Rising to the Occasion – the Road to Hard Rock’s Main Stage

Hard Rock, in a partnership with online music services company ReverbNation, will host an open registration for bands wishing to participate in the global battle from Friday, January 6, 2012 through Tuesday, January 17, 2012. The combination of Hard Rock’s iconic brand and ReverbNation’s extensive network of over 1.8 million artists around the world, will give great undiscovered bands an international stage to jumpstart their careers.

“Hard Rock believes it is critical to support emerging artists and discover new musical talent through the Hard Rock Rising program,” said John Galloway, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Hard Rock International. “We are confident our partnership with ReverbNation will help us secure world-class talent that we can showcase to the international music community at this year’s Hard Rock Calling festival.”

“Hard Rock is a worldwide icon of music, the perfect brand to provide this opportunity to deserving artists,” added Mike Doernberg, ReverbNation CEO and Co-founder. “From day one here at Reverb, we’ve been all about the artist and opportunities like Hard Rock Rising extend that mission exponentially.”

To register future rock stars can visit one of eighty-six participating Hard Rock Cafe Facebook pages. Following open registration, fans decide who moves on to the live performance phase of the program and can vote on any Hard Rock’s city-specific, Facebook page by downloading free tracks from bands of their choice. For full rules and a list of participating locations visit www.hardrock.com.

After fans choose their favorites, participating Hard Rock Cafe locations around the world will host a series of live competitions featuring these local bands. One winner will be selected from each location by the other participating bands. These local winners will be narrowed down to the top ten bands worldwide via fan voting on participating Hard Rock Facebook fan pages. Finally a panel of celebrity judges and music industry professionals will select the top three winners.

The first place winner will be flown to London for the ultimate rock star treatment, including a spot on the bill at Hard Rock Calling 2012. Second and third prize winners will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, in ReverbNation PROMOTE IT credits, a revolutionary tool that creates targeted, highly effective Facebook advertising campaigns for musicians and venues promoting songs, Facebook pages and concerts.

Greetings From Hyde Park – Hard Rock Calling 2012

Hard Rock Calling, an iconic festival now in its seventh consecutive year, has established itself as one of the UK’s premier outdoor music events. The 2012 festival will take place from Friday, July 13 to Sunday, July 15 in London’s Hyde Park. Headliners for the festival will include Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who will take the Main Stage for their second Hard Rock Calling performance. Hard Rock Calling 2012′s performers will join a long line of rock ‘n’ roll greats who have taken the stage at this iconic festival including: Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, The Who, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, The Killers, The Police, Rod Stewart and Bon Jovi.  Hard Rock Calling, produced by Live Nation and presented by Hard Rock International, is a unique and historic musical event with a main stage, second stage, renowned bands, on-site Hard Rock Cafe, as well as a variety of additional attractions. For further information on the 2012 artist lineup and ticket details, visit www.hardrockcalling.co.uk.

The Bamboozle, presented by Live Nation, will return to the beach at Asbury Park for the first time since 2005 and feature over 100 acts performing on nine stages spread throughout the beach and boardwalk including the renowned Convention Hall. Since its inception, The Bamboozle has evolved to become a respected institution within the music festival circuit.

Now in its 10th year, The Bamboozle has consistently featured the best musical talent from established to new artists spanning multiple music genres and has always been a one of a kind resource for artist development. Previously featured up-and-coming acts that have gone on to become breakout artists include Paramour, My Chemical Romance, Wiz Halifax, Fall Out Boy, Jonas Brothers, and many more. 

Bon Jovi has sold 130 million records and has played in over 50 countries to 34 million fans in their twenty-year career. The band won a Grammy Award for the #1 hit single 2005′s “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” which is currently used in the New Jersey state tourism commercials. Bon Jovi had the number one tour in 2008 and 2010.

In November of 2010, Bon Jovi released Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection, featuring all of the band’s biggest chart-topping hits, the most beloved fan favorites, and four new tracks, including the lead single, “What Do You Got.”

