# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MikeOso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@MikeOso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeOso)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/61 "2011-06-11T03:39:49Z")
I have ticket stubs from many WI concerts and a few festivals 1971 thru 74, including Iola and the “Backwoods Bash” in Colby on 8/21/71, which featured Ted and the A.D’s. There certainly was a looser and more innocent vibe back then. Good times as a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![EUNICEPUNICE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@EUNICEPUNICE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EUNICEPUNICE)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/62 "2012-06-14T05:32:46Z")
I was there and the only band i remember were the grateful dead. It was in iola in june of 1970 ---
**Author:** ![EUNICEPUNICE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@EUNICEPUNICE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EUNICEPUNICE)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/63 "2012-07-19T23:37:11Z")
My email is [eunicepunice@aol.com](mailto:eunicepunice@aol.com) i wanted to copy and paste the poster from that festival you are inquiring about , but i can’t seem to do it. Email me and i can email you the copy. ---
**Author:** ![MacxQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f4b2a3/32.png) [@MacxQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacxQ)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/64 "2012-10-01T18:22:02Z")
Among the groups performing at this summer concert (~45,000) were Mason Proffit, Buffy Sainte Marie, Crow, Brownsville Station, the Stooges, Melanie, Paul Butterfield, and Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes. Nugent and his group played just at dusk and were monsters! Fun times … except for the hassles created by several armed biker types. MacxQ ---
**Author:** ![Madison\_Townie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Madison\_Townie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madison_Townie)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/65 "2013-05-07T15:27:11Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I don’t know what show this would have been, but since several posters have questioned your memory of Buffy Sainte-Marie I wanted to say that in his book _I Need More_, Iggy Pop relates a story about playing an outdoor music festival in rural Wisconsin in the '70s with Buffy Sainte-Marie. I have no idea why Iggy Pop and Buffy Sainte-Marie were on the same bill…must have been a “something for everyone!” sort of festival. Wish I’d been there! The Rock Festival in "70 ( Probably Late May) was definetly in Iola Wi. and there was a big hill that everybody sat on with the stage at the bottom , amphitheatre style, au natural. It was a really crazy festival, music genres ranged greatly but there was a lot of Blues - Rock Some Psychedelia ( or should I say Pscho). I honestly don’t think Buffy St. Marie was there but there were a lot of drugs and a lot of weird shit going on. Hippies , Stoned Cold Druggies, Bikers. Not a great mix. The sight was beautiful though and room for camping. Sorry I can’t help with a Band List ---
**Author:** ![jagged\_edge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@jagged\_edge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jagged_edge)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/66 "2014-07-04T01:42:49Z")
> [@rabnmb](#): > > In the summer of 1970 the festival was, I believe, originally scheduled to take place in the Stevens Point area, but was moved to an area outside of Iola. Buffy St. Marie was indeed there, but the show stopper was Iggy and the Stooges, complete with the first instance of stage diving that I had ever seen. Throughout the festival there was tension between biker groups and the rest of the people. It erupted into some violence. The story was covered in The Chicago Tribune, among other newspapers. Buffy met with a rather uncomfortable reaction from the crowd. mason profitt… ides of march & many more ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/67 "2014-07-04T02:00:28Z")
The 70s were a _long_ time ago, man. For that matter, so was the OP. mmm ---
**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:** [July 4, 2014, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/68 "2014-07-04T04:08:25Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The 70s were a _long_ time ago, man. > > For that matter, so was the OP. I love this thread. It must hold a zombification record for number of times revived by new posters who signed up to comment on it. ---
**Author:** ![johnandyoko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/977dab/32.png) [@johnandyoko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnandyoko)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/69 "2015-02-17T18:53:51Z")
HAs anyone seen an original t shirt from the festival? ---
