Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Peace, Love and Woodstock

August 15 will be the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in Bethel New York. It started as a music festival, but by the following Sunday, it made history. That’s why on Thursday, August 15, The Roadhouse Series will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woodstock with a special concert at the Coffee Gallery Backstage.

It is now regarded as an important cultural event of the times. With 500,000 people in attendance during the three-day festival, Woodstock remains the most important gathering in music history. The iconic bands read today like a roster of the legendary innovators of their time. They included The Who, Santana, Ten Years After, Janis Joplin, Melanie, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Sly and the Family Stone, The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. The documentary film that came out the following year was a box office hit and an Oscar winner.

One overlooked contribution Woodstock brought to music history was the diversity and eclectic nature of the music played over the weekend. It would include international music, rock, blues, country, soul and folk. It was common practice for the times for artists from diverse genres to share the bill. So for this month’s Roadhouse tribute to Woodstock, they will draw from the rich treasure of artist influence, genres, and songs.

The musical cast includes many of their regular artists alongside some special guests including Lorin Hart (she was there) and Lee Harper. The remaining cast includes many of their own iconic acts like Chad Watson, Pam Loe, Carol McArthur, Crist Moshos, Neil Rosengarden, Robbie Mangiardi (he was there too!), Pat Nason, Al Bonhomme, CoolHouse, Tim Tedrow, CoolHouse, Owen Goldman, Joel Bennett, Rick Bagby, and Jimmy Licata.

There will be a special prize for the best Tie-Dye shirt for the evening…..So dig through your closet for some vintage wear and come for a celebration of music and community.

The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are $20.00. The Coffee Gallery Backstage is located at 2029 N. Lake Avenue. For tickets or more information call (626) 798-6236 or visit www.coffeegallery.com.