# Rock Festival in wisconsin - 70s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903 "2003-12-19T02:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/21 "2009-06-15T15:00:15Z")
> [@jk1245](#): > > Karl Armstrong owns a sandwich shop on State St now, a lot of people are pissed that a murderer (even unintentionally) is now making a good living off his history (his shop is called The Radical Rye). Continuing the hijack: Seriously? When I went to college there (early '90s) I was surprised at how many cops ate lunch at the Radical Rye. I’d think they would be averse to giving him the business. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/22 "2009-06-15T20:15:10Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Well, I don’t have kids. But ironically I can empathize with both you AND your son: > > As a teenager, waaaay back in the 80s (!) I went through my own pot-smoking hippie phase, and was extremely impressed when I discovered that a neighbor of mine had been a regular visitor of the Fillmore West – he saw Jefferson Airplane, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream to name a few bands. At the time, I couldn’t understand the bemused smirk he always had when I badgered him with questions about those days. > > Then a few years ago, I happened to mention to a younger co-worker that I’d seen Kiss - in their original full-makeup, flame-throwing days - when I was in grade school. I also saw (on seperate occasions) the Clash and the Talking Heads. When I saw the look of astonishment and envy on his face, I immediately flashed back to my neighbor and realized why he was so amused. I long ago got over my jealousy of my uncle, who has backstage pictures of bands like the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead from back in the 60s (yes, he took those pictures) and live, onstage pictures of the Beatles, Cream, etc that he saw back then. But I’ll never stop being pissed off that he walked out on a Stevie Ray Vaughn show in the 80s. My uncle is a jazzy, rock, jam-band type guy who went to the show to see Jeff Beck, who opened. After SRV started, my uncle – who was never much into the blues anyway – wasn’t feeling it and walked out. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/23 "2009-06-17T03:04:05Z")
Thanks for resurrecting this thread, rabnmb… appropriate as we exhume memories of our rockier days (and weird to read what I assumed was a recent post and suddenly realize that I’d written it, over five years ago). But I’ve got a related request – my kids too want to know who I saw live “back in the day”. Problem is, I went to Summerfest a couple of dozen times in the early 70s, and the second-hand smoke got in the way of forming long-term memories of each band. Does anyone know where I can find old lineups? PS: Now I’m taking my kids with me, and getting written up. \<[http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=7930>](http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=7930>); Last summer, my friend Andy and I experienced “Bummerfest”: "Milwaukeeans will pay for beer the same way SUV owners will pay for gas. Whatever it takes. Brewskis are up to five bucks apiece at Summerfest now. They could be 50 bucks and it wouldn’t matter. “The guy in front of us disappears every other song and returns with plastic bottles of Miller Lite that he shares with his drenched girlfriend. I don’t know what’s more discouraging: the fact that each round takes their focus further from the music, or the fact that they’ll pay that much for crappy beer.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/24 "2009-06-17T05:15:46Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Wussy. _Wussy?!_ > > By that, of course, you mean discriminating, imaginative and immune to derision. > > I am not alone! I am not alone! Of course you’re not, my dear. With the new box-set reissue of the Woodstock movie, including not only the four-hour director’s cut, but also two (in the Amazon version) batches of unreleased performances, I was disappointed that the ISB’s set is _still_ unrepresented on video. So what a joy to find that Youtube offers an incredible full-length [When You Find Out Who You Are](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX33aJSE-2o), plus [The Letter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNeGB7BE_RA), and a fragment of [This Moment](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emv3r0NxgQg)! ---
