Remembering Woodstock 43 Years Later- Day Two: August 16, 1969

Saturday starts out a hot humid Catskill summer day An approximate 1/2 million people are at the site with probably another million on the way somwhere in Upstate NY but can't arrive. All set lists are approximates.


130 PM: QUILL- That's How I eat- They Live the Life- Driftin'- Waiting For You

Quill's management was promoter Michael Lang, so the band played the venue. The week prior they were busy entertaining the stage crew & festival workers. Also a a good will gesture Woodstock ventures had them play local prisons, mental hospitals & 1/2 way housed to appease the locals. Quill handed out percussion instruments to the audience and played a good set. They didn't make the film because the audio & video was malfunctioning during their set.

220 PM: COUNTRY JOE McDONALD- Janis-All Around the World- Flying High All Over The World- Seen A Rocket- Fish Cheer / Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag

Country Joe, Janis Joplin's boyfriend, agreed to play an acoustic set because non of the scheduled acts had arrived and everything was way behind. He screamed out his classic Fish Cheer-"Gimmie an F- Gimmie a U- Gimmie a C- *** Whats that Spell?" and the rowd stopped everything and joined in. He invented it at a Central Park concert the previous year, so most of the NY area crowd knew it. His anti war Feel Like I'm Fixin' got a standing ovation & huge sing along response. On Sunday he did his set with his band the Fish.

310 PM: JOHN SEBASTIAN- How Have You Been- Rainbows All Over Your Blues- I Had A Dream- Darling Be Home Soon- The Younger Generation

Sebastian was a a big star at the time, coming off a great bunch of hits as singer of The Lovin Spoonful (Summer In The City- Day Dream- Do You Believe In Magic- etc.). He lived in the town of Woodstock and came to the festival as a fan, didn't even have his guitar. He was urged backstage to buy more time because of rain & sound problems. He did a phenomenal acoustic set that made the film & album only adding to his legend. He was tripping on acid because he didn't expect to play.

400 PM: The KEEF HARTLEY BAND- Spanish Fly- Believe In You- Rock Me Baby- Leavin Trunk-Halfbreed- Just To Cry- Sinnin' For You

They were an English band, and in 1962 Drummer Keef Hartley made history by replacing Ringo Starr in Rory Storm & the Hurricanes when he joined the Beatles.

500 PM; MAX YASGUR's Speech

520 PM: SANTANA- Waiting- You Just Don't Care- Savor- Jingo- Persuasion- Soul Sacrafice- Fried Neckbones & Some Homefires

At the time Santana were still unknown to most. They came from the San Francisco music scene & were regulars at Bill Grahm's Filmore's. Grahm got them a spot at Woodstock and they blew the crowd away. They were thrust into stardom right during their set, Soul Sacrifice becoming a classic and a high point of the film.

Carlos Santana had just turned only 22 years old. He is seen grimacing during his set because he was tripping on mesc at the time. Jerry Garcia told him they were going on before the Dead, probably around midnight, so he figured he'd be coming down by then. One thing led to another & they said 'Your on!"

630 PM: The INCREDIBLE STRING BAND- Sleepers Awaken- The Letter- This Moment is Different- When You Find Out Who You Are

Due to play Friday after Shankar but the rain meant they could only do an acoustic set. They got Fridays bill after Santana & before Canned Heat, not good for the English fold band.

800PM; CANNED HEAT- A Change Is Gonna Come- Leaving This Town- The Bear Talks- Going Up Country- I'm Her Man- Lets Work Together- Too Many Drivers at the Wheel- I Know My Baby- Woodstock Boogie- On The Road Again

Canned Heat were a blues/rock band from L.A. led by Big Bob the Bear Hite. They were popular with two hits out at the time, their Going Up the Country was a perfect backdrop to the festival. It appears in the film as the crowd makes their way. In the Directors cut & 40th anniversary versions of the film, the band is seen playing live at dusk. Tragedy & drugs plagued the band after Woodstock.

900PM: MOUNTAIN- Blood of the Sun- Stormy Monday- Theme From An Imaginary Western- Long Red- For Yasgurs Farm- Waiting To Take You Away- Dreams of Milk & Honey- Blind Man- Blue Suede Shoes- Southbound Train- Mississippi Queen

Felix Pappalardi had produced three Cream albums and formed a trio Heavy Rock band of his own when he found Long Islands big man Leslie West.

They had only played three live shows as a band before Woodstock Corky Lang was a roadie that night & he became the bands drummer a year later.