Headliners Foo Fighters will make their Bamboozle debut.  This appearance rides the momentum of their 2011 release Wasting Light, which debuted at #1 in the USA, and a dozen countries around the world.  2011 saw Foo Fighters playing to sold out crowds in garages, arenas, and stadiums around the world.

Wasting Light was recently nominated for six Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Album of the Year.  It was named iTunes Album of the Year and “Walk” was awarded Best /Rock Video at this year’s MTV Awards.

Blink-182‘s seventh album, Neighborhoods, was released September 27, 2011, and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.  Since their 1994 full-length debut, the band has sold more than 11 million albums and filled arenas and stadiums both in the U.S. and worldwide. All six of their previous albums have been certified either gold or double platinum, with 1999′s Enema of the State selling more than four million copies.

John D’Esposito, Vice President of Talent/Artist Development for Live Nation, said, “This year’s bill of headliners is truly one of the most exciting. It’s an honor and very fitting to have New Jersey’s own Bon Jove headline as The Bamboozle celebrates its 10th anniversary. Bringing headliners, the Food Fighters to the North Beach in Asbury Park is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Their performance will be nothing short of epic.”

Founded by New Jersey native D’Esposito, The Bamboozle was created more out of necessity than anything else. “I started The Bamboozle because I went to other music festivals growing up and felt there was a need for a pop-culture-oriented event that was diverse but also catered to a specific scene,” said D’Esposito.

As for the return to Asbury Park, D’Esposito said, “For the 10th anniversary, it was important to create an event that would leave a lasting impression. In order to do that we had to go back to where the seed had been planted, Asbury Park.”

Additional performers will be announced in the New Year for The Bamboozle, with more information to come about The Bamboozle Roadshow 2012. The annual “The Break Contest,” the official unsigned band competition of the festival returns and will be presented by Yuuzoo with the grand prize winner receiving a performance slot on the main stage and other prizes.  YuuZoo is the official Social Media Partner of The Bamboozle.

A special three-day package will go on sale Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 AM EST. For ticket information please visit: www.thebamboozle.com. Citi® card members will have access to presale tickets beginning today at 10:00 AM local time through Friday, December 16th 10:00PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Citi is the official credit card of The Bamboozle.

For an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create The Bamboozle, see “The 2011 Bamboozle Festival Documentary,” filmed last year. AOL/NoiseCreep.com will be exclusively premiering the third installment of the documentary today at: http://www.noisecreep.com/2011/12/13/bamboozle-documentary-video/

Legendary rock group Motley Crue and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey have teamed up to provide a one-of-kind offering at the upcoming Sunset Strip Music Festival.

A special barrel of the world famous Tennessee whiskey was selected and donated to the Skylar Neil Foundation in honor of Motley Crue’s 2011 Elmer Valentine Award they’ll receive at the Festival for their contributions to the history of The Sunset Strip.  Approximately 290 commemorative bottles will be available at the SSMF Tribute Night on August 18th for a recommended donation of $100 to the Skylar Neil Foundation.  Each bottle will include a medallion with the engraving, “Specially Selected for Motley Crue.”

According to Jack Daniel’s Master Taster Jeff Norman, the whiskey is particularly well balanced with a hint of soft oak, caramel and vanilla and a pleasing spicy oak finish – the perfect accompaniment for enjoying some serious rock ‘n’ roll.

“It’s hard to imagine rock ‘n’ roll without Motley Crue or Jack Daniel’s, and we’re honored to have bottled this special offering for our friends at the Foundation,” said Norman.  “And we’re particularly pleased that donations will go to a worthy cause close to the band.  As ‘The Crue’ returns to their roots on The Strip, we couldn’t be happier to be part of this special occasion.”

In addition to the commemorative bottles, a Jack Daniel’s barrel signed by the band and a framed Jack Daniel’s Sunset Strip street pole banner will be available at the silent auction on the Tribute night.

