{"id":18900,"date":"2021-08-14T09:40:24","date_gmt":"2021-08-14T09:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/?p=18900"},"modified":"2023-05-11T08:47:09","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T06:47:09","slug":"mostenirea-psihedelica-a-woodstocks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/ro\/blog\/woodstocks-psychedelic-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Mo\u0219tenirea psihedelic\u0103 a lui Woodstock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The original Woodstock poster from 1969<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019re talking of course, about Woodstock. The gathering that became a cultural phenomena and changed the world forever. The happening that created the archetype and aspiration for every<\/em> music festival that came after. The time Jimi Hendrix played a distorted \u2018Star Spangled Banner\u2019 for the huddled masses \u2014 which became just one<\/em> of many iconic moments that took place over the weekend. The time everyone took psychedelics and dreamed of a new world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean we could go on forever \u2014 many people do! Including the millions<\/em> who claim they were there (but definitely couldn\u2019t all have been!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Separating Fact From Fiction<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cultural phenomena like this always become mythical, and sometimes it’s hard to separate the fact from the fiction. What we can be sure of though, is the effect Woodstock had on both general and psychedelic culture immediately after, and still today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A now iconic image of a couple holding each other amongst the debris<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If the wider population thinks about psychedelics even now, the image that comes to mind is more often than not hippies dancing at Woodstock, smiling and chock-full of LSD or magic mushrooms. For a short while a psychedelic-induced Nirvana was possible, or so it seemed. But, let’s start at the beginning! The story of Woodstock, and how it became legend.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Story of Woodstock<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The story of Woodstock takes place amidst America in a state of unrest. The world was changing, the civil rights movement was gaining ground. This resulted in much protest and conflict as people fought for equality. The Vietnam war was raging, greatly opposed by young people. They realised that the world could and should<\/em> be different. Their minds were being opened by new music and freer ways of living, as well as psychedelic drugs such as magic mushrooms and LSD. They were looking for a haven, and there were four men keen to provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Civil Rights Demonstrations in 1963 (Photo by Steve Schapiro\/Corbis via Getty Images)<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

John Roberts, Artie Kornfield, Joel Rosenman and Michael Lang were all in their late 20s, involved in the music industry. They wanted to make something happen. They formed Woodstock Ventures, Inc. and decided that the \u2018something\u2019 was to be a music festival. After various venue changes (many towns approached got spooked by the thought of a ton of hippies descending upon them)<\/em> with one month to go, dairy farmer Max Yasgar offered part of his land in Bethel, nestled in the Catskill Mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Securing Superstars To Play At The Festival<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once the venue was settled, the artists had to be secured. After a slow start, Creedence Clearwater Revival agreed to perform. Once they showed interest other big names poured in, from Janis Joplin to Jimi Hendrix.\u00a0The organisers had planned for about 50,000 attendees. Before the festival even began over 100,00 tickets had been pre-sold. As more and more people began to arrive and camp at the venue the festival was forced to become free. The decision had to be made to prioritise welcoming everyone over profit. It is estimated that one million tried to make their way to Woodstock that August; roads across the city were jammed and blocked. Eventually about half a million people completed their journey and found themselves on the farm.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Woodstock from the air<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Despite The Large Crowds It Stayed Groovy<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you probably know the overview of what happened next. From August 15th – 18th legends such as Joan Baez, Ravi Shankar, Santana, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and Jimi Hendrix performed. It rained. People danced and made love. The food ran out. A New Mexico pig farming co-operative called Hog Farm were called in to feed and care for the people \u2014 they even invented the \u2018freak-out tent\u2019 \u2014 a place where those suffering a \u2018bad trip\u2019 could be looked after. This caring-first approach is probably one of the reasons that Woodstock famously had very little incident. Though there were two deaths (one person run over, another from a drug overdose) <\/em>out of the nearly 500,000 people attending, there was little to no violence. Dr William Abruzzi, working at the festival recalls;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis might very well have been an example of the first time that a large number of people have come together, lived together, suffered together, and given to the rest of us an indication that it can be done in love and peace.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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