I did the light show and live tv projector on three screens.We had to sneak into the festival site at night 2 days before it start. The crew and bands had a big circle and people were still kept out of the site by the police we heathe site by the police we rd the mass of voices and music surrounding us and we knew the festival would go on. I still have black and white reel to reel videos that I did on the tv projectors I have to find a machine to copy it on. Thanks for finding this.
I was 17 and there with my first cousin and two best friends having just graduated from HS in St. Pete FL. We had a VERY difficult time getting there as the stinking Louisiana State Police had most of the roads blocked off. We ended up running a roadblock with other people from all over the US. Once there ALL we found was RAIN, MUD, and tons of Hell's Angels who were beating the s@#t out of anyone THEY FELT like beating! The next day we took off for Cali with our "Orange Barrels"& Jamaican Buds!
I was there! With Flowers in My hair! All back stage passes! From I think his name as Eletric Larry! It was Most awesome! Crazy Good! MudBaths and all! OMG I want more info! I still have A T-Shirt from there! peace out! ccc Big time Memories came Flooding back!! My campsite was right above the water where the artist stayed! so hapy tofindthis site! I want more info!
I was 16 years old, hair down to my shoulders, living in Atlanta GA, and hitch hiked with a buddy to this festival. Needless to say the Highway folks in the south tossed everything from beer cans to bags of garbage at us, but we got there...and back. I remember someone filming us all at river bank... This brings back some major memories...Big Time Thanks for posting it.
Okay. Reading all these posts I'm seeing that people are claiming to have, pics, recordings, videos etc of this rock fest. How about posting some. Would love to have some of the music. I too have my original poster (somewhat worse for wear), and some promotional flyers but no pics. Anyone have a web site address that may have some stuff for sale? Having been there, it would be great to see some more stuff posted. Does anyone else remember the fire fly tree?
This totally blows me away! I have so many memories of this event… and it’s been so long ago that I was starting to wonder if I really remembered it the way that it was. Now I see these clips, and it’s like I never left, Seeing this footage brings it all back “like the hot kiss on the end of a wet fist”.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!
Thumbed w/ friends from indy.Stayed in bee infested cow feeder outside site. sting in forhead= free entry to med tent. looked like kid in "mask" movie.Built lean to shelters w/ big erosion rocks and tarp on top of levee overlooking river. Fireworks shot over crowd impressive and kinda scary!!!!
What a adventure. Left England AFB & spent 3 Days having fun. It wasnt Woodstock but it was fun.Worried about the AF & what they might do but then just to hell with.......Enjoy & worry later.
We hitched from Ft. Polk to the Celebration. We had no money to pay our way in so we walked in along a wooded coulee. We got to the perimeter fence and were scared as we heard the Hells Angels were doing the security and had beat some people up. We looked around and saw no problems so we jumped the fence and proceeded into a world this North Dakota boy had never experienced. We spent three days there and many memories.
i was a mud person! hitched from MI with a buddy. got my backpack and sleeping bag stolen 2nd day, after the rainstorm it was all sopping and cold. loved the river and floating in the mud in the bend. intense ear infection from it though. fantastic music and fun (Sly!), even with the hitches. at the end, at dawn walking out to catch a ride, it seems i remember hearing "white bird" off in the distance, from it's a beautiful day'. fabulous!
Remember it well. Bunch of my friends and I jumped into the VW van when we heard about it. We we're at Pensacola Beach surfing. We didn't hesitate. Off we went. The backup of traffic was crazy..
When we got there we parked the van on the raod right down from the small store just past the main entrance to the CoL grounds. Got a case of the munchies so I took a walk down to the store. After I got what I wanted, I headed back. Got a little distracted and next thing I knew, I had taken to small road that lead into grounds.
Got a little distracted and next thing I knew, I had taken to small road that lead into grounds. I soon started noticing that I was inside the area. I saw where the main stage was under construction so I headed that way. Got over there and started talking to a few of the guys working on building the stage.
Told them I had construction experience so next thing I knew, I was working on building the stage. Everything after that was somewhat of a blurr but I know it was all good. The tower falling during the storm was bad tho. Guy got killed. Think a few people drowned in the waters around the levy also. Never forget it all these years later.
Hiched from Fla--- Yikes It was a trip --Literally. Buddy had to tie my belt to my wrist so I wouldnt get lost !!Blind leading the Blind rerally. The 7 days beat me to death. God was it HOT !!!!
wow' I know i was there. I hitched from ft. polk..19 years old, shaved head, I dont remember much. I do remember this: getting picked up by a bunch of hippies in a studebaker. I rode on the hood part way. they were cool. about all. i remember the 'bambino's,(bikers) at the gate. I remember ted nugent coming on stage way after the musict stopped.. i remember speed freaks with heads in coolers. humid . hot. mosquitoes. .. I dont remember how i got back to the base. i cant remember i just cant.
wow' I know i was there. I hitched from ft. polk..19 years old, shaved head, I dont remember much. I do remember this: getting picked up by a bunch of hippies in a studebaker. I rode on the hood part way. they were cool. about all. i remember the 'bambino's,(bikers) at the gate. I remember ted nugent coming on stage way after the musict stopped.. i remember speed freaks with heads in coolers. humid . hot. mosquitoes. .. I dont remember how i got back to the base. i cant remember i just cant
The very best thing I remember was that I had never heard of Johnny Cash and I hated country music. JC sang "Ring of Fire" and I was converted immediately. Still love that tune.
OMG for years I remembered taking off from Michigan via Greyhound bus, getting left off in a pretty little southern town, sticking out my thumb with my 4 girlfriends, and getting a ride with some local folks to the festival grounds but I never knew what it was called or where I was for sure. This is awesome!
I meant the most awesome man there, who later became my lover. But at the time of the festival. I was head over heels in love with his friend George. They were both from Chicago. Later I went to join them there. Oh my God. What a trail I left behind. Following George. Johnny where were you then? Oh, you were still at your mother's knees.
Thank you so much for posting this video. I was also at this Celebration of Life! In fact, I was run over by a car at this festival. My best friend and I were sleeping in our sleeping bags between a couple of vehicles - a guy came through in a car (driver was drunk) and ran right over me. Had to cut my Celebration short - ended up with a broken pelvis, several cracked ribs and vertebrae and went home. Now I Celebrate Life everyday!!!!
5 car and van loads of us went to Celebration of life...was awesome..We were on the beach the day that the mud people metamorphed..some people made a muddy slide down one of the bluffs going down to the waters edge . and while they were making it still , (people started using it (in the nude mostly) and the people building the slide was slapping mud on them...the whole rest of the festival people were walking around with dried mud caked all over their bodies...lol was cool ..
Amazing....I met my husband 40 years ago today at this event. He came from California and I came from Pennsylvania. He brought food and wine, I had a tent, car water and drugs......a match made in heaven. We went our separate ways afterward, but got back together within a year. It was a very surreal event!
I was there. Left Indiana w/3 friends in a vw, car broke down, a church helped us out, towed our car to their lot, made us a sign that said Natchez or Bust, got a ride w/3 guys from Louisville in a baracuda, as we were walking in we ran into 3 friends from home who were much smarter, they came prepared w/food, money & other things that we were interested in. Woke up to Glass Harp one morning, Phil Keaggy was the guitarist, I still go to his concerts. He's awesome.
I too was there. Seeing this is really unbelievable. I was a psych tech in the Navy at the time and took a weeks leave to attend. Went with 3 or 4 other friends from Orlando. I spent 6 or so hours one night talking a guy down from a bad trip, quite a feat considering I was tripping my brains out at the same time. I didn't sleep in the trunk like LkOutMtnMan but I did sleep under the rear end of my car. It was the only shade around...lol I'd love to see more videos if anyone has them or music
I was there, slept in the trunk of a 61 Chevy Impala to keep the mosquitos from carrying me off the night before the fest opened the gates. I got heat stroke and some girl named Lori J got me to medical tent. I sat on end of stage when Janis J sang, think she had bottle of whiskey in one hand /mike in the other. Saw naked biker gang swinging chains crash the gate , never had seen thgat many people in one place, remember the trucks around the perimeter, some selling watermelons, food ,drinks.
@LkOutMtnMan Uh,no, man. You didn't sit on the edge of the stage while Janis sang. See, Janis was dead before this June, 1971 festival. Your imagination is getting the better of whatever brain cells you have left. I was there from sunrise Monday, through Wednesday on the levee, through John Sebastian opening with the epic COME DOWN folk song I Had a Dream Last Night on Thur night. Not what 60,000 filthy, naive stoned kids wanted to hear. It got worse from there. Sat @ sunrise I GTF out
@FritzOskenic Thanks for correcting me, I went to several rock concerts after Woodstock and was thinking it was this one that Janis sang. I do remember seeing her and Hendrix but at my age brain cells ain't what they used to be!
@FritzOskenic Thanks for correcting me, I went to several rock concerts after Woodstock and was thinking it was this one that Janis sang. I do remember seeing her and Hendrix but at my age brain cells ain't what they used to be!
Did you see the bike gangs crashing the gate, think it was on Saturday? There again I believe it was this one, I wound up with heat stroke at this one that I remember!
@FritzOskenic It was the New Orleans Pop Festival I believe I saw her at near Baton Rouge. I was at the Atlanta Pop Festival also , so could have been either one. I was living in Florida when Doobie Bros, T Rex and B. Preston did a concert in Tampa, hitchhiked to get there! Ha! Ciao!
I was there. It was bad. Music was 2 or 3 days late and it was muddy and hot and boring until the bands showed. Some of the pictures near the river at the mud pit showed up in Playboy in the Oct issue I think. I was in one, far in the background of a shot with a nice looking girl. Thank goodness for Ted Nugent who played early and often. Some of the 'yats started talking about "liberating the concession stands" and I knew then that the hippie thing was way finished.
Incredible video footage....I was there at the "Festival", age 11. Father was Food Director @ USL and we brought food & beverages every day for the crowd. The fest was unable to accomodate the LARGE crowds needs for food & water. Thousands of spectators were unable to get in/out to purchase food & water, so we brought it to them. It wasa cultural enlightenment for me. Saw a baby born in a VW bus and many people playing Frisbee. Was amazed by all the free spirit & free will.
OMG!!!! Couldn't believe there is actually a video of this. This was where I spent my honeymoon!!! Can't believe I'm the same person, it is so funny and brings back a lot of memories a haven't thought of in decades!!!
