# What started the Riot of Woodstock 1999?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 11, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370 "2002-08-11T05:49:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/1 "2002-08-11T05:49:41Z")
Any thoughts on this? Will post my opinion shortly.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/2 "2002-08-11T05:57:23Z")
1. People who paid a fortune having to pay again to go to the bathroom, eat, get water, etc.
2. People who paid a fortune seeing other people sneak in for free.
3. People who paid a fortune feeling used.
4. People who paid a fortune getting exactly what they paid for, some aggressive, pumped up music getting them wound up while they’re all pissed off about paying a fortune to see people sneak in, starve, dehydrate, and feeling used.
That’s all it was. When the herd mentality took over, all hell broke loose and there was no controlling it.
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/3 "2002-08-11T07:04:53Z")
Alcohol.
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### Author:  [@tclouie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tclouie)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/4 "2002-08-11T08:16:30Z")
Typical male horniness, plus the frat-boy feeling of “no one’s watching, I’m in a crowd, I can do what I want,” led to repeated rapes of women in the mosh pit.
Unfortunately, this may not have been a problem unique to Woodstock '99. It may occur at more rock concerts than we may want to admit.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/5 "2002-08-11T16:19:06Z")
I tend to agree with **Airman** , as I believe that, whether at a subconscious level or not, the people were pissed off that the idea of Woodstock was being destroyed by the record lables. The original Woodstock was (please correct me if I’m wrong) free, and the idea of being charged $5.00 for a 12 oz. bottle of water, in addition to all the songs about violence being performed, probably got the people all worked up and they decided to revolt. Actually, perhaps the spirit of Woodstock was not destroyed after all. Woodstock was all about revolution.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/6 "2002-08-11T16:58:25Z")
Oh, no. The original Woodstock cost money, but then the fences were overran and nobody cared except the promoters.
Now concert goers care because the prices are so tremendously high.
Different times, different world.
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### Author:  [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/7 "2002-08-11T17:13:17Z")
I seem to remember that at the original Woodstock concert, so many people had snuck in that the promoters were faced with the possibility of doing something horrendous like putting everyone outside and checking ticket stubs. Then they imagined the logistics and the arguments about “I lost it!”
At this point they just declared that it was an open session. They were stuck with the tickets that had been sold up to that point.
Isn’t this right?
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### Author:  [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/8 "2002-08-11T17:15:30Z")
They ran out of cheese curds.
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### Author:  [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/9 "2002-08-11T20:41:16Z")
I wasn’t at that Woodstock, but everything I’ve seen matches up with what Airman Doors posted.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tclouie \*
> \*\*Typical male horniness, plus the frat-boy feeling of “no one’s watching, I’m in a crowd, I can do what I want,” led to repeated rapes of women in the mosh pit.
>
> Unfortunately, this may not have been a problem unique to Woodstock '99. It may occur at more rock concerts than we may want to admit. \*\*
I was at Woodstock 94 and while I didn’t see actual rapes, I did see/experience the following:
While in the pit a girl who was crowd surfing literally had her clothes ripped off.
When walking back to my tent alone I had to pass through a large group of guys screaming “show us your tits.” I was more than a little scared.
Later in the pit I was grabbed by a guy who kept yelling he was from 'Jersey and that I was beautiful while trying to kiss me. Luckily I was rescued by friends.
I’ve been fondled countless times at other shows, which is usually met with sharp elbow to the solar plexus. You’d think things would be getting better in this day and age, but apparently not.
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### Author:  [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/10 "2002-08-11T21:22:37Z")
Promoters who having seen a buck to be made, attempted to do so despite stealing the name of a real classic event (which goes for all psuedo “Woodstocks”).
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### Author:  [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2002, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/11 "2002-08-11T22:26:07Z")
Drugs and alcohol.
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### Author:  [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/12 "2002-08-12T02:47:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TV time \*
> \*\*Promoters who having seen a buck to be made, attempted to do so despite stealing the name of a real classic event (which goes for all psuedo “Woodstocks”). \*\*
Wrong.
All 3 Woodtsocks had at least one and the same promoter in common, so “stealing” is a really stupid thing to say.
As far as paying a fortune goes, as I recall tickets were $150 for 3 days of bands. That is more then getting your damn money’s worth.
Hell, for the Eagles Hell Freezes Over Tour tickets were $200 and that was for 2 bands playing for a little more then 4 hours.
Don’t talk about paying a fortune unless the proportions are correct.
Airman,
They didn’t have to pay again to use the toilets. There weren’t enough toilets and the ones that were there malfunctioned and overflowed, which some folks mistook for mud puddles, which tye proceeded to roll around in /Sideshow Bob shudder/.
