Hump Day History

 

The Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival in 1972, also known as the Bull Island Rock Festival, was a chaotic three day event that ended in fire and a few deaths.

The promoters expected a crowd of 50,000 but they got 200,000.  Many bands pulled out of performing as the festival drifted into anarchy.  There was a total lack of sanitation and infrastructure.  Food, water, and security were in short supply from day one.

The festival was originally planned to be held in Chandler, as the ticket states, but at the last minute local health officials blocked the event.  Crews had almost no time to relocate.

And then there were heavy rains, which turned the entire campground into a disease-ridden mud pit.  The weather caused dangerous currents in the Wabash River, and three people drowned.

On the final day, the remaining crowd rioted and burned the main stage to the ground.

Due to these conditions, quality video of any performance is extremely rare. 

Acts who stuck around include Foghat, Cheech & Chong, Canned Heat, The Eagles, and Ravi Shankar.  Black Sabbath was a major headliner who bailed.