DUTCH WOODSTOCK REVIEW

Various Artists
The Dutch Woodstock 1970

In August 1969, a music festival, now known as Woodstock, took place that would forever change music history. Almost one year later in June 1970 another music festival took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The Kralingen Music Festival, also known as The Stamping Ground Festival, The Holland Pop Festival, or The Dutch Woodstock, was supposed to be the European answer to Woodstock. Several top acts performed at the event including Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, Santana, Canned Heat, T. Rex, and Pink Floyd as the headlining act. Although it wasn’t well known in the United States, the festival became important in the Netherlands as the beginning of the Dutch tolerance policy towards marijuana.

Gonzo Media Group has now released The Dutch Woodstock 1970 as a 2 CD set with an accompanying DVD of concert footage. This isn’t the first time the music has been released on CD, but it is the first time, at least that I could find, that the festival has been released with both music and film in one package. The festival included a diverse range of musical styles including psychedelic rock, folk rock, progressive rock, and jazz.

Canned Heat’s “Human Condition” is a great rock song that represents the time period very well. Alan Wilson provides an easy to listen to vocal style that is not aggressive like most rock acts. Harvey Mandel does an excellent job on lead guitar, and executes some memorable solos. This is still a great band to listen to after all these years.

“White Rabbit” is probably the best known song from this concert collection, and rightly so. Jefferson Airplane was a major band in the psychedelic rock movement as well as the Summer of Love. Aside from this festival, Jefferson Airplane played the Isle of Wight Festival, Monterey Festival, Woodstock, and the Altamont Festival. The band’s success is contributed to Grace Slick’s great vocals as well as looks. “White Rabbit” is one of Jefferson Airplane’s biggest hits. The only thing to keep in mind with listening to it on this collection is this version is a live recording from 1970. It doesn’t have the same quality as a studio recording. That being said, it is still a pleasure to hear Jefferson Airplane during their prime.

While “White Rabbit” is the best known song on this album, the most well known band would have to be the headliners of the festival, Pink Floyd. The psychedelic progressive rock band was still a fairly new band then, but it is clear even then that the band were looking to try creative and new things with music. “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun” is an instrumental song Pink Floyd played at the festival that shows they were experimenting with songs beyond the standard pop format of most rock music. The song becomes more of a jam towards the end with all instruments being played more intensely.

The Dutch Woodstock 1970 is a great album that captures the music of the counterculture generation. It wasn’t the famous Woodstock, but there are still many great acts included in the lineup. Anyone who remembers the days of Woodstock and would like to relive them, this would make a great addition to your collection. Also any fan of classic rock will want to check this album out.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

The Dutch Woodstock 1970 2CD1DVD - £11.99