Actually I believe it was billed as the "Festival of Life", not "Celebration of Life". I hitchhiked there from NJ, with a very hardcore girl who had just stolen and was carrying a jar of 10,000 uppers.
It was the most miserable week of my life, unprepared for the heat, humidity mosquitos and total lack of sleep..thanks to that very hardcore..
Caught a ride back to NJ in a van, as long as I agreed to "split the driving" and everyone else proceeded to go to sleep while I drove the whole way!
OMG! I can't believe I found this! I was there! I was 6 months PG with my third child and I was only 19 years old! My husband and all our friends went together as a group. My mom kept our two older kids and I was glad we didn't bring them because they would of been very uncomfortable! We had a blast, even me being PG I couldn't partake of somethings but I still enjoyed being part of it all with my friends and celebrating life!
About 20 of us were in the mud pit next to the river on Saturday people taking pictures
I remember a cop riding a horse with a nude girl on back , if you wanted in the pit you had to be nude and lay down on end and the"Mudders" would pull you down the line applying mud all over you. I got my picture in Time Magazine July 12, 1971 an article named Mud Sweat and Tears ,three guys putting mud on a smiling large breasted girl. Oh yes life was good back then. think Joplin was on the fes poster
@bellsouth net Last post, I swear. I believe that I still have my original wooden "red cross" sign that was in my car for passage in & out of the festival. Never found the guy I went down with, but saw him in a picture in Time/Life magazine. As I left, I took a carload of people to AL or MS & switched people with a white van....to take people in the appropriate direction.
Adding one footnote: read earlier comments. The stage scaffolding did collapse, but no one was killed. A construction worker was impaled and was hospitalized and was okay. I was the first medical person on that scene and at 18 years old, that's the only time I couldn't handle the medical emergency. Raced back to the med tent and got the doctors..........
Gas & Tickets were my High School Graduation present. Drove from Richmond, VA and immediately joined the medical team. I was inside the gates early helping with the bad trip tent and functioning as an "ambulance". I'm afraid that I saw some of the sadder parts of the festival, including the drowning death...so sad for his widow, but I was so glad to see this video! It showed the festival from a different point of view. Loved those North Carolina guys who took care of me when I could sleep!
@exceladventures You mentioned the drowning. The night we got in on wednesday we met a guy and his wife from Atalanta - his name was Chip. They pitched their tent right next to us. Thursday morning his wife was frantic, He was missing. By Friday they were making PA announcements for "Chip". Saturday night we saw on the local news that his body had been found in the Atchafalaya river. I've thought about her a lot over the past 40 years.
@FritzOskenic. Whoa, Mr. His name was Chip and his wife was darling. It was a very sad thing....I have promised pictures and I'll get to them when I can, but my mom has had some health challenges. Hope to post a slideshow by late summer.
I went to this festival when I was 16, I hitch-hiked from El Paso TX to New Orleans first cause it was supposed to be on some Island first but I finally found the festival site outside Macray La. They had some bikers running security but some of us got in free anyway, some poor guy drowned about the 4th day but other wise it was great some of the best live music I ever saw,the hitch hike back was strange but all in all great times.
I was there too, I hitch-hiked from El-Paso TX. I thought it was supposed to be in New Orleans so I went there first, I finally found the festival site a few of us camped outside the festival for 2 days cause some bikers were trying to keep people from crashing the gate, We eventually just walked right in. It was the first festival I ever went to I was 16....great times, except some poor dude drowned .
I was there too, I hitch-hiked from El-Paso TX. I thought it was supposed to be in New Orleans so I went there first, I finally found the festival site a few of us camped outside the festival for 2 days cause some bikers were trying to keep people from crashing the gate, We eventually just walked right in. It was the first festival I ever went to I was 16....great times
I was there. Don't remember much, but it was awesome. Thanks for the video. It did not get much publicity. Videos are just beginning to surface. Thanks a lot.
i was there i hitched from winterhaven fla. did some eletric wine and lost everything when i finaly came down i only hah a pair of pants with a broken zipper the best gig ever Rick Gleason
I was there :) something I will never forget. It was great, I was only 16 years old and my Uncle took me & all of our friends in his VW Van. Those were the good old days. I will cherish the memory forever. I live in Port Barre, Louisiana, Festival was close to where I live. Would love to get photo's of this.
This is crazy! My brother was there. He has incredible stories of how he got there and what took place when he did make it. Would love to see more and I am sure he would love to participate in any documentary you might make. Thanks!
I was there too. I remember the Rainbow People. I have a few pictures of them but I have them in storage and moving at the present. I'll be able to look end of year. They are probably slides but can't remember. My band played there. Awesome Thunder! was our name from Ft. Lauderdale FL.
I was there and on the production staff. My name is Vaughn and I worked with Lou Wienstock and Ron Goldstein. It was a great event even with all the problems we had with the state polce, National Gard and anyone else that did not like what we were doing. We were moved three times and they wanted to move us again, but we said no. I have photos of some of the event. A good friend of mine named Sidney helped us with photos. Anyone that was there can call me at 504-322-3589.... Vaughn L. Mordenti
It was an incredible event. The river brought welcome relief from the heat and the music was incredible. We build a willow hut on the river and had a hand from a Mannequin's hand on a long pole for our flag. The hand served as a roach clip since we glued an alligator clip to it. We passed it around during the concerts. The mud was a cool relief as well and we all got crazy in it. dangerous and some people got too drunk or high and swam to meet their maker. Beautiful day at daybreak was it!
i grew up in Lafayette, La but was only 10 when this went down, i hard heard rumors of it when i was in Highschool... now i see it really happened.. Wish there was some professional footage of it..
What Memories! I was 17 and there as well. As I recall the festival started 2 or 3 days late. I remember having to stay parked outside the entrance in our Van on a levey (spelling?). Once finally getting in I remember the bad weather, bathing in the river that had fast current if you went out to far. Nighttime fireworks and a sweet young girl from Chicago, as I recall.
Not only was it to be on an island in the Mississippi, it was to be 8 days... turned out to be 2 1/2 of actual music. I was backstage much of the time, working in the OD tent and got high with a few people in Nugent's crew... he wasn't especially well liked. He had 2 gophers we nicknamed frink and frack, and Nugent would snap his fingers once for one of them, twice for the other... He came out in a fur loincloth... I don't think he ever knew everyone was laughing at him.
and the tickets were ( for then ( an astronomical 28.00. Jon Sebastion opened, saying... "Wow... this isn;t exactly what they told me it would be when I signed on." The stage collapsed during construction, killing a few people and it rained almost non-stop... but, wow... what an incredible adventure. 16 years old with the world at my feet, floating through the crowds, trading pieces of bread for drugs... what an amazing, unforgettable experience.
@zenwhips Hey, I was there from day one. I think you have some of your memories mixed up! ( its OK, we did a lot of stuff) NO one got killed in the stage collapse. It rained only ONE day for about 2 hours or so, which helped bring down the dreaded 109 degree heat to the mid 70s for short bit. The Amboy Dukes ( Ted Nugent) played the 1st night. IKE & Tina Turner also played, so did The Allman Brothers., Country Joe McDonald,. Its a beautiful Day, Brownsville Station & there was a trapeze act!
@RanetkiFan - I had been talking to friends about the Louisiana festival and we all laughed at the memory of the highwire act. Her name was Molly Kova (?) and I remember very well during her performance that the crowd kept yelling out to her, "jump jump". She got really pissed of and had the announcer tell the crowd that she wouldn't perform anymore unless we all applauded. I laugh just thinking about it after all these years. Obviously she was the wrong act for the stoned crowd. Charles
@Ginkgo51 wow man, that is amazing u even remember her name!! Very impressed. Now that you mention it, I have a slight memory of the jump jump thingy. What the fuk were we thinking? LOL
I was there... drove from Clearwater Fl and heard on the radio it was cancelled, then back on, then cancelled then back on, etc, etc, ad infinatum. After the 2nd "Back on", we decided, "F it... we're going no matter what." it was supposed to be on an island in the Mississippi,
@zenwhips It was supposed to be on Mississippi River Island. We were to all get there by ferry! That never happened.... it turned into a 750 acre soybean field in McCrea La. We waited 3 days for the stage to be rebuilt. I was lucky to have left the day before all the shit went down the Galloping Gooses ( motorcycle gang) ... thus this ended most future rock festivals :)
I was there! another group I remember was It's A Beautiful Day" they were awesome! I remember people having sex in the water and drugs being sold from vehicles with signs clearly noting what was available. I was 19 or 20 and I was like a kid in a candy shop! great to find this.
Wow.. Hadn't seen this video.. I was there. Organized chaos. A see a few are looking for stories for a write up.. Don't remember much due to the wonderful drugs and Boones Farm, but.. there were two deaths there and I saw both of them. One was a drowning.. the other an OD. I was sitting right next to the guy that OD'd right out in front of some little store near the festival site. Very surreal. Was about 20 yards out when the other drowned in the swift moving river. my email pirate@acelink.net
I was there with a few friends from Titusville FL. I kept a list of the bands that I saw, but I know I didn't see all who played ...
John Sebastian, War, Chuck Berry, Eric Bourdon (with and w/o War), Bloodrock,, Stoneground, Amboy Dukes, Firewind, Country Joe McDonald, Potliquor, Chambers Bros, Tony Joe White, Glass Harp, Black Oak Arkansas, Junk, Melanie, Stephen Stills, Brownsville Station, High Voltage, and Ruth Copeland.
@skipbrannan Thanks for remembering all those other bands- many of them you mentioned , I never head of , nether were they on the bill, as I have the ORIGINAL POSTER
Unfortunately, I really can't recall who all played. I do remember them playing the entire album Sticky Fingers by the Stones during EVERY break between bands. And, Ravi Shankar did play morning ragas, I think like every morning.
Wow, finally a little bit of proof that this festival actually happened! It was a life changing, coming of age trip for me! I was 20 yrs old and since I didn't know anybody else willing to go, I decided to hitchike down by myself, from St. Louis. It was an epic trip for me; even sort of fell in love!
@livelyarts49 could you tell me more about your trip. I am writing a fiction story based at this festival. Just looking for fun details. I read a few stories about a dead cow.