**Author:** ![windKnot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@windKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/windKnot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/25 "2009-08-10T01:35:48Z")
It was 1970 and the Stevens Point Festival. I was there. I filled my van with friends and left N. Il. We arrived at the gate to find another friend’s car had broken brakes so I pushed him with my van and we both were directed to the " Vender’s" area. Due to our camp location I really can’t help much with the bands who performed but… I learned quickly to strain the gallion bottle of wine with my teeth! ( a mix of all the venders products were replenished for all 3 days). I did see the stage once but was intercepted and went back to the venders area. The violence started when the security guards (Bikers) raped a girl on Sat. Night. People had enough of the bikers abuse and attacked them in front of my van. They chopped up their bikes up with axes and then set them on fire! The Chicago Tribune article you spoke of shows my friend “Smily” chasing a biker up the hill throwing a large rock at him. There were other bikers hiding in cop cars at the top of the hill. It also shows my friends hiding under my van as a biker was shooting a pisto at the crowdl. I’m sure Stevens Point was one reasons festivals fell out of favor for a while. I’m gla to say its been 39 years and even though we live across the country we still keep in touch and see one another. ( Those that are still alive!) Sorry I can’t be of more help on the bands that played, all I heard for three days was a Cream tape over and over. Good memories! ---
**Author:** ![St.L.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@St.L.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.L.B)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/26 "2009-08-10T23:30:38Z")
I was 16 years old in 1970 and hitchhiked to Milwaukee and took advantage of a friend’s older brother’s Marquette U. friends and stayed in their “commune” (Much love and many thanks to Kate H., Tom S., Brian H. & Terry P. for making Milwaukee my San Francisco and Iola my Woodstock). Anyway Iola was definitely the highlight of my life until that point, and I’ll remember it fondly till the day I die, I’m sure. The musicians I remember, in order of appearance are Buffy Ste. Marie on opening night; Chuck Berry, Brownsville Station and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band on; Saturday and Saturday night; and Ravi Shankar on Sunday morning. I also remember being amazed at the number of stands selling psychadelics, though by the end of the weekend the drug which everyone seemed to want but hadn’t brought enough of was tobacco! Luckily, the conflicts with the bikers were only rumors at our campsite at the top of the hill and everyone I met that weekend seemed to be right out of central casting for Melanie’s “Beautiful People” (had ther been music videos in those faraway days). ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/27 "2009-08-11T00:13:04Z")
June 26,27,28, 1970. Perhaps 40-50,000 attended. $10 in advance, $14 at the gate. Problems were esentially no water, and few/poor bathroom facilities. Then the shootings. Other than the groups others have mentioned, Buddy Rich. Most of the bikers causing the trouble were from Chicago, not Milwaukee. The “bikers raping a girl” was a rumor. The shootings happened Sun. Evidently, the promoters were very late paying bills, so the sound system was woefully inadequate Friday, only slightly better Saturday. Depending on how close you were. —from newspaper articles at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Octalcode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Octalcode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octalcode)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/28 "2009-08-11T14:52:49Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > My son’s friends are also impressed my husband and I are friends with some of the ACTUAL people mentioned in Leggs McNeils history of NY punk **Please Kill Me** > > Other than that, we are old people, as are all parents. This has my interest. Care to name names? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/29 "2009-08-12T01:57:56Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Thanks for resurrecting this thread, rabnmb… appropriate as we exhume memories of our rockier days (and weird to read what I assumed was a recent post and suddenly realize that I’d written it, over five years ago). > > But I’ve got a related request – my kids too want to know who I saw live “back in the day”. Problem is, I went to Summerfest a couple of dozen times in the early 70s, and the second-hand smoke got in the way of forming long-term memories of each band. Does anyone know where I can find old lineups? Hey, I quoted myself! Just a quick update: I was complaining that I couldn’t find a Summerfest lineup from Back In The Day _any_where, and a friend said “Well, they don’t want anyone to put the lists online, because it’s all in The Book.” “What book?” “The coffee table book!” Which is now on my coffee table. And I found out that my memories of Mountain, Poco and John Sebastian all on the same stage in the pouring rain were true. Or that afternoon when we actually saw The Doors, Quicksilver, BS&T and Dr. John. But, that opening band we missed one night was… The Jackson Five. ---
