Live - 4. Woodstock: 40 Years on: Back to Yasgur's Farm (6CD, Limited Edition) [BOX SET], August 15 - August 17-18, 1969[Rhino Records] August 18th 2009.

Live - 4. Woodstock: 40 Years on: Back to Yasgur's Farm (6CD, Limited Edition) [BOX SET]

This is an incredible set! The best Woodstock collection yet! The sound quality is stellar. The packaging? Fantastic! Similar to Rhino's "Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970" but with the CD's in plastic DVD length cases, so no worry about scratching your CD's. I would like to give this set four and A HALF stars, just shy of five. Why only four and a half and not five? Well, first off, it can't be helped that Keef Hartley Band, Ten Years After, and The Band backed out of being a part of this collection. I'm sure Rhino tried all they could, but what can you do? What I'm at a loss about is the repeated inclusion of CSN&Y's non-Woodstock performance of "Sea Of Madness." It's been established that this performance was at the Fillmore East a week later from the festival. Why couldn't "Blackbird," "Mr. Soul," or "Helplessly Hoping" been included instead? Anyways, the included booklet is awesome featuring the COMPLETE listing of Woodstock performers and their complete sets for the first time! FINALLY! This set is 6-CDs long so are you ready for this? Here we go.

1.1. DISC ONE:

1. RITCHIE HAVENS: The remix makes his performance sound much more intimate and close.
2. SWEETWATER: Better than expected! "Look Out" ROCKS and "Two Worlds" is faster than the studio version.
3. BERT SOMMER: To have left this guy off for 40 years is criminal! A BEAUTIFUL, inspired sounding acoustic set. What a voice!
4. TIM HARDIN: Tim is all his disheveled glory. "Simple Song Of Freedom" will make you smile and cry at the same time.
5. RAVI SHANKAR: I've heard better from Ravi (Monterey, etc.), but this rather short raga is good.
6. MELANIE: A POWERFUL three songs from the raspy voiced singer/songwriter princess of the early '70s.
7. ARLO GUTHRIE: Well now we know why his Woodstock performance of "Coming Into Los Angeles" was replaced on the soundtrack, Arlo's mic was off for the first verse of the song!

1.2. DISC TWO:

1. JOAN BAEZ: Aside from the inclusion of "Hickory Wind" this is pretty much the same as you've always known from Joan.
2. QUILL: IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS BAND GOT SOME RECOGNITION! A percussion based psychedelic rock band that were REALLY theatrical!
3. COUNTRY JOE MCDONALD: Did you know he came back for another verse of "Fixin' To Die" after his shouted "ALRIGHT!" Me neither.
4. SANTANA: A killer "Persuasion" and an unedited "Soul Sacrifice."
5. JOHN B. SEBASTIAN: Yep, John was stoned. His stage patter is finally in the correct places after all these years.
6. INCREDIBLE STRING BAND: Very hippie, very acoustic, very folk, very good.

1.3. DISC THREE:

1. CANNED HEAT: The Bear has to pee before "Going Up The Country" and "Woodstock Boogie" KILLS...ALL 28 MINUTES OF IT!
2. MOUNTAIN: A better "Blood Of The Sun" than on "Woodstock Two." And a great "For Yasgur's Farm" with Leslie belting it!
3. GRATEFUL DEAD: A 19-minute "Dark Star" that's not all that bad despite being from one of The Dead's worst performances.
4. CCR: Creedence was TIGHT after following The Dead. The inclusion of "Keep On Chooglin" would have been nice though.

1.4. DISC FOUR:

1. JANIS JOPLIN: A better mix than the 25th Anniversary set! Janis wasn't in her best form but she got the point across.
2. SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: The UNEDITED medley that almost brought the stage down early that Sunday morning. 100% PURE FUNK!
3. ABBIE HOFFMAN: "John Sinclair...John Sinclair...blah...blah...blah"
4. THE WHO: INSANE, ghostly feedback from Pete's amp for "Amazing Journey." And Abbie and Pete duet. Ha ha ha.
5. JEFFERSON AIRPLANE: Morning maniac music. The Airplane rocked Sunday morning with the opening "The Other Side Of This Life."

1.5. DISC FIVE:

1. JOE COCKER: No "Something's Coming On" but Joe and the band sound FANTASTIC with this remix. Funny backing vocals as always.
2. THE RAINSTORM: Got everyone's attention after Joe but never got a record deal. Very soothing...for 4 minutes.
3. COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH: A ROCKING set from The Fish! A "reprise" version of "Rock And Soul Music" that lasts 12 minutes.
4. JOHNNY WINTER: The full "Mean Town Blues" which features some KILLER slide work from Johnny.
5. BLOOD, SWEAT, & TEARS: Their last song, "You've Made Me So Very Happy," and they sound really good here. Good horn section!

1.6. DISC SIX:

1/2. CSN&Y: They were alright. "Marrakesh Express" is the best of THIS set, but no "Blackbird" which WAS their best that night.
3. BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND: "No Amount Of Loving" is plagued by a faulty mic but this thing grooves so good it makes up for it.
4. SHA NA NA: Would have like to have heard "Teen Angel" as well. "Get A Job" was their opener. Face it, these guys ruled.
5. JIMI HENDRIX: The same as you've heard but it doesn't sound remixed for the box set.

Well there you go, all six discs. Not only does the music sound better than it has ever sounded before but the stage announcements included are great as well. I guess they read my review for the 25th Anniversary box set. You're going to hear some pretty funny announcements that were not included on the original soundtrack. Even some advice on taking the green acid tabs from none other than the San Francisco acid team themselves, Jerry Garcia and Country Joe! And most importantly, the full unedited speech from Mr. Max Yasgur. God Bless your memory Max. By opening your heart, you created history.