On July 31 2010 marks the anniversary of a failed musical event. The Powder Ridge Music Festival at what I believe is the now defunct ski resort in Middlefield Connecticut 06455. I was there , along with my 2 High School buddies. Freshly graduated from being seniors & looking for some fun. We bought tickets but a court injunction shut it down. Well we and perhaps 30,000 others came anyway. This is not going to be a remember the glory days piece. I am going to tell a few stories of what I can recall. There are a few pieces on this event one can Google. This is more personal , hopefully shedding some light on the proceedings.
After hitching 2 rides from B1 on the NYS Thruway we got lucky. A red haired kid who lived in Orange Ct who was working in Albany NY was heading home for the weekend to visit his girl friend. He took us near the festival gave us his address and said he would give us a return trip on Sunday if we would share some gas money. We agreed and off we were to Powder Hill Road.
We walked up with our back packs on Powder Hill Road. We could hear the crowd noise. It sounded exciting , we quickened our pace. We arrived near the stage area and the singer Melonie was singing. She was the only name act that defied the court ban all weekend. We listened to her last 3 songs , the crowd roared and she walked off stage and exited to the back of the stage. She walked right by us. She signed a couple of autographs and seemed to disappear into the night.
For some unexplainable reason we decided to make camp by a tree in back of the stage area. I guess we did not plan to sleep much. Ron , John and Me began to party. That first night seemed friendly enough. We were keeping the 60's alive or what we thought of as the 60's. A mass of people were there. Rumors were about other acts like Richie Havens , Grand Funk Railroad and maybe Led Zeppelin would defy the courts & be showing up on Saturday. How could they resist a crowd this size. I met a couple from Flagstaff , Arizona who had it on {good authority} from his brother who worked for Capitol Records that Creedance Clearwater Revival was on their way from NYC that night. Of course that was all some wild speculation. None of it would in the end pan out.
I cannot be sure when exactly when we hit our sleeping bags , I think the late night rain helped quiet things down considerably. It was probably around 3:00 AM. The next morning the sky still darkened with clouds we awoke to a rather over weight young lady walking around yelling "does anybody got some downs." A living breathing strung out alarm clock. She was persistent and loud so I presume someone filled her request. But she did awaken hundreds as she wandered about acting as a new era town crier. As we were to discover all was not well.
First of all I had a blistering headache. With my consumption of that bottle of Balli Hai wine & whatever else{ you get my point} I was not in great shape. Many reports of this failed festival turning into a drug fest are true. But do you think anyone had thought to bring a bottle of simple aspirin. The humidity was all ready rising , temps were climbing to the upper 80's that day. Water helped but I went in search of some simple pain killer. As luck or basic planning would have it the Red Cross set up an aid station on top of the hill leading out. It was there I was donated some aspirin by a rather jovial gentleman who seemed to find this event very amusing. I consumed 4 pills and then I saw a vision. A Salvation Army truck was handing out coffee & donuts. I struggled over and waited in line. The Salvation Army lady handing out the coffee was a wisp of a woman. No more than five foot one inch tall. She looked terrified of the people before her. I was clumsy and spilled half of my coffee on the way to my mouth. She handed me another cup and put her hands around mine and aided me in getting it to my lips. I took at hot sip & hope I said thank you. As an aside I never forgot that act of kindness and a Christmas never has gone by without a trip to the kettle.
I found a roadside log to set on ate my breakfast and drank my coffee. The world was looking brighter. The sun had come out my friends had rejoined me we were once again ready but for what. As we reentered the stage area a Mister Frosty truck was supplying power to the stage. Dealers were setting up drug booths...that's right drug booths. No bands had showed up , music supplied by a loud speaker blaring music from a turntable Any rumors of bands arriving were unfounded. Some MC giving the occasional announcement. What that place lacked in entertainment it tried to make up for in drugs.