**Author:** ![orvieto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@orvieto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orvieto)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/30 "2009-08-14T16:35:52Z")
Greetings, Stumbled upon your post. Maybe you are remembering Poynette in April of 1970. I was there with the band of my _now_ husband of 39 yrs. Yes, Buffy Saint Marie, The Grateful Dead, Ravi Shankar (who took a nap in the back of one of our equipment vans), others I cannot remember now. What a risky thing to schedule in Wisconsin in April! But it was warm enough and so dry that brush fires broke out a few times and people would rush to put them out before they got out of control. I remember getting a bowl of muelsi at a tent or stand occupied by the Hog Farm Family and I think Wavy Gravy was there with them. > [@CBCD](#): > > After I astounded and amazed my twenty year old son with the shows I’d seen at the Fillmore East when I was just lass, I started telling him of other, stranger musical events. > > Do you remember a ‘rock festival’ held in the middle of Wisonsin arounf 1970? The only bands I can remember playing there were The Amboy Dukes and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Who else played? My mind is kind of fuzzy on this one… ---
**Author:** ![Bodean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@Bodean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bodean)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/31 "2009-08-15T02:55:28Z")
There was two festivals held in Wisconsin in 1970. The first in Poynette and the second in Iola. It is impossible to find any history on the Festivals I have gone to the archives of the local papers and have found nothing written. At 18 I hitch a ride to Iola and rolled out my sleeping bag in front of the band stand and rocked for three days. Some of the bands that I remembered that played included Amboy Dukes, James Gang, Siegal-Schwall Band, Iggy Pop, Buddy Rich, Buffy St Marie, and Ravi Shankar. The band that I enjoy the most was call the MC5. You can view them on U-tube Called Kick Out the Jams. I do remember a problem with a bike gang that caused trouble but the people drove them away and it turned out to be the second summer of love. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/32 "2009-08-15T03:18:10Z")
> [@Bodean](#): > > There was two festivals held in Wisconsin in 1970. The first in Poynette and the second in Iola. It is impossible to find any history on the Festivals I have gone to the archives of the local papers and have found nothing written… Sure it is. Just see my post above. ---
**Author:** ![KatieKintner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ab992/32.png) [@KatieKintner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KatieKintner)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/33 "2009-08-15T15:44:42Z")
Coming in rather late on this one… It was in a field somewhere around Iola. I went with three or four girlfriends, riding up in a 48-49 Chevy sedan painted psychedically. For some reason, we did not get stopped by state troopers although we would have wound up in the hoosegow with our pot stuffed into sanitary napkins. We passed a van being searched–it was the band “Fuse”. Ted Nugent with the Amboy Dukes and his black and white guitars, banging them together and telling the crowd they were F_ing. I also remember a girl screaming to be f_d and getting her wish over the saddle of a motor cycle. I remember Buffy St. Marie (boring). Also there were Brownsville Station, who were a lot of fun, some local bands named the Bowery Boys, Sound Street and U.S. Pure (this was when I was still more or less sober,s o I remember them). By the time the sun set, I was so tired I went back to our tent and slept most of the rest of the time! I remember something about the shootings but that was after we left on Sunday morning while Ravi Shankar was playing. The girl who drove home was under the influence of LSD. How am I alive today? And that’s my Iola story. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/34 "2009-08-16T04:00:14Z")
And MC5 started out that song by shouting \* **"Kick Out the Jams, MF** s! **"** \* ---
**Author:** ![SAMCOOKEFAN1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@SAMCOOKEFAN1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SAMCOOKEFAN1)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/35 "2009-08-16T21:03:30Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > After I astounded and amazed my twenty year old son with the shows I’d seen at the Fillmore East when I was just lass, I started telling him of other, stranger musical events. > > Do you remember a ‘rock festival’ held in the middle of Wisonsin arounf 1970? The only bands I can remember playing there were The Amboy Dukes and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Who else played? My mind is kind of fuzzy on this one… I was at the 1970 festival with my friends. I wish I could remember all the acts but it paled in comparison with Summerfest, that’s for sure. There were about 10 of us, students at UW, heard that this was going to be the next Woodstock and everyone was going to be there, but that wasn’t the case. It was hugely disappointing. I remember Buffy, and the Amboy Dukes,along with Edgar and Johnny Winter, I think John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, J. Geils Band, maybe Leslie West and Mountain, (or maybe they never showed), but not sure. the James Gang, Siegel-Schwall from Madison, (whatever happened