I am of that Woodstock generation (although I wasn't there) and I view for what it was - an outstanding concert that became a brilliant movie and betetr soundtrack. In fact, it could be best viewed as the soundtrack of that generation - seeing the future and some endings.
It was Jimi Hendrix' last great performance (in many minds) as well as Janis Joplin, the beginning of the new funk as presented by Sly and the Family Stone, the transformation of music into opera (by The Who), the beginning of the "super group" concept (Crosby, Stills and Nash), the last grasp of the folk protest wave (Joan Baez) and the ultimate expression of flower music (Arlo, Sebastian, Havens). We discovered the greatness of Joe Cocker and Carlos Santana.
Until Woodstock, most music festivals of that kind were more controlled affairs (like Monterrey), but this was open, unpredictable and wild; it wasn't planned to be that way - it just turned out that way.
Woodstock became symbolic because of it size and the desire for others to have a sense of romance. But it was just one weekend, just like Studio 21 was just one club and not a complete metaphor for 70s hedonism.
One day soon, I will slap the movie DVD on the player, get the newly-released 6CD box set and play it completely through.
In the end, for me, it was ALL about the music.
As it really should have been.
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