“Igniting the music scene in the early ’80s with a sound and style that blended punk, glam and heavy metal, Motley Crue helped re-establish The Sunset Strip as one of the top music destinations in the world,” says SSMF Executive Director Todd Steadman.  ”The band has forever left their mark on the music industry and The Sunset Strip, and we’re looking forward to celebrating their influence and bringing their spirited energy back home during this year’s tribute event. We’re happy that our friends at Jack Daniel’s are joining the party and providing a unique experience to compliment this special occasion.”

A 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Terry Sylvester of The Hollies will headline this year’s festival, along with over 75 other bands performing on eight stages. Growing up just a few houses away from Paul McCartney in Liverpool, Sylvester joined The Hollies in 1968 after Graham Nash left. The band scored three international number one hits with Sylvester lead singing, “He Ain’t Heavy,” “The Air That I Breathe,” and “Long Tall Woman.” The Hollies melodies and harmonies were second only to those of The Beatles. Sylvester is the fifth Liverpool musician to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining The Fabs themselves, John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

Other renowned Beatles tribute bands performing this year include Canada’s Hal Bruce and All You Need is Love; Chicago’s Britbeat; Moscow, Russia’s Alyona; Puerto Rico’s The Jukebox; Germany’s Beat Radicals; Athens, Georgia’s Abbey Road LIVE; Norway’s Norwegian Beatles; and Sweden’s The Repeatles.

For the first time in its nine year history, the festival will expand to include a show in Washington D.C. over Labor Day Weekend. Beatles’ fans will experience five days of peace, love and rock-n-roll at the Gaylord National Resort’s first-class facilities, located just steps from the shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and waterfront attractions at the new lifestyle community, National Harbor.

Festival tickets are currently on sale at www.abbeyroadontheriver.com, and families can save big by purchasing their tickets by April 30th. Advanced tickets include free admission for one 21 and under guest with each regular ticketholder.

WHAS-11 Abbey Road on the River is known throughout The Beatles community as the biggest and best festival dedicated to The Fab Four in the world.

On the 46th anniversary of The Beatles conquering America, the world’s largest Beatles tribute festival, Abbey Road on the River, announced it would expand to National Harbor, Maryland, September 2-6, 2010. The new Labor Day Weekend music festival will bring more than 50 international bands and thousands of Beatles fans to the nation’s Capital.

The stunning Gaylord National Resort, the festival’s venue, will offer hotel rooms beginning at just $139 per night, 25% to 40% below standard rates. The four-star resort, the crown jewel of the new National Harbor, will be home base for Abbey Road on the River’s bands and attendees, hosting two indoor stages, four outdoor stages, seminars, and a Beatles merchandise market place.

Beatles fans will experience five days of peace, love and rock-n-roll at the Gaylord, steps from National Harbor’s shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and waterfront attractions. The Harbor is also a short ride from The White House, Mount Vernon, and other popular area attractions.

The 50 Beatles bands, from mop tops to Sgt. Peppers, represent a dozen different countries including Greece, Germany, Italy, England, Scotland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Canada, and the USA. They will perform the entire discography of The Beatles from 1963′s “Please Please Me” through John, Paul, George and Ringo’s final history-making album together, 1970′s “Abbey Road.” And if you also love the music they made as solo artists, the event will feature special concerts dedicated to their careers after they were Fab. It all “comes together” on the banks of the Potomac River, giving their legions of fans the ultimate Fab Four Fan Weekend.

The Beatles, the best-selling band of the last ten years (as well as the past 46), is the one rock ‘n’ roll band that equally appeals to young and old. It was true in the 1960′s, and it’s more true now as longtime fans pass on their love for the Fab Four to their children and for many, now their grandchildren.

Room rates at the Gaylord National Resort normally ranging from $199-$379, are available for Abbey Road on the River attendees for just $139 per night. For guests staying three nights, this is a savings of over $200.

