18. Whatever Works
At least the speedway was a large venue, big enough to house such a large crowd. It would have been easier if the skies hadn’t opened up. After a little rain, the grounds turned to mud in places. Some of the attendees had tents, but others came with only sleeping bags or less. Still, there was plenty of booze and drugs. Despite the rain and chaos, the crowd remained peaceful. Authorities allowed them to stay and listen to the music.
17. Summer Jam
The actual event went on stage as planned on the 28th of July. The Grateful Dead took the stage first, playing two mega-sets as the Dead are wont to do. Anyone who’s been to a Dead show knows they play their songs, but they go nuts with plenty of improvisational tunes too. The second band up was The Band, who played until the rain shut them down. All but their keyboardist, Garth Hudson, left the stage. He stayed on to entertain the dedicated fans who braved the rain and mud. Eventually, the rain stopped, The Band finished their set then walked off, opening the stage for the Allman Brothers. The audience begged for more when they’d finished, prompting an all-band jam, which lasted until three in the morning.