The Christmas Happening was meant to be a a gathering of culture, music, spiritual awakening and holiday celebration in Laguna Canyon. In 1970 - it happened. Sort of.
Some friends and I left the Philadelphia area in December, 1970, for a trip to where we didn't know where. We ended up in CA and came upon this 'Happening'. We were there one night. It was magical. That's all I'll say here. Great memories. I now live in Laguna Beach for other reasons but what a coincidence that I was here in 1970 for a day.
@@davidjackson7281 Buddy Miles came and jammed with Jimmy Park's band. There were 3 other hot local bands that played, and some major names tried to come but the Laguna cops blockaded every road in & out of town and no one could drive in or bring their equipment, That's what happened.
l saw Buddy Miles September 1970 at Fillmore West (Carousel Ballroom). He actually closed for Fleetwood Mac and blew everyone away. A great and memorable performance. "Them Changes". Problems you described didn't happen in Norcal when Bill Graham produced a show or concert or festival or happening. Sorry for the snafus back then. l went to Altamont so l know of problems.
Very similar to what happened at the Powder Ridge festival in Connecticut earlier that year. There, a state injunction was declared against the festival, the bands (many of whom were big names) pulled out, the organizers disappeared, and 20,000 hippies were sealed into the festival grounds as it was cordoned off by the police. The event was vilified in the press as a demonstration of the real basis the counterculture "drugs", As we are well aware today, all "drugs" are not the same: what they were really railing against was LSD. The festival became what was certainly one of the first "autonomous zones", as the police were afraid to enter the cordoned off area because they were so outnumbered. The scene lasted about 5 days. As the participants began to leave, the police began to haphazardly arrest them. The many attempts to suppress the counterculture after Woodstock were both horrific and pathetic. The forces of conformity, consumerism, and exploitation were genuinely threatened by people who valued self expression and the gathering of etherial experiences more than slavish adherence to the drab default culture and its obsession with gathering essentially worthless dross. Those nefarious "special interests" are still threatened, as they well should be. The struggle continues.
lt was a year after Altamont which Graham had nothing to do with. l was there. Graham was the greatest promoter. Lots of other promoters could not come close to his professionalism. Funny how they tried to get the Dead (who FYl played at my high school in 1969) to play when the Dead had actually deserted Altamont. Was there any music at this fiasco?
@@davidjackson7281 Wounds were still deep a year later as law suits circled. Graham OWNED the west coast. He was great if he liked you. He treated a lot of bands like a douche as well. Look at what he did to Rush.
@@hazysativa3045Thanx hazysativa. So what was the aftermath of the aborted festival? Did you attend? Graham's two venues were the Fillmores in SF and NYC. Yes he monopolized booking in the Bay Area. We were able to book Mayall and Bloomfield only because he took a pass. But not vast SoCal. Correct me if l'm wrong but there must have been plenty of competing promoters in LA. Yes some bands did not like how they were treated but that was on them and their management for being unprofessional, not Graham. His concerts ran like clockwork and he made it look easy. Other promoters were not so good and came and went.
@@Sawdust5764l can appreciate your opinion but the term predator seems to be at bit harsh don't you think? Tough competitor? Hell yeah! There were plenty of venues and bands for Chet Helms and other "promoters" to do business with but they weren't close to the professionalism and consistent reliability necessary that Graham provided for successful shows. Helms was a Texas hippie who seemed to fade away as the music scene exploded. Graham, regardless of his preceived faults (being human), was the unparalleled greatest of all time rock promoter. Period. What was a memorable concert for you?
got there just before the cops sealed the road in.. my buddies came in over the fire roads from top of the world... remeber the "christmas cards"... there were a group of musicians jamming, and after the cops closed the roads, they were calling themselves the Laguna Islanders... remember Star got on stage asking for a chopper to take him to LA, and then getting a guy on a chopper to take him up to LA, to get the Grateful Dead to come down and play... ththe there was the guy that pulled upnear us in a dodge van, opened the doors, sat down in the van, and started rolling joints from a kilo. He'd then close up, walk through the crowd, and hand them out. He did it a couple of times until he was out of weed, then packed up and took off...
Thank God it got shut down; non-violently, it appears. Sadly, Laguna Beach, though beautiful, is full of self-centered rather than Truth-centered people. 1 John 4:10,11
The 'concert' didnt fail at all. It wasn't a concert. It was a Christmas party event with music. If you had been anywhere near there then you'd know better & you'd leave off with your lame remarks.
Some friends and I left the Philadelphia area in December, 1970, for a trip to where we didn't know where. We ended up in CA and came upon this 'Happening'. We were there one night. It was magical. That's all I'll say here. Great memories. I now live in Laguna Beach for other reasons but what a coincidence that I was here in 1970 for a day.