Families can take advantage of another Fab money saving incentive by purchasing their tickets by May 31st. Tickets purchased before May 31st include free admission for one 21 and under guest with each regular ticket holder. “One of the things we want to do is pass along the love of this music to others so that it can carry on,” festival organizer Gary Jacob said. “Everyone has an inner Beatle; combining The Beatles’ eternal music with this great venue is the perfect way for you to find it.”

Visit www.abbeyroadontheriver.com to see the lineup and schedule, purchase tickets, make reservations, and to get more information.

Source: GMJ Events

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL featuring KORN and ROB ZOMBIE will kick off Saturday, July 10 in San Bernardino, CA and will roll through 24 cities in the U.S. and Canada between early July and late August (a full itinerary will be announced in the coming weeks). Mayhem presale tickets go on sale April 2 and tickets go on sale to the general public on April 16th at LiveNation.com. Check www.mayhemfest.com for more info.

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL has become the summer’s hottest ticket by giving fans the opportunity to experience a thrilling mix of hard music’s most influential artists and exciting young voices. This summer’s lineup turns up the heat with a main stage lineup that sees KORN and ROB ZOMBIE joined by LAMB OF GOD and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. The JAGERMEISTER stage will feature HATEBREED, CHIMAIRA, SHADOWS FALL, WINDS OF PLAGUE and the JAGERMEISTER Battle of The Bands Winner. The second stage will spotlight ATREYU, NORMA JEAN, IN THIS MOMENT and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.

The World’s Greatest Freestyle Motocross team, METAL MULISHA, will return to rev up audiences with their unique style of death-defying motorcycle stunts. Also featured on this year’s tour will be the bombastic BEACHER’S MADHOUSE, a sexy costume party combined with outrageous variety acts, beautiful dancers, scantily-clad Beacher’s Babies, DJ’s and so much more. Comedian Jay Oakerson (seen on Comedy Central) will also be on hand to deliver an onslaught of unbridled awesomeness and raunchy rock n roll comedy.

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL will be the first major city tour for KORN in support of their 9th studio album, tentatively titled Korn III – Remember Who You Are. The new album marks the return of producer Ross Robinson, who worked with Korn on their first two releases, Korn and Life is Peachy. Lead vocalist Jonathan Davis has said that the new material matches the pure raw emotion of Korn’s early releases while the current touring band has never been tighter. “It’s the perfect mix,” says Davis, “and Mayhem is the perfect place to set it off. We can’t wait for the fans to hear it!”

ROB ZOMBIE is gearing up for the February 2nd release of his Roadrunner / Loud & Proud debut Hellbilly Deluxe 2. Over the course of the past 18 years, Zombie has sold more than 15 million records as a solo artist and with his former band, White Zombie. Says Zombie, “It’s been over a decade since my last tour with Korn, so this pairing is long overdue. Mayhem will be one amazingly destructive way to spend the summer. “

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL is produced by Rockstar Taste of Chaos organizer John Reese, Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman and Creative Artists Agency. The trio has made Mayhem a standout on the summer concert circuit by following the proven model of utilizing sponsorship to deliver a lower ticket price and an enhanced concert experience. This year sees them joining forces once again with ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK as the title sponsor.

“When we started this tour three years ago, one of our primary goals was to develop new artists,” say Lyman and Reese. “So we’re extremely proud of Five Finger Death Punch, who were a side stage band during year one and are now a main stage act. Mayhem has quickly become a powerful brand by assembling a monster-sized lineup of heavy hitting artists and unparalleled excitement at an affordable price. It’s a tour of not-to-be-missed moments. The fans recognize this and have responded.”

Live Nation is co-producer of the tour and will promote the festival nationally.

“The Mayhem team has done it again. The Mayhem Festival has become one of the premier traveling music festivals of the summer drawing more than 600,000 hard rock music fans to our amphitheaters in 2008 and 2009,” said Jason Garner, Chief Executive Officer of Global Music at Live Nation. “With Rob Zombie and Korn, Mayhem 2010 is sure to have another huge summer.”