Saturday was a day of wandering , on foot and in peoples minds. Mingling chaos. Some people tried to open a store at the outskirts near the ski lift. I obtained 2 packs of Winston cigarettes there. Food was scarce. Overdoses common from all reports. About 2:00 pm that afternoon and why I remember that time I will never know it occurred to me that this was no Woodstock. That festival seems to be considered the Gold Standard for these events. Later that afternoon our friend John decided to climb a tree in nothing but his underwear. It took us and a few others to coax him down. He was blitzed. I had a small portable radio with me so I had contact with the outside world. Remember no cells phones. For news I turned to WDRC & WTIC.. It seemed that the National Guard was on duty in nearby New Haven in case of civil unrest. They were also planning to move out crowds if we stayed past Sunday. It seems we were on a deadline. Frankly most were too stoned to even contemplate civil unrest of any sort. This event was not getting any good press and only a few jug bands and local acts to entertain.
By late in the afternoon the crowd seemed listless , a bored stupor in many cases. John , Ron and I pooled together our food resources had a light dinner and shared food with others. Near our little encampment some older bikers who seemed inspired by Brando in the Wild Ones were giving rides to kids on their motorcycles up and down the little hill leading to Powder Ridge Road.I walked deep into the woods looking for a place to go to the bathroom. The 6 or 8 portable johns were beyond full. I walked past atleast 3 dozen people tripping away the day. Daylight was leaving all seemed tired. The drug booths were running out of drugs. Two Connecticut State Policeman in an old WWII style jeep came through on patrol. No problem. They were trying to spread the word to go home the next day. The older officer was really taking a grandfatherly tone as best he could.
The evening of Saturday was more reserved than the night before. The drug booths were packing up , there was a true sense that the end was near. We partied in an exhausted manner but there was still fun. more little groups formed among the crowd. Some friends were made , numbers exchanged etc. I had a conversation with a Saint Lawrence University professor about the current political climate. The pendulum was swinging he told me. This place is just an echo of what could have been. Though stoned he seemed oddly resigned. It is soon to be time to face the winter of the north back in Canton N.Y. I did think it "neat" that he spent time talking to a kid fresh out of high school. But then again he was there from Saturday morning on. I believe he taught math.
Around midnight some fireworks , Roman Candles etc were set off to more applause than deserved. I found a guy selling Ripple , a wine sold in a screw shaped bottle I presume so one could hold on to it when hammered. It was uncapped and therefore untampered with. Unusual that weekend. So for our final consumption of the event we shared a bottle of cheap red wine. It seemed like home if you can understand that. Three friends who had known each other from around second grade bidding farewell to our lost weekend. Everyone deserves one. Around 2:00 am an unsettled quiet overtook the place. Sleep was needed for the return trip.
We woke around 8:30. Generally speaking people looked stunned , tired and finished. We packed up washed up in a little pond nearby. Spotted some high school guys we knew as they were pulling out. We pulled out around 10:30. We were on our way to Orange Ct. We did not want to be late for our hoped for ride back to our version of civilization. One ride got us within walking distance. We found the house , we got our ride {thank God}. I can't remember the red haired kids name but we were grateful. He owned an Opel Rally Sport I believe it was called. A semi sports car of the day , made in Germany & imported by Buick. Comfortable enough for the 2 + hour trip. With one pit stop for gas and drinks we were deposited on exit B1 of the Thruway by 5:30. Gave him $20.00 which he was happy with. Connolly who I don't think ever picked up a check did not contribute. We walked past the toll booths to stares from the toll takers. Went to a nearby diner. Pits stop , bathroom & coffee and tried to make ourselves more presentable. Walked to Ron's house. Called home....yes I was fine etc etc etc. When I got home , a long hot shower. My mother washed my clothes like they were radioactive. She a Republican office holder was not thrilled with my escapade. Anyway , a steak on the grill and some potato salad and I hit the bed. I awoke at around noon the next day.
So it has been forty years......one still hears of Woodstock but never Powder Ridge. This event was one of those moments in my opinion that marked the end of an era. Those days of the 60's were over. The day the music at the festival died. My wife of 30 yrs will read this or one of my 4 kids will & one of them will probably say something like "what the hell were you thinking" A phrase I myself have used.
