Which would would you have preferred to have attended? Leaving aside geographical or status reasons- which of these two would you have liked to have been at. *I know from a previous thread Colibri and Panache did go to Woodstock).
Monterey seemed to go smoother. No rain and I think the crowd was smaller. I liked the music better too. (based on concert recordings) Janis was still with Big Brother and really good that night.
Just getting to Woodstock was a problem. I’ve read the local highway bottle-necked and people left their cars and walked. Making the bottleneck even worse.
Heh- I hadn’t finished posting and there were three votes. I feel vindicated 
Yeah, I’d choose Monterey for the same reason. (My #1 favorite band of the era, The Who, performed at both festivals, so I’m set either way on that front.) I suppose attending Woodstock would give one more bragging rights later, but someone I know said her mother had gone to Woodstock when she was in college and whenever the topic came up the mother said how horrible the experience was and how she got awful blisters from having to walk so much. I feel like I’d probably be the same way.
This thread reminded me of a blooper on the Tonight Show. Some guy proudly brought his Woodstock ticket. Perfect and never torn. Carson carefully picked it up and it came apart as Carson held it up for the cameras.
Ouch.
Not even close - Monterey Pop. It was the coming out for Hendrix, the Who, Otis Redding, and others. Woodstock was a big phenomenon that the media could point to. Monterey was historically significant because of the music; Woodstock was historically significant as a cultural phenomenon. That sketches way too broadly, but feels like there’s an essence of truth at its core.
Monterey in a heartbeat. Better acts and no mud.
I would rather have been to Woodstock, but I’m sure I would have had a better time at Monterey.
Oh. I voted just based on the acts, in a very abstract and idealized sense, leaving all those considerations aside. I voted Woodstock. But if we have to take into account the reality of how the day played out, sure, Monterey.
Altamont Speedway Free Festival has to be the most screwed up. Hells Angels for security guards? Knifing a guy in front of the stage while Jagger sings Satisfaction. Such a low point for 60’s culture.
This sums it up. Monterey.
Count me in for Monterey, because I would have gotten to see John Cipollina play with Quicksilver Messenger Service. Plus, I know Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane, and he told me HE had a better time at Monterey than he had at Woodstock. That’s good enough for me!
The acid was better at Monterey and you could have just walked up to Brian Jones and said, “Stay away from swimming pools!”
I actually considered going to Woodstock, but it was too far for me.
Monterey. The performances were better.
Agreed. Woodstock had greater cultural significance (and far bigger attendance) but Monterey had the edge in terms of selection of acts and music.
For comparison, here are the performer lists for both festivals.
Monterey Pop
Friday, June 16
The Association
The Paupers
Lou Rawls
Beverly
Johnny Rivers
Eric Burdon and The Animals
Simon and Garfunkel
Saturday, June 17
Canned Heat
Big Brother and the Holding Company
Country Joe and the Fish
Al Kooper
The Butterfield Blues Band
The Electric Flag
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Steve Miller Band
Moby Grape
Hugh Masekela
The Byrds
Laura Nyro
Jefferson Airplane
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Otis Redding
Sunday, June 18
Ravi Shankar
The Blues Project
Big Brother and the Holding Company
The Group With No Name
Buffalo Springfield
The Who
The Grateful Dead
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Scott McKenzie
The Mamas & the Papas
Woodstock
Friday, August 15 - Saturday, August 16
Richie Havens
Swami Satchidananda (invcation)
Sweetwater
Bert Sommer
Tim Hardin
Ravi Shankar
Melanie
Arlo Guthrie
Joan Baez
Saturday, August 16 – Sunday, August 17
Quill
Country Joe McDonald
Santana
John Sebastian
Keef Hartley Band
The Incredible String Band
Canned Heat
Mountain
Grateful Dead
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Janis Joplin with The Kozmic Blues Band
Sly & the Family Stone
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Sunday, August 17 – Monday, August 18
Joe Cocker and The Grease Band
Country Joe and the Fish
Ten Years After
The Band
Johnny Winter with Edgar Winter
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Sha Na Na
Jimi Hendrix / Band of Gypsys
Tough choice!
Monterey would be awesome because of the chance to rub shoulders with assorted famous folks in the audience.
But I have to go with Woodstock, just so I could witness the El Kabonging of Abbie Hoffman.
Based strictly on these lists – Woodstock, by far.
Both had artists I would have killed to see. Monterey had Buffalo Springfield, but Woodstock had CSN&Y. Unfortunately I was in Vietnam for Monterey and out in the fucking Aleutian Islands for Woodstock, and missed both of them. I think Monterey gets the edge, just because Woodstock looked like a muddy, uncomfortable, stenchy place. There were naked wimmins and sex, though. A dilemma, for sure.