Lang notes how the festival schedule became overcrowded in England in recent years. The problem, he felt, was that festival organizers underestimated much that was needed to get such an endeavor up and running, as well as the longevity one needs to build a brand. Staying in one location that’s accommodating, he added, was a real plus…and a rarity — which provides the business attraction to what he’s proposing for Saugerties.
“We won’t be doing this under the Woodstock name,” Lang said, pointing out that he was working on an enterprise moniker that could recognize the farm location being used, as well as the town of Saugerties. “But we did take our first cuttings of the fields there this past week, with plans for several more in the coming year.”
Town is supportive thusfar
“All of us on the town board support the ideas we’ve heard. And we’ve been trying to get together with Michael,” Saugerties deputy supervisor James Bruno said this week of the plans for Winston Farm Lang’s hatching. “We’re very receptive. We don’t want to have a casino, although I have to say I’d really like a SPAC-like (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) facility there.”
Much of the team Lang plans on using to get Winston Farm back in shape as a festival venue will be the same he used back in 1994. That includes Michael Stock and Ken Graham doing site work, and Phil Gitlin handling permits and planning logistics. Festival contractors will be able to use on-site mobile officers Lang’s company will provide, along with any offsite parking or camping that might end up being necessary. Security can be contracted, or brought it.
“We’ve got plenty of good production people around,” Lang said. “We’re coordinating with everyone around, including HITS (Horseshows In The Sun, located on the other side of Saugerties)…We’ll stage our traffic, and events, so there’s never a huge crush on one Thruway exit, or road access.”
Unlike the 1994 event, which set its main stage in what Lang refers to as the “north fields,” plans are to create a more intimate setting in what was known, then, as the South Stage area…which boasts a natural bowl.
Eventually, Lang said, more direct parking could be accessed with the building of a $300,000 bridge on site. Along with a more permanent structure than the temporary stages and other facilities currently planned.
“We don’t want the land to be overused so there’s a lot of thought going into moving parking and other needs around the site,” Lang said, describing his planning days now as being made up mainly of “time and pencils.” “This is all so much smaller than what I’ve grown used to working with.”
He mentioned how, in 1994, artists were put up across the Hudson in Dutchess County and ferried across by boat or helicopter. This time around, “local hotels will be filled up with our people.”
Live and learn
What was it like returning to Winston Farm, we asked.
“I love it there,” Lang said. “It’s right down the road and I have good memories of the place.”
What about Woodstock ’99, the 30th anniversary event that had to be moved to an air force base in Rome, New York, where most people’s memories of the festival came down to images of raging fires on the final night as concession stands burned during the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire.”
“That involved some bad booking. Concrete,” Lang noted. “It was a perfect storm…and an odd moment, musically, where at times it seemed that everyone was trying to out-anger each other. But in spite of the problems most people had a good time. You learn.”
Finally, we asked Michael Lang about some of his other projects, mentioned in recent years, including a Broadway show and a movie.
His idea for a Woodstock festival musical, he said, was moving ahead…still stumbling on its book. “A playwright is a playwright,” he said. “The work has to have a single vision. That’s coming…”
As for the film adaptation of “The Master and Margarita” that he’s been developing for years, a shoot is actually now planned for next summer…with Baz Luhrmann directing.
But there’s much to do on so many fronts between now and then, Lang reminds.
Why next year?
“Why not?” Lang replies.
I’m not sure I like the idea. Although it may benefit business owners I think it’ll disturb the peace and tranquility of the village. If it does happen, I feel that the the town must stipulate that the musical events not occur during the Garlic Festival, The Fourth of July Parade/Fireworks, Memorial Day Parade or during the Sawyer Motors Car show. Also, if it does happen, the festival corporation must pay town and county taxes on the property and not “payments in lieu of taxes”. Too many business operate here with tax exemptions. Let’s keep this in mind during the vetting process.
i would prefer if globalfoundries obtained the site. they propose 1,400-1,500 annual jobs, where mr lang can at best have 200 jobs annually. more jobs equals more revenue for the town.
WELL I THINK MRS. KELLY MYERS SHOULD LISTEN TO SOME LOCAL PEOPLE WHO BORDER THIS PROPERTY. OK SO PARKING ( ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CARS ARE NOT LEAKING ANY OILS,GAS, ECT THAT WILL LEAK INTO OUR WELLS ?) CAMPING THERE IS THE FIRST STEP TO TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM LOCAL CAMPING GROUNDS IN OUR AREA. ARE THESE CONCERTS GOING TO BE ON WORK NIGHTS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE ? ARE YOU GOING TO BE USING MOWERMILL ROAD. IF SO PLEASE BUY MY HOME SO I CAN MOVE BACK TO WHERE THE ANIMALS CAN RUN FREE AND DO YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU ARE DISRUPTING THE NATURAL ENVIREMENT.. WE IN SAUGERTIES NEED TO PULL TOGETHER AND HAVE THINGS IN WRITTING . TO THE TOWN BOARD I THINK BEFORE YOU APROVE THIS COME TALK WITH US WHO BORDER THSI PROPERTY . MY LANG IN NOT THE GREAT PERSON WHO SET UP ALL THES CONCERTS IT WAS PURE CAOS AND PROFIT FOR HIM . KINDA FUNNY I HAVE BEEN HERE MANY YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEEN ANY OF WINSTONS CUT AND TAKEN CARE OF . OHHH AND OUR ROAD IS PRIVATE SO IF YOU ARE USING THE ROAD UP ON THE HILL TOP THEN COMPENSATE EVERY ONE ON MOWER MILL. YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SNEAK ON THIS PROERTY. BATHROOMS IS ANOTHER CONCERN . WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WILL USE THE WOODS IS THAT GOOD FOR MY PROPERTY??? JOHNNY ON THE SPOTS ,WELL THANK YOU WHAT WE NEED IS MORE FLIES . ARE YOU GOING TO FENCE YOUR PROPERTY FROM OURS ?? I AM VERY CONCERENED THAT IT SEEMS LIKE A GO ALREADY AND THERE HAS BEEN NO OPEN TOWN MEETINGS TO HEAR CONCERNS . I WILL BE AT EVERY MEETING FROM HERE ON . DONT PUSH US OUT WITH SECRET MEETINGS.