After hitching 2 rides from B1 on the NYS Thruway we got lucky. A red haired kid who lived in Orange Ct who was working in Albany NY was heading home for the weekend to visit his girl friend. He took us near the festival gave us his address and said he would give us a return trip on Sunday if we would share some gas money. We agreed and off we were to Powder Hill Road.
We walked up with our back packs on Powder Hill Road. We could hear the crowd noise. It sounded exciting , we quickened our pace. We arrived near the stage area and the singer Melonie was singing. She was the only name act that defied the court ban all weekend. We listened to her last 3 songs , the crowd roared and she walked off stage and exited to the back of the stage. She walked right by us. She signed a couple of autographs and seemed to disappear into the night.
For some unexplainable reason we decided to make camp by a tree in back of the stage area. I guess we did not plan to sleep much. Ron , John and Me began to party. That first night seemed friendly enough. We were keeping the 60's alive or what we thought of as the 60's. A mass of people were there. Rumors were about other acts like Richie Havens , Grand Funk Railroad and maybe Led Zeppelin would defy the courts & be showing up on Saturday. How could they resist a crowd this size. I met a couple from Flagstaff , Arizona who had it on {good authority} from his brother who worked for Capitol Records that Creedance Clearwater Revival was on their way from NYC that night. Of course that was all some wild speculation. None of it would in the end pan out.
I cannot be sure when exactly when we hit our sleeping bags , I think the late night rain helped quiet things down considerably. It was probably around 3:00 AM. The next morning the sky still darkened with clouds we awoke to a rather over weight young lady walking around yelling "does anybody got some downs." A living breathing strung out alarm clock. She was persistent and loud so I presume someone filled her request. But she did awaken hundreds as she wandered about acting as a new era town crier. As we were to discover all was not well.
First of all I had a blistering headache. With my consumption of that bottle of Balli Hai wine & whatever else{ you get my point} I was not in great shape. Many reports of this failed festival turning into a drug fest are true. But do you think anyone had thought to bring a bottle of simple aspirin. The humidity was all ready rising , temps were climbing to the upper 80's that day. Water helped but I went in search of some simple pain killer. As luck or basic planning would have it the Red Cross set up an aid station on top of the hill leading out. It was there I was donated some aspirin by a rather jovial gentleman who seemed to find this event very amusing. I consumed 4 pills and then I saw a vision. A Salvation Army truck was handing out coffee & donuts. I struggled over and waited in line. The Salvation Army lady handing out the coffee was a wisp of a woman. No more than five foot one inch tall. She looked terrified of the people before her. I was clumsy and spilled half of my coffee on the way to my mouth. She handed me another cup and put her hands around mine and aided me in getting it to my lips. I took at hot sip & hope I said thank you. As an aside I never forgot that act of kindness and a Christmas never has gone by without a trip to the kettle.
I found a roadside log to set on ate my breakfast and drank my coffee. The world was looking brighter. The sun had come out my friends had rejoined me we were once again ready but for what. As we reentered the stage area a Mister Frosty truck was supplying power to the stage. Dealers were setting up drug booths...that's right drug booths. No bands had showed up , music supplied by a loud speaker blaring music from a turntable Any rumors of bands arriving were unfounded. Some MC giving the occasional announcement. What that place lacked in entertainment it tried to make up for in drugs.
Saturday was a day of wandering , on foot and in peoples minds. Mingling chaos. Some people tried to open a store at the outskirts near the ski lift. I obtained 2 packs of Winston cigarettes there. Food was scarce. Overdoses common from all reports. About 2:00 pm that afternoon and why I remember that time I will never know it occurred to me that this was no Woodstock. That festival seems to be considered the Gold Standard for these events. Later that afternoon our friend John decided to climb a tree in nothing but his underwear. It took us and a few others to coax him down. He was blitzed. I had a small portable radio with me so I had contact with the outside world. Remember no cells phones. For news I turned to WDRC & WTIC.. It seemed that the National Guard was on duty in nearby New Haven in case of civil unrest. They were also planning to move out crowds if we stayed past Sunday. It seems we were on a deadline. Frankly most were too stoned to even contemplate civil unrest of any sort. This event was not getting any good press and only a few jug bands and local acts to entertain.
