Second Atlanta International Popular Music Festival

Atlanta International Pop Festival became second in terms of magnitude multi-day festival rock musicheld under open skyand one of a large number public assembliesthat began during peak rock festivals from the late 1960s to the early 1970s.

Event was held in early July 1970 in a big field in Byronnear Middle Georgia Raceway, approximately an hour and a half south of capitals States. Organiser of the festival was a concert promoter Alex Cooleyhe was also part of teams the organisers of the first festivalswhich took place in 1969 on Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Hamptons. Similarly Woodstock's music and art fair, the famous rock festivalwho was year earlier, July musical event has been promoted as "three days of music, peace and love".

History of Creation

Construction labours started for month before the musical festivities begin. Location for holidays an auditorium with an area of almost five hectares fenced off with an eight-foot plywood fence fencewas erected main stage and two towers с floodlights. Musical group "Wet Willie." out of state Alabama with their speeches lifted team spirit builders.

In the making. billboard of the event was an artist Lance Bragghis poster design was not much different from the one that was released. posters festival in The Hamptons. Both were later published poster With a quote:

"Image. southern rock favours massive success festivals such as the two International pop festivalsheld at Atlanta".

Originally aisle for the audience to do chargeableand the tickets were sold at $14.but in about a year or so. hour after the start of the militant crowds of the people behind the fence chant"Free! Free! Music belongs to the people!" Then organisers were compelled to open the gate.

Because of debilitating heats (temperature the air reached almost 40 degrees), an enormous amount waters и alcoholic beverages drinks, participants и spectators were unclothed, crowd periodically "refreshed" with fountains of water from special machines. Behaviour the audience left a lot to be desired, but servants law enforcement agencies, remaining in the minority and applying a policy of "non-interference". Governor the state has been adamant from the start vs. and pledged that he would endeavour to maximum efforts to ensure that such a thing not again. Legislative authorities of the state supported his idea and approved mass constraints. The third festivals of a similar kind in Atlanta. authorities succeeded avoid.

Concert participants

Beginning of the festival was marked by the appearance on stage of an up-and-coming rock bands from Florida "The Allman Brothers Band". Participation in the festival programme brought the brothers To the Allmans fame and became starting platform for their further creativity. During the three-day concert group twice performed in front of thousands of people. The early 2000s saw the release of an album entitled "Atlanta International Pop.". The album consisted of. two compact discs and had a huge popularity amongst the fans. The band later received honourable title "the chief architects of southern rock.".

On the eve of Independence Day On the 4th of July around midnight, the American guitarist Jimi Hendrix sang the anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner.". His performance accompanied with a grand celebratory firework. В last festival day an early morning cover of one of The Beatles' most famous compositions "Here Comes the Sun"sung to the guitar Richie Havensom. The festival ended with a performance by the band "Anunga Runga Tribe" - they performed a composition from the musical "Hair.".

With my own impressions about the festival shared rock band from Detroit "Savage Grace". In 1971, on his second album. "Savage Grace-2" they've released a musical composition "Macon, Georgia.". That's when the recording studio "Columbia Records. an album was released called "The First Great Rock Festivals of the Seventies.". Entrants with tracks by different artists recorded from the festival stage live.

In mid-September. 2012 near the festival site was set up steleto commemorate an event that took place in Byron in July 1970. Organisation opening ceremonies monument was conducted under the direct supervision of participations the host of the festival grounds Tim Thornton. On historical monument carved with words:

"В 1960-х in the years when the musical culture The U.S. quickly changedand there's been others forms of music performance, such as rock festivals in the open air. One of the largest events in the world took place on a field 600 metres west of this site from 3 to 5 July 1970. Attendees at the Second Atlanta International Pop Festival were more than thirty of musical artists. Rock icon Jimi Hendrix played on stage in front of the largest American audience of his career."

Documentary film

Filmmaker Steve Rush made a documentary film about the festival. The film shows footage from speeches of most of the guests at the musical event, showcasing multiple interview participants and organisers. First trial the video was shown in September 2012 at Macon, two days later the film was given to the court spectators in Atlanta. Based on the feedback, the director made adjustments to the plot and planned to release the film in hire.

In 2015 admirers rock musicians received a documentary film as a gift "Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church.". Electric Church - is the term Jimi Hendrix used to describe informal communities of musicians who perform music in non-traditional conditions. The musician called his music "electric church" because he considered it his own religion. In the frame, there's a trace of path Hendrix to the festival, showcases the emerging festival cultureuniting youth all over the country.

Film combines of an unforgettable speeches Hendrix on 4 July 1970, numerous interview with the band members bassist Billy Cox and the drummer Mitcham Mitchellas well as with Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Kirk Hammettthe organiser Alex Cooley. and others. Atlanta International Pop Festival collected America's largest audiencethat he's ever performed in front of Hendricks: some 300,000 people witnessed the great rock performance in Byron.