Much like the vengeful phantoms in Amityville Horror or Poltergeist, that malicious spirit of '69 continues to wreak havoc on Woodstock 50. Earlier this week, the funding arm of the event, Dentsu, pulled out from the event, and even said it was canceled. Woodstock Ventures, LC, the corporation that owns the Intellectual Property associated with the Woodstock Festival, struck back, saying they would find new investors, despite the fact that they still had not acquired event permits and a few bands had dropped off the bill. Well, the mountain to Woodstock 50 grew higher today.
The production partner, Superfly, pulled out of the event today. Superfly, the entertainment company which co-produces Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, spoke to Rolling Stone: “The producers of the Woodstock 50th anniversary festival hired Superfly to leverage our expertise as veteran event producers to manage festival operations, a role that aligned with our mission of creating shared experiences that build community. Throughout our engagement our team provided counsel and recommendation on the necessary elements required to produce a safe and first-class experience. Following the decision of one of our clients, Dentsu, to cancel the event, we will no longer be participating in ongoing related activities.”
Never the less, Woodstock Ventures, LC believes that the power of peace and love and cash will overcome this obstacle. Woodstock Ventures, LC co-owner, who was also a part of the original Woodstock Festival, released a few e-mail newsletters to potential ticket buyers. He stated, in part, "We have yet to understand why [financer Dentsu-Aegis] would try to prevent the festival from happening by seemingly undermining us in this way. It is one thing to decide for oneself that it is best to move on, but it is entirely another thing to try and close the door on us. … Woodstock never belonged to Dentsu, so they don’t have a right to cancel it."
The Festival's attorney added, "This confirms that Woodstock 50 is proceeding with the planning and production of the festival. Dentsu has no legal right or ability to cancel it. All stakeholders, including the entertainers, should proceed with the understanding that the event will take place as planned and if they have any questions, they should reach out directly.”
However, fear not. The $18 Woodstock "psychedelic tube" is still for sale as is the official $52 Woodstock Festival Chime™.