What are your thoughts about the original Woodstock festival?

[IknowthatIdontKnow09]

Which line up was the best in your opinion... Maybe you were there or watched the movie?

[FunkyMonkee]

I was only 12 at the time and still believing what my parents told me about how "those people" were so, at that point, I hated it. Especially what Jimi did to the Anthem! Over the past 15 years, or so, I've been trying to put together the entire concert and finally succeeded just over a year ago!! Mine is even more complete than the 38 CD version they finally released about 5 years ago!! I'd still like to have a copy but, as I've said, mine's a good bit longer!
These days, even though I'm not exactly thrilled with the line-up they settled on (I would've chosen at least 40% different artists!), when I listen to the whole concert every year on the anniversary, I still revel in most of it and can't help thinking, "Those are MY people!" And, sometimes, Jimi's Anthem brings a tear to my eye because, NOW I understand what he was doing it that way for!!

The artists I wouldn't have asked or never heard of before the event: Richie Havens, I never heard of him `til i heard the the Woodstock album. Sweetwater, never heard of them until about 15 or 20 years ago. Bert Sommer, Tim Hardin, Melanie, never heard of any of them until years later. Joan Baez, too much of a folky!! She would've been a bring-down! And was. I have no problem with Quill being there but, having never heard of them until about a year later, I would've never thought to ask them, Keef Hartly, never heard of him, Incredible String Band, sucked, The Dreadful Great, sucked large, Janis Joplin (I wouldn't have asked her for myself but, the people would've loved having her there so, for them, she'd have been there). The Jefferson Hairpie; again, I don't much like them but I would've had them for the fans, Joe Cocker, also not a fan but would've had him for the crowd, I MIGHT'VE had The Band but, like the Dreadful Great, they're mostly country rock and would've probably passed or ONLY had them because they lived so close by. Never heard of Johnny Winter before Edgar became famous so, I would've never thought to ask him. Except for, "Spinning Wheel" and one other song, I never liked B., S. & T. and wouldn't have asked them. Never heard of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band before the Woodstock album, which I don't think I heard until at least `71. I can understand why Sha Na Na was asked but I wouldn't have. And I CERTAINLY wouldn't have put them before Jimi!! I probably would've had them OPEN the show as a kind of reminder to the crowd as to here this music we were about to hear this weekend came from. At that point, I would've never had Jimi on but now, absolutely!!
A number of people were bummed at The Doors not being there or The Beatles. Some were pissed about The Moody Blues not showing.

[EnglishArtsteacher]

The Saturday Lineup on August 16th was the best in my opinion, but it was a close call.

I've never watched the documentary movie based on the festival, and I obviously wasn't even born yet.

I definitely think it has an argument for the greatest festival of all time.

[Nikki1989]

I must have watched the movie 100 times by now.

[exitseven]

It must have been epic. I was not there but I knew a guy in the Air Force that was there. He lived nearby and got a job doing odd jobs. He said it was amazing. I would have loved ot see Crosby, Still and Nash, joe cocker , the Who and Creedence. but the whole festival was amazing from top to bottom.

[WhiteSteve]

Man, that would be cool to visit in a time machine, haha. Day 2 probably the best lineup, but I don’t think I could pass on seeing Jimi Hendrix live and in the flesh, so I’d pick Day 3 if I had to choose.

[AaronKrieger]

It would be cool on any day to have seen it, but Sunday stands out the most to me

[Staximus]

I love Jimi Hendrix but I'm going to have to pick Saturday