And people are really naive and **really** stupid if they expected food/water to be given away for free. Prices weren’t that outrageous, it just makes me wonder how many people came to the concert without any money in the first place.
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### Author:  [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/13 "2002-08-12T02:53:14Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tclouie \*
> **Typical male horniness, plus the frat-boy feeling of “no one’s watching, I’m in a crowd, I can do what I want,” led to repeated rapes of women in the mosh pit.**
As a “frat-boy” I just have to say that the feeling of “no one’s watching, I’m in a crowd, I can do what I want” isn’t unique to fraternity memebers. It can happen to any crowd.
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### Author:  [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/14 "2002-08-12T03:09:09Z")
I was also at **Woodstock '94**. I didn’t have to pay cuz the peace patrol had walked off the job - besides the crappy weather and MUD, I actually had a great time and met a cute boy! 😃
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### Author:  [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/15 "2002-08-12T04:22:36Z")
Don’t get me wrong Lola, I had an awesome time too!
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### Author:  [@tclouie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tclouie)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/16 "2002-08-12T05:34:06Z")
My apologies to Wolfian. I have indeed known some fraternity and sorority members who were decent, intelligent and even socially conscious. The mob-rape mentality can indeed happen to any crowd, particularly if it is composed of oversexed young men who are away from home for the first time and have too much money, too much freedom, too much alcohol in their bodies and too few scruples.
Come to think of it, that describes a lot of guys who end up joining fraternities and giving their brothers a bad name.
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### Author:  [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/17 "2002-08-12T06:14:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Lord Ashtar \*
> I believe that, whether at a subconscious level or not, the people were pissed off that the idea of Woodstock was being destroyed by the record lables. The original Woodstock was (please correct me if I’m wrong) free, and the idea of being charged $5.00 for a 12 oz. bottle of water, in addition to all the songs about violence being performed, probably got the people all worked up and they decided to revolt. Actually, perhaps the spirit of Woodstock was not destroyed after all. Woodstock was all about revolution.
You have GOT to be kidding. In order to exalt the idea of revolution in the name of peace, they burned, pillaged, destroyed, rioted, and stole? And just for kicks and giggles, raped countless women? And you have the audacity to say that they did that in the sprit of the original Woodstock?
Puhleaze.
As to the OP, why did they do it? The times they are a’changin’. The spirit of Woodstock ‘69 is all but dead. The promoters were insane to think that today’s young people were capable of such togetherness. So they had to stand in line? Put up with insufficient outhouses? Pay for food that didn’t belong to them? Boo friggin’ hoo. Welcome to the real world, gentlemen.
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### Author:  [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/18 "2002-08-12T15:23:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by shrew \*
> \*\*
> As to the OP, why did they do it? The times they are a’changin’. The spirit of Woodstock ‘69 is all but dead. The promoters were insane to think that today’s young people were capable of such togetherness. So they had to stand in line? Put up with insufficient outhouses? Pay for food that didn’t belong to them? Boo friggin’ hoo. Welcome to the real world, gentlemen. \*\*
This is such a weak, crappy, and pathetic excuse. A lot of people seem to think that today’s society is worse than those of yesteryear (good old days syndrome of forgetfulness). In my opinion this is just a reaction to losing touch with society. I hate to break it to some of you folks but previous generations were not guilt free and all love your neighbor conscious. I think the problem with this believe lays in the news. News programs report sensationalism, not an accurate portrate of reality. Take for instants this new fear of child abduction. Their is no increase in abduction, only abduction stories being shown on the news.
If you think concert violence is a result of youths in the 90’s you are SADLY mistaken.
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Friendly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Friendly)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/19 "2002-08-12T20:35:35Z")
and to say that women get raped in the moshpit? do you know what a moshpit is? I cant imagine how hard it would be to rape someone among all the manically jumping and running people, what a stupid thing to say. In any group there will be stupid, ignorant or plain chauvanistic males who will take advantage of situations to get sexual kicks, this is no way related solely to rock music. If anything rock can often promote equality and respect for women, it will naturally vary from group to group and event to event.
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### Author:  [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-started-the-riot-of-woodstock-1999/123370/20 "2002-08-12T20:47:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tclouie \*
> \*\*My apologies to Wolfian. I have indeed known some fraternity and sorority members who were decent, intelligent and even socially conscious. The mob-rape mentality can indeed happen to any crowd, particularly if it is composed of oversexed young men who are away from home for the first time and have too much money, too much freedom, too much alcohol in their bodies and too few scruples.
>
> Come to think of it, that describes a lot of guys who end up joining fraternities and giving their brothers a bad name. \*\*
Apology excepted. I agree. 🙂
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