Michael Lang - passed away on January 8th , he was 77.
WHO, you ask ?? Michael was the Main promoter of the concert known as the "Woodstock music and Arts Festival" billed as "an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music" way back in 1969. Now - "Woodstock" as it has come to be known, was part of the name of Michael's the Promotion company - as he lived in Woodstock. Lang was only planning to to open a Recording studio in the small hamlet that he lived in. He promoted the Festival to towns in Saugerties - but once that town got wind of what he expected - 50, 000 people , the town board issued a statute where you needed a permit to have a gathering like that for more than 5,000 people,,, Walkill was next in line, after they gave all the signals that they would be in approval with Lang's plan, they rejected it in the end. He ended up in Bethel NY . He found a kid really - that had a permit for an outdoor music / theatrical gathering. He found a farmer - Max Yasgur - that was willing to have the event on his land, in part because he thought he was mistreated by his neighbors because he was Jewish, and he could sorta stick it to them by agreeing to this. Reports say he got $75K for a lease on the land for the Festival..
So, all the Promotional documentation had the Woodstock name, the tickets, posters, etc... Bethel is about 48 miles as the Crow flies,,, and approx. 66 miles on the road. Map is below.
Up until a few years ago - before Bethel Woods Center for the arts, and the Museum was built - you would have difficulty finding where the Concert was actually held. And there are still folks - visitors and Hudson valley residents that ask where in Woodstock was the event held, and where in Woodstock is that Marker ??? HA - no where near Woodstock - so a town that had little to nothing to do with the Festival is famous today - weird right ?? !!!
BTW - Bethel Woods is about as great a place to see a Concert !! Similar to SPAC but more open on the sides- the Acoustics are wonderful, plus they have terrific food and Drink options. The also have a smaller inside space for those smaller concerts that is really nice.
Parking, is not great - and you will be in a huge traffic jam on Hurd road when the show ends !!!
The Museum is a great place to visit (not on a show day) - good spot for Winter drive...
Tickets were $24 for the three days - that is equivalent to $182 today - attached
The $75K - Yasgur received is worth about $568 Dollars today.
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