The only thing in common with the infamous 1969 Woodstock festival and Bob Dylan’s triumphant appearance at same site 40 summers later was that it rained and the auto traffic out of Bethel, New York became hopelessly jammed.
Dylan delivered a brilliant show, as usual. However, the aggressive, pushy security personnel did their best to destroy the mood. They constantly hounded people that tried to dance, take pictures or even moved out of their seats to stretch during the five-hour concert. It was clear these locally hired thugs didn’t know how to handle a rock concert or deal with people.
The corporate hustlers who have taken over the hallowed Woodstock ground should be deeply embarrassed about how they handled this concert—if they even have the sensibilities to become embarrassed. Experiencing an evening there makes one wonder if they have any common sense.
The venue is called the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Alan Gerry, a wealthy Republican billionaire who founded a cable TV company, came up with the brilliant idea to take Max Yasgur’s idyllic farm and turn it into a modern $85 million performing arts pavilion with museum. The result is a poorly designed concert site with very anti-Woodstock security, ridiculously overpriced food and beer and a complete corporate-style ripoff of the Woodstock story under the slogan the “music and history play on.”
No doubt that John Lennon would have rolled over in his grave to learn that the Bethel Woods museum is now featuring a special exhibit dedicated to his “bed-in” for peace. How ironic? In 1972, Richard Nixon, another Republican, tried to have Lennon deported from the United States. Once you ponder that, you can “become part of the history” by visiting the museum’s permanent interactive multimedia exhibit.
Perhaps most annoying—and the most “anti” to the genuine Woodstock ethic, is the Bethel Woods art center’s “friends” program for donors. When you give these people enough of a donation, you gain entrance into a special area near the music pavilion. Essentially, becoming a “friend” buys shorter lines to overpriced food and to the overcrowded rest rooms.
While most of the audience was wondering after All Along the Watchtower if Bob Dylan would come back for another encore, ten motorcyles had already escorted him from the Woodstock site. Dylan had left the building. The rest of us weren’t so lucky.
After a 20-minute walk to parking, we got one of the few authentic Woodstock experiences of the night. The traffic leaving the concert came to an absolute halt for over an hour. Nothing moved. We all just sat there. Our driver had to find a back way to get us out. I got home at 3 a.m.
Apparently, the creators of this permanent exploitation of the Woodstock “story” decided not to expand the traffic access to the new site. It gave new meaning to Arlo’s Guthrie’s famous Woodstock phrase: “The New York State Thruway is Closed, Man.”
BTW, on the bill with Dylan was John Mellencamp (excellent, high energy performance) and Willie Nelson (tired and flat). The whole concert lasted five hours, plus another five for needless hassles. I’d suggest seeing this great summer lineup at a ballpark. In the future, stay as far away as possible from the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. It’s a BIG ripoff of not only Woodstock culture, but your pocketbook!
Dylan plays Woodstock, 40 years later, with lots of hassles.
The Bethel Woods Pavilion during a break in the five hour concert.
The land around the Bethel Woods Center is where the Woodstock festival actually took place. Today, it appears as a well-manicured park.
