Woodstock is BACK

Woodstock is back! This August 16-18, those around the country (and probably the world) will flock to the Watkins Glenn racetrack in New York to get a glimpse of history. You can bet your ass I will be part of this group. While this may not be my personal dream lineup, it is one that completely overshadows every other festival lineup scheduled for this year in America.

Before you get all mad about the lineup, realize that it's not 1969. If Michael Lang booked the same type of talent he did for previous Woodstock festivals, in today's economy, tickets would easily be in the $1500 range per ticket. So calm down. This setlist is absolutely incredible.

Okay, so let's break this down a little bit. The first five artists on Friday would be enough to headline any mid-sized festival. I saw The Killers last year at Boston Calling, and from what I remember, they were super dope. I'm excited to see them again. Santana, The Lumineers, and The Raconteurs (one of Jack White's bands) finish the top billing strong. The thing that was kind of insane to me was the fact that Akon is billed in the damn fourth line. That guy has so many incredible hits, so to see him early in the day will be a treat and a half. Special shoutout to Akon for providing power to a good chunk of Africa while he was away from music. Could this be his resurgence in music? Most definitely.

Just by taking a quick peak at the Saturday lineup, you notice that legendary artist David Crosby is in the third line. That should show you just how insane this lineup is for someone that is a fan of music. I'm not saying popular music in particular, but someone that has an appreciation for how far this festival has come. It has transcended generations. Woodstock is synonymous with music, peace, and change in the world. I don't expect anything different this year.

I was blessed enough to see Neil Young last year, but to see another member of CSN&Y is a bucket list item. Moving on from that, Dead & Co., Chance, and The Black Keys all in one night? Sign me up! I understand I won't see the full performances from all of those artists, but to grab a glimpse of them is spectacular. There are so many good artists billed for Saturday that I'm almost mad I won't be able to see them all.

Day three is a definite easy sell. Jay-Z, Cage the Elephant, and Halsey are all going to be spectacular. The real band I want to point you to is Pussy Riot. I saw them last year at Boston Calling and I can't tell you how electric that show was. The lead singer is a political activist from Russia who spent time in a labor camp for opposing Putin. She is the definition of a badass. I have no comment on the world's worst band, Imagine Dragons, but I digress.

What I want to say here is: please don't compare this festival to previous Woodstocks. Obviously, it won't have the same aurora as the '69 festival did. The world is different than it was when the original festival was held. The world is different than it was in '94 and '99. Don't compare lineups and say that this festival has nothing on them. This festival is for us, the younger generation, just as Woodstock has been for the past 50 years. I'm excited to buy tickets on April 22nd, no matter the cost.

I'll be there camping for four days, so let me know if you want me to buy you a ticket. It will be a festival that people will be talking about for years to come. I think Lang has his shit figured out this time around. I don't think this will be a total wreck like it was in the nineties.

Long live Woodstock, I'm really happy this is happening.