Midnight: The GRATEFUL DEAD- St. Stephen- Mamma Tried- Dark Star- High Time- Turn On Your Lovelight
The Deads performance had never been released until 2009, finally. They considered it one of their worst gigs. They were stoned, and ran late due to technical problems. Their heavy equipment was too large for the stage and it was feared it may collapse during the set. Technical difficulties from the flooding was causing electrical shocks on the instruments and mics.



Bob Weir was flung off the ground, after that everyone was paranoid about getting electrocuted. During the set they kept getting delayed, they had long pauses between songs and the sound never got fully repaired. It added to the festivals chaos. They were received pretty well, being so popular and their 45 minuter version of Lovelight was fantastic.

1:30AM- CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL- Born ON A Bayou- Green River- 99 1/2- Commotion- Bootleg- Bad Moon Rising- Proud Mary- I Pu a Spell On You- Night Time Is Right Time- Keep On Chooglin'-Suzy Q

CCR were one of the biggest acts in the country at the time, top 10 albums, top 10 hits & 2 number one hits. The Berkley California based band did a fantastic show but never made the film or album because of contract issues that have always plagued the group.



Fogerty claims the crowd were asleep and or stoned from what he could see. Bodies all laid out covered in mud. He said he noticed a guy in the crowd with a lighter saying "We're with ya john" & he played the rest of the set just for him.

230 AM; JANIS JOPLIN (w/the Kosmic Blues Band)- Raise Your Hand-As Good As You've Been To This World- To Love Somebody- Summertime- Try (A Little Bit Harder)- Kosmic Blues- Cant Turn You Loose- Work Me Lord- Piece of My Heart- Ball & Chain

Janis was no longer with Big Brother & the Holding Co. and just feeling her way in front of the new Kosmic Blues band. The hard drinking was starting to take a toll on her, the long delays & partying of the day didn't help. Her performances were not in the original film or album but are now available and she is always something to watch.

No one sang the Blues like Janis. Yes she could have been better, and wasn't as good as at Monterrey in 1967, but one year later she was found dead, so Woodstock was certainly a legendary performance for her.



330 AM: SLY & THE FAMILY STONE- My Lady- Sing A Simple Song- You Can Make It If Your Try- Stand- Love City- Dance To the Music/ I Want To Take You Higher


Sly had been known to be difficult to work with & had a bad rep with large crowds, but tonight he shined. He woke people out of their sleeping bags at almost four in the morning with an electric set of psychedelic funk. They brought the crowd to their feet as witnessed in the film during Want to Take You Higher. It may have been the best performance they ever did according to band members.


500 AM: THE WHO- Heaven & Hell-I Cant Explain- (Tommy in its entirety) Its A Boy-1921- Amazing Journey- Sparks-Eyesite to the Blind- Christmas- Tommy Can You Hear Me- Acid Queen- Pinball Wizard- Underture- Do You Think Its Alright- Fiddle About- There's A Dr. I Found- Go To The Mirror- Smash the Mirror- Im Free- Tommy's Holiday Camp- We're Not Gonna Take It- See Me Feel Me- Summertime Blues- Shakin All Over- My Generation- Naked Eye
Pete Townshend hated it, he called it a bunch of tripping hippies in mud walking around thinking the world was going to be different, which he said wasn't. During the set Abbie Hoffman jumped on stage and started ranting about an arrested friend, Tonwshend hit him in the head with his guitar. Abbie was thrown into the crowd and slithered away, not to be seen again near the stage.

Roger Daltry loved it. He said it was the best gig ever. The Who were fantastic totally on top of their game as seen in the film & on the album. They performed Tommy which was their newest project, that along with Woodstock put them into super stardom in America. Dawn begins to break in the distance as Pete smashes his guitar and throws it into the audience. Quite a souvenir.
700AM: JEFFERSON AIRPLANE- 3/5 of a Mile in Ten Seconds- Somebody To Love- White Rabbit- Saturday Afternoon- Plastic Fantastic Lover- Volunteers- Eskimo Blue Day- Uncle Sams Blues
The headliners for Saturday night didn't play until day break on Sunday, officially ending a super Day Two. The Airplane were huge at this point in time, hit songs, hit albums, psychedelic icons, veterans of all the big Festivals and leaders of the San Francisco Haight Ashbury sound.


Grace Slick woke anyone who wasn't up with "Good Morning People, You have seen the heavy groups, now you'll see morning maniac music, yea, believe me, Its the new Dawn" how prophetic. The Airplane set was great, maybe a little tired since they were up all night backstage partying as well. Looking back it was their last high point before a slow decline of a great band.