Saturday, August 17, 2019

Custom Cards! Peace and Music

This weekend is a special anniversary for those who are music fans.  50 years ago was an event called Woodstock.  Some of you may have heard of it, some of you may have been alive for it.  I wasn't, but it always fascinated me.  So much so that a couple years ago I started working on custom cards for the event.  However that was also when I started getting burnt out from blogging consistently, and it was also around the time I was working on another big custom set, the 2016 Olympics, which I never fully finished.  Maybe someday eh?  Anyways, I thought about it a couple weeks ago and was mad I almost forgot about it but I finally found the folder they were in and today I will show them off.  Actually I have another set which if I finish later today I might post tomorrow also involving Woodstock.  My hope was to post some last night, and some tonight, but things change.  Anyways, if you are a fan of music or history, I think you'll enjoy these.  If you aren't, then well, there's always next time.

I decided against building a full set of EVERY artist who played at Woodstock, but instead settled on nine.  Some of this I finished a couple years ago, some a few days ago, so the quality is all over the place, but overall I'm happy with the results.  Not all of these artists I'm fans of, and to be honest, looking over who all played, I'm not sure I could have come up with nine or ten I do like.  Though if I was alive I'd love to have gone, and most of these I wouldn't mind seeing live once just to say I've seen them.  So without further adu, here in no random order are NINE CUSTOM WOODSTOCK CARDS!


We'll start off with one of my mom's favorite artists- Joe Cocker.  I can't say I'm a fan, and honestly my first thought when I hear his name is the near perfect impression John Belushi did of him on Saturday Night Live, which my mom told me Cocker loved. 

Joe Cocker was the first artist to play the Sunday lineup (which is really confusing because some artists on the Saturday lineup were playing Sunday at 8 in the morning, but more on that later).  Joe actually was the second performer to play on the final day as his backing band did a couple songs without him before he hit the stage around 2:00 PM local time.  His hour and a half set included 11 songs.  Thanks to wikipedia, which is my source for almost all of this because I waited to long to find multiple sources, here was his setlist.

1. Dear Landlord
2. Something Coming On
3. Do I Still Figure In Your Life
4. Feelin' Alright
5. Just Like A Woman
6. Let's Go Get Stoned
7. I Don't Need A Doctor
8. I Shall Be Released
9. Hitchcock Railway
10. Something To Say
11. With A Little Help From My Friends

Not bad if your a fan of his.  I'm sure I've heard of most of them, but the final song is the only one I could properly name. 

Next let's go to one of the first day performers.



Arlo Guthrie is another artist I'm not really hip to, but I must say, this might be my favorite card I did.  It might look plain, but just something about it I like.  I tried my best to get photos of the performers as close to Woodstock as possible if I couldn't find actual photos from the event.  Its been two years so I can't tell how close I got to most of these, but I'd say within a year of the event.

Mr. Guthrie played on Friday night around 11:55 PM and wrapped up around 12:25 AM on Saturday morning.  He managed to perform 7 songs, and here is his playlist.

1. Coming into Los Angeles
2. Wheel of Fortune
3. Walkin' Down The Line
4. The Story of Moses
5. Oh Mary Don't You Weep
6. Every Hand in the Land
7. Amazing Grace

Again, I couldn't pick any of these out as his, but I'm sure I could tell you which one was Amazing Grace.  I never got into him or his songs, but a couple years ago I think he played a show near my area, but I didn't go.

Next let's go to one of those complicated day and time performers.


If I had more time I would have tried to make this card better.  Anyways, Janis Joplin is another artist my mom loves.  Ms. Joplin performed Saturday night, by which I mean Sunday morning from 2:00 AM until 3:00 AM.  In total she did 10 songs, and here is what was included in her set.

1. Raise Your Hand
2. As Good As You've Been To This World
3. To Love Somebody
4. Summertime
5. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
6. Kozmic Blues
7. I Can't Turn You Loose
8. Work Me, Lord
9. Piece of My Heart
10. Ball and Chain

I'm familiar with a few of these because I bought my mom a few of her CD's some years ago and remember the titles.  Outside of Piece of My Heart, I couldn't name them if you played a clip.  I've heard a few of her songs, and I'm just not a fan.  I guess its like my mom not really digging Cranberries songs when I listen to them.  Everybody has different musical tastes, so it is what it is.

For the next artist we stick with another Saturday night performer that actually played after the sun came up on Sunday.


Look how bright it is on a SATURDAY NIGHT!  Billed as the last act of the Saturday lineup, Jefferson Airplane actually didn't start until 8:00 AM on Sunday morning and didn't quit until 9:40 AM.  So the question is, are all those people still awake from the night before, or just waking up Sunday morning?

