The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Nedstock raised money for a good cause
About 1,500 people gathered to hear five bands perform at tribute concert
WOODSTOCK — Fifty years and some change after Gov. Ned Lamont’s father squashed his dreams of attending the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969, the governor Friday finally got to dance in a field to the songs of the greats.
Lamont fluttered around like a kid on Christmas morning, dancing in his tiedye with fellow ’60s enthusiasts, taking selfies and taking very seriously his duties as a judge of the Battle of the Bands at the Woodstock Fair. And when he took the stage around 2 p.m. to thank everyone for coming, he even belted out a few bars of Janis Joplin’s a cappella rejection of consumerism, “Mercedes Benz,” before introducing state Sen. George Logan, performing his signature rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner.
“She didn’t sing this at Woodstock, but Janis Joplin is one of the best,” Lamont said as the crowd sang along.
The idea for a tribute concert at the annual Woodstock Fair in Woodstock, Connecticut — about 200 miles east of the original festival — was born on the campaign trail in 2018. Many people thought it was a joke, but his wife, Ann Huntress Lamont, had no doubt he’d get it done.
“He’s talked about it since 1969, when he didn’t get to go,” she said. “This is what he does. He dreams
things up and makes them happen. He’s an entrepreneur. That’s Ned.”
About 1,500 people gathered on the grass and in the grandstands at the Woodstock Fairgrounds to hear the five bands selected from over 60 submissions for the Battle of the Bands, a contest to find the best band in the state. All of the bands played songs heard at the 50 years ago at the original fair.
Unlike the original fair, the weather was perfect with sunny skies and no one had to abandon their car on the side of the road to get in. There was more than enough fried food, the bathrooms were a lot cleaner and, of course, “Our grass is on the
ground,” Lamont joked, but for the most part he thought his version was the next best thing to the original.
“I think we did alright,” Lamont said, before heading off to take more selfies. By the end of the day, his voice was almost gone as he shouted, “I love the spirit, I love the music and I love Woodstock!”
The bands competed for the title of “Connecticut Band of the Year” and $17,000 in prize money, personally funded by Lamont.
Lamont also paid to print 125 commemorative tiedye shirts, which sold out in the first two hours of the festival, raising $2,500 for Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group, a small grassroots nonprofit social service agency serving youth in
Quiet Corner towns. Lamont matched the donation with another $2,500. No state funding was used for the Woodstock recreation, dubbed by many as Nedstock.
The five Connecticutbased bands included Among Acres, Balkun Brothers, Hollister Thompson Band, Last Licks, and Weird Sounds. They were judged by Lamont, Logan, Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt, and State Troubadour Nekita Waller, among others, who were looking, in particular, for bands that “got the crowds going.”
Last Licks took home the grand prize of $7,500 for their crowdpleasing performance of Joe Cocker’s version of “With a Little Help From My Friends,” which earned a standing ovation. The enthusiastic crowd, a handful of whom attended the original Woodstock fair, donned flower crowns, fringed shirts and bell bottoms.
“The turnout has exceeded our expectations,” said Lamont aide Rob Blanchard, who led the planning of the Battle of the Bands and was tasked with sifting through the musical submissions to find the best acts in Connecticut. Blanchard said he was relieved to finally see the fruits of his labor.
“It’s wonderful to see it come to fruition and to see so many people from across Connecticut come to celebrate music, arts and agriculture, and the culture of the 60s, as well as support a good cause.”