Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang is seeking sponsors for 40th anniversary concert
According to numerous media who have reported this during the last couple of days, Michael Lang, the co-founder of the legendary plans for a 40th anniversary Woodstock concert are “all speculative ideas” for now, but he hopes to bring them to reality this summer.
He’s very ambitious, as he wants an environment-friendly festival, with as little carbon emission as possible. At the same time, he would not charge admission to the event and therefore he’s seeking sponsors.
Here’s what else he told Billboard and how they commented on his idea – without stating any of the recent rumours, only reflecting on 1999.
Lang said that musically a 2009 Woodstock would go “back to its roots…There would be a lot of legacy bands – the Who, Santana, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joe Cocker maybe. And it would be people like Steve Earle and Ben Harper. There’s certainly room for the (Red Hot) Chili Peppers and Dave Matthews…That would be the shape of the music.”
The Chili Peppers, of course, closed the ill-fated 30th anniversary concert in 1999, which was marred by complaints about the facilities, food and water prices and ended with a fiery riot. But Lang said he was confident that the Woodstock brand was not permanently damaged.
“I think it always hearkens back to the ’69 event, somehow,” he said. “When people think [of Woodstock] they don’t think ’99 or ’94. They think [of] the ’69 event. I think [1999] has its ramifications, but I don’t think it did any real damage in that sense.”
If you’re interested, you can read the whole article by clicking here; as there’s also information on releasing never-before-seen material from the original Woodstock in 1999.
And, if you would just like an excuse to hop ten years back and remember the Californication-era Red Hots and John’s fresh days of the second take of being a Pepper…here’s his beautiful rendention of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer from Woodstock 1999. Happy hump day!
[media id=188]Some people, such as MTV’s Gil Kaufman, aren’t really enthusiastic abou this.