**Author:** ![EUNICEPUNICE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@EUNICEPUNICE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EUNICEPUNICE)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/70 "2015-02-20T23:39:52Z")
Yes, i was there ! Iola rock festival june 26, and 27 th 1970. The amboy dukes did play, and crow from minnesota known for their song “evil woman” , canned heat played also. I was doing a boogie with a bunch of people in front of the band to “going up the country” ---
**Author:** ![EUNICEPUNICE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@EUNICEPUNICE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EUNICEPUNICE)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/71 "2015-02-20T23:41:28Z")
> [@eunicepunice](#): > > i was there and the only band i remember were the grateful dead. It was in iola in june of 1970 ok, this is wrong, this was poynette rock festival, grateful dead played all day sunday ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/72 "2015-02-21T00:06:57Z")
OP here! How cool that this discussion is still going on. From the posts I can conclude that it was Iola in June. How the heck did we survive our youth? ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/73 "2015-02-21T05:56:02Z")
Wow, I live just outside Poynette and hear about that show from some of the long time residents although I wasn’t there. In 1970 I lived in a small village (population 94) in Indiana but on August 24 was visiting my grandparents in Madison and heard the Sterling Hall blast. It easy for me to remember, it was my 15th birthday. The next spring the family moved to a small village west of Madison. That move was the best thing that could of happened for a 15 year old that was into music. The shows I was able to see in Madison in 71 to 74 where fantastic. It was the start of a very long list of shows I’ve been able to see over the years all over the country. One of the first was the James Gang as the headliner with Five Man Electrical Band and an opening act that no one had ever heard of before, the Eagles. I was asked by a nephew a couple years ago who all I’ve seen over the years. For three days another show would work it’s way through the haze of the years and dead brain cells. Great memories from reading this thread. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/74 "2019-08-07T21:07:15Z")
Bumping this thread because there is a new article about the festival in Iola and apparently there is some video of it up on youtube. [http://www.thecitypages.com/news-opinion/wisconsin’s-woodstock/?fbclid=IwAR2-YPhje\_OlDbUmnNARjXd0Z5HauhZ6bV\_g0kNYinogoS2hl\_Keu2wiTaA](http://www.thecitypages.com/news-opinion/wisconsin%E2%80%99s-woodstock/?fbclid=IwAR2-YPhje_OlDbUmnNARjXd0Z5HauhZ6bV_g0kNYinogoS2hl_Keu2wiTaA) ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903/75 "2021-04-26T01:13:37Z")
The Wisconsin State Historical Society posted this today: [**Wisconsin Historical Society**](https://www.facebook.com/wisconsinhistoricalsociety/? __cft__ %5B0%5D=AZULhwKLj4CEqvQ-nNsu4Wwvs9OiQkUGLvvMSbSR4p1BgtAK5PRcaDFtbsxSmbOh4AW7sub_KN7_95OIb_ALjOURiVYF3NZIH_eAj4reBgB33HxvDNgkix_73T4KE5I_z5vvR9lyEc3hdYZ8nWlr-IQYqLR8ngRaM5vAmONf7htAz95ztg6hy_VSUReT2aF_Exk& __tn__ =-UC%2CP-R) [8m](https://www.facebook.com/wisconsinhistoricalsociety/posts/10157748597685248? __cft__ %5B0%5D=AZULhwKLj4CEqvQ-nNsu4Wwvs9OiQkUGLvvMSbSR4p1BgtAK5PRcaDFtbsxSmbOh4AW7sub_KN7_95OIb_ALjOURiVYF3NZIH_eAj4reBgB33HxvDNgkix_73T4KE5I_z5vvR9lyEc3hdYZ8nWlr-IQYqLR8ngRaM5vAmONf7htAz95ztg6hy_VSUReT2aF_Exk& __tn__ =%2CO%2CP-R) · Sound Storm was Wisconsin’s first outdoor rock festival, and featured [ Grateful Dead ](https://www.facebook.com/gratefuldead? __cft__ %5B0%5D=AZULhwKLj4CEqvQ-nNsu4Wwvs9OiQkUGLvvMSbSR4p1BgtAK5PRcaDFtbsxSmbOh4AW7sub_KN7_95OIb_ALjOURiVYF3NZIH_eAj4reBgB33HxvDNgkix_73T4KE5I_z5vvR9lyEc3hdYZ8nWlr-IQYqLR8ngRaM5vAmONf7htAz95ztg6hy_VSUReT2aF_Exk& __tn__ =-%5DK-R), Crow, Illinois Speed Press, Rotary Connection, Baby Huey & the Babysitters, and many other acts. It took place April 24-26, 1970 on the hillside farm of Irene York, outside the village of Poynette in Columbia County. Were you there? The driving force behind Sound Storm was Pete Obranovich, better known at the time as Pete Bobo, and his friends Sandy Nelson and Bob Pulling. Using the name Golden Freak Enterprises, Pete raised capital, signed three dozen bands, licensed vending and concession rights, hired a stage crew and sound engineers, and promoted Sound Storm coast to coast. Madison attorneys John Hanson, Roger Schnitzler and Jack Van Metre triumphed over local governments who were determined to block the festival. About 30,000 people attended Sound Storm, the majority sneaking in through the woods without paying. The Columbia County sheriff, seeing his officers exponentially outnumbered by hippies and bikers, decided to ignore misdemeanors such as nudity and drug use. Only a handful of injuries or arrests were reported. Learn more: [https://wihist.org/3enwf8r](https://wihist.org/3enwf8r?fbclid=IwAR2z2Xb8xT4Lfl6Z956pZ1kCzjODkUkGGmShQE10MG6lmNyuNpVpeLhQ9QM) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-festival-in-wisconsin-70s/219903.md?page=3)