By KATHY ORLOFF
Chicago Sun-Times
The best thing about Newport '69 is that it is over, and that hopefully it will never happen again. The "Pop Festival to end all pop fesIivals" probably has had at least in the Los Angeles area and at least for quite some time. There were two things that interested me there: The music and the electric yo-yo that glows in the dark. The rest was so awful I wonder how the promoters (Mark Productions Dd.) had the nerve to appear. The plastic not-so-fan-tastic "fair" offended me deeply fur these reasons: The music was used to exploit products, the air was thick with crass commerciality and there was no feeling of self-respect or of consideration for people. their feelings or their needs.
The music was at worst mediocre and at best exhilerating. Featuring over 30 of Rock's top acts, the three-day show included Jimi Hendrix, Spirit. Don Ellis, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, Ike and Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Taj Mahal, Creedenee Clearwater Revival, Stcppenwolf, Albert Collins. Brenton Wood, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Eric Burdon, Jethro Tull. Cat Mother, Love, Sweetwater. The Rascals, the Chambers Brothers, Booker T. and the MG.s. the Grassroots, Johnny Winter, Marvin Gaye. Poco. the Byrds and Three Dog Night. Impressive? certainly. But the conditions for the enjoyment of so heavy a bill of fare were so limited as to negate the meaning of the entire event.
Maybe there are some who went and had a great time. They have yet to speak up. THE FESTIVAL was held it Devonshire Downs in the sub-urb of Northridge, adjacent to San Fernando Valley State College. The "specially imported shade trees" promised turned out to be potted twigs. Twenty-seven acres of camp-ground promised was never delivered. The stage was raised so high that unless you were right under it, the performers looked like mites. But you had to step way back to even see over the edge. It got so crowded i wouldn't be surprised if a couple of people got crushed.
The "psychedelic midway" sold everything anyone would ever need to became an instant hippie—from blacklight posters to leather hats, bikinis, and genuine "Newport '69" roach clips. In most cases the whole image was simply uncool. Sanitair facilities (portable toilets) were not nearly sufficient. The tab for the whole debacle was $6 a day, $15 for three days or $7 at the gate. Friday's crowd was luke-warm and detached. There seemed to be some kind of contest going on to see which young lady could get the most naked while still remaining somewhat clothed. By Saturday, the croud grew more hostile: fights; broke out and the grounds were filthy with trash, sawdust and garbage which covered the small area of rent-a-grass and larger burlap covered infield.
By Sunday arrests were being made, volunteers Were treating the wounded (most of whom consisted of those whose bare feel picked up broken glass) and skirmishes were more frequent, THE SOUND system might have been good, but open fields have never been conductive to good acoustics and it was lost toward the fringes. The constant churning of a police helicopter didn't help, After dark. the copter criss-crossed the area with powerful search lights, almost blinding all those people who were supposedly surrepticieusly. lighting Up dope or swigging wine, AS FOR THE performances I did see or hear, which was the case with the majority), some were incredibly good. Ike and Tina Turner were electrifying. Taj Mahal and Joe Cocker and the Grease Band scored handily. Jethro Tull and Creedence Clearwater Revival were splendid, Eric Burden appeared with his new band (War), and they sounded well fitted to each other.
Happiest surprise of the festival was Cat Mother and the All Night News Boys, a New 'York band being produced by Jimi Hendrix for Polydor. At their Forum date in April they were so loud I was driven to take refuge in the lobby. But their festival set was one of the best of the whole affair, and you couldn't ask for more in a real rock 'n' roll band. Newport '69 made a definite comment on pop culture and the effect of fads and the meaning of the new revolution itself'. Once you can sell a product that tries to create something that was once spontaneous, that something has lost its meaning, The Monterey Pop Festival was pure magic. It will never happen again, I doubt that it could have ever happened in Los Angeles.
This is just not the place, At Monterey there was a real, honest love thing ping. Those that came gave as much to the musicians as the musicians gave to them Monterey was a true happening, as was the San Francisco "be-in" and several other events at the time. They were natural outgrowths of n naive exuberance and an tetimate respect and toleranee for all What happened in L.A. had to be created. It was artificial and plastic. And because of that, It was doomed before it started. You Can just sell so much before yo» have to cell yourself. And that is what Newport '60 had to do was at times erotic. but it was never warm, It used people. it used the music, and most horrihly, it used a movement which at one time generated the most beautiful of all vibrations: Those of love and peace.
- Intro
- Leland Mississipi
- Black cat bone
- Mean town blues
- Slide jam
- Dallas [!! with slide guitar!]
- I love everybody [rare]
- It's my own fault
- Everyday I have the blues [13 minutes jam with B.B. King]
- Five long years [17 minutes with B.B. King]
Source: 69-07-12 Corpus Christi Times