Depending on the day of the week, I like Jefferson Airplane.  I can't take all their stuff, but the stuff I do like, I really like.  Anyways, here is their playlist which included 13 tracks.

1. The Other Side of This Life
2. Somebody To Love
3. 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
4. Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon
5. Eskimo Blue Day
6. Plastic Fantastic Lover
7. Wooden Ships
8. Uncle Sam Blues
9. Volunteers
10. The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil
11. Come Back Baby
12. White Rabbit
13. The House at Pooneil Corners

Of these songs, I like Somebody To Love the most.  I never got into White Rabbit, and some of this stuff I never even heard of before.  With that said, if I was alive and there, they might have been one of the top 3 bands I'd want to see.

Next let's go back to the first day.


Ravi Shankar isn't an artist I can listen to a lot, and I can't say I'm a big sitar fan, but I would have watched his set.  It was only 3 songs and was around 35 minutes from 10:00 PM-10:35 PM so I think I could have handled it.

1. Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat In Sawarital
2. Table Solo in Jhaptal
3. Raga Manj Kmahaj (Alap, Jor, Dhun in Kaharwa Tal)

I've never heard of these songs, and I might have even spelled them wrong, but I tried my best.  If you asked me to name a song of his I couldn't.  I was quite surprised when he passed away that it mentioned he had a daughter.  No big deal, but until that point I never knew his daughter was Norah Jones.  That just fascinated me way more than it should have.


If Jefferson Airplane was one of the top 3 I'd wanted to see at Woodstock, Jimi would have to be number 1.  I'm not going to listen to his music nonstop, but I will turn up the radio when almost any of his songs come on.  He was the final performer at the event, which was the Sunday lineup but he didn't start playing until 9:00 AM Monday morning.  He played until 11:10 AM, so a nice two plus hour set.  Including an encore song, he played 16 songs.  Here is what he played.

1. Message To Love
2. Hear My Train A Comin
3. Spanish Castle Magic
4. Red House
5. Mastermind
6. Lover Man
7. Foxy Lady
8. Jam Back At The House
9. Izabella
10. Gypsy Woman/Award of Love
11. Fire
12. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)/Stepping Stone
13. The Star-Spangled Banner
14. Purple Haze
15. Woodstock Improvisation/Villanova Junction
ENCORE:
1.Hey Joe

I mean who could not like that set?  While researching I found out that in 1989 they had a somewhat 20th anniversary of Woodstock and Jimi's dad Al Hendrix performed at the event.  It wasn't anything like the 1994 or 1999 events, and really not like the original, but it was still cool to read that.  In 1999 when the Red Hot Chili Peppers covered Hendrix's song Fire, many thought it was because the crowd started torching stuff toward the end of the event, but a couple of the members claim Jimi's family asked beforehand if they could play the song.

I was going to go all out when I originally thought of making these and do cards for the 1994 and 1999 events, but never got around to it.  Besides, I'm not sure too many people would want custom cards of Korn, The Offspring, or Dave Matthews Band.  Maybe another time I will work on them, but until then, let's get back to more from the original show.


To tell you I don't know much about Stillwater would be an understatement.  When I started this a couple years ago I came across the name and read a bit about them.  Since then, I've forgot all that and haven't read up on them again.  At any rate, they Friday night from 7:30 PM until 8:10 PM.  Their set was 10 songs, which included:

1. Motherless Child
2. Look Out
3. For Pete's Sake
4. Day Song *they may not have performed this*
5. What's Wrong
6. My Crystal Spider
7. Two Words
8. Why Oh Why
9. Let The Sunshine In
10. Oh Happy Day

Some dispute if Day Song was played at the event.  I'm not sure of any of these songs, so I can't say if I'd enjoy it or not, but I didn't just want cards of all big acts.

Speaking of big acts, we are down to the last 2 card for this set, and both I would have love to have seen.


I made this card last minute, and feel bad for putting words on tops of 75% of the band, but I'm not sure how else to do it.  Creedence Clearwater Revival is a band I could name probably more songs of than any band at Woodstock. 

The played right before Janis Joplin during the Saturday lineup which was from 12:30 AM Sunday until 1:20 AM.  Here is their set:

1. Born on the Bayou
2. Green River
3. Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won't Do)
4. Bootleg
5. Commotion
6. Bad Moon Rising
7. Proud Mary
8. I Put a Spell on You
9. Night Time Is the Right Time
10. Keep on Chooglin'
11. Susie Q

That's pretty much one of their greatest hits albums.  I didn't read up on when what song was released, but I might have finished with Bad Moon Rising to be honest.  But Susie Q is a good one.  I can't say which one is my favorite song, but Born On The Bayou would be up there too.

