Pubdate: Mon, 16 Aug 1999
Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 1999 Associated Press
Author: Michael Hill, Associated Press Writer

CONCERT AT YASGUR'S FARM MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

The singers sported gray hair this time, and some who came to hear them
brought cell phones and strollers.

But the 12,000 who gathered Sunday at Max Yasgur's old farm for the "Day in
the Garden" concert were nonetheless after the same feeling that the
three-day Woodstock festival produced there 30 years ago. "I wanted my kids
to experience some of the music and camaraderie," said Lee Augustine, 53,
who came with his wife and three young ones. "You can repeat some of it.
You can bring back the music." Richie Havens roused the crowd with his old
Woodstock number "Freedom," and Melanie performed Jimi Hendrix's "Purple
Haze." Country Joe McDonald performed his signature anti-Vietnam War song
"Fish Cheer." The show lasted well into the night.

Some who came Sunday to the grassy hill about 80 miles north of New York
City were looking to rekindle a bit of the spirit they felt was sullied by
rioting crowds at the much larger Woodstock '99 concert in Rome, N.Y. last
month.

"The word `Woodstock' is out, you can't use that word," said Joe Turner,
43, lounging in a lawn chair and wearing a psychedelic shirt. "It's been
blasphemed."

Charles Castrovinci, 49, agreed.

"This is what it's all about, not like that synthetic, false Woodstock," he
said.

From the stage, Melanie reminisced about the "three days of peace and
music" that she experienced 30 years ago. By comparison, Sunday's lineup
looked like "old timers' day," she joked.

But it wasn't a trip down memory lane for everyone.

"I don't remember much about the first time I was here," Arlo Guthrie told
the crowd. "I had to wait for the movie to come out."

He wasn't the only one. A woman who identified herself only as "Ruth from
Brooklyn" vowed to buy "food instead of drugs" this time around.

As expected, Sunday's attendance fell far short of the roughly 400,000 who
flocked to the first Woodstock. 

- ---
MAP posted-by: Thunder