woodstock ’69 took place. that by the second day there different purpose in the hands New York State Police in riot was a noticeable deterioration of disgruntled fans. “You gear was called in to restore in the conditions of the site pretty much give them the order. Sean Salce was among and in the crowd’s mood. The ultimate thing to rebel with, the many fans hurriedly grounds were covered with which is fire,” Sean Salce says. seeking an exit as the police trash, portable toilets were “How do we erase the moved in, and remembers overflowing, and a palpable memory of how they screwed thinking, “This is going to get tension was in the air. “I me over in that tent for ugly. I didn’t know if we were couldn’t tell if it was the $4 bottles of water? Burn it going to get billy-clubbed, or excitement…from the event down.” The fires spread to a how they were going to try itself, or if it was people getting sound tower, and the Chili to calm the masses down.” fed up,” she says. “I did hear Peppers’ performance was The police quelled the riot, a lot of people complaining interrupted while the local fire there were no more serious about prices.” Sean Salce department attempted to ex- incidents, and the mayhem recalls that he first sensed tinguish the flames. The band resulted in only seven arrests NEW YORK archives • FAll 2010 31 Jewel, Woodstock ’99. T H E A R C H I V E S C O N N E C T I O N his article began as a Tradio documentary. You can listen to it at www.nysarchivestrust.org. AP IMAGES Click on New York Archives magazine, then “Fall 2010.” Much of my research involved conducting oral instead got him to send in history interviews and medical teams and food—it corroborating statements could have degenerated into a by consulting various media riot. If all these armed soldiers reports on the two events. in helmets suddenly showed Some of these reports up on the perimeter of Yasgur’s included archival audio from farm, who knows how we my personal collection, since would have remembered it.” I work for WIBX-AM in Utica, Nonetheless, it was imme- which covered Woodstock diately apparent that the ’99.

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