Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 12, 1994 TAG: 9408120107
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: David Germain ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: SAUGERTIES, N. Y. LENGTH: Medium
The first of the Woodstock '94 pilgrims arrived Thursday to a scene far different from the late, great love fest of 1969.
Metal detectors. Wire fences. Police patrolling the perimeter. Police dogs sniffing for drugs. Hundreds of security guards in orange Peace Patrol T-shirts. Special Woodstock currency to buy food and souvenirs.
This is not your father's Woodstock. The strict rules on what can be brought in - no bottles, food, booze, metal tent stakes - have left some fans fearful they'll be spending the weekend in the Gulag Woodstock, the Woodstockade, Woodstalag 17.
``We're the only communist country left in the world. Look at this,'' said Charlie Brown of Jacksonville, Fla., pointing at metal detectors set up in a field near a parking lot for ticket holders in Coxsackie, about 20 miles from Saugerties. Fans were required to pass through the detectors before they could board school buses to the concert site.
``Big Brother has taken over Woodstock,'' Brown said.
April Malara of Paramus, N.J., said she felt as if she were being bused from one prison town to another. Coxsackie's main industry is a pair of prisons.
``It's like jail, that's what it is,'' she said. ``You can't leave. You can't bring in anything that looks like a weapon. You can't bring in a lawn chair because you might hit somebody with it.''
Joe Palmasani of Endicott arrived at the Coxsackie bus stop Tuesday and hoped to be on the first bus to the concert site Thursday morning. But buses were running hours behind schedule, and Palmasani and a hundred others still were waiting in front of the metal detectors early in the afternoon.
``Everything's so screwed up,'' Palmasani said. ``You got one guy here saying, `I'm in charge of the bus.' Another guy saying, `I'm in charge of the keys to the bus.' Another guy over here whose whole job is to guard the orange traffic cones. But nobody seems to be in charge of the whole thing.''
The crowd of 170,000-plus is being bused to the festival from parking lots throughout the region to ease traffic. Without the bus plan, town leaders would not have permitted the festival, said James Schmidt II, the festival's transportation director.
``Will there be frustrations? Yes. Will there be problems? Yes. Will it go smoothly? No,'' Schmidt said.
While fans waited impatiently for buses, the 850-acre festival grounds were chaotic as promoters put on finishing touches. Two huge stages have been set up in front of acres of open space. Hundreds of vendors' tents and thousands of portable restrooms dot the grounds, along with high-tech amusement rides and exhibits.
The first acts go on at midday today, with the bigger names such as Joe Cocker, Melissa Etheridge, Metallica, Aerosmith, Spin Doctors, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel performing Saturday or Sunday.
Surrounding the former farm are miles of wire fences, some covered with painted posters, including one of a beatific Elvis staring down from heaven. The entrances and nearby intersections were guarded by state troopers and security guards.
Organizers planned to have 900 security guards inside the concert site, and hundreds of local police and 550 state troopers keeping order outside.
While fans grumbled about the restrictions, many conceded they would feel safer because of the tight security.
``In a way, it makes you feel like a baby, but I guess they're trying to not make it like the last Woodstock, you know, total chaos,'' said Jessi Derby of Cato.
Fans' biggest gripes this time around are about the ban on alcohol and the scrip needed to buy anything at the concert site.
Sara Klenz of Syracuse said promoters were paranoid and treating fans like inmates after they paid $135 for Woodstock tickets.
``I think they're being too suspicious,'' she said. ``Not everybody's coming to create problems. We're just here to enjoy the music.''
by CNB