Airplane Misses Nova Woodstock

Flying with its own Trans-Love Airways might have gotten the act there on time in the past, but it seems Jefferson Airplane didn’t have enough shows to justify taking off for Europe and Ewald Tatar’s new Lovely Days Festival in Austria.

It all evened itself out for the Nova Music director as Iron Butterfly, which missed its slot at the original American Woodstock because the band was stuck at an airport, turned up this time and appeared alongside such other 1969 veterans as The Who, Canned Heat, Ten Years After, and Country Joe McDonald.

This time it was McDonald’s turn to have airport problems. He flew into Vienna as scheduled, but failed to connect with the festival reps waiting for him in the arrivals area at Schwechat.

After three hours, his welcoming committee decided to return to the site. Country Joe was so determined to play that he made his own way to the capital and across the city to board the next train heading out to St. Poelten.

Tatar was delighted with the 10,000-per day crowd and said he feels the event really caught “the Woodstock feeling,” although the July 21-22 lineup was bolstered by other blasts from the past including Roxy Music, Billy Idol, Robert Plant, Gary Moore, Donovan, and Manfred Mann’s Earthband.

Tatar said he’s particularly happy with the site, which is where the company’s Nuke Festival is held, and feels his laid-back hippie-fest has a future there.

– John Gammon