Ending The Decade On A Sour Note
The Altamont Free Rock Concert was a one-day concert on December 6, 1969, intended as a counterculture concert and attended by over 300,000 people—the event is widely viewed as one of rock and roll's worst-ever days. Find out about the shocking events at the Altamont Speedway in what was supposed to be the "Woodstock of the West".
The Counterculture Movement Of The Late 1960s
Before we discuss what happened at Altamont, we will set the stage—pun fully intended. Throughout the 1960s, a huge "counterculture" movement steadily gained ground in the United States. Rooted in principles of personal expression, anti-establishment views, environmentalism, and peace and love, it was perhaps best symbolized by Woodstock, which occurred in August 1969.
The Rockers Of Altamont
Altamont wasn't a venue for small-timers. Some of the biggest names in rock and roll were due to take the stage: The Rolling Stones, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and even The Grateful Dead.
Hugo van Gelderen / Anefo, Wikimedia Commons
A Literal Pipe Dream
According to music journalist Joel Selvin, the idea for Altamont came about in a conversation between Mick Jagger and The Grateful Dead managers: Rock Sully and Michael Lang. The pair planned this end-of-year spectacle that would become an end-of-year farce.
Ben Merk (ANEFO), Wikimedia Commons
The Planning Begins
The concert was originally planned for Golden Gate Park, appealing to the huge San Francisco hippie audience. However, changes were made at the last minute (just two days before), and the concert was moved to the Altamont Speedway.
Heinrich Klaffs, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Surprise Is Planned
While the advertising period for Altamont Free Concert was short—merely a month or so—The Grateful Dead's managers knew that to see out the 1960s with the desired effect, they would need to orchestrate a shock that would, at the very least, match the vibes of Woodstock just a few months earlier. It was decided that The Rolling Stones would be a surprise for the crowd as the final act.
Woodstock Whisperer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Rolling Stones Desperately Wanted Altamont
It's said that The Rolling Stones were one of the driving forces behind the Altamont Free Concert. Fresh off their US tour, the band was criticized for charging high ticket prices, so they made Altamont free. To end the 60s, a documentary film about their US tour was also to be made. Mick Jagger saw the dollar signs.
ingen uppgift, Wikimedia Commons
The Stones Push For Altamont To Happen
According to music journalist Selvin, "They wanted a piece of that pie... to be a part of this underground that had sprung up since 1966 when they were last in America," as the day drew nearer, it became clear that the Stones needed Altamont more than Altamont needed the Stones.
The Stage Was Built In 36 Hours
You might think that building a music stage in 36 hours is either crazy, stupid, or a little of both. And you'd be right about that. Selvin writes, "They were still nailing down boards and plugging in cables when Santana started". The lack of preparation on the stage was made plain later: It was too close to the crowd.
David Gans, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Crowd Size At Altamont
One of the (many) problems that Altamont's "organizers" encountered was the overwhelming size of the crowd and the lack of effective crowd control. There was no space for anyone to move about, and the stage was too low and close to the crowd. Jefferson Airplane was immediately mobbed by adoring fans.
Hiring Vicious Protection
Short on time and out of ideas, the festival organizers decided to take a drastic step. Instead of hiring security guards and incorporating local law enforcement into their security plan, they'd hire Hells Angels bikers and pay them $500. Another tale is that the Hells Angels were hired because one of their San Francisco chapters was friends with The Grateful Dead.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
The Lack Of Facilities
The Altamont Disaster will be remembered for many things, including the lack of proper toilets. Porta-potties were used, as is typical at concert sites, but unfortunately, there weren't enough. The lack of garbage disposal meant that festivalgoers soon littered the place.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
The Concert Begins & Almost Immediately Deteriorates
As we've mentioned, Santana opened the concert with his song, "Savor," following that up with "Jingo". Santana also played "Soul Sacrifice," but this set was interrupted when a Hells Angels member rushed the stage amid violence in the crowd; as part of their security agreement, they'd agreed to prevent the crowd from mounting the stage.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
The Hells Angels Go On The Offensive
The Hells Angels "security plan" seemed to be to beat up anyone who was even remotely hostile toward them, and given the atmosphere of a rock and roll show in the 1960s, that would be just about everyone. They used violence to deter the crowd and even assaulted Marty Balin, drummer for Jefferson Airplane, when he tried to intervene.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
Bike Chains & Pool Cues
According to concertgoers, the Angels began using weighted pool cues and bike chains against crowd members who got too close to the stage, prompting a huge reaction from the 300,000-strong crowd.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
A Local Band Member Suffers A Skull Fracture
As more fighting broke out throughout the day, Denise Jewkes, a drummer of Ace of Cups, a local San Francisco who had attended the festival (but was not scheduled to play), was struck in the head by a beer bottle and suffered a skull fracture that required emergency surgery. Jewkes was six months pregnant. Luckily, both she and the baby survived.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
People Experience Mass Psychosis
Because of the types of illicit substances that were being taken en-mass at Altamont, health professionals dealing with people in the medical tents reported that individuals were experiencing "freak-outs" because whatever they were taking was cut with other substances.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
The Police Aren't Called Until It's Too Late
Despite the rapidly devolving situation at Altamont, the lack of a strong police presence meant that when the police finally were called, they were playing catch-up. When the police finally arrived in large numbers, they were met with chaos.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
Mick Jagger Assaulted
Amped up on God-knows-what, fans swarmed The Rolling Stones' helicopter, which had arrived before their set. One even punched Mick Jagger as he exited the helicopter. This would later prove to be a catalyst for the Stones' attitude toward the concert for years to come.