@danyelleah IRONICALLY today is June 26, 2010. Exactly 39 years since the day we left Johnston, Rhode Island for the trip to Louisiana! We rented a U-Haul ( Very dumb) and packed up 40 hippies in the back of that thing, road all the way to the festival. No one really slept for 3 days and there was plenty of drinking, drugs and kats pissing out the back door-- honk if you were there!
I was here! I guess I was 17, though I thought I was younger. It's so weird to read the comments--talk about "flashback"--this is the 1st video I've ever seen in the 39 years since. I did have all sorts of news clippings in a scrapbook that I collected afte
I was there and my band played it. Awesome Thunder!! We had a big white bus and were from Ft. Laudersale, FL. What a great time we all had. Unfortunally it kind of fell apart the last day.
I was a 13 year old kid back then, I ran away from home in nashville tn. was hanging with some hippies and they told me about this concert they were going to . I hitched a ride with them. Had the time of my life, some bikers that were in charge of security snuck me and this girl I was with in a few days before the concert, we both ended up in the back stage area. People were so much nicer back then ....
I was also at the festival as well as the Texas International Festival in 1969. We hitchhicked from Houston and walked in free. For those who were there you may remember the 3 bottle rockets that were fired up into the air with the 2 on the outside exploding and the middle one making a bee line to the ground. Well it blew up in my lean two, bringing me out of my lsd instilled stupor. If you remember the rockets let me know. Unfortunetly I lost my 8 track film.
I was there. Four of us drove down from Michigan in a Ford van. Remember seeing Chuck Berry play at about 2am one night. Big attraction was the river with all the people swimming and bathing nude.
Wow, I was there with a friend in a 1965 Dodge Van with American Flag curtains and bed on floor , I had only been home (Baton Rouge) since 3/70 from Viet Nam ,man what a complete shock, everyone was Loving each other instead of shooting . Some old 8 MM movies are still in my family ,me and my brothers and friends. Wow what a flash Back
@chachaptoulas - in the footage you have, did you ever spot a guy in white van selling bottles of wine? a friend was there and would love to see some footage of himself at this event!
The first night we got in, Wed., we met a guy - Chip & his wife or gf, from GA. Next morning Chip was missing. She was frantic & said he might do something stupid. She got more frantic by the hour. Friday she was in a chopper searching. By Sat. AM we were fried, went to a hotel in Baton Rouge, showered, and went out for a burger. Greatest shower and burger of my life. That night local news did a story. Chips body washed up on a bank of the Atchafalaya. Hope it all turned out ok for her
i heard that tons of people drowned in the river during the concert. they were all drugged out and the current got so strong if you swam out to far... atleast they went out while they were happy (and before the world went to shit)
Two of us hitched from Tennessee, We were there for the whole thing, three days waiting outside until it opened up, three days of concert. Like RanektiFan says, all the music was at night cause it was too hot humid during the day. I remember Chuck Berry, the Chambers Brothers, Steve Stills. Stills kind of announced the end of the festival and everybody started booing big time. He was clearly drunk or stoned or both and got upset. I hung out naked and tripping in the mud all day every day.
my uncle owns the land where the festival was held its now all farm land its a beautiful place every now and then we find a bead or some kind of jewerly there was serious talk of a reunion about two years and he agreed but the sheriff and mayor felt that it would get out of control i had already picked out a spot and told my uncle i was going to bring a camper there and stay for the whole event he was willing to have it maybe if enough people get together it could still happen
i remember i few kids couldn't swim and died. If i recall wrno broadcast it. i think they were call mother radio back then. my mind kind of remembers pink floyd playing
Just found this site. I was there but forgot the festival name. We came from Port Arthur. I remember the opening act was a Houston acid rock group. Name?????
And didn't Fever Tree play also??
Thanks, it twas a great festival!!!!!!!!! wish I could remember all of it.
I hitched to this festival from Michigan, my first big adventure after high school graduation. I thought it was in Sedalia Missouri, though. Lots of good times. Too stoned to remember the bands. Met some new friends from Clearwater Florida at the D-Squared Medical Tent, rode back to Florida with them before returning to Michigan. Twice I was on the movie that never got released.
what was the name of the movie? who shot it? is there bootleg of it? what bands do you recall? It's high time everyone kick the greed, take up the drugs sexrocknroll
i can't even remember how i got there or who i was with. but i remember we called it the celebration of strife . i remember there were lots of drugs to be had .good times LOL
I was there too. There was some kind of injunction that postponed the festival for a couple of days. A lot of the acts had to cancel as a result.
My friends and I spent the days of the injunction in Baton Rouge at some hippy public house. We ate crawdads and were amazed that lizards ran around like squirrels.
We were from Wisconsin, so it was cool. When we got to the festival, I was too stoned to remember much at all.
I was there too, from Natchez. We had a tent thank goodness. That dust---it was very dusty I remember, but can't remember who all performed. It became more about survival, I guess.
So, you would be the ultimate authority on what acts actually played. I personally remember Its a Beautiful Day, Ian Anderson playing a solo, and Stephen Stills. My friend remembers a few more.
I was there too. We came from Monroe just West of you. Any chance of ordering a copy of the music or other pics. I have a few still shots of festival; Hot Air Balloons and Elephant. Thanks
@Jccourier2004 Is there any way I could get a copy of the tapes on a CD... My name is Vaughn L. Mordenti and to make a long story short I went to the festival to write a peice for Billboard mag., but ended up working with Lou Wienstock (who was the producer for this event) because of the experience I had in the music industry at that time. Please contact me as soon as possible whereas I would love to hear some of the music we had there. Thank you. 504-322-3589
I have been looking for info on this for years !!!! Anymore videos and does anyone know what the lineup was ?? HOLY SHIT !! I grew up in a town not for from there and I always heard about this now I get to see it . THANK U FOR POSTING THIS !!
Seeing this video brings back memories.Two people drowned in the river, the current was strong. Another person died of a drug overdose. I remember all the old rednecks in boats coming by to look at all the naked girls.
I hitch hiked from Memphis with a friend. I had just turned 17, my parents thought I went to New Orleans to stay with a friend. We did not have tickets to get in. I remember paying some bikers $5 to let us go in. I remember the trapeze act and the fireworks show on acid was unreal. The bathroom facilities were porta-johns. Not near enough of them. I saw a biker pull up and cut in front of people waiting, they turned it over on him when he went in. What a crazy time.
I remember when we first got there the Louisiana State Police where there at the river with their camera's asking all the naked woman to pose while they took pictures. The music and the night scene were just incredible. It was a time that I have never forgotten, how could you?
Yes it would have been a little hard for Janis to have appeared at this fest. She has been dead for about 10 months when this fest took place. Same with Hendrix. I guess Morrison had died the same month this took place. I would presume it was a depressing time for rock music fans at this time.
Thanks for this post. I was there. the river current was incredibly swift and dangerous. I recall running into Ian Andeson on the river bank playing a wooden/brass flute and this huge gang standing around him digging it. I could write a book on these six days. My friend and I went in his old Ford Econoline van driving from Dayton, Ohio. It had to be jump started the whole way. Incredible memories (what I can still recall)LOL
WOW!! What a blast from the past!!! I went to this while in college at Northeast in Monroe. Me & 3 friends..."sneaked in the back!" I have been looking for something on this and I might add, thanks for the blast. I also have to say...impossible for Janis to have been there...I soooo remember her death!!!
Fellow Brethrens of the Stoney's: Peace to all for I can confirm that the Great Janis Joplin did not in fact play, as she had passed a few years before with another brother the Electric Jimi Hendrix. Black Oak was awesome, Chambers Bros. had a great night show, Steven Stills was there sunday, doing an acoustic sit down, I was hitchin out at that time. It was a great time, and they still talk about it here. I live around the corner from there and a few folks around here still have some 12MM
Joplin actually passed away in October of 1970, which was a little over one year from this festival. Hendix died 2 weeks before Joplin and Jim Morrison, died a couple of days after this concert ended, July 3, 1971. This was one of the LAST concerts DWAYNE ALLMAN played in, before his death a couple of months later
Yes, Duanne Allman played, no official video. Bands played for about 3 days, only at night, as it was over 100 degrees during the day, with massive humidity :(
The band I remember, were: THE ALLMAN BROS BAND, BROWNSVILLE STATION, AMBOY DUKES, JOHN SEBASTION, MELANIE, IKE AND TINA TURNER REVIEW, ITS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.. maybe a few others, I just don't remember that far back. It was 38 yeas ago dude!! Oh yeah, there was also a trapeze act!
I think u are exaggerating a bit about still recovering or you really didnt get what this festival meant to many. True, it ended up bad, because YOUR motorcyle gang the galloping gooses went wild.
I was at this festival and Im glad I went. I would not worry about reunion, u can sleep now! lol
The south is still recovering too, from when the yanks kicke yer azzzzzzzzz lol
If u would no how 2 read Im not grown up I am 18 as I said And It doesnt matter what it meant to everyone else Everyone in our town that I have talked to hated it and thats all that count All the hippies that came promoted sex drug and rocknroll Look back in record and see how ignorant I am exaggerating a lil about recovering Ill admit that but the fact is that because of the festival the drugs are worse
And you tellin me to grow up "the yanks kicke yer azz Think before you speak
One day, between musical acts, a group (5 or 6 people) were walking thru the crowd, holding hands, chanting "Walter...Walter..." (obviously trying to find him). As they strolled, more and more people joined their chorus...like a wave it grew and grew...til finally thousands, it seemed, were standing, screaming at the top of their lungs, "WALTER! WALTER!". I turned to a friend and said, "What if poor Walter is in the OD tent, hearing this"?
oh chant I heard was in the Mary Jane tent, chanting in the tune of soul sacrifice, Hey Marajuana, Hey Marajuana.... so on and so on.
