RIP Woodstock 50, The Little Engine That Almost Could

“We are saddened that a series of unforeseen setbacks has made it impossible to put on the Festival we imagined with the great line-up we had booked and the social engagement we were anticipating,” a July 31 statement from co-organizer Michael Lang read. “When we lost the Glen and then Vernon Downs we looked for a way to do some good rather than just cancel. We formed a collaboration with HeadCount to do a smaller event at the Merriweather Pavilion to raise funds for them to get out the vote and for certain NGOs involved in fighting climate change.  We released all the talent so any involvement on their part would be voluntary. Due to conflicting radius issues in the DC area, many acts were unable to participate and others passed for their own reasons. I would like to encourage artists and agents, who all have been fully paid, to donate 10% of their fees to HeadCount or causes of their choice in the spirit of peace.”

The event, which was seemingly left for dead with four permit denials for Vernon Downs International speedway after failing to secure a permit at its originally hoped site in Watkins Glen, N.Y., had one last stand when it was announced late last week that Merriweather Post Pavilion in not-so-nearby Columbia, Md., would be its new home. However, even I.M.P. chairman Seth Hurwitz seemed doubtful, telling Pollstar immediately after the news that his amphitheatre was the place for Woodstock 50 – if it happens.

“My role is merely as the venue,” Hurwitz said. “And we would help obviously produce the show in-house for them if they bring us the show but as far as the content is concerned, we have nothing to do with that, that’s all them.”

“Them” had already changed a few times, with established festival producers coming and going in rapid succession after original financial backer Dentsu Aegis of Japan pulled out. First to leave was Superfly, then CID (unofficially, but later confirmed to have pulled out) but, with gusto the event announced Virgin Produced, the production arm of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and behind established events including the Kaaboo festivals, was officially on board. The news seemingly gave yet more hope that something could be pulled off with the added clout of the billionaire music mogul. However, Virgin officially backed out by the end of the week, saying there was “simply no time left.” 

Talent was clearly a main hurdle as shortly after announcing the site change, major artists such as Jay-Z and Woodstock alum John Fogerty announced they would not be playing the new incarnation of Woodstock 50, which had already been downgraded in capacity from 100,000-plus to a hopeful 32,500 on Sunday or 20,000 on Friday. The Aug. 16-18 weekend was already conflicting with a Smashing Pumpkins show, leaving Woodstock unofficially downgraded to two days, then one day, then a benefit concert, then free concert. 

Only a few acts – the most major being ’60s stalwarts The Zombies – were publicly on board at all. Agents and managers contacted by Pollstar ranged from hopeful to completely out of the loop to – most commonly – surprised that organizers were still trying to make it happen.

“It is really a shame that this festival has become such a mess,” Portugal. The Man’s manager, Rich Holtzman, wrote to Pollstar via email shortly before the official cancellation, one of the few to go on the record. “I am sure there is enough blame to pass around but the name, the mystique and all that are the victims.  Portugal The Man named their record after the festival and sampled music from it so they are especially upset.”

With artists already paid, radius and scheduling issues (including Cage The Elephant already booked to play MPP just weeks later) and a mountain of bad press, even the battle-hardened Lang finally had to concede that it just wasn’t happening. However, he says he’s still ready to celebrate the history of the fabled event, which has endured as a cultural and musical milestone worldwide and of course overcame many hurdles in the first place.

“My thoughts turn to Bethel and its celebration of our 50th Anniversary to reinforce the values of compassion, human dignity, and the beauty of our differences embraced by Woodstock,” Lang’s statement concludes, referring to the event .  The music press would be less than surprised if somehow a still official Woodstock 50 of some sort takes place.