Top 10 Performances at Woodstock
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held on Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York. What started as a weekend festival soon became a cultural milestone, a symbol of peace, love, rebellion, and the free spirit of the 1960s. In this article, we’ll take you back to that historic moment by highlighting the top 10 performances at Woodstock that defined the era and left an unforgettable mark on music history.
Despite huge logistical problems from muddy conditions and food shortages to huge traffic congestion, Woodstock drew almost half a million. Many didn’t even get to catch all the acts because of delays, but the performances that did take place made history. From future legends to raw, impromptu sets, some of the highlights from Woodstock still reverberate down through time.
Here are 10 of the most memorable live performances that helped define the Woodstock legacy:
1. Jimi Hendrix – “The Star-Spangled Banner”
Jimi Hendrix closed out Woodstock. Yet, due to the delays, the festival had been extended to Monday morning, when the crowd had thinned to a mere 25,000, Hendrix still managed to give the most iconic performance of the U.S. national anthem in rock history. Using his electric guitar shrieking like sirens and bombs, Hendrix reworked the anthem into a haunting portent of America’s anguish at war in Vietnam. It was daring, provocative, and indelible — quintessential Hendrix.
2. Sly and the Family Stone – “I Want to Take You Higher”
On an early morning of August 17, Sly and the Family Stone put the stage ablaze with the palpable heat of their funk-laced vitality. They delivered “I Want to Take You Higher” in such barnburner form that almost everything-especially all dancing, clapping, and shouting-was reduced to dust. With driving bass lines, precise horn sections, and raw vocals from Sly Stone, they proved that funk belonged in that rock-heavy rotation-which further cemented the band’s place in legend.
3. Joe Cocker – “With a Little Help From My Friends”
While the Beatles themselves did not perform at Woodstock, their music was represented nonetheless, thanks to Joe Cocker. His raw, soulful rendition of “With a Little Help From My Friends” was one of the weekend’s highlights. This one-of-a-kind voice man and dramatics master flexed his body as if it were an interpretive dance partner. Shaggy hair, tie-dye shirt, and loose-fitting pants made him look and sound like the embodiment of Woodstock.
4. Richie Havens – “Freedom”
Richie Havens was not scheduled to start Woodstock, but traffic congestion put him on stage ahead of schedule. He played all the songs he knew, then created an impromptu new one: “Freedom.” Adapted from an ancient spiritual, it was a raw, visceral reaction to the audience and the moment. His unaccompanied, spontaneous performance catapulted his career overnight.
5. Santana – “Soul Sacrifice”
Santana’s performance was a clinic in rhythm and intensity. Supported by a precise band and tough percussion section, Carlos Santana ripped through a passionate version of “Soul Sacrifice” that left the crowd reeling. The new young band, nearly unknown at the time, demonstrated their musical rapport and intensity. Santana’s searing guitar solo and 20-year-old drummer Michael Shrieve’s breathtaking solo transformed the stage into a war zone of beats.
6. The Who – “My Generation”
After waiting in the wings for over 12 hours, The Who finally took the stage as the sun was rising. They demanded to be paid in advance to play — not, um, exactly the peace-and-love vibe — but once they played, all was forgiven. They closed with “My Generation,” the youth rebellion anthem, played with bare energy. An activist had briefly interrupted the set earlier, trying to take over the mic, but Pete Townshend was having none of it and famously shoved him into the orchestra pit.
7. Crosby, Stills & Nash – “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were relatively new — this was just their second live performance as a band. Nonetheless, they played during the early morning of the last day of Woodstock and made an unforgettable impression. Their acoustic harmony on “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” Stephen Stills’ composition, highlighted the band’s emotional resonance and musicality. It was a serene, melodic pause in a crazy festival.
8. Jefferson Airplane – “Somebody to Love”
Grace Slick christened their performance “morning maniac music” — a fitting title for a band that was playing well before dawn. While Jefferson Airplane had already carved out a niche in San Francisco’s counterculture, Woodstock propelled them into the national spotlight. The psychedelic frenzies of “Somebody to Love,” sung by Slick at the top of her voice, highlight the song as one of the great creations of the psychedelic period, ranking along with “White Rabbit.”.
9. Joan Baez – “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
Joan Baez closed out the first night of Woodstock on early Sunday morning. One of the few female artists to appear during the festival, Baez was six months pregnant, and her husband was in prison for refusing his draft summons. She finished solo on stage, voice and guitar the only accompaniment, singing a lovely a cappella “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” It was the lone quiet, spiritual moment in all the electric guitars and drums.
10. Janis Joplin – “Ball and Chain”
Janis Joplin was one of Woodstock’s top names, but she didn’t take the stage until late, having celebrated most of the evening backstage. When she finally emerged, she gave a blistering performance, culminating with the heart-wrenching “Ball and Chain.” Her raspy, emotional delivery and presence on stage entranced all. Even The Who’s Pete Townshend conceded she wasn’t quite on top form — but that even Janis’ off-night was superior to most acts’ best.
Final Thoughts
Woodstock was more than a music festival — it was a cultural awakening. These 10 performances framed a generation, not only through music but through emotion, rebellion, and unflinching candor infused into every song. Though years have gone by, the ethos of Woodstock remains alive in these unforgettable moments.
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