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Concert will re-create Woodstock experience
To mark the festival's 40th anniversary, dozens of local bands will re-create the peace, music and memories of Woodstock.
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Tampa's Beauvilles will perform as The Who in Saturday's re-creation of the Woodstock festival at Skipper's Smokehouse.
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Published: August 13, 2009
TAMPA - Re-creation is not to be confused with re-enactment.
Listener-supported radio station WMNF, 88.5 FM, and 20-plus local bands will salute the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock festival Saturday, with each act portraying one of the original performers.
In their own way, of course.
"We couldn't find matching gold lamé jackets," Mark Warren says, explaining why his band The Vodkanauts won't be dressing like '50s revivalists Sha Na Na, perhaps the oddest entry in the Woodstock lineup.
The 'Nauts will be no more faithful to Sha Na Na's performance, putting their own Tiki lounge spin on "Get a Job."
The most faithful portrayal may be by WMNF itself, continuing to reflect the peace-and-love values of Woodstock.
"WMNF can be seen as coming out of the '60s, but updated to a new time," says program director Randy Wynne, who, with music director Lee "Flee" Courtney, brainstormed the lineup, matching local performers to a Woodstock counterpart.
The matching criteria remain a mystery to at least one performer.
"I have no memory of any of Country Joe's music other than 'I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag,'" says Ronny Elliott, who nevertheless will perform as Country Joe McDonald on Saturday.
Fortunately, the one song Elliott knows will make up the majority of his set, and he does like it.
"It's one of the most clever anti-war things," Elliott says. "As I read through those words I'm amazed. It's as timely now as it was when he wrote it."
The Beauvilles feel a much closer connection to the band they're portraying, The Who, for reasons both musical and otherwise.
"I considered it very flattering" to be asked to play the Who, says Beauvilles leader Shawn Kyle, adding that the invitation "may have to do with some of our previous performances at which we were smashing things.
"We're obviously influenced by them," Kyle says. "We're a seat-of-the-pants live group, so that kind of performance comes naturally."
The most infamous moment of the Who's Woodstock set came when Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman rushed the stage, only to get booted off by Pete Townshend.
"Flee [Courtney] had contacted me and said he would play Abbie Hoffman. I said he probably wouldn't like it if I hit him in the head with a guitar," Kyle says.
Says Courtney: "I hope he's not as strong a Pete Townshend."
CONCERT PREVIEW
Woodstock: The 40th Anniversary Tribute and Re-Creation
WITH: Acho Brother, Ted Lukas & the Misled, Liz Hollister, Ronny Elliott, Rob Aptheker, Point 6, Captain Obvious & the Duh Patrol, Jessica Atkinson, Uncle John's Band, Talk to Mark, Four Star Riot, The Beauvilles, Big Wiggler, Scott Elliott with Talk to Mark, Johnny G. Lyon Band, Thomas Wynn & the Believers, Blue Dice, Sarasota Slim, The Ditchflowers, Juke Joint Kings, The Vodkanauts and Soul2Earth
WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa; (813) 971-0666
COST: $18 advance, $24 day of show
Curtis Ross can be reached at (813) 259-7568.
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