By late in the afternoon the crowd seemed listless , a bored stupor in many cases. John , Ron and I pooled together our food resources had a light dinner and shared food with others. Near our little encampment some older bikers who seemed inspired by Brando in the Wild Ones were giving rides to kids on their motorcycles up and down the little hill leading to Powder Ridge Road.I walked deep into the woods looking for a place to go to the bathroom. The 6 or 8 portable johns were beyond full. I walked past atleast 3 dozen people tripping away the day. Daylight was leaving all seemed tired. The drug booths were running out of drugs. Two Connecticut State Policeman in an old WWII style jeep came through on patrol. No problem. They were trying to spread the word to go home the next day. The older officer was really taking a grandfatherly tone as best he could.
The evening of Saturday was more reserved than the night before. The drug booths were packing up , there was a true sense that the end was near. We partied in an exhausted manner but there was still fun. more little groups formed among the crowd. Some friends were made , numbers exchanged etc. I had a conversation with a Saint Lawrence University professor about the current political climate. The pendulum was swinging he told me. This place is just an echo of what could have been. Though stoned he seemed oddly resigned. It is soon to be time to face the winter of the north back in Canton N.Y. I did think it "neat" that he spent time talking to a kid fresh out of high school. But then again he was there from Saturday morning on. I believe he taught math.
Around midnight some fireworks , Roman Candles etc were set off to more applause than deserved. I found a guy selling Ripple , a wine sold in a screw shaped bottle I presume so one could hold on to it when hammered. It was uncapped and therefore untampered with. Unusual that weekend. So for our final consumption of the event we shared a bottle of cheap red wine. It seemed like home if you can understand that. Three friends who had known each other from around second grade bidding farewell to our lost weekend. Everyone deserves one. Around 2:00 am an unsettled quiet overtook the place. Sleep was needed for the return trip.
We woke around 8:30. Generally speaking people looked stunned , tired and finished. We packed up washed up in a little pond nearby. Spotted some high school guys we knew as they were pulling out. We pulled out around 10:30. We were on our way to Orange Ct. We did not want to be late for our hoped for ride back to our version of civilization. One ride got us within walking distance. We found the house , we got our ride {thank God}. I can't remember the red haired kids name but we were grateful. He owned an Opel Rally Sport I believe it was called. A semi sports car of the day , made in Germany & imported by Buick. Comfortable enough for the 2 + hour trip. With one pit stop for gas and drinks we were deposited on exit B1 of the Thruway by 5:30. Gave him $20.00 which he was happy with. Connolly who I don't think ever picked up a check did not contribute. We walked past the toll booths to stares from the toll takers. Went to a nearby diner. Pits stop , bathroom & coffee and tried to make ourselves more presentable. Walked to Ron's house. Called home....yes I was fine etc etc etc. When I got home , a long hot shower. My mother washed my clothes like they were radioactive. She a Republican office holder was not thrilled with my escapade. Anyway , a steak on the grill and some potato salad and I hit the bed. I awoke at around noon the next day.
So it has been forty years......one still hears of Woodstock but never Powder Ridge. This event was one of those moments in my opinion that marked the end of an era. Those days of the 60's were over. The day the music at the festival died. My wife of 30 yrs will read this or one of my 4 kids will & one of them will probably say something like "what the hell were you thinking" A phrase I myself have used.
1 comment:
thanks man. I was there, arrived friday, earlier than you, we got there mid afternoon. you reminded me of all the rumors, this band, that band is coming anyway, yeah, right on, heh.
the walking, o my god, seems like we walked for miles and miles, some naked people, people hawking drugs. and the stupor, no kidding. but, it stayed with me a defining moment in tits way for along time, now faded.
thanks
class of 71
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