[SamAdams76]

I was too young to attend Woodstock but in 1983, I attended the 3-day "US Festival" on a large field near San Benardino, CA. This was said to be as large as Woodstock (600,000 people came) and looking at the pictures from Woodstock, other than the music, it wasn't much different. I remember being surrounded by filth and mud and walking through seas of garbage. I wanted to leave by the first night but I came with a group of Marine buddies so I was basically held hostage unless I wanted to thumb my way back to base.

That was when I learned just how dirty and smelly the hippies were and wanted no part of them after that. The upside, I did get to see some great musical performances from acts like U2, Van Halen, Ozzy, Scorpions, David Bowie, Joe Walsh and Stevie Nicks. But that aside, I vowed never to go to another music festival.

When I finally got back to the barracks (I was stationed in Camp Pendleton at the time), I took the longest hot shower of my life!

Then the next morning, when we reported for duty, those of us that went were lined up and sent for drug testing. I was concerned that exposure to second-hand marijuana smoke would destroy my military career but fortunately it didn't register a positive result.

As an aside, I did attend a few (single-day) country music festivals with my wife during the 1990s, but that was a much different crowd. Mostly clean-cut people who picked up after themselves and left the place as clean as they entered it. Lot of American flags and good vibes. So I would recommend an outdoor country music concert if you ever have the chance to go to one.

[mylife]

At least you got to see U2 before Bono turned into a liberal prat.

I saw them in 1982 on the “October” tour.
J Giels opened.

[mylife]

I tell ya what.
I used to go to bluegrass festivals in the 70’s and it was an opener.

Old coots, young long hairs, hell angels, moonshine in a jar, marijuana. It was all good.

[Melas]

So I would recommend an outdoor country music concert if you ever have the chance to go to one.

I hear you. I'm more of a metal/industrial kinda guy and my wife is a huge country fan. I've seen the same differences in concerts. The country crowds are much friendlier, nicer, and just better behaved. It's Hobson's choice for me: Music that rocks with a rude crowd, or music that makes my ears bleed with a friendly crowd.