Monterey International Pop Festival 40 Years After

Where Were We Then? Are We There Yet? Where Are We Now?

June 16 - 17 - 18 1967

Monterey International Pop Festival was the first of the free (free in that the artists played for free) public concerts with big name acts. The performers' expenses were paid by the foundation. The Isle of Wight was in August 1968. 1969 was Woodstock, a whole different animal, but monumental partly because of the Monterey results.

Lucky enough to have obtained a boxed set 10 years ago; the requisite amount of time was spent wading through the Friday thru Sunday sessions. What an education. If you lived through those times, you are familiar with the old saw 'If you tell me you remember, you couldn't have been there'. In this spirit the actual order of appearance is a little foggy in some cases, forgive.

The original program listed matinee seating from 3 to 5 dollars USD. The evening show admission was 3.50 to 6.50 USD. For a dollar admission to the grounds you could camp outside the main area . The organizers didn't even prohibit these 'poor folk' from watching and listening. There was sanitation and food vendors on site along with security. By Sunday the Sheriff decided things were peaceful enough that he released most of the extra officers that had been brought in. Police departments from all around the Bay Area had contributed personnel.

Beforehand no one, not even the organizers, were sure how big and/or rowdy the crowd might be. The song 'If You're Goin' To San Francisco' sung by Scott McKenzie, written by John Phillips of The Mamas & Papas, was written due to McKenzie's concerns that the urban unrest of the previous summers might infect the festival, therefore the suggestion 'be sure to wear some flowers'.

The music of that weekend was a great mix of international musical styles, a mix unheard of today that would mark a cultural sea change, a transition from Top 40 AM '45 singles' to FM and album sales.