Time to take a look back into this day in rock history: August 15
1965
A massive crowd shows up for the Beatles 1965 show at New York’s Shea Stadium. The show sets a record with 55,000 fans, 200 security guards and a gross at the gate of $304,000. The Beatles walk away with about $160,000.
1969
Three days of peace, love and music! Max Yasgur plays host to a half a million guests at his 600 acre farm in Bethel, New York. Hendrix, The Who, Ten Years After, Sly and dozens of others take the stage. The three-hour movie pretty much tells it all. It would be more than ten years before the promoters make back their initial investment.
1991
He pulled more than Woodstock! Paul Simon’s 1991 free concert in Central Park draws more than 600,000 fans. The TV special draws even more.
2012
No, it can’t be! Lisa Marie Presley joins her mom, Priscilla, at Graceland where they address a surprised crowd gathered to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Elvis’ death.
2019
Fifty years later a much smaller group gathers to commemorate the Woodstock festival. A number of the artists return to perform at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts which was built on the site of the original festival.Â
A limited edition 38 CD set of every minute of the festival with every performance and even stage announcements is available for a time at the price of $1969. Why that price? Look at the year. It’s now a highly prized (and costly) collectible that most people listen to all the way once because it’s a commitment!
