Woodstock 50, if it actually happens, will be a free event
Michael Lang may have found a venue to stage his 50th anniversary celebration of Woodstock, but with three weeks to go, he’s yet to book a single artist or sell a single ticket. While the event’s lineup is still very much remains up in the air, TMZ reports that Lang has settled on a strategy to move tickets: give them away for free.
As it stands now, according to TMZ, is for Woodstock 50 to be a free event. Attendees will be encouraged to donate to their favorite charities, but a vast majority of tickets will be available free of charge. Instructions on how to obtain the tickets will apparently be announced next week.
Organizers do intend to sell some premium VIP tickets at cost to “bridge the gap between expenses and profit, but it’s a far cry from Lang’s original plan of selling 80,000+ GA tickets for $400 a pop.
Of course, whether Lang can actually hold the event is still dependent on him being able to book a lineup in such short order. His agreement with Merriweather Post remains unresolved, as venue operator Seth Hurwitz of I.M.P. is waiting to see which acts are actually willing to play. “If they have a real show than we have a real venue,” Hurwitz told Pollstar. “How many bands they have, maybe it will end up one day or maybe it will end up being three days, who knows? Let’s see who they tell me is playing. That’s what I’m waiting for at this point.”
One thing is certain: The lineup originally announced for Woodstock will not be present.
Woodstock 50, if it actually happens, will be a free event
Alex Young
