Today In Rock: July 22nd, 1999 – Woodstock ’99
On this day… Woodstock ’99 began in Rome, NY.
The festival site was the former Griffiss Air Force Base approximately 100 miles from the original ’69 Woodstock location in Bethel, NY.
Approximately 220,000 people attended the festival over four days enduring difficult environmental conditions (extreme heat), overpriced food and water, poor sanitation, sexual harassment/rapes, rioting, looting, vandalism, arson, violence, and several deaths.
Media attention focused on the destruction and the dire situation overshadowing the musical performances by Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, KoЯn, Rage Against The Machine, Metallica, Dave Matthews Band and Counting Crowes.
Woodstock ’99’s legacy can be best described as “like a concentration camp” and like being “in another country during military conflict.”
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