Stephen Stills Stabbed
Jagger and members of Jefferson Airplane weren't the only band members to see violence that day. Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young received multiple stab wounds to his leg as he tried to intervene in crowd violence.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
The Grateful Dead Check Out
The Grateful Dead (ironically) were among the first to realize that their concert, planned by their managers, was going down the drain (and fast). They left early and decided not to play their set before The Rolling Stones took to the stage, as was the original plan. This left a three-hour gap between performers.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
The Stones Take To The Stage & Try To Calm The Crowd
Realizing how out-of-hand the "concert" was becoming, The Rolling Stones took the stage and tried to speak to the raucous crowd, particularly those in the front, appealing for calm. The Hells Angels drowned them out, freshly re-engaging in violence with members of the crowd. They opened with "Jumpin' Jack Flash" amid the beatings below them.
Maysles Films, Gimme Shelter (1970)
Concertgoer Meredith Hunter's Fatal Mistake
Meredith Hunter was an 18-year-old concertgoer from Berkeley, California, who had driven up from Berkeley with his girlfriend, Patty Bredehoft, and two other friends. Although he wouldn't normally have been carrying a firearm, his sister, Dixie, warned him about the racism still prevalent in America at the time, so he carried a revolver on his trip. This would prove to be a fatal mistake.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
Meredith Hunter At Altamont
While The Rolling Stones performed their set, Meredith Hunter was seen in the documentary Gimme Shelter (1970), produced by the Maysles Brothers. The documentary chronicled the last weeks of The Rolling Stones' US tour. Hunter wore a bright lime green suit and had an afro. Like most attendees, he was using illicit substances.
Maysles Films, Gimme Shelter (1970)
The Murder Of Meredith Hunter
In one of the most shocking moments in US rock music history, the murder of Meredith Hunter is captured on film in Gimme Shelter. While scuffling with members of the Hells Angels and brandishing a firearm, Hunter was stabbed in the neck and back by Hells Angels member Alan Passaro.
Maysles Films, Gimme Shelter (1970)
The Aftermath Of Meredith Hunter's Murder
Alan Passaro was arrested and tried in 1971. He was found not guilty of murder on the grounds of self-defense, as the video from Gimme Shelter clearly showed Hunter drawing the weapon and pointing it toward the stage. In the aftermath of his death and the acquittal of Passaro, Hunter's mother asked the county to rename the Altamont Speedway for Hunter and create a park in his honor.
Maysles Films, Gimme Shelter (1970)
Buried In An Unmarked Grave
On December 10, 1969, Meredith Hunter was buried by his family in an unmarked grave at Skyview Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Vallejo, California. His grave was the subject of a 2006 short documentary by filmmaker Sam Green entitled Lot 63, Grave C, which details the final days of Hunter's life.
Three More People Perished At Altamont
In the ensuing fracas that followed the Meredith Hunter murder and the crowd eventually dispersing over the next several hours, three more people would perish. Two in a hit-and-run accident and one more person who drowned in an irrigation canal.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
Legislative Changes At The Altamont
While the city didn't accept the request from Hunter's mother, voting instead to continue allowing the speedway to host races, they did bar the event space from holding future concerts and only limited the crowd size to 3,000 people.
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
Who's To Blame For The Catastrophe?
The Altamont Free Rock Concert was undoubtedly a catastrophe—a failure from start to finish with unimaginable consequences. While the tragic death of Meredith Hunter was the biggest story of the day, it was the culmination of roughly two days of a poorly planned and executed free concert—a tragedy waiting to happen.
You May Also Like:
Obscure Artists Who Shaped Rock History
The Best One-Hit Wonders That Left Us Wanting More
Altamont - The Hells Angels vs The Degenerate Hippy Freaks, Wyvern The Terrible
Sources:
