Hippiefest

Saturday I participated in Hippiefest a Concert for Peace and Understanding. I was outside where a local band was playing 60s music.  I noticed a few women pretending that they were passing around a joint.  They told me that they were reliving the old days.  Then I noticed a man smoking a cigar; he had a real joint behind his ear.   I saw him smoking it later.  I guess he was getting ready for the concert. There was a display of album cover that were drawn with chalk.  You could purchase it through a silent auction.  Someone did the Beatles "White Album", which my third graders could have done.

The show began with Felix Caivaliere performing the Rascals hits, such as Groovin and People Want to Be Free. He also did Wilson Picket's Midnight Hour.  Rick Derringer performed his hits.  I was not familiar with his work but I recognized Hang on Sloopy and Rock and Roll Hootchiecoo.  Gary Wright, the Dream Weaver, performed his early work with Spooky Toad.  He explained how he wrote Dream Weaver.   Gary was working with George Harrison, who invited him to go to India.  Harrison gave Wright books to read and one contained a poem about a weaver of dreams.  Mark Farner sang Grand Funk Railroad hits, such as Bad Time to Fall in Love, Some Kind of Wonderful and I'm Your Captain.  Dave Mason ended the show.  He performed Only You Know, Feeling Alright and All Along the Watchtower.  He was having problems with his voice so they played a blues song, which his bassist sang.

I was too young to be a hippie but I read about protesters spitting on soldiers returning from Vietnam and calling them names.  All of the artists acknowledged and supported the troops overseas.  Each performer was given an equal amount of time to play, which is a change from past shows.  I was surprised that there were not more people dancing.  I only saw two or three groups.  I guess the Baby Boomers are showing their age.  Despite drinking and at least one person getting high, it was a peaceful evening, just as it was billed.