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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
When hippy culture bangs into capitalism, 4 May 2004
This DVD should be required viewing for any sociologist interested in the 1960s/70s. Here we get a fascinating clash between dopeheads, anarchists and hippies demanding a free concert, whereas their pop music heroes are demanding to be paid before they perform. Tiny Tim comes off particularly badly, saying to camera that he thinks a free concert is a great idea. But then the concert organiser admits that Tiny Tim won't pick up his ukulele until he gets paid. Joan Baez is more honest and less two-faced about it, but she has no solution to the financial problem. She does expect to get paid. Eventually the rabble wins and, after clashes with police dogs etc, tears down the corrugated metal fences. Even the concert promoter's spokesman finally admits defeat and says everyone can come in, now that they know they'll never break even. Sociologists may well wince along with most viewers when one dopehead admits that he gives his young son (who looks about five) marijuana and LSD. But what a fantastic concert it was. Quite apart from this providing the last ever appearances by Hendrix and Jim Morrison, there were also some superb performances, particularly by the Who. (The interplay between drummer Keith Moon and guitarist Pete Townshend is telepathic.) Free are OK, but they are not well-miked. There is also the humdrum: Rory Gallagher with a very mediocre song, an extended Miles Davis band (which included Chick Corea and possibly Keith Jarrett) providing an excerpt which was all too brief. Joni Mitchell deserved gets two songs on this DVD, after telling the crowd that they are behaving like tourists. There is the nudity and unscripted on-stage behaviour that you might expect from crowds of the period. But what this film does so well is focus not just on the dirtiness of attending an outdoor concert for several days, but also on the problems of managing the event. Great stuff!
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