Small gathering for Woodstock's 40th anniversary

The 40th anniversary gathering commemorating Woodstock, the 1969 musical festival that became an iconic symbol of the 1960s, attracted 15,000 for the weekend event.

The 1969 concert at Max Yasgur's farm in upstate New York drew more than 400,000 people and has since been immortalized by a generation that came of age in that time.

This particular gathering though, was a fraction of the 30th commemoration back in 1999 in Rome, N.Y., which was marked by violence, torching of trucks and reports of rape. More than 200,000 turned up for the concert — about 300 kilometres from the original site — which was characterized by expensive food, corporate support and looting.

This time, the celebration was much more low key. Music lovers of all ages converged over the weekend at the original site.  The Yasgur farm itself is now the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Performances took place on Saturday at an open-air amphitheatre on the farm with small, impromptu reunions held nearby.

"The music was almost secondary to the experience," Vinny Verdi, 59, told the Washington Post. Verdi was 19 when he attended the original festival.

"I have no memory. Just the vibe."

Saturday's show began with a speech from Sam Yasgur, son of the local farmer who allowed his farm to stage the famous concert featuring searing performances from the likes of Janis Joplin, Sly Stone, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Band.

"I think you have proven something to the world," he told the gathered graying crowd, many still in tie-dye clothing.  "Young people can get together and have three days of fun and music."

Anti-war vibe re-created

Among the performances was Conor Oberst re-creating Jimi Hendrix's electric guitar version of The Star Spangled Banner.

Country Joe McDonald re-constituted the anti-war vibe of that time by asking for a moment of silence while he read off names of nine military members from the area who had been killed in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

He went to perform For What It's Worth, This Land is Your Land and Coming Into Los Angeles, which Arlo Guthrie performed at the 1969 show.

Levon Helm, who played with The Band, says he's glad to be back.

"The first time we came, it was just another gig. This many years later … it's a historic event. I'm happy to get to play," Helm told USA Today