Ah the sounds of Summer! And with it comes the now ubiquitous Summer Festival. Think I’m kidding? In April Rolling Stone.com published a piece on summer concerts, “Summer 2015’s 50 Must-See Music Festivals.” No matter your musical tastes there’s a Festival that caters to it.
But once upon a time in the West, when there hadn’t even been one rock festival, suddenly, in a two week period there were two. Naturally they took place in California, in 1967, the epicenter of Youth Culture.
This upcoming week marks the 48th anniversary of The Monterey International Pop Festival (June 16-18, 1967).
Last week marked the 48th anniversary of The KFRC Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival (June 10-11, 1967) which is considered to have been America’s – if not the world’s – first rock festival.
The Magic Mountain Music Festival was primarily a regional music affair because the majority of the artists who performed
were groups that played the Fillmore and Avalon ballrooms and were part of the psychedelic rock scene at the time,
A list of regional acts included The Sparrow, Every Mother’s Son, Kaleidoscope, The Mojo Men, Sons of Champlin, The Loading Zone and The Mystery Trend.
Performers with, a bit, more name recognition (at the time) included Dionne Warwick, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds with Hugh Masekela, The Seeds, The Grass Roots and The 5th Dimension.
Interestingly The Magic Mountain Music Festival was The Doors first large show and just happened to coincide with the rise of group’s first major hit, “Light My Fire” to the top of the charts.
Monterey, on the other hand,
was … the first high-profile event to mix acts from major regional music centers in the U.S.A. — San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis and New York City
and
boasted a lineup that put established stars like The Mamas and the Papas, Simon & Garfunkel and The Byrds alongside groundbreaking new acts from the UK and the USA.
At Monterey was American audiences first introduction to The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who and Ravi Shankar, while also introducing Otis Redding “to a large, predominantly white audience.”
Playing Monterey helped to launch the careers of Janis Joplin (Big Brother and the Holding Company), Canned Heat, Laura Nyro and Steve Miller.
In 2015 we remember Monterey, rather than Magic Mountain simply
because Monterey was widely promoted and heavily attended, featured historic performances, and was the subject of a popular theatrical documentary film…
Monterey served as both inspiration and template for future music festivals, including the Woodstock Festival two years later.
Combined both festivals were spark that helped to jumpstart 1967’s “Summer of Love.”
If you were a teenager or young adult in 1967 the “Summer of Love” were heady times, but at the time, who could have ever imagined that 1968, would be so dark.
Enjoy the music, remain in the light.
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Monterey International Pop Festival – Disc 1
Playing time: 74:14
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1. John Phillips – Festival Introduction (0:51)
2. The Association – Along Comes Mary (2:46)
3. The Association – Windy (3:00)
4. Lou Rawls – Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing (3:28)
5. Lou Rawls – Dead End Street (4:27)
6. Lou Rawls – Tobacco Road (6:19)
7. Eric Burdon & The Animals – San Franciscan Nights (4:17)
8. Eric Burdon & The Animals – Hey Gyp (7:10)
9. Canned Heat – Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (4:18)
10. Canned Heat – Dust My Broom (5:02)
11. Canned Heat – Bullfrog Blues (3:01)
12. Country Joe & The Fish – Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (5:37)
13. Big Brother & The Holding Company – Down On Me (3:26)
14. Big Brother & The Holding Company – Combination Of The Two (5:22)
15. Big Brother & The Holding Company – Harry (0:37)
16. Big Brother & The Holding Company – Road Block (6:18)
17. Big Brother & The Holding Company – Ball And Chain (8:15)
Monterey International Pop Festival – Disc 2
Playing time: 73:46
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1. The Butterfield Blues Band – Look Over Yonders Wall (2:51)
2. The Butterfield Blues Band – Mystery Train (4:11)
3. The Butterfield Blues Band – Born in Chicago (3:58)
4. The Butterfield Blues Band – Double Trouble (4:56)
5. The Butterfield Blues Band – Mary Ann (3:09)
6. The Steve Miller Band – Mercury Blues (4:27)
7. The Electric Flag – Groovin’ is Easy (3:43)
8. The Electric Flag – Wine (3:02)
9. Hugh Masakela – Bajabula Bonke (Healing Song) (3:43)
10. The Byrds – Renaissance Fair (2:16)
11. The Byrds – Have You Seen Her Face (3:19)
12. The Byrds – Hey Joe (2:43)
13. The Byrds – He Was A Friend Of Mine (3:23)
14. The Byrds – Lady Friend (2:46)
15. The Byrds – Chimes of Freedom (4:03)
16. The Byrds – So You Want Top Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (3:23)
17. Ravi Shankar – Dhun: Fast Teental (excerpt) (6:05)
18. The Blues Project – Wake Me, Shake Me (11:48)
Monterey International Pop Festival – Disc 3
Playing time: 73:54
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1. Jefferson Airplane – Somebody To Love (3:18)
2. Jefferson Airplane – The Other Side Of This Life (6:47)
3. Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit (2:28)
4. Jefferson Airplane – High Flyin’ Bird (4:07)
5. Jefferson Airplane – She Has Funny Cars (3:24)
6. Booker T. & The MG’s – Booker-Loo (2:59)
7. Booker T. & The MG’s – Hip Hug-Her (2:36)
8. Booker T. & The MG’s With The Mar-Keys – Philly Dog (3:22)
9. Otis Redding – Shake (3:17)
10. Otis Redding – Respect (2:39)
11. Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) (4:08)
12. Otis Redding – Satisfaction (3:46)
13. Otis Redding – Try A Little Tenderness (5:04)
14. The Who – Substitute (4:03)
15. The Who – Summertime Blues (3:42)
16. The Who – Pictures Of Lily (2:53)
17. The Who – A Quick One While He’s Away (8:24)
18. The Who – Happy Jack (2:25)
19. The Who – My Generation (4:32)
Monterey International Pop Festival – Disc 4
Playing time: 74:37
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1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Killing Floor (3:23)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Foxey Lady (3:45)
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Like A Rolling Stone (6:52)
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Rock Me Baby (3:38)
5. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Hey Joe (5:13)
6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Can You See Me (2:43)
7. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – The Wind Cries Mary (3:47)
8. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze (5:38)
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Wild Thing (8:12)
10. The Mamas & The Papas – Straight Shooter (4:04)
11. The Mamas & The Papas – Got A Feelin’ (4:10)
12. The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin’ (4:06)
13. The Mamas & The Papas – I Call Your Name (6:16)
14. The Mamas & The Papas – Monday, Monday (4:19)
15. Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) (3:35)
16. The Mamas & The Papas (Festival Finale) – Dancing In The Street (4:56)
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