Woodstock 99: The Ultimate Lineup Guide

Woodstock 99, held in 1999, was a three-day music festival that took place on July 23-25, 1999, in Saugerties, New York. The festival was promoted as a celebration of peace, love, and music, but it turned out to be a disaster due to various factors, including poor planning, high temperatures, and the final collapse of a documentary film crew. The lineup of the festival featured a diverse range of performers, including rock, pop, electronica, and hip-hop artists. This ultimate lineup guide will take you through the history of Woodstock 99, its notable performers, and the controversies surrounding the festival.

A Brief History of Woodstock 99

Woodstock 99 was not an official sequel to the famous Woodstock music festival held in 1969. Instead, it was a commercialized event intended to capitalize on the legacy of the original festival. The event was organized by Michael Lang, John Scher, and Joel C. Rosenberg, and it was held on a 800-acre site in Saugerties, New York. The festival attracted over 400,000 attendees, but it turned out to be a logistical nightmare due to the high temperatures, lack of infrastructure, and inadequate security.

Notable Performers

The lineup of Woodstock 99 featured a diverse range of performers, including established artists and up-and-coming bands. Some of the notable performers included:

• Foo Fighters
• Redman
• Shane MacGowan
• Powerslut
• The Black Crowes
• Sabotage
• The Chemical Brothers
• Nature's Symphony Orchestra
• Inspectah Deck
• Shy Company
• Godsmack

• Beck

• Neil Young
• Joan Osborne
• Manson
• Public Enemy
• Queens of the Stone Age
• Rage Against the Machine

Headlining Performers

The headlining performers at Woodstock 99 included:

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Rage Against the Machine
3. Limp Bizkit

Controversies Surrounding Woodstock 99

Woodstock 99 was marred by various controversies, including:

• Sexual assault allegations
• Violence and crowd control issues
• Environmental damage
• Disputes between organizers and labor unions
• Financial struggles

Legacy of Woodstock 99

Woodstock 99 is often remembered as a commercialized and violent event, which drifted far from the spirit of the original Woodstock festival. Despite the controversies, the festival did have a lasting impact on the music industry, particularly in the genres of nu-metal and electronica. In the years following the festival, various documentaries and films were produced, including the Emmy-winning "Woodstock '99" documentary series for VH1 and A&E's documentary "Woodstock '99: Peace, Love and Rage."

Testimonials from the Festivals Organizers

When asked about Woodstock 99, the events' organizers provided these statements:

Michael Lang: "We were trying to recreate the magic of Woodstock '69, but it turned out to be a disaster. We underestimated the scale of the event and the chaos that ensued."

John Scher: "We knew it was going to be a rough event from the beginning. The lack of infrastructure, the poor planning, it all added up to a perfect storm of disaster."

Joel C. Rosenberg: "We thought we were doing something good, something that would bring people together. But in the end, it was a commercialized event that only perpetuated the excesses of the time."

Woodstock 99 was a tumultuous event that left a lasting impact on the music industry and the cultural landscape of the late 1990s. As we look back on the festival, it serves as a reminder of the importance of planning, organization, and a deep understanding of the community being served. Despite its controversies and failures, Woodstock 99 remains a significant chapter in the history of music festivals.