The Real Woodstock ’69: It Wasn’t About the Music

I went to Woodstock.  The original one, in 1969.  When I tell younger friends about it, it’s as if I’d claimed to have been present at the reading of the Gettysburg Address.  It’s ancient history, 50 years ago.  And that’s why we’re celebrating it this month, with not only news specials and TV documentaries (including Woodstock at 50, August 17 on CNN; PBS' recent Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation, and many more) but a 38-CD (you read that right) collection called Woodstock: Back to the Garden/The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive  (Rhino).  The latter (released August 2) is packaged in “a screen-printed plywood box with canvas insert inspired by the Woodstock stage set.”  The 38th CD in the set is just crowd noise and stage announcements.