So we come down to the final card of the set, and these guys played 22 songs and was even interrupted briefly by Abbie Hoffman during their set.


Man I wish I would have made this card better, but oh well.  I can't say I'm a big fan of the band in general, but I'd be crazy if I said I didn't like their music.  I mean their music still resonates today, and even were made into theme songs for 3 or 4 C.S.I. shows.  Anyways, The Who graced the stage Saturday night, well Sunday morning from 5:00 AM until 6:05 AM.  I'm not sure how they got 22 songs in, but according to wikipedia they did.  Here is the setlist they had:

1. Heaven and Hell
2. I Can't Explain
3. It's A Boy
4. 1921
5. Amazing Journey
6. Sparks
7. Eyesight To The Blind
8. Christmas
9. The Acid Queen
10. Pinball Wizard
* The Abbie Hoffman incident
11. Do You Think It's Alright
12. Fiddle About
13. There's A Doctor I've Found
14. Go To The Mirror!
15. Smash The Mirror
16. I'm Free
17. Tommy's Holiday Camp
18. We're Not Gonna Take It
19. Summertime Blues
20. Shakin' All Over
21. My Generation (shortened version)
22. Naked Eye (instrumental finale only)

What surprises me the most about this set is that they shortened My Generation.  I'm also surprised that didn't close out their set.  I would have been going crazy when they started playing Pinball Wizard.  It's not my favorite of theirs, but I do like the song a lot.  Just think of all the songs of theirs not on that set list.

So overall, here are 9 cards of performers that played Woodstock in 1969.  If I didn't wait so long, maybe I could have made cards for all 32 acts, but that would have been a much longer post.  In the end over half a million people were estimated to have attended.  If I get around to it, my next post will be some people that DIDN'T attend.  More custom cards, if I get around to actually finishing them up.  It may not have as many words or information as this one, but maybe it will motivate me to be more active on here.

Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great day!

6 comments:

  1. My mother-in-law attended. Supposedly there is a picture in Time magazine where she can be seen in the background. Her only memory of the event is arriving and getting into a drum circle.

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    1. That would be cool to find the Time magazine and find her.

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  2. So basically, you're not a big fan of most of the folks who performed at Woodstock :)

    Joe Cocker is one of my mom's favorite artists as well!

    Norah Jones is Ravi Shankar's daughter?!?!

    What program do you use to make your customs?

    I never realized that The Who played such a long set, or if I did, I had forgotten about it.

    I think I like the Jefferson Airplane card the most, but that Arlo Guthrie is pretty nifty too (I'm not a fan of his either BTW).

    Good job overall on the cards, it would've been cool to see a Richie Havens card though, maybe next time?

    On a somewhat related note, I was glad to hear that they cancelled the Woodstock 2019 show, not only because of how many crappy bands they were booking, but also because it didn't seem like it was being done for the same reasons that original was -- it just felt like a cash grab.

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    1. I would say there were more bands I don't care for than I did. But among the ones I do like, it would more than make up for it. Plus even if I didn't care for them, I'd still see some of the sets.

      I was blown away when I found out about Norah Jones. It might be why I like Ravi a bit more now.

      I just use MS Paint. I used to use GIMP, but Paint works better for me. Once I decide the layout, I can make quite a few at a time. Since I never print any out, I figure they don't need to be the greatest ever. I try to use original designs, so others can't say I'm copying from the major card makers.

      The Jefferson Airplane card would be one of the best from the set because it is from the show and it shows the crowd. Its a perfect card, and would likely be card #1 in the set if I did make them.

      Thank you, and if I do more, Havens might be one I make. If I planned better I could have made cards for every performer, but well, I screwed that up. :)

      I wasn't too fond of the performers for the show, but I did hope they would have had the event. It was a cash grab, but if they had planned it better, I still think it would have been a great event. Nothing can compare to the mega events from the 60s and 70s, but I still think festivals today can do good.

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  3. Woodstock is about an hour away from me. Both my parents had tickets but neither went. My mom gave hers away and my dad was in the hospital after a car accident, if I recall correctly.
    I love 60s music, my favorite era, but not a huge fan of the lineup they had there. Most of them to me are the dregs you listen to on the radio while waiting for something good to come on. Of the ones you highlighted, CCR is my favorite by a wide margin.

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  4. I'll always be a fan of 90's music, so while at first I was horrified to hear Nirvana and Pearl Jam on classic rock stations, I'm glad now because it won't be the same 10 songs from the 60s and 70s.

    Whenever CCR comes on, I usually crank it though.

    My parents had tickets to an event near here called the Ozark Music Festival. I really need to blog about it, and I will one day. It is cool to hear the stories from it.

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