LAMB OF GOD just received a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” for “Set To Fail” from their most recent release, Wrath, which entered Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH’s current album, War Is the Answer, debuted at # 7 on the Billboard charts. They were on the first-ever ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL in 2007 and have since established themselves as one of America’s most popular hard rock/ metal bands.

In addition to catching their favorite bands, Mayhem-goers can enjoy a plethora of festival activities, including playing the newest video games, perusing vendors, attending autograph signing sessions and a slew of other interactive activities that enhance the concert experience.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK will be sampling their products and providing great surprises for attendees. Additional sponsors include Jagermeister, The DiNGSTORE.com (Device Personalization Company), Harley Davidson, Century Media and Metal Injection. Additional sponsor details will be announced shortly.

FUEL-TV and Revolver Magazine (who will produce the Official Tour Program) have signed on as official ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL media partners. Additional sponsors will be announced soon.

“In its third year the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL has become our marquee music presentation,” says Mike Kelso, Marketing Director Rockstar Energy Drink. “Huge crowds and great bands make for an amazing summer road show and Rockstar is proud to bring it to music fans throughout the country.”

Specific dates, cities and additional information will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can go to www.mayhemfest.com and www.LiveNation.com keep up with details as they are released.

Woodstock Ventures and Sony Music Entertainment have joined forces to create Woodstock.com, a revolutionary destination website for live music fans from every generation. A new social networking website devoted to the live music community, Woodstock.com debuted to artists, fans, music lovers and websurfers everywhere on Monday, June 1, and continues to grow.

40 years after the original Woodstock Festival drew a half a million music fans to upstate New York for four days of peace, love and understanding, Woodstock.com, the official website for the Woodstock community, is keeping those ideals alive 24-7 in a vital new online social networking community.

Utilizing a clean and user-friendly aesthetic and interface, Woodstock.com is compatible with other online social networking sites and offers fans the opportunity to create their own Woodstock.com profile pages.

With information on more than 130,000 events and more than 20,000 pieces of content on-hand at launch, Woodstock.com is the web’s most comprehensive live music community site, offering fans the inside story on local and national concerts, access to ticketing, artist’s forums, and the unique ability to connect with other fans, compare and review their concert experiences, rate bands and concerts, post their own photos from live events they’ve attended and much more.

Woodstock.com offers a platform where fans can share their experiences from all of the Woodstock Festivals (’69,’94 & ’99) in addition to other live concert events. Woodstock.com is also premiering WikiStock, an interactive wiki-style encyclopedia of all things Woodstock, which will accept and incorporate contributions about the individual experiences visitors have had at Woodstock festivals over the years.

Woodstock.com will present forums to discuss environmental initiatives, social issues, and other current topics relevant to the Woodstock community. Visitors to the site can meet on a virtual village green, a platform for developing initiatives about global warming, carbon emissions, and responsible energy use. A special interactive portion of the site will make clear to the world which issues are of the greatest importance to the Woodstock community.

The site will be the ultimate source for all things Woodstock — exclusive interviews, guest editors, previously unreleased artifacts, audio-visual content, rare photographs and other memorabilia with an online store offering a wide variety of goods including fine art prints of never-before-seen photography, music, film, collectables, apparel and books.

“Three pillars of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, live music, community involvement and social awareness, will define the Woodstock Nation on a new frontier as the promoters of that pivotal event in Aug. 1969 set out to bring their vision of the world to cyberspace,” wrote John W. Barry in his article on the site appearing in the Poughkeepsie Journal/Associated Press.

Woodstock.com has been created under the auspices of Michael Lang and Joel Rosenman, two of the founders of the Woodstock Festival. The launch of Woodstock.com is planned to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Festival, the historic weekend that showed the world how the youth of America could unite in peace and music. That spirit lives on at Woodstock.com, the ultimate Woodstock destination for the 21st century.

