The Birth of Rock

Atlantic City Pop Festival
1-3 August 1969

What made Atlantic City so much different than Woodstock musically was its invitation to artists who did not turn up at Yasgur's Farm: Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, The Sir Douglas Quintet, The Byrds, Tim Buckley, Three Dog Night, Buddy Miles, The Chambers Brothers, Procol Harum, Chicago (Transit Authority), Aum, Lighthouse, American Dream, Tracy Nelson and Mother Earth and Iron Butterfly all put in appearances at AC and not at Woodstock.



Festival took place at the Atlantic City Race Track, outside of the old-school resort town on the Jersey shore (this was well before the casino era). As there was no camping allowed, festival attendees arrived and departed each day. A ticket for all three shows cost $15 (or single days for $6) and allowed the holder either a seat in the stands or the right to roam the open field in front of the stage. Due to the excessive summer heat, water trucks periodically doused those on the ground, the rest baked.

Even though it occurred at the tail end of the '60s, the use of LSD and marijuana was much less prominent - or at least less open. Where Woodstock stuck largely to classic rock and folk artists, AC Pop augmented the basic foundation with acts from the worlds of jazz, soul, etc.





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