A short Woodstock style documentary on the 1970 Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival.
The program for the 1970 festival included headliners Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King, Bobby Blue Bland, Otis Rush and Son House - unfortunately none of them are included here. Were they even filmed?
The first festival was in 1969 and both festivals lost money. The all-blues program couldn't bring in enough people to break even and, like Woodstock and the 1970 Isle of Wight festival, many crashed the fences and got in for free.
Funnily enough after a quick look on google I can't even find a poster or program for the 1970 festival so one wonders how well publicized it was and whether that also contributed to its financial shortcomings.
It's a great little documentary resonant of its time. A time when large scale festival organization was still in its infancy. If only there were more music.
More on the festival here
The Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival – A Brief History by Michael Erlewine (official historian for the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz festival) http://michaelerlewine.com/viewtopic.php?f=148&t=148
Michael Erlewine's video history of the first two festivals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NZL_KDI59s
The Ann Arbor Chronicle - Singin’ the Ann Arbor Blues. 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival was Midwest's Woodstock
http://annarborchronicle.com/2009/08/27/column-singin-the-ann-arbor-blues/
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