Woodstock remembered: Where to catch shows celebrating iconic festival

Posted August 08, 2019 10:00 am

If you weren't at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969, or if you were and want to revisit the music that shaped a generation, you're in luck.

Suburban and Chicago locales will host shows commemorating the event, including the town that shares the festival's name and The Venue, a performance space that opened recently in Aurora.

Here's a look:

Tribute band Marrakesh Express will perform the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Saturday, Aug. 10, to close out the Rockstock Festival in Woodstock. Courtesy of Marrakesh Express

• Woodstock, Illinois, commemorates the festival with Rockstock. Sponsored by the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, the concert pays tribute to original headliners Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Who. Tribute band Who's Who opens the show, which also features the CSNY tribute band Marrakesh Express.

Gates open at 5 p.m., music begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at Woodstock Square in downtown Woodstock. Admission is free. See woodstockilchamber.com.

Lisa G & the Lucky Ones perform Friday as part of the Woodstock anniversary celebration at The Venue in Aurora.

• Organizers describe The Venue's event as a two-day festival of peace, love and music featuring local musicians playing music performed by Woodstock artists Jimi Hendrix; Janis Joplin; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Joan Baez; The Who; Sly & the Family Stone; The Band and Jefferson Airplane among others.

Chad Watson channels Joe Cocker and Emily Tipping performs Joplin; members of The Empty Can Band perform songs by Richie Havens, John Sebastian and Country Joe & the Fish. Noah Gabriel and Scott Tipping pay tribute to Hendrix, while Electric Dirt salutes The Band and Rebel Soul Revival recalls The Who and Mountain.

The music begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at 21 S. Broadway, Aurora. Tickets range from $14 to $18. A two-day pass is $30. VIP passes are also available. See themusicvenue.org.

• The Aquarian Exposition, a group comprised of members of several Chicago area bands, plays a Woodstock 50th anniversary celebration Saturday, Aug. 17, at The Tonic Room in Chicago.

Singer/songwriter Ahna Schoenhoff opens the show, which features members of Lunar Ticks (Carter Stirtz), Groovy Louie (Jordan Nettgen) and Arbor Creek (David Drilling, Alex Ford and Larry Huff) playing songs from the festival.

Doors open at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at 2447 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Tickets range from $8 to $10. (773) 248-8400 or tonicroom.ticketfly.com.

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