I remember a terrible rain storm and temp dropped from like 108 to 70 and we all froze!
we went for a walk to some house where some black woman was making home made caramel popcorn for her kids and us too! it was great but I felt so bad as they were dirt poor, not much of anything :(
We came down in the back of a U-Haul trailer from Johnston, Rhode Island, with 40 hippies, mostly guys but a few chicks too. I remember the guy that organized it all. I think his name was Tony Caruso and his family owned a liquor store in Johnston. If anyone was with me, give me a shout out on this! It took us 3 days of driving, little sleep, puking on Crystal Hamburgers and lots of beer and pissing out the back door of the truck! We stayed 3 nights and hithhiked home to Rhode Island. Very tired
man, it seems like a dream, thanks for posting this video, i spent most of my time on acid and in the river, but remember the Allmans playing, only a few months before Duane died, also remeber Melanie,& It's Beautiful Day, Pink Floyd was advertised along with other acts who never showed, i hitched back to Bellingham, Wa, after the show
no, Floyd never did play, that was one of the big rumours, and i can;t remember if Ravi Shankar played or not, again, he was either advertised or rumoured to be on the bill same with War. i remember hitching a ride with a couple, the girl who'd been arrested for taking a leak in public, and they had this VW bug, and they took me all the way to Denver and dropped me off, i hitch hicked the rest of the way home to Bellingham Wa.
the other two festivals i went to were 1969 Seattle Pop & Sky River
We came down from Minnesota a few days after it started. Some bands cancelled, and we heard that Delaney & Bonnie were substituted. I didn't know who they were, but the name sounded kind of weak. But they came on shortly after dark and really rocked without letting up. It seemed like Bonnie would just spin around like a top sometimes. The next morning Brownsville Station and It's A Beautiful Day played. The very first night, the Chambers Brothers played.
jscoolcrw! I may have seen you crawling over the fence, remember seeing several climbing over about the time the bikers showed up. Janis was on Saturday if I remember correctly, I want to say it was late, around 10pm or later. I do remember there wasn't any food or drinks, we brought our own and shared like a lot of folks did. For that many people I didn't really see any violence to speak of!
I was there, remember the biker gangs crashing the gate swinging chains in the air over their heads! I remember the long line of reefers selling watermelons, food, drinks out of the back. Night time was a welcome relief from the relentless sun on Saturday. I too was cooked by the time it was over, it was one of many experiences in my life that was a learning step!
Hey LKman: Cool you mentioned the Galloping Goose Bikers from the infamous "Big Easy" New Orleans. This one biker kept cruising up and down this section that I had selected to be my famous free entry spot. Meanwhile back at the barrow pit, there I was sneaking across with my belongings over my head. (Back pk, small tent, cans of food , and a pr of clothes) Making my entry, then he appeared, bullets started popping the water, only thing was it was a freakin Hallucination! Ha! I made it in.
I took a bus from Nebraska to Baton Rouge, then hitchhiked to the festival. My parents thought I was crazy - just out of high school - I remember coming back with the worst sunburn ever. I do remember John Sebastian, also the group Bloodrock - but many as advertised never appeared. Still it was the closest I got to a Woodstock type event. Thanks very much for this video!
I was there! Two buddies and myself drove down in a 61 Chevy Impala, I slept in the trunk the night before to thwart the 'skeeters'! I got sunstroke lying out in the sun, fortunately a girl name Lori Jodwalis came by , saw my condition , got me to a medic tent. I sat on stage there while Janis J sang with a quart of whiskey in one had! It was summer in La, really hot, but it was my second Rock Festival after one near Atlanta.
Hey, I was there too, what night was Janis Joplin on? I was only there for the 1st 3 nights and bailed on the 4th day. Does anyone remember the Trapeze act on the 1st night? I also remember Ike and Tina Turner.
Anybody having access to more footage of this let me know. I would like to put a documentary together. It might take a community effort since it seems so rare.
dc- This guy named Fred claims to have recorded the the whole thing and has original copies. I will send you his email address in your youtube email and u can dig what u can outta him! fact or fiction, who knows
Yes, thanks for posting this, but the trouble is getting the legal rights to some of the audio an video. I am sure its out there and by you posting this on youtube, perhaps all the chicken littles will come outta the woodwork. Delta music has the audio you need to begin the process of your documentary. Time to hound some people. Good luck and I can help let me know
1971 - 50,000 attended the Celebration of Life rock concert, in McCrea, Louisana. 28 June 1971 Celebration of Life, Cypress Pointe Plantation, McCrea, vicino a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Amboy Dukes, BB King, Allman Brothers, Canned Heat, Chambers Brothers, Chuck Berry, Country Joe McDonald, Flyng Burrito Brothers, Ike & Tina Turner, It's A Beautiful Day, John Lee Hooker, Richie Havens, Roland Kirk e Taj Mahal, Black Oak Arkasas, Savoy Brown, Ike and Tina Turner
Hey Ranetkifan, Thanks for that list you gave of the bands. I missed the Allman Bros. I showed up, late Fri. night Ted Nugent was just wrapping up. Did Allman Bros play before or after that? I had a lost moment due to some technical difficulties, but was rearing to go Sat. Morn. Thanks for the info
IF someone knows, please respond. The blurs from the time elapsed and the quantity of drugs we did, along with 109 degrees of sun, as put a damper on all of our memories, however, this mini youtube forum has been extracting more and more memories out of our acid soaked brain matter! lets keep the ball rollin> ")
OMG, finally, after 37 years someone has actual video on this! I was there my friends. We waited about a week for them to rebuild the stage as they lost their permit. This was on a 750 acre soybean field, about 96-109 degrees every day. The first dude to play was John Sebastian, I also remember the Amboy Dukes(Ted Nugent) acting like a moron. Lots of heat, drugs, naked people, mud, no water or food for days! IF u were there , please drop me a line!
I was there too with my brother & several other friends. We had a six car caravan from KS. I have several photos that I could share. Are you still working on something for this?
DC, thanks for the Video. I went to this back in '71 and that's the 1st footage I have ever seen of it. Ironically I now reside about 8 or 9 miles from where the Festival was, in a small spot called Innis. They still talk about "When the Hippies came" It would be nice to see more, but thats probably never going to be. Anyhow thanks for that.
I did the light show and live tv projector on three screens.We had to sneak into the festival site at night 2 days before it start. The crew and bands had a big circle and people were still kept out of the site by the police we heathe site by the police we rd the mass of voices and music surrounding us and we knew the festival would go on. I still have black and white reel to reel videos that I did on the tv projectors I have to find a machine to copy it on. Thanks for finding this.
GeminiTV 5 days ago
i was 17 and so innocent...gretat memories tripping on a levy
bfarmsbobful 1 week ago
I was 17 and there with my first cousin and two best friends having just graduated from HS in St. Pete FL. We had a VERY difficult time getting there as the stinking Louisiana State Police had most of the roads blocked off. We ended up running a roadblock with other people from all over the US. Once there ALL we found was RAIN, MUD, and tons of Hell's Angels who were beating the s@#t out of anyone THEY FELT like beating! The next day we took off for Cali with our "Orange Barrels"& Jamaican Buds!
remyfla 2 weeks ago
I was there! With Flowers in My hair! All back stage passes! From I think his name as Eletric Larry! It was Most awesome! Crazy Good! MudBaths and all! OMG I want more info! I still have A T-Shirt from there! peace out! ccc Big time Memories came Flooding back!! My campsite was right above the water where the artist stayed! so hapy tofindthis site! I want more info!
cccarla13 2 weeks ago
PS...Anyone know of other videos of this Rock Fest???
JeffBertolotti 2 weeks ago
I was 16 years old, hair down to my shoulders, living in Atlanta GA, and hitch hiked with a buddy to this festival. Needless to say the Highway folks in the south tossed everything from beer cans to bags of garbage at us, but we got there...and back. I remember someone filming us all at river bank... This brings back some major memories...Big Time Thanks for posting it.
JeffBertolotti 2 weeks ago
Okay. Reading all these posts I'm seeing that people are claiming to have, pics, recordings, videos etc of this rock fest. How about posting some. Would love to have some of the music. I too have my original poster (somewhat worse for wear), and some promotional flyers but no pics. Anyone have a web site address that may have some stuff for sale? Having been there, it would be great to see some more stuff posted. Does anyone else remember the fire fly tree?
MrDennisJL 1 month ago
Brought back old memories. I located my original "Celebration of Life" Poster purchased at festival. It must be the only one in existance!
The video is fantastic.
AM201060 1 month ago
This totally blows me away! I have so many memories of this event… and it’s been so long ago that I was starting to wonder if I really remembered it the way that it was. Now I see these clips, and it’s like I never left, Seeing this footage brings it all back “like the hot kiss on the end of a wet fist”.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!
Mooseboy08 2 months ago
Thumbed w/ friends from indy.Stayed in bee infested cow feeder outside site. sting in forhead= free entry to med tent. looked like kid in "mask" movie.Built lean to shelters w/ big erosion rocks and tarp on top of levee overlooking river. Fireworks shot over crowd impressive and kinda scary!!!!
1977ibanez 2 months ago
What a adventure. Left England AFB & spent 3 Days having fun. It wasnt Woodstock but it was fun.Worried about the AF & what they might do but then just to hell with.......Enjoy & worry later.
johntuyhoa69 2 months ago
We hitched from Ft. Polk to the Celebration. We had no money to pay our way in so we walked in along a wooded coulee. We got to the perimeter fence and were scared as we heard the Hells Angels were doing the security and had beat some people up. We looked around and saw no problems so we jumped the fence and proceeded into a world this North Dakota boy had never experienced. We spent three days there and many memories.
jtschetter 3 months ago
i was a mud person! hitched from MI with a buddy. got my backpack and sleeping bag stolen 2nd day, after the rainstorm it was all sopping and cold. loved the river and floating in the mud in the bend. intense ear infection from it though. fantastic music and fun (Sly!), even with the hitches. at the end, at dawn walking out to catch a ride, it seems i remember hearing "white bird" off in the distance, from it's a beautiful day'. fabulous!
onepoint22 5 months ago
Remember it well. Bunch of my friends and I jumped into the VW van when we heard about it. We we're at Pensacola Beach surfing. We didn't hesitate. Off we went. The backup of traffic was crazy..
ShockTheMonkey001 5 months ago
When we got there we parked the van on the raod right down from the small store just past the main entrance to the CoL grounds. Got a case of the munchies so I took a walk down to the store. After I got what I wanted, I headed back. Got a little distracted and next thing I knew, I had taken to small road that lead into grounds.
ShockTheMonkey001 5 months ago
Got a little distracted and next thing I knew, I had taken to small road that lead into grounds. I soon started noticing that I was inside the area. I saw where the main stage was under construction so I headed that way. Got over there and started talking to a few of the guys working on building the stage.
