Woodstock ’99’s Chaotic Imprint Chronicled in New HBO Max Documentary Trailer
On paper, Woodstock '99 looked like a showcase event for the music world 30 years removed from the original iconic celebration of peace, love and music. But by the end of the weekend, a path of destruction and reports of sexual assaults grabbed the headlines and necessitated a change for festivals moving forward. The chaotic Woodstock '99 festival is the focus of a new HBO Max documentary airing July 23, with the trailer for Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Rage available to view below.
After a Thursday pre-show bash, the majority of the festivities kicked off on Friday, July 23, 1999 with the emerging aggression of nu metal acts highlighting the weekend. Korn, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, Godsmack, Kid Rock, Insane Clown Posse, Sevendust and more joined a bill that also included Metallica, Megadeth, Creed, The Offspring, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews Band, Bush, Sheryl Crow, DMX, The Chemical Brothers, George Clinton and Ice Cube among others.
But, as highlighted in the trailer, a number of factors led to the eventual rioting that occurred late in the festival weekend. Excessive heat and humidity plagued festival-goers while the venue grounds, a former air strip, had been cleared of many of its trees and heat radiating off the concrete. High vendor prices including water priced at $4 a bottle hit the wallets of festival-goers particularly hard. Plus non-functioning porta-pottys also made the conditions troubling for concert attendees.
During Limp Bizkit's set, fans started to tear plywood from the walls to crowd surf, which started some of the destruction during the weekend. As things got more unruly, audiences began to hurl water bottles and other projectiles toward the stage. And bringing the festival to a close, as Red Hot Chili Peppers were playing, a group of peace promoters had passed out candles meant to be used as a vigil during "Under the Bridge," but instead helped to spark a number of bonfires being set on the grounds.
The new documentary, directed by Garret Price and executive produced by Bill Simmons, takes a closer look at the events that occurred, giving voices to organizers Michael Lang and John Scher as well as some of the artists who performed revisiting their accounts of what happened.
Check out the trailer below for the documentary that will start airing on HBO Max July 23, 22 years after the festival's opening day.