Woodstock 50 will take place? The holding of the three-day concert, which is supposed to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the legendary festival of 1969, is uncertain. The subsidiary of Dentsu Aegis Network, Amplifi Live, the group that was to finance the event, announced on Monday its cancellation. The festival will take place from 16 to 18 August on the website of motor racing in Watkins Glen, in the state of New York, 250 kilometres from the original place of 1969.
«Despite our considerable investment of time, work and commitment, we do not believe that the festival could be carried out as an event worthy of the mark Woodstock, while ensuring the safety and security of the artists, partners and spectators,» said the group in a statement sent to AFP. «The festival of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock will be taking place, and it will be» exceptional», have, however, said the organizers in a press release.
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tensions promise to be strong. A clause in the contract gives Dentsu the right to cancel the festival, according to one of the representatives of the investors. Wrong, meet the producers of the festival. «Woodstock 50 refutes vehemently the cancellation of the festival, a remedy will be committed», they declared the daily Poughkeepsie Journal .
a co-Producer of the 1969 edition and initiator of Woodstock 50, Michael Lang told the New York Times that the investors «do not have the right to unilaterally cancel the festival». A result of these dissensions, the organizers have indicated a wish to «bring new partners» financial in part.
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Woodstock 50 is not his first difficulty. The festival has had to face numerous delays in obtaining permits, as well as concerns logistics such as security, access to water and sanitation, according to a source close to the organization. The capacity had to be reduced to 75,000 people, weakening the financial balance of the event. Not less than 100,000 fans were expected to be on the site of Watkins Glen to attend 80 shows. For the time being, the date of sale of tickets has been postponed and their prices are not always advertised.
The organization’s non-profit Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the current owner of the land where took place the festival of 1969, has also revised its ambitions commemorative down. In February, its officials said to abandon the option of three days of music, in favour of concerts separate from Ringo Starr, Santana or the Doobie Brothers.
Back veterans
From 15 to 18 August 1969, approximately half a million people had made the trip to what remains, half a century later, as the cultural event and the most significant of the hippie culture of the 60’s and 70’s.
the organizers of The festival anniversary of 50 years had managed to put up a poster impressive, mixing voluntarily the musical styles. Were notably announced Jay-Z, Dead & Company (members of the Greatful Dead), Miley Cyrus and The Killers, but also some veterans of the edition of the original, as the group Santana, John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival or Canned Heat. A happiness in perspective apparently threatened.