ShockTheMonkey001 5 months ago
Told them I had construction experience so next thing I knew, I was working on building the stage. Everything after that was somewhat of a blurr but I know it was all good. The tower falling during the storm was bad tho. Guy got killed. Think a few people drowned in the waters around the levy also. Never forget it all these years later.
ShockTheMonkey001 5 months ago
Hiched from Fla--- Yikes It was a trip --Literally. Buddy had to tie my belt to my wrist so I wouldnt get lost !!Blind leading the Blind rerally. The 7 days beat me to death. God was it HOT !!!!
fritzr128 5 months ago
wow' I know i was there. I hitched from ft. polk..19 years old, shaved head, I dont remember much. I do remember this: getting picked up by a bunch of hippies in a studebaker. I rode on the hood part way. they were cool. about all. i remember the 'bambino's,(bikers) at the gate. I remember ted nugent coming on stage way after the musict stopped.. i remember speed freaks with heads in coolers. humid . hot. mosquitoes. .. I dont remember how i got back to the base. i cant remember i just cant.
TheObladee 5 months ago
wow' I know i was there. I hitched from ft. polk..19 years old, shaved head, I dont remember much. I do remember this: getting picked up by a bunch of hippies in a studebaker. I rode on the hood part way. they were cool. about all. i remember the 'bambino's,(bikers) at the gate. I remember ted nugent coming on stage way after the musict stopped.. i remember speed freaks with heads in coolers. humid . hot. mosquitoes. .. I dont remember how i got back to the base. i cant remember i just cant
TheObladee 5 months ago
@TheObladee I was there.
bfarmsbobful 3 months ago
By the way, how about joining those who were there, so we can share more pictures of that event. I have many.
detmold1945 6 months ago
I have been here too. Got lots of pictures, and even some Super 8mm filmings.
detmold1945 6 months ago
The very best thing I remember was that I had never heard of Johnny Cash and I hated country music. JC sang "Ring of Fire" and I was converted immediately. Still love that tune.
Sparky4Peace 7 months ago
OMG for years I remembered taking off from Michigan via Greyhound bus, getting left off in a pretty little southern town, sticking out my thumb with my 4 girlfriends, and getting a ride with some local folks to the festival grounds but I never knew what it was called or where I was for sure. This is awesome!
Sparky4Peace 7 months ago
I meant the most awesome man there, who later became my lover. But at the time of the festival. I was head over heels in love with his friend George. They were both from Chicago. Later I went to join them there. Oh my God. What a trail I left behind. Following George. Johnny where were you then? Oh, you were still at your mother's knees.
ThelmaMaude2 8 months ago
Thank you so much for posting this video. I was also at this Celebration of Life! In fact, I was run over by a car at this festival. My best friend and I were sleeping in our sleeping bags between a couple of vehicles - a guy came through in a car (driver was drunk) and ran right over me. Had to cut my Celebration short - ended up with a broken pelvis, several cracked ribs and vertebrae and went home. Now I Celebrate Life everyday!!!!
barbisbigdaddy 8 months ago
Forgot to mention , all of us were from Northern Indiana , Warsaw and surrouding area's
lakewebster 8 months ago
5 car and van loads of us went to Celebration of life...was awesome..We were on the beach the day that the mud people metamorphed..some people made a muddy slide down one of the bluffs going down to the waters edge . and while they were making it still , (people started using it (in the nude mostly) and the people building the slide was slapping mud on them...the whole rest of the festival people were walking around with dried mud caked all over their bodies...lol was cool ..
lakewebster 8 months ago
Amazing....I met my husband 40 years ago today at this event. He came from California and I came from Pennsylvania. He brought food and wine, I had a tent, car water and drugs......a match made in heaven. We went our separate ways afterward, but got back together within a year. It was a very surreal event!
cpilgrimpsu70 8 months ago
I was there. Left Indiana w/3 friends in a vw, car broke down, a church helped us out, towed our car to their lot, made us a sign that said Natchez or Bust, got a ride w/3 guys from Louisville in a baracuda, as we were walking in we ran into 3 friends from home who were much smarter, they came prepared w/food, money & other things that we were interested in. Woke up to Glass Harp one morning, Phil Keaggy was the guitarist, I still go to his concerts. He's awesome.
pkjohns 9 months ago
I too was there. Seeing this is really unbelievable. I was a psych tech in the Navy at the time and took a weeks leave to attend. Went with 3 or 4 other friends from Orlando. I spent 6 or so hours one night talking a guy down from a bad trip, quite a feat considering I was tripping my brains out at the same time. I didn't sleep in the trunk like LkOutMtnMan but I did sleep under the rear end of my car. It was the only shade around...lol I'd love to see more videos if anyone has them or music
born195050 11 months ago
I was there ! How fun to see a video. Thanks. Lots of mud but the folks were cool.
It's a shame that Love & Peace arn't hip anymore. That will probly never happen again.
BobWire90 11 months ago
I went to the Louisiana Pop Festival in 69 where It's A beautiful Day played, I don't remember this Festival
coonassization 11 months ago
I was there, slept in the trunk of a 61 Chevy Impala to keep the mosquitos from carrying me off the night before the fest opened the gates. I got heat stroke and some girl named Lori J got me to medical tent. I sat on end of stage when Janis J sang, think she had bottle of whiskey in one hand /mike in the other. Saw naked biker gang swinging chains crash the gate , never had seen thgat many people in one place, remember the trucks around the perimeter, some selling watermelons, food ,drinks.
LkOutMtnMan 11 months ago
@LkOutMtnMan Uh,no, man. You didn't sit on the edge of the stage while Janis sang. See, Janis was dead before this June, 1971 festival. Your imagination is getting the better of whatever brain cells you have left. I was there from sunrise Monday, through Wednesday on the levee, through John Sebastian opening with the epic COME DOWN folk song I Had a Dream Last Night on Thur night. Not what 60,000 filthy, naive stoned kids wanted to hear. It got worse from there. Sat @ sunrise I GTF out
FritzOskenic 9 months ago
@FritzOskenic Thanks for correcting me, I went to several rock concerts after Woodstock and was thinking it was this one that Janis sang. I do remember seeing her and Hendrix but at my age brain cells ain't what they used to be!
LkOutMtnMan 9 months ago
@FritzOskenic Thanks for correcting me, I went to several rock concerts after Woodstock and was thinking it was this one that Janis sang. I do remember seeing her and Hendrix but at my age brain cells ain't what they used to be!
Did you see the bike gangs crashing the gate, think it was on Saturday? There again I believe it was this one, I wound up with heat stroke at this one that I remember!
LkOutMtnMan 9 months ago
@FritzOskenic It was the New Orleans Pop Festival I believe I saw her at near Baton Rouge. I was at the Atlanta Pop Festival also , so could have been either one. I was living in Florida when Doobie Bros, T Rex and B. Preston did a concert in Tampa, hitchhiked to get there! Ha! Ciao!
LkOutMtnMan 9 months ago
I was there!!!! Drove in from New Orleans (Chalmette)....I remember the mud people and bikers ran over my tent......
BarryAir 1 year ago
I developed a new passion for water at this festival. I have never been so thirsty. But what a great time I had.
gweken 1 year ago
I was there. It was bad. Music was 2 or 3 days late and it was muddy and hot and boring until the bands showed. Some of the pictures near the river at the mud pit showed up in Playboy in the Oct issue I think. I was in one, far in the background of a shot with a nice looking girl. Thank goodness for Ted Nugent who played early and often. Some of the 'yats started talking about "liberating the concession stands" and I knew then that the hippie thing was way finished.
semolinapilcherd 1 year ago
Incredible video footage....I was there at the "Festival", age 11. Father was Food Director @ USL and we brought food & beverages every day for the crowd. The fest was unable to accomodate the LARGE crowds needs for food & water. Thousands of spectators were unable to get in/out to purchase food & water, so we brought it to them. It wasa cultural enlightenment for me. Saw a baby born in a VW bus and many people playing Frisbee. Was amazed by all the free spirit & free will.
rkburdette 1 year ago
OMG!!!! Couldn't believe there is actually a video of this. This was where I spent my honeymoon!!! Can't believe I'm the same person, it is so funny and brings back a lot of memories a haven't thought of in decades!!!
piggyfifi 1 year ago
Actually I believe it was billed as the "Festival of Life", not "Celebration of Life". I hitchhiked there from NJ, with a very hardcore girl who had just stolen and was carrying a jar of 10,000 uppers.
It was the most miserable week of my life, unprepared for the heat, humidity mosquitos and total lack of sleep..thanks to that very hardcore..
Caught a ride back to NJ in a van, as long as I agreed to "split the driving" and everyone else proceeded to go to sleep while I drove the whole way!
holdemxpert 1 year ago
OMG! I can't believe I found this! I was there! I was 6 months PG with my third child and I was only 19 years old! My husband and all our friends went together as a group. My mom kept our two older kids and I was glad we didn't bring them because they would of been very uncomfortable! We had a blast, even me being PG I couldn't partake of somethings but I still enjoyed being part of it all with my friends and celebrating life!
mfeb952 1 year ago
About 20 of us were in the mud pit next to the river on Saturday people taking pictures
I remember a cop riding a horse with a nude girl on back , if you wanted in the pit you had to be nude and lay down on end and the"Mudders" would pull you down the line applying mud all over you. I got my picture in Time Magazine July 12, 1971 an article named Mud Sweat and Tears ,three guys putting mud on a smiling large breasted girl. Oh yes life was good back then. think Joplin was on the fes poster
billlaughlin 1 year ago
@bellsouth net Last post, I swear. I believe that I still have my original wooden "red cross" sign that was in my car for passage in & out of the festival. Never found the guy I went down with, but saw him in a picture in Time/Life magazine. As I left, I took a carload of people to AL or MS & switched people with a white van....to take people in the appropriate direction.
exceladventures 1 year ago
Adding one footnote: read earlier comments. The stage scaffolding did collapse, but no one was killed. A construction worker was impaled and was hospitalized and was okay. I was the first medical person on that scene and at 18 years old, that's the only time I couldn't handle the medical emergency. Raced back to the med tent and got the doctors..........
exceladventures 1 year ago
Gas & Tickets were my High School Graduation present. Drove from Richmond, VA and immediately joined the medical team. I was inside the gates early helping with the bad trip tent and functioning as an "ambulance". I'm afraid that I saw some of the sadder parts of the festival, including the drowning death...so sad for his widow, but I was so glad to see this video! It showed the festival from a different point of view. Loved those North Carolina guys who took care of me when I could sleep!
exceladventures 1 year ago
@exceladventures You mentioned the drowning. The night we got in on wednesday we met a guy and his wife from Atalanta - his name was Chip. They pitched their tent right next to us. Thursday morning his wife was frantic, He was missing. By Friday they were making PA announcements for "Chip". Saturday night we saw on the local news that his body had been found in the Atchafalaya river. I've thought about her a lot over the past 40 years.
