Woodstock: 25th Anniversary [Box set, Live]

Woodstock (Related Recordings), Various Artists - Rock - Classic | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 9, 1994)
• Original Release Date: August 9, 1994
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Live
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000002J07
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,000 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Handsome Johnny - Richie Havens

2. Freedom - Richie Havens

3. The 'Fish' Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag - Country Joe McDonald

4. Rainbows All Over Your Blues - John B. Sebastian

5. I Had A Dream - John B. Sebastian

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Leaving This Town - Canned Heat

2. Going Up The Country - Canned Heat

3. Commotion - Creedence Clearwater Revival

4. Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival

5. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do) - Creedence Clearwater Revival

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane

2. Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane

3. Saturday Afternoon/Won't You Try - Jefferson Airplane

4. Uncle Sam Blues - Jefferson Airplane

5. White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby, Stills, & Nash

2. Guinnevere - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

3. Marrakesh Express - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

4. 4 + 20 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

5. Sea Of Madness - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars THE MAGIC IS MISSING, July 17, 2001

By 

Avalon Don "Avalon Don" (Huntington Beach, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Woodstock: 25th Anniversary (Audio CD)

This one of the best examples of when there is something special, don't tinker with it. What made the original Woostock albums was the music,the humor and the stage announcements. The second LP was a respectable follow up for people who couldn't get enough. The box set lacks direction and must have been a quick job to make $$$$. They should have combined both original albums with bonus tracks and a good remastering or put out cd's of all unreleased tracks sticking with old formula of mixing in funny stage and audience comments. On the box set, you get full versions of songs that came out better edited. Some artists get more songs (Creedence, Airplane) playing substandard sets and others (Santana, Ten Years After, The Who, Melanie ) who were "On" that weekend, get only one tune. A couple stand out performances from the original albums are missing like "Wooden Ships", "Birthday Of The Rain" and the stage comments. The sound quality of all Woodstock releases has always been inadequate, lacking no midrange and it's worse here. The booklet is lousy. They should have checked out "Monterey" and done their homework. Stick with the old albums, unless your a die hard Woodstock collector.

74 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It has the music but forgets the festival, July 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Woodstock: 25th Anniversary (Audio CD)

I was somewhat disappointed with this boxed set which I had been looking forward to playing. Although it has much of the music from the original three record set, which I have, and from the movie, plus much more, what it lacks is the real flavor of what Woodstock was. For some inexplicable reason, they left out almost all of the stage announcements and crowd noise which, for those who were there, those who saw the movie, or even for those who wished they were there, really defined the experience. Where was the "no rain" cheer, Chip Monk of the Hog Farm announcing "breakfast in bed for four hundred thousand" or Max Yasgur's greeting of praise for the the crowd? All that was a big part of Woodstock. To just have the music ignores the event itself. I'd recommend the remastered original instead.

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential live recordings, July 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Woodstock: 25th Anniversary (Audio CD)

This is a good set but it does have some faults.

The mixes are not exactly brilliant. If you compare some of the tracks originally released on the 1970 WOODSTOCK LP you will find the earlier mixes far superior. Not only in terms of stereo but also in terms of overall sound. For example: "Joe Hill" is minus the backing instruments, "Going Up the Country" has a rather washed out lead guitar solo and some tracks, like Sly & the Family Stone's Medley, have problems with the overall mix (i.e. the wavering sound of the brass section). Whoever remixed these tracks did not desire clear definition of instruments. The classic 'orgasm' finale of "With a Little Help From My Friends" and the "Howitzer" finale of The Who are almost as muddy as the Festival site itself became. The bass is too low and the treble too flat.

The inclusion of previously released material seems to be a waste of space. Both the original Woodstock albums are still available (remastered too!) So why double up on the tracks contained in them? Why not release all new material?

Other than this, the set is worth it since it is the only way you can hear the chaos and madness that inspires such previously unreleased performances of Joplin, Creedence and The Band. The quality is not as bad as I make it out to be. (I guess I am too used to the classic stereo sound of the vinyl era.)

This was a landmark festival in terms of recording (8 track) and, as such, deserves to be heard.