Artists cancel out on Woodstock 50 as festival nears

[Stevicus]

Woodstock 50 sheds artists as festival nears; Santana, the Raconteurs among latest to drop

More acts scheduled to perform at the upcoming planned Woodstock anniversary concert withdrew from the event Tuesday amid questions emerging over its lineup and location.

Santana, the Raconteurs and the Lumineers are among the latest performers to pull out of Woodstock 50, joining a growing list of artist to abandon the beleaguered music festival.

Originally scheduled to take place in New York state between August 14 and 16, organizers announced last week that the event will be held instead in Columbia, Maryland. Promoters subsequently agreed to release performers from their contracts, prompting several acts to drop off the bill in the days since.

I didn't even know there was a Woodstock 50 until now.

Festival organizers announced the names in March of dozens of acts scheduled to perform at the Woodstock anniversary concert, but few other details – including ticket or venue information — was made public prior to promoters recently announcing the event will be free and take place at Merriweather Post Pavilion near D.C.

Several artists previously advertised as appearing have since been reported as having pulled out of the festival, including Jay-Z, John Fogerty, Dead & Company, Country Joe McDonald and John Sebastian.

“As our celebration evolves, we are committed to bringing unique voices to the stage,” reads a message on the festival’s website where the event lineup appeared until recently. “Stay tuned for updates as we strive to create an event rooted in peace, love and music that can be a force for positive change in the world.”

How are they going to have a concert without bands? Maybe they can set up some kind of holographic projector and say it's the ghost of Jimi Hendrix.

It does seem kind of sad - although not entirely unexpected - that there's such lackluster enthusiasm for the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. It's like "Who cares?"

The 50th anniversary of the Moon landing was a bigger deal. And it's close to the 50th anniversary of the Manson murders.

1969 was quite a year. It was the year I started kindergarten.

 

[SugarOcean]

Should be interesting to see what bands are left the nearer the date gets.
There will never be another Woodstock like the original. That was one of a kind. What's happening now is strictly for the revenue using the history as a vehicle to exploit those who want to say in the new generation, I was at Woodstock!
No, you weren't. But you were paying through the nose for heat stroke, overdoses, violence, filthy conditions to stand in for days, risks to your safety when you camp. As well as basic necessities like water, and snacks , to say that.

 

[Enoch07]

It does seem kind of sad - although not entirely unexpected - that there's such lackluster enthusiasm for the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. It's like "Who cares?"

Who cares about sums it up. Other than Jay-Z, Santana, and The Lumineers I've never heard of the other artist that dropped out.

Perhaps it's a good thing though. These events have always been the height of hypocrisy of peace and love considering how violent, rapist, and hate filled they have always shown themselves to be. Lets not forget the unsanitary living conditions and piles of litter left behind because after the good times is over who wants to stay behind and clean up the mess.

Good news imo.

 

[Father Heathen]

It's meaningless anyway if it fails to capture even a semblance of what the original represented and embodied culturally and socially.
Much like the Burning Man events.

 

[LiveBetterLife]

It's meaningless anyway if it fails to capture even a semblance of what the original represented and embodied culturally and socially.
Much like the Burning Man events.

Can you please elaborate on that?