FritzOskenic 9 months ago
@FritzOskenic. Whoa, Mr. His name was Chip and his wife was darling. It was a very sad thing....I have promised pictures and I'll get to them when I can, but my mom has had some health challenges. Hope to post a slideshow by late summer.
exceladventures 9 months ago
I went to this festival when I was 16, I hitch-hiked from El Paso TX to New Orleans first cause it was supposed to be on some Island first but I finally found the festival site outside Macray La. They had some bikers running security but some of us got in free anyway, some poor guy drowned about the 4th day but other wise it was great some of the best live music I ever saw,the hitch hike back was strange but all in all great times.
tnpicker1 1 year ago
I was there too, I hitch-hiked from El-Paso TX. I thought it was supposed to be in New Orleans so I went there first, I finally found the festival site a few of us camped outside the festival for 2 days cause some bikers were trying to keep people from crashing the gate, We eventually just walked right in. It was the first festival I ever went to I was 16....great times, except some poor dude drowned .
tnpicker1 1 year ago
I was there too, I hitch-hiked from El-Paso TX. I thought it was supposed to be in New Orleans so I went there first, I finally found the festival site a few of us camped outside the festival for 2 days cause some bikers were trying to keep people from crashing the gate, We eventually just walked right in. It was the first festival I ever went to I was 16....great times
tnpicker1 1 year ago
I was there. Don't remember much, but it was awesome. Thanks for the video. It did not get much publicity. Videos are just beginning to surface. Thanks a lot.
amyr505 1 year ago
i was there i hitched from winterhaven fla. did some eletric wine and lost everything when i finaly came down i only hah a pair of pants with a broken zipper the best gig ever Rick Gleason
willbobrules 1 year ago
I was there :) something I will never forget. It was great, I was only 16 years old and my Uncle took me & all of our friends in his VW Van. Those were the good old days. I will cherish the memory forever. I live in Port Barre, Louisiana, Festival was close to where I live. Would love to get photo's of this.
Viper183 1 year ago
This is crazy! My brother was there. He has incredible stories of how he got there and what took place when he did make it. Would love to see more and I am sure he would love to participate in any documentary you might make. Thanks!
Cptk41 1 year ago
I was there too. I remember the Rainbow People. I have a few pictures of them but I have them in storage and moving at the present. I'll be able to look end of year. They are probably slides but can't remember. My band played there. Awesome Thunder! was our name from Ft. Lauderdale FL.
capthead 1 year ago
should I dare repeat the events I remember....?
MyPhilms 1 year ago
@MyPhilms Tell us what you remember>>>>>>
Vaughn0001 1 year ago
I was there and on the production staff. My name is Vaughn and I worked with Lou Wienstock and Ron Goldstein. It was a great event even with all the problems we had with the state polce, National Gard and anyone else that did not like what we were doing. We were moved three times and they wanted to move us again, but we said no. I have photos of some of the event. A good friend of mine named Sidney helped us with photos. Anyone that was there can call me at 504-322-3589.... Vaughn L. Mordenti
Vaughn0001 1 year ago
@Vaughn0001 -I signed up in N.O. and was given a job with the Security Blanket...
I never received my check........., I lost my badge too.
Priceless times + interest = stuff no one can take away from me.
MyPhilms 1 year ago
i was there with the raimbow family,with the mud peoples,,please send pictures if you have some i dont it is all in my mind...hummmm nostalgy!!
CanalRadio 1 year ago
@CanalRadio. I probably have some black & whites. Will look for them after the holidays. Please send email to me. My you tube name at bellsouth net.
exceladventures 1 year ago
It was an incredible event. The river brought welcome relief from the heat and the music was incredible. We build a willow hut on the river and had a hand from a Mannequin's hand on a long pole for our flag. The hand served as a roach clip since we glued an alligator clip to it. We passed it around during the concerts. The mud was a cool relief as well and we all got crazy in it. dangerous and some people got too drunk or high and swam to meet their maker. Beautiful day at daybreak was it!
TommysLesPaul 1 year ago
i grew up in Lafayette, La but was only 10 when this went down, i hard heard rumors of it when i was in Highschool... now i see it really happened.. Wish there was some professional footage of it..
SURFSTYLEY4 1 year ago
I married the girl i met on this trip. What a great time of my life.
automan1950 1 year ago
What Memories! I was 17 and there as well. As I recall the festival started 2 or 3 days late. I remember having to stay parked outside the entrance in our Van on a levey (spelling?). Once finally getting in I remember the bad weather, bathing in the river that had fast current if you went out to far. Nighttime fireworks and a sweet young girl from Chicago, as I recall.
StevenSMoore5425 1 year ago
Not only was it to be on an island in the Mississippi, it was to be 8 days... turned out to be 2 1/2 of actual music. I was backstage much of the time, working in the OD tent and got high with a few people in Nugent's crew... he wasn't especially well liked. He had 2 gophers we nicknamed frink and frack, and Nugent would snap his fingers once for one of them, twice for the other... He came out in a fur loincloth... I don't think he ever knew everyone was laughing at him.
zenwhips 1 year ago
and the tickets were ( for then ( an astronomical 28.00. Jon Sebastion opened, saying... "Wow... this isn;t exactly what they told me it would be when I signed on." The stage collapsed during construction, killing a few people and it rained almost non-stop... but, wow... what an incredible adventure. 16 years old with the world at my feet, floating through the crowds, trading pieces of bread for drugs... what an amazing, unforgettable experience.
zenwhips 1 year ago
@zenwhips Hey, I was there from day one. I think you have some of your memories mixed up! ( its OK, we did a lot of stuff) NO one got killed in the stage collapse. It rained only ONE day for about 2 hours or so, which helped bring down the dreaded 109 degree heat to the mid 70s for short bit. The Amboy Dukes ( Ted Nugent) played the 1st night. IKE & Tina Turner also played, so did The Allman Brothers., Country Joe McDonald,. Its a beautiful Day, Brownsville Station & there was a trapeze act!
RanetkiFan 1 year ago
@RanetkiFan - I had been talking to friends about the Louisiana festival and we all laughed at the memory of the highwire act. Her name was Molly Kova (?) and I remember very well during her performance that the crowd kept yelling out to her, "jump jump". She got really pissed of and had the announcer tell the crowd that she wouldn't perform anymore unless we all applauded. I laugh just thinking about it after all these years. Obviously she was the wrong act for the stoned crowd. Charles
Ginkgo51 1 year ago
@Ginkgo51 wow man, that is amazing u even remember her name!! Very impressed. Now that you mention it, I have a slight memory of the jump jump thingy. What the fuk were we thinking? LOL
RanetkiFan 1 year ago
I was there... drove from Clearwater Fl and heard on the radio it was cancelled, then back on, then cancelled then back on, etc, etc, ad infinatum. After the 2nd "Back on", we decided, "F it... we're going no matter what." it was supposed to be on an island in the Mississippi,
zenwhips 1 year ago
@zenwhips It was supposed to be on Mississippi River Island. We were to all get there by ferry! That never happened.... it turned into a 750 acre soybean field in McCrea La. We waited 3 days for the stage to be rebuilt. I was lucky to have left the day before all the shit went down the Galloping Gooses ( motorcycle gang) ... thus this ended most future rock festivals :)
RanetkiFan 1 year ago
I was there! another group I remember was It's A Beautiful Day" they were awesome! I remember people having sex in the water and drugs being sold from vehicles with signs clearly noting what was available. I was 19 or 20 and I was like a kid in a candy shop! great to find this.
krisnorthrup 1 year ago
Wow.. Hadn't seen this video.. I was there. Organized chaos. A see a few are looking for stories for a write up.. Don't remember much due to the wonderful drugs and Boones Farm, but.. there were two deaths there and I saw both of them. One was a drowning.. the other an OD. I was sitting right next to the guy that OD'd right out in front of some little store near the festival site. Very surreal. Was about 20 yards out when the other drowned in the swift moving river. my email pirate@acelink.net
JERRYDFINLEY 1 year ago
I was there with a few friends from Titusville FL. I kept a list of the bands that I saw, but I know I didn't see all who played ...
John Sebastian, War, Chuck Berry, Eric Bourdon (with and w/o War), Bloodrock,, Stoneground, Amboy Dukes, Firewind, Country Joe McDonald, Potliquor, Chambers Bros, Tony Joe White, Glass Harp, Black Oak Arkansas, Junk, Melanie, Stephen Stills, Brownsville Station, High Voltage, and Ruth Copeland.
skipbrannan 1 year ago
@skipbrannan Thanks for remembering all those other bands- many of them you mentioned , I never head of , nether were they on the bill, as I have the ORIGINAL POSTER
RanetkiFan 1 year ago
Unfortunately, I really can't recall who all played. I do remember them playing the entire album Sticky Fingers by the Stones during EVERY break between bands. And, Ravi Shankar did play morning ragas, I think like every morning.
livelyarts49 1 year ago
Wow, finally a little bit of proof that this festival actually happened! It was a life changing, coming of age trip for me! I was 20 yrs old and since I didn't know anybody else willing to go, I decided to hitchike down by myself, from St. Louis. It was an epic trip for me; even sort of fell in love!
livelyarts49 1 year ago
@livelyarts49 could you tell me more about your trip. I am writing a fiction story based at this festival. Just looking for fun details. I read a few stories about a dead cow.
danyelleah 1 year ago
@danyelleah IRONICALLY today is June 26, 2010. Exactly 39 years since the day we left Johnston, Rhode Island for the trip to Louisiana! We rented a U-Haul ( Very dumb) and packed up 40 hippies in the back of that thing, road all the way to the festival. No one really slept for 3 days and there was plenty of drinking, drugs and kats pissing out the back door-- honk if you were there!
