Will “Woodstock 50” really happen? The chances for that just became a little slimmer as Jay-Z has pulled out from the festival. Jay-Z was supposed to be the closing act of the festival set to take place on August 16-18.
Jay-Z’s leaving of the festival comes only one day after John Fogerty announced the same. Fogerty, who played in the original Woodstock in 1969 with Creedence Clearwater Revival, decided to leave after the organizer, Michael Lang, announced a change of venue. The Festival was to take place in Watkins Glen International Speedway in upstate New York, but it was decided that it would not be able to support the number of people due to arrive at the festival and a change is needed.
Now Lang is negotiating to move the festival to Merriweather Post Pavilion, a venue between Baltimore and Washington D.C. – a move that does not sit well with Fogerty and other bands. ”John Fogerty knows where he will be for the anniversary weekend of Woodstock,” read the announcement of Fogery crew. “At only one site… at the original one – the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.”
The festival was plagued with financial and logistical troubles for some months now. In April a marketing firm that was financing the festival pulled out her funds and announced that the event is canceled. Lang, however, claimed that this is not their decision and continued to promote it.