to them?), and drummer Buddy Rich. THAT was a trip! I do remember how filthy we all were, the muddy conditions, lack of food and toilets, and the Hell’s Angels coming up to us, rifles in hand, one of them asking us if we had seen any rabbits. We had smoked some grass, of course, so we were really freaked out by the sight of these guys because we knew about Altamont, so when they left we heaved a sigh of relief and were glad to leave early that next morning. It was a bummer, man! ---
**Author:** ![ATG52](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@ATG52](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ATG52)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/36 "2009-08-18T02:07:10Z")
Also coming in late after watching “Woodstock: Then and Now” on History and deciding to look for info on the Iola Rock Festival. I also was there --summer of 1970. I remember Buffy, the Amboy Dukes, Paul Butterfield, lots of Bikers, lots of “vendors”, Sunday morning shots being fired and my friend Steve’s Chevy being stolen because he left the keys in it. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![SAMCOOKEFAN1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@SAMCOOKEFAN1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SAMCOOKEFAN1)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/37 "2009-08-18T03:56:59Z")
Wow, I remember my roommate and I loved them to death! I had forgotten all about them. In fact, maybe that’s who I misremembered John Mayall as! Wisconsin drew quite a few musical groups–still does. Wherever I go in LA–lived here 33 years now-- people talk about that campus as a special place. I recall seeing Joan Baez at Ag Hall for $2.00–she said she refused to charge college students more money. I also saw Cheech and Chong when they were just starting out and had tickets to see Janis, but she OD’d days before, sadly. Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon),was an amazing concert, but quite a few folks were dipping into the ludes in the 70s and when the concert ended and the lights came on, they were still slumped in their seats! ---
**Author:** ![sonichermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@sonichermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonichermit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/38 "2009-08-22T00:01:34Z")
I’m new here so bear with me. I do recall the festival although I did not go. I was in college at the time and remember hearing of it. I have a related question. Being a musician and having a pretty sizable collection of LP’s. I have an LP that is allegedly a bootleg from the Iola rock festival of circa 1971. The title I believe is “The Real Future Blues” The cover if I recall correctly shows a sunset over a pond or a field or something like that. It is not the commercial release that Canned Heat had out around that time. At some of the content definitely sounds like Canned Heat. Does anyone on this forum have any knowledge in regards to this LP? After reading some of the comments about which performers were there I noted the name Brownsville Station. Ah, that sure brings back some memories. ---
**Author:** ![ballerina7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@ballerina7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ballerina7)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/39 "2009-08-22T23:14:31Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > After I astounded and amazed my twenty year old son with the shows I’d seen at the Fillmore East when I was just lass, I started telling him of other, stranger musical events. > > Do you remember a ‘rock festival’ held in the middle of Wisonsin arounf 1970? The only bands I can remember playing there were The Amboy Dukes and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Who else played? My mind is kind of fuzzy on this one… Yes, I believe that was in wisc. it was called “Kick A Poo”. Country Joe and the Fish performed and lots of no names at the time, like Jimi Hendrix, it was considered acid rock, and not so popular with the hippie crowd at the time. There were lots of good bands. It was raining most of the time and there was alot of mud. It was at a pig/hog farm , hence the name “kick a poo”. Lots of kool-aide and people walking around in their underware. ---
**Author:** ![sonichermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@sonichermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonichermit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/40 "2009-08-22T23:17:53Z")
Well, I went and dug out the album I was referring to. The cover is a bit different then I had remembered. It is photo of a sunset as I thought but in the foreground there is a sundial. As I am listening to it someone making introductions mentions Henry Vestine after he states it is not Harvey Mandel, going on he mentions a new bass play named Tony Valparada. There are no liner notes and no label on the LP. I have to assume it is Canned Head in live performance at Iola. If anyone has any info on this LP it would be appreciated. Thanks [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903.md?page=3)