Legacy Recordings has also released five double-CD packages celebrating the legends of Woodstock. Each eco-friendly, all-paper package will feature the remastered original album in an LP replica sleeve, alongside a second CD which features the artist’s complete Woodstock performance, all with previously unreleased tracks! Each title will be an individually-numbered collectors edition, featuring a 16 x 24″ poster of the artist captured in performance at Woodstock in 1969.

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – Volunteers: Woodstock Experience 2CD (RCA/Legacy)

JANIS JOPLIN – I Got Dem ‘Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama!: Woodstock Experience 2CD (Columbia/Legacy)

SANTANA – Santana: Woodstock Experience 2CD (Columbia/Legacy)

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE – Stand!: Woodstock Experience 2CD (Epic/Legacy)

JOHNNY WINTER – Johnny Winter: Woodstock Experience 2CD (Epic/Legacy)

http://www.woodstock.com/

Source: Legacy Recordings

From Proclaiming “Far Out” as their Favorite Slang Term to Electing an African American President as Their Biggest Surprise, Boomers Reflect on Then and Now

Eons.com, the online community for Baby Boomers, today announced the results of its Woodstock 40th Anniversary Survey. The survey sampled the opinions of nearly 2,000 respondents age 45 and over, forming a portrait of a generation that started out breaking the rules, and four decades later continues to shape the world. The survey and online group are available at www.eons.com/woodstock40th.

“Our members have been anticipating Woodstock’s landmark anniversary for more than a year. This weekend, eons.com welcomes all who experienced the 1960s to celebrate and share their Woodstock stories and connect with peers around this life-changing event,” says Jeff Taylor, Eons(TM) CEO.

Boomers’ Real Views on Woodstock, Music and the Hippie Life

– Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was the survey’s surprise winner for favorite live performer at Woodstock (77%). Jimi Hendrix, the iconic Woodstock artist, came in 2nd with 53%. The #2 favorite? Creedence Clearwater Revival (72%).

– Nearly half of all respondents (47%) said the music was the most memorable part about Woodstock. Yet, Woodstock attendees said the sense of peace and togetherness (47%) was more memorable than the music (19%).

– Only 16% of all respondents considered themselves to be hippies in the ’60s, but 60% “wanted to be” or said they were “maybe a little bit.” Of those who attended Woodstock, 47% called themselves hippies versus 14% of non-attendees. Today, only 8% of Boomers consider themselves to be, with another 38% proclaiming “sort of.”

– Bell bottoms were a must-have for both genders (80%). While women raved about their very long hair (59%), men sported sideburns (47%) and their own long hair (38%).

– Boomers declared “Far Out” as their most-loved saying (66%). The distant second? “Groovy” (48%).

They Have Become “The Man” and Loved Their Careers

– Two-thirds of Boomers said they have achieved their career aspirations. In 1969, women’s top goal (32%) was to have a job that could help make a difference, while men (36%) sought a company with good benefits, pensions and security. The beginning of a sea change for women and work was evident as only 22% of women wanted to be a stay-at-home parent. Career disappointment centered on not making enough money, despite liking their jobs. Over 40% said they have or had a really fun and enjoyable career.

– While less than half of this generation (42%) gave much thought in the 1960′s to the corporate world, those that did (22%) thought it was a necessary evil. Today, almost all Boomers think about the corporate world (93%) and despite career success, many still feel it is a necessary evil (36%).

Hell No, We Won’t Go

– Only 35% of respondents participated in an anti-war protest in the ’60s, but Woodstock attendees were twice as likely (66%) to have protested. Interestingly, twice as many men (25%) as women said they supported the government’s position. Although 73% said Woodstock did not influence their attitude toward anti-war protesters, 19% said it made them more tolerant.

– While 42% said they are “much less active today” in anti-war protests, as a generation Boomers are more involved in activism and community support. One-third (33%) are “much more active today” in volunteerism and nearly 40% are “somewhat more active” in grassroots activism, social organizing and political activism.