RanetkiFan 1 year ago
I was here! I guess I was 17, though I thought I was younger. It's so weird to read the comments--talk about "flashback"--this is the 1st video I've ever seen in the 39 years since. I did have all sorts of news clippings in a scrapbook that I collected afte
coatsquad 1 year ago
I was there and my band played it. Awesome Thunder!! We had a big white bus and were from Ft. Laudersale, FL. What a great time we all had. Unfortunally it kind of fell apart the last day.
capthead 1 year ago
I was a 13 year old kid back then, I ran away from home in nashville tn. was hanging with some hippies and they told me about this concert they were going to . I hitched a ride with them. Had the time of my life, some bikers that were in charge of security snuck me and this girl I was with in a few days before the concert, we both ended up in the back stage area. People were so much nicer back then ....
mississippikid57 1 year ago
I was also at the festival as well as the Texas International Festival in 1969. We hitchhicked from Houston and walked in free. For those who were there you may remember the 3 bottle rockets that were fired up into the air with the 2 on the outside exploding and the middle one making a bee line to the ground. Well it blew up in my lean two, bringing me out of my lsd instilled stupor. If you remember the rockets let me know. Unfortunetly I lost my 8 track film.
texadillo53 2 years ago
wow my dad told me about this festival he has always been encouraging me to continue to celebrate life but there is nothing like this today.
bren2118 2 years ago 2
I was there. Four of us drove down from Michigan in a Ford van. Remember seeing Chuck Berry play at about 2am one night. Big attraction was the river with all the people swimming and bathing nude.
cjs716 2 years ago
I remember that night. Chuck Berry played all night long. What a time! Wish that could happen again.
1tuxedoedlobster 2 years ago
cjs716 we have the exact same initials!
1tuxedoedlobster 2 years ago
Wow, I was there with a friend in a 1965 Dodge Van with American Flag curtains and bed on floor , I had only been home (Baton Rouge) since 3/70 from Viet Nam ,man what a complete shock, everyone was Loving each other instead of shooting . Some old 8 MM movies are still in my family ,me and my brothers and friends. Wow what a flash Back
chachaptoulas 2 years ago 2
@chachaptoulas - in the footage you have, did you ever spot a guy in white van selling bottles of wine? a friend was there and would love to see some footage of himself at this event!
Stella0Stella 1 year ago
The first night we got in, Wed., we met a guy - Chip & his wife or gf, from GA. Next morning Chip was missing. She was frantic & said he might do something stupid. She got more frantic by the hour. Friday she was in a chopper searching. By Sat. AM we were fried, went to a hotel in Baton Rouge, showered, and went out for a burger. Greatest shower and burger of my life. That night local news did a story. Chips body washed up on a bank of the Atchafalaya. Hope it all turned out ok for her
FritzOskenic 2 years ago
i heard that tons of people drowned in the river during the concert. they were all drugged out and the current got so strong if you swam out to far... atleast they went out while they were happy (and before the world went to shit)
allotes 2 years ago 2
last half of statement is dead fuckin on
chazxtreem82 2 years ago
I was there and nobody drowned that I know of.
texadillo53 2 years ago
Two of us hitched from Tennessee, We were there for the whole thing, three days waiting outside until it opened up, three days of concert. Like RanektiFan says, all the music was at night cause it was too hot humid during the day. I remember Chuck Berry, the Chambers Brothers, Steve Stills. Stills kind of announced the end of the festival and everybody started booing big time. He was clearly drunk or stoned or both and got upset. I hung out naked and tripping in the mud all day every day.
jysmtl 2 years ago
my uncle owns the land where the festival was held its now all farm land its a beautiful place every now and then we find a bead or some kind of jewerly there was serious talk of a reunion about two years and he agreed but the sheriff and mayor felt that it would get out of control i had already picked out a spot and told my uncle i was going to bring a camper there and stay for the whole event he was willing to have it maybe if enough people get together it could still happen
ldesselle1 2 years ago 2
Bring it on! I was there and I would love to share the joy of this festival.
1tuxedoedlobster 2 years ago
i remember i few kids couldn't swim and died. If i recall wrno broadcast it. i think they were call mother radio back then. my mind kind of remembers pink floyd playing
dylanjames67 2 years ago
Just found this site. I was there but forgot the festival name. We came from Port Arthur. I remember the opening act was a Houston acid rock group. Name?????
And didn't Fever Tree play also??
Thanks, it twas a great festival!!!!!!!!! wish I could remember all of it.
TeamWinterBeaumont 2 years ago
I hitched to this festival from Michigan, my first big adventure after high school graduation. I thought it was in Sedalia Missouri, though. Lots of good times. Too stoned to remember the bands. Met some new friends from Clearwater Florida at the D-Squared Medical Tent, rode back to Florida with them before returning to Michigan. Twice I was on the movie that never got released.
dwells05 2 years ago
what was the name of the movie? who shot it? is there bootleg of it? what bands do you recall? It's high time everyone kick the greed, take up the drugs sexrocknroll
and release the film and music & act like
humans instead of ATM machines...
JTerrible63 2 years ago
dont know, why dont u send a message to the one who posted this!
RanetkiFan 2 years ago
omg yes it's a beautiful day playing as the sun was rising. thanks for the list of performers that jogged a lot. and thanks for the footage.
turbogrammy 2 years ago
i can't even remember how i got there or who i was with. but i remember we called it the celebration of strife . i remember there were lots of drugs to be had .good times LOL
turbogrammy 2 years ago
Me and a couple buddies left Mobile {U. South Alabama) drinking BoonesFarm. Only rock concert I ever made it to.
Man does this bring back memories.
forrest1948 2 years ago
I was there too. There was some kind of injunction that postponed the festival for a couple of days. A lot of the acts had to cancel as a result.
My friends and I spent the days of the injunction in Baton Rouge at some hippy public house. We ate crawdads and were amazed that lizards ran around like squirrels.
We were from Wisconsin, so it was cool. When we got to the festival, I was too stoned to remember much at all.
jweyek 2 years ago
I was there too, from Natchez. We had a tent thank goodness. That dust---it was very dusty I remember, but can't remember who all performed. It became more about survival, I guess.
saintsrcoming 2 years ago
Deltamusic06-30-2004, 12:35 AM
I was there!! My company Jackson Sound Studios recorded it live. I still have all the masters .. What a flashback!!
Jccourier2004 2 years ago
So, you would be the ultimate authority on what acts actually played. I personally remember Its a Beautiful Day, Ian Anderson playing a solo, and Stephen Stills. My friend remembers a few more.
Joplin and Hendrix definately were not there!
noogatenn 2 years ago
I was there too. We came from Monroe just West of you. Any chance of ordering a copy of the music or other pics. I have a few still shots of festival; Hot Air Balloons and Elephant. Thanks
Beatle1man 2 years ago
@Jccourier2004 Is there any way I could get a copy of the tapes on a CD... My name is Vaughn L. Mordenti and to make a long story short I went to the festival to write a peice for Billboard mag., but ended up working with Lou Wienstock (who was the producer for this event) because of the experience I had in the music industry at that time. Please contact me as soon as possible whereas I would love to hear some of the music we had there. Thank you. 504-322-3589
Vaughn0001 1 year ago
I have been looking for info on this for years !!!! Anymore videos and does anyone know what the lineup was ?? HOLY SHIT !! I grew up in a town not for from there and I always heard about this now I get to see it . THANK U FOR POSTING THIS !!
Jccourier2004 2 years ago
Seeing this video brings back memories.Two people drowned in the river, the current was strong. Another person died of a drug overdose. I remember all the old rednecks in boats coming by to look at all the naked girls.
oloirt54 2 years ago
I was one of those chicks! I've never been more comfortable naked. Could have been the acid.
noogatenn 2 years ago
I hitch hiked from Memphis with a friend. I had just turned 17, my parents thought I went to New Orleans to stay with a friend. We did not have tickets to get in. I remember paying some bikers $5 to let us go in. I remember the trapeze act and the fireworks show on acid was unreal. The bathroom facilities were porta-johns. Not near enough of them. I saw a biker pull up and cut in front of people waiting, they turned it over on him when he went in. What a crazy time.
oloirt54 2 years ago
I was there with my 3 friends.
We caught a bus from Miami to New Orleans.
I remember when we first got there the Louisiana State Police where there at the river with their camera's asking all the naked woman to pose while they took pictures. The music and the night scene were just incredible. It was a time that I have never forgotten, how could you?
LH2160 2 years ago
Just wanted to say I was there too!
A couple of years ago I ran into John Sebastian who played there and he too said that was a hell of a festival!
LH2160 2 years ago
Yes it would have been a little hard for Janis to have appeared at this fest. She has been dead for about 10 months when this fest took place. Same with Hendrix. I guess Morrison had died the same month this took place. I would presume it was a depressing time for rock music fans at this time.
spatty5 3 years ago
Thanks for this post. I was there. the river current was incredibly swift and dangerous. I recall running into Ian Andeson on the river bank playing a wooden/brass flute and this huge gang standing around him digging it. I could write a book on these six days. My friend and I went in his old Ford Econoline van driving from Dayton, Ohio. It had to be jump started the whole way. Incredible memories (what I can still recall)LOL
keithfromindy 3 years ago
I still have the original patch that says :celebration of life" it is on a pair of cut off blue jeans. Ted in michigan
Moxxie202 3 years ago
i was there with the raimbow family love every body
CanalRadio 3 years ago
WOW!! What a blast from the past!!! I went to this while in college at Northeast in Monroe. Me & 3 friends..."sneaked in the back!" I have been looking for something on this and I might add, thanks for the blast. I also have to say...impossible for Janis to have been there...I soooo remember her death!!!
ggdps 3 years ago
Fellow Brethrens of the Stoney's: Peace to all for I can confirm that the Great Janis Joplin did not in fact play, as she had passed a few years before with another brother the Electric Jimi Hendrix. Black Oak was awesome, Chambers Bros. had a great night show, Steven Stills was there sunday, doing an acoustic sit down, I was hitchin out at that time. It was a great time, and they still talk about it here. I live around the corner from there and a few folks around here still have some 12MM
jscoolcrw 3 years ago
Joplin actually passed away in October of 1970, which was a little over one year from this festival. Hendix died 2 weeks before Joplin and Jim Morrison, died a couple of days after this concert ended, July 3, 1971. This was one of the LAST concerts DWAYNE ALLMAN played in, before his death a couple of months later
:(
RanetkiFan 2 years ago
Duane actually played this? The Associated Press ran a story in their "yearbook" that the thug-lawyers blocked any bands from playing at all---
this then was false? (The film shows so).
