Woodstock's 40'th

Pictures courtesy of Woodstock Dot com.

Sheesh, I remember how I celebrated my 40th! That was major fun. I only celebrate my birthday every ten years (won't go into discussion about my 30th online, many could be arrested just for being there!). 40 was held at the restaurant La Poubelle in Hollywood on Franklin Avenue. I am pretty sure she is still there (owner and restaurant). Jacquie acquired the restaurant in her divorce and I used to frequent it when I live in the canyon in my early 1980 years. I did a dinner party for about 16 hand picked guests -- and damn them, they got a male stripper past me (Jacquie was drinking my champagne which she let me bring for just a corking fee - was screaming up a storm ... "more, more more!") I rented a Las Vegas hacienda for my 50th. Six bedrooms, six bathrooms, back yard putting greed, few blocks off the strip ... another story! Planning my 60th to be a disco party at a local theater here in Los Angeles.

Anyway, I posted this on a friend's blog about his attending the Woodstock festival which was on this weekend about 40 years ago. Here is my comment:

I think it is really unique that you were actually at Woodstock. Being only 17, not a dr ug user (that would come much later) and living in Los Angeles, pretty much made it impossible for me to be there.

However, because of being raised in a music family, most of the entertainers were known to me, and I have enjoyed viewing the movie about the event, many times.

I am not averse to large crowds, as much as I grew up cabaret style, and so, as aresult, I prefer to see shows or hear bands or other things, in small venues, not large ones. I did, however, fork over big bucks to see The Boss, Stones and the Gunners back in the 80's when they were all doing concerts in Los Angeles. In fact, saw the Stones twice, not same concert of course, but they did do two tours almost back to back where they played the Collesium.

I preferred the Troubadour, Whiskey, Roxy and other venues, especially back when you could still see good concerts at the Forum (about 16,000 seats to 18,000 depending on how you laid out the floor). Saw Bowie there. Hell, through most of the 60's I saw just about every r&b goup that existed at the old Long Beach Arena! (Smokey, Four Tops, Joe Tex, etc.) But saw Temps with Little Stevie as opener, here in L.A., either at the Hollywood Bowl or the Greek (yeah, my memory is that bad!)

Point is I like small venues. (speaking of point, I saw Pointer Sisters at Universal Ampitheater).

I do remember meeting bands like Buffalo Springfield, Hermans Hermits and Sonny & Cher when they would perform on a TV show a friend of the family was producing, although, I can't remember if it was Shindig or Hullabaloo or one of those others that popped up back in the day.

And, because my uncle, on his days off, would love to go to Disneyland and play with the regular band performing in Dixieland, we'd kids would all pile into the Pontiac station wagon (which he used to transport his drums to local gigs) and go with him. Back then, it was A through E tickets (laughing at memories). We'd all just get a pass that would allow us to go to the head of the line. I can't tell you how many times I've been to Disneyland! It was cool when I was a teenager because I could go listen to some of the venues were the rock and roll and r&b bands were playing. Got autographs of Jr. Walker and all the Allstars at Disneyland!

Of course, for reasons that I don't wish to go into, I no longer have said autographs.

Anyway, I have digressed. For my two cents worth, I think it's cool you got to be at Woodstock.