The ’60s Shaped Their Generation

– Over 45% said, “I am who I am because of the ’60s,” with 75% claiming that growing up in the ’60s made them more open-minded. Over 50% enjoyed those times and would choose to live them over again, but 9% would happily skip that time.

– In 1969, they “never would have imagined” that in 40 years we’d have an African American President (60%). Other surprises? They still enjoy music as much as they did (36%); they enjoy being grandparents (32%); and they as strongly espouse the values of peace, love and community (32%) as they did 40 years ago.

– Overall, 62% said their generation as a whole has not achieved its ideals yet. One commented, “We made more change happen faster than anyone dreamed possible before us. There is still a distance to go, but our impact on the process has been undeniable.”

In addition to a camera, press passes and notes from the featured photographers, the artifacts include a working list of the artists who performed and how much each act was paid and other items from Woodstock concert promoter Michael Lang.

Rolling Stone called the Woodstock Music and Art Fair “the most famous event in rock history.” The Newseum’s “Woodstock at 40″ exhibit invites visitors to consider how the event changed the way that news media — and the rest of the nation — looked at rock music and popular culture.

At the time, reports focused on traffic jams, rainstorms, food shortages, drug use and crowd size. New York’s Sunday News headlined its story “Hippies Mired in Sea of Mud.”

But according to USA Today rock critic Edna Gundersen, “The media and the music industry were awakened by Woodstock and started to recognize music as not just a frivolous and entertaining diversion but as a growing cultural magnet and a commercial force with enormous potential.”

Newseum Executive Director Joe Urschel says that, “prior to Woodstock, there were few reporters in the mainstream media who covered rock music seriously. That changed very quickly after the festival. Many of the reporters who did attend completely missed the story, focusing instead on those things that seem insignificant now — the traffic, the crowds, the weather. It was the equivalent of going to cover the Super Bowl and neglecting to mention the football game.”

“Woodstock at 40″ focuses on the efforts of three photographers to document the event.

Concert promoter Lang paid Henry Diltz $500 to be the official photographer of Woodstock. Diltz arrived in Bethel, N.Y., two weeks before the concert to capture the preparations and remained through Jimi Hendrix’s festival-ending performance. He then headed for the offices of Life magazine and submitted hundreds of freshly developed slides. “Woodstock at 40″ features the three Diltz images as they appeared — with full-page treatment — in the 1969 “Woodstock Special Edition” of Life, as well as other images of the performers and crowd.

Mark Goff covered Woodstock as a 22-year-old reporter for Kaleidoscope, a Milwaukee-based alternative newspaper that was published in the late 1960s. Armed with a press pass, Goff had access to the entire venue. His rarely seen photos feature extraordinary snapshots of both the performers — Joan Baez, Ravi Shankar, Sly Stone — and the crowds taken from the press pit located just below the stage. Goff’s images appear alongside his mud-splattered press kit, press pass, concert pin and tickets.

The exhibition also features rarely seen images taken by reporter Dan Garson who, as a 17-year-old journalist for his high school newspaper in Connecticut, wrote the festival organizers for a press pass. To his astonishment, he got one. Garson captured more than 300 photographs, only four of which were ever published. The rest were forgotten in his parents’ basement. “Woodstock at 40″ features the first public museum display of Garson’s photos as well as the 35mm camera he used, his notes and the letter Garson received from Woodstock granting him a press pass.

The Newseum has produced an original, five-minute feature presentation for the 90-foot-long screen in the museum’s Robert H. and Clarice Smith Big Screen Theater. The production mixes news photographs and rarely seen network footage of the concert with images taken by the exhibit’s featured photographers. Interviews with Barnard Collier, who covered the concert for The New York Times; Jan Hodenfield, who covered for Rolling Stone; and USA Today rock critic Edna Gundersen are mixed with music from the concert. The production will run daily while “Woodstock at 40″ is on display.