Who were any of the muslc acts lf any?
@@davidjackson7281 Buddy Miles came and jammed with Jimmy Park's band. There were 3 other hot local bands that played, and some major names tried to come but the Laguna cops blockaded every road in & out of town and no one could drive in or bring their equipment, That's what happened.
l saw Buddy Miles September 1970 at Fillmore West (Carousel Ballroom). He actually closed for Fleetwood Mac and blew everyone away. A great and memorable performance. "Them Changes".
Problems you described didn't happen in Norcal when Bill Graham produced a show or concert or festival or happening. Sorry for the snafus back then. l went to Altamont so l know of problems.
Very similar to what happened at the Powder Ridge festival in Connecticut earlier that year. There, a state injunction was declared against the festival, the bands (many of whom were big names) pulled out, the organizers disappeared, and 20,000 hippies were sealed into the festival grounds as it was cordoned off by the police. The event was vilified in the press as a demonstration of the real basis the counterculture "drugs", As we are well aware today, all "drugs" are not the same: what they were really railing against was LSD. The festival became what was certainly one of the first "autonomous zones", as the police were afraid to enter the cordoned off area because they were so outnumbered. The scene lasted about 5 days. As the participants began to leave, the police began to haphazardly arrest them. The many attempts to suppress the counterculture after Woodstock were both horrific and pathetic. The forces of conformity, consumerism, and exploitation were genuinely threatened by people who valued self expression and the gathering of etherial experiences more than slavish adherence to the drab default culture and its obsession with gathering essentially worthless dross. Those nefarious "special interests" are still threatened, as they well should be. The struggle continues.
Not one mention of any band are group that played??
Too close to Altamont... and without Bill Grahams word, nothing was going to happen.
lt was a year after Altamont which Graham had nothing to do with. l was there. Graham was the greatest promoter. Lots of other promoters could not come close to his professionalism. Funny how they tried to get the Dead (who FYl played at my high school in 1969) to play when the Dead had actually deserted Altamont. Was there any music at this fiasco?
@@davidjackson7281 Wounds were still deep a year later as law suits circled. Graham OWNED the west coast. He was great if he liked you. He treated a lot of bands like a douche as well. Look at what he did to Rush.
@@hazysativa3045Thanx hazysativa. So what was the aftermath of the aborted festival? Did you attend? Graham's two venues were the Fillmores in SF and NYC. Yes he monopolized booking in the Bay Area. We were able to book Mayall and Bloomfield only because he took a pass. But not vast SoCal. Correct me if l'm wrong but there must have been plenty of competing promoters in LA.
Yes some bands did not like how they were treated but that was on them and their management for being unprofessional, not Graham. His concerts ran like clockwork and he made it look easy. Other promoters were not so good and came and went.
Bill Graham was a predator of the scene and was resisted as long as possible. Don't believe me, ask Chet Helms
@@Sawdust5764l can appreciate your opinion but the term predator seems to be at bit harsh don't you think? Tough competitor? Hell yeah! There were plenty of venues and bands for Chet Helms and other "promoters" to do business with but they weren't close to the professionalism and consistent reliability necessary that Graham provided for successful shows.
Helms was a Texas hippie who seemed to fade away as the music scene exploded. Graham, regardless of his preceived faults (being human), was the unparalleled greatest of all time rock promoter. Period. What was a memorable concert for you?
When the #GreatAwakening arrives soon… I hope Laguna finds again it’s radical origins… we will need them!
got there just before the cops sealed the road in.. my buddies came in over the fire roads from top of the world... remeber the "christmas cards"... there were a group of musicians jamming, and after the cops closed the roads, they were calling themselves the Laguna Islanders... remember Star got on stage asking for a chopper to take him to LA, and then getting a guy on a chopper to take him up to LA, to get the Grateful Dead to come down and play... ththe there was the guy that pulled upnear us in a dodge van, opened the doors, sat down in the van, and started rolling joints from a kilo. He'd then close up, walk through the crowd, and hand them out. He did it a couple of times until he was out of weed, then packed up and took off...
So he rolled 900 joints from a kilo? Not believable. Who were the bands if any?
who said anything about "900 joints"? not me... what I remember is in the post... @@davidjackson7281
rad, same day this year?
Thank God it got shut down; non-violently, it appears. Sadly, Laguna Beach, though beautiful, is full of self-centered rather than Truth-centered people. 1 John 4:10,11
Who's the twisted tye-dye guy? No wonder the concert failed.
The 'concert' didnt fail at all. It wasn't a concert. It was a Christmas party event with music. If you had been anywhere near there then you'd know better & you'd leave off with your lame remarks.
@@RichArtLove Oopsie!