Was any of the Allman Bros recorded or filmed? What other bands? This would be one of the last Great Festivals and no-body's heard of it....
JTerrible63 2 years ago
Yes, Duanne Allman played, no official video. Bands played for about 3 days, only at night, as it was over 100 degrees during the day, with massive humidity :(
The band I remember, were: THE ALLMAN BROS BAND, BROWNSVILLE STATION, AMBOY DUKES, JOHN SEBASTION, MELANIE, IKE AND TINA TURNER REVIEW, ITS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.. maybe a few others, I just don't remember that far back. It was 38 yeas ago dude!! Oh yeah, there was also a trapeze act!
RanetkiFan 2 years ago
Comment removed
bowman21290 3 years ago
I think u are exaggerating a bit about still recovering or you really didnt get what this festival meant to many. True, it ended up bad, because YOUR motorcyle gang the galloping gooses went wild.
I was at this festival and Im glad I went. I would not worry about reunion, u can sleep now! lol
The south is still recovering too, from when the yanks kicke yer azzzzzzzzz lol
Grow up dude
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
If u would no how 2 read Im not grown up I am 18 as I said And It doesnt matter what it meant to everyone else Everyone in our town that I have talked to hated it and thats all that count All the hippies that came promoted sex drug and rocknroll Look back in record and see how ignorant I am exaggerating a lil about recovering Ill admit that but the fact is that because of the festival the drugs are worse
And you tellin me to grow up "the yanks kicke yer azz Think before you speak
bowman21290 3 years ago
I'm so glad all you yanks were there!! love & peace
saintsrcoming 2 years ago
No problem, rebels or yanks, we are ALL AMERICANS, lets ditch this century old lable
RanetkiFan 2 years ago
agree!!!
saintsrcoming 2 years ago
One day, between musical acts, a group (5 or 6 people) were walking thru the crowd, holding hands, chanting "Walter...Walter..." (obviously trying to find him). As they strolled, more and more people joined their chorus...like a wave it grew and grew...til finally thousands, it seemed, were standing, screaming at the top of their lungs, "WALTER! WALTER!". I turned to a friend and said, "What if poor Walter is in the OD tent, hearing this"?
keys0728 3 years ago
oh chant I heard was in the Mary Jane tent, chanting in the tune of soul sacrifice, Hey Marajuana, Hey Marajuana.... so on and so on.
I remember a terrible rain storm and temp dropped from like 108 to 70 and we all froze!
we went for a walk to some house where some black woman was making home made caramel popcorn for her kids and us too! it was great but I felt so bad as they were dirt poor, not much of anything :(
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
We came down in the back of a U-Haul trailer from Johnston, Rhode Island, with 40 hippies, mostly guys but a few chicks too. I remember the guy that organized it all. I think his name was Tony Caruso and his family owned a liquor store in Johnston. If anyone was with me, give me a shout out on this! It took us 3 days of driving, little sleep, puking on Crystal Hamburgers and lots of beer and pissing out the back door of the truck! We stayed 3 nights and hithhiked home to Rhode Island. Very tired
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
man, it seems like a dream, thanks for posting this video, i spent most of my time on acid and in the river, but remember the Allmans playing, only a few months before Duane died, also remeber Melanie,& It's Beautiful Day, Pink Floyd was advertised along with other acts who never showed, i hitched back to Bellingham, Wa, after the show
quartertozen 3 years ago
I don't think PInk Floyd ever played, unless I was doing sunshine when they came on! LOL
I remember Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes, Ike and Tina Turner review, Its a beautiful day, Allman bros, Melanie, John sebastion and a trapeze act!!!
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
no, Floyd never did play, that was one of the big rumours, and i can;t remember if Ravi Shankar played or not, again, he was either advertised or rumoured to be on the bill same with War. i remember hitching a ride with a couple, the girl who'd been arrested for taking a leak in public, and they had this VW bug, and they took me all the way to Denver and dropped me off, i hitch hicked the rest of the way home to Bellingham Wa.
the other two festivals i went to were 1969 Seattle Pop & Sky River
quartertozen 3 years ago
We came down from Minnesota a few days after it started. Some bands cancelled, and we heard that Delaney & Bonnie were substituted. I didn't know who they were, but the name sounded kind of weak. But they came on shortly after dark and really rocked without letting up. It seemed like Bonnie would just spin around like a top sometimes. The next morning Brownsville Station and It's A Beautiful Day played. The very first night, the Chambers Brothers played.
TRAVISTOWN 3 years ago
jscoolcrw! I may have seen you crawling over the fence, remember seeing several climbing over about the time the bikers showed up. Janis was on Saturday if I remember correctly, I want to say it was late, around 10pm or later. I do remember there wasn't any food or drinks, we brought our own and shared like a lot of folks did. For that many people I didn't really see any violence to speak of!
LkOutMtnMan 3 years ago
I was there, remember the biker gangs crashing the gate swinging chains in the air over their heads! I remember the long line of reefers selling watermelons, food, drinks out of the back. Night time was a welcome relief from the relentless sun on Saturday. I too was cooked by the time it was over, it was one of many experiences in my life that was a learning step!
LkOutMtnMan 3 years ago
Hey LKman: Cool you mentioned the Galloping Goose Bikers from the infamous "Big Easy" New Orleans. This one biker kept cruising up and down this section that I had selected to be my famous free entry spot. Meanwhile back at the barrow pit, there I was sneaking across with my belongings over my head. (Back pk, small tent, cans of food , and a pr of clothes) Making my entry, then he appeared, bullets started popping the water, only thing was it was a freakin Hallucination! Ha! I made it in.
jscoolcrw 3 years ago
I took a bus from Nebraska to Baton Rouge, then hitchhiked to the festival. My parents thought I was crazy - just out of high school - I remember coming back with the worst sunburn ever. I do remember John Sebastian, also the group Bloodrock - but many as advertised never appeared. Still it was the closest I got to a Woodstock type event. Thanks very much for this video!
firesign402 3 years ago
I was there! Two buddies and myself drove down in a 61 Chevy Impala, I slept in the trunk the night before to thwart the 'skeeters'! I got sunstroke lying out in the sun, fortunately a girl name Lori Jodwalis came by , saw my condition , got me to a medic tent. I sat on stage there while Janis J sang with a quart of whiskey in one had! It was summer in La, really hot, but it was my second Rock Festival after one near Atlanta.
LkOutMtnMan 3 years ago
Hey, I was there too, what night was Janis Joplin on? I was only there for the 1st 3 nights and bailed on the 4th day. Does anyone remember the Trapeze act on the 1st night? I also remember Ike and Tina Turner.
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
It would have been impossible for Janis Joplin to have appeared at Celebration of Life. She died in October of 1970.
Watchmaster 3 years ago
It would have been impossible for Janis Joplin to have appeared at Celebration of Life. She died in October of 1970.
Watchmaster 3 years ago
I believe you are correct, it was the Rock Festival in Georgia where she appeared.
LkOutMtnMan 3 years ago
Anybody having access to more footage of this let me know. I would like to put a documentary together. It might take a community effort since it seems so rare.
dcwedu 3 years ago
dc- This guy named Fred claims to have recorded the the whole thing and has original copies. I will send you his email address in your youtube email and u can dig what u can outta him! fact or fiction, who knows
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
Yes, thanks for posting this, but the trouble is getting the legal rights to some of the audio an video. I am sure its out there and by you posting this on youtube, perhaps all the chicken littles will come outta the woodwork. Delta music has the audio you need to begin the process of your documentary. Time to hound some people. Good luck and I can help let me know
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
1971 - 50,000 attended the Celebration of Life rock concert, in McCrea, Louisana. 28 June 1971 Celebration of Life, Cypress Pointe Plantation, McCrea, vicino a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Amboy Dukes, BB King, Allman Brothers, Canned Heat, Chambers Brothers, Chuck Berry, Country Joe McDonald, Flyng Burrito Brothers, Ike & Tina Turner, It's A Beautiful Day, John Lee Hooker, Richie Havens, Roland Kirk e Taj Mahal, Black Oak Arkasas, Savoy Brown, Ike and Tina Turner
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
Hey Ranetkifan, Thanks for that list you gave of the bands. I missed the Allman Bros. I showed up, late Fri. night Ted Nugent was just wrapping up. Did Allman Bros play before or after that? I had a lost moment due to some technical difficulties, but was rearing to go Sat. Morn. Thanks for the info
jscoolcrw 3 years ago
I wish I knew which night The Allman Bros Played.
IF someone knows, please respond. The blurs from the time elapsed and the quantity of drugs we did, along with 109 degrees of sun, as put a damper on all of our memories, however, this mini youtube forum has been extracting more and more memories out of our acid soaked brain matter! lets keep the ball rollin> ")
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
OMG, finally, after 37 years someone has actual video on this! I was there my friends. We waited about a week for them to rebuild the stage as they lost their permit. This was on a 750 acre soybean field, about 96-109 degrees every day. The first dude to play was John Sebastian, I also remember the Amboy Dukes(Ted Nugent) acting like a moron. Lots of heat, drugs, naked people, mud, no water or food for days! IF u were there , please drop me a line!
Do u have any more video on this? Thanks again
RanetkiFan 3 years ago
Thankfully the guys I went with were older and thought of loading up their Lincoln with groceries. We were very popular!
noogatenn 2 years ago
Yes, I've looked on YouTube and can't find any other footage. I am amazed at the footage I can find so this footage may be rare.
dcwedu 3 years ago
WOW.. Have been looking for footage for years. My company did the recording. There is more film somewhere that was to be used in a documentary.
Forrest5 3 years ago
@dcwedu
I was there too with my brother & several other friends. We had a six car caravan from KS. I have several photos that I could share. Are you still working on something for this?
dcluap 1 year ago
DC, thanks for the Video. I went to this back in '71 and that's the 1st footage I have ever seen of it. Ironically I now reside about 8 or 9 miles from where the Festival was, in a small spot called Innis. They still talk about "When the Hippies came" It would be nice to see more, but thats probably never going to be. Anyhow thanks for that.
jscoolcrw 3 yea