“Woodstock at 40″ was made possible through the generous cooperation of Rona Elliot and Genesis Publications, publisher of “Woodstock Experience,” along with Brad LeMee and the family of Dan Garson, Woodstock executive producer Michael Lang, and photographers Henry Diltz and Mark Goff.

Public programs

On Saturday, Aug. 1, a local band assembled specifically to mark the exhibit opening, “Woodstock Re-Covered,” will perform music from the historic concert in the Newseum’s New York Times — Ochs-Sulzberger Family Great Hall of News beginning at 2 p.m.

On Sunday, Aug. 9, Woodstock Music and Art Fair organizer Michael Lang will offer a revealing look at how one concert brought a half-million people to an upstate farm in Bethel, N.Y., and captured the social and political spirit of the decade. After the program, Lang will sign copies of his book, “The Road to Woodstock.”

On Saturday, Aug. 15, former New York Times reporter Barnard L. Collier will sort out fact from fiction about the historic concert. Collier wrote about Woodstock as promoters searched for a location and was on the scene when the final act took the stage.

The Newseum — a 250,000-square-foot museum of news — offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. Within its seven levels of galleries and theaters, the Newseum offers a unique environment that takes museum-goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.

Source: Newseum

Documentary Directed By Academy Award Winning Filmmaker Barbara Kopple and Executive Produced By Original Festival Organizer Michael Lang

In the summer of 1969, on a farm about 90 miles north of New York City, more than 500,000 people gathered for a three day music festival that in an instant, defined a generation and changed popular culture forever…Woodstock.

Now, 40 years after that historic moment, History(TM) and VH1 Rock Docs have joined forces for the first time, for a unique television collaboration, one that celebrates and explores the deep history and fascination of Woodstock, as well as the incredible music experience that defined a generation. The definitive two-hour documentary, “Woodstock: Now & Then”, will premiere on Friday, August 14 at 9pm on VH1 and VH1 Classic and on Monday, August 17 at 8pm on History.

Directed and Produced by two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple and Executive Produced by Michael Lang, the original festival organizer, the film examines Woodstock from the perspectives of not only the musicians who graced the stage, but the fans who gathered in mass, the concert promoters who risked everything and countless others whose unique experiences help paint a tapestry of Woodstock that hasn’t been seen in recent years.

“Woodstock: Now & Then” explores the frenzied days leading up to and throughout the festival, from how the planners scrambled to find a concert site and the traffic jams that shut down the New York State thruway to the infamously bad “brown acid,” the thunderous rain and mud and, of course, the music. Weaving together first-hand accounts with rare archival images and an iconic soundtrack, the documentary allows those who were there a chance to relive the experience and gives an entirely new generation an opportunity to feel the magic of that time.

The film will also take an important look at Woodstock’s legacy through the eyes of today’s musicians and activists examining why Woodstock and all it symbolizes is still relevant in today’s culture.

For more information please log onto www.history.com/woodstock and for more information on VH1 Rock Docs go to www.vh1.com.

“Woodstock: Now & Then” is part of History’s celebration of the historic events that took place during the summer of 1969. History will premiere new specials that also include “Moonshot” (premiering Monday, July 20, 8pm) and “Sex in 69: The Sexual Revolution in America” (premiering Monday, August 3, 8pm).

“Woodstock: Now & Then” is the newest film in the Emmy Award-winning VH1 Rock Doc franchise. VH1 Rock Docs are feature-length documentaries that tell unique stories of artists and music from a wide range of genres, styles, and musical perspectives.

“Woodstock: Now & Then” is a co-production of History(TM) and VH1, in association with Cabin Creek Films and Woodstock Ventures, Inc. Brad Abramson, Stephen Mintz, Shelly Tatro and Jeff Olde serve as executive producers for VH1 and Julian P. Hobbs is the executive producer for History. For Cabin Creek Films, Barbara Kopple serves as director and producer and Michael Lang as executive producer.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

Source: VH1