Hacked, looted and burned to the ground:
was Bull Island the worst music festival of all time?

This kind of headline is likely to catch your attention and lead to further investigation, right ?

I'd never heard of Bull Island or indeed 'The Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival', more commonly known as the Bull Island Rock Festival. So rather than regurgitate all the detail, assuming you know as little as me and are equally intrigued, let's begin with the headline story, that starts with a poster of the intended line-up, continues to describe the event and ends with a YouTube video that tells it all. (Click link here) & watch the excellent yet crazy 19 minute video: (Direct link to this video).

Further investigation is optional but the poster for the festival, which reads like one of those dream line-ups, reveals that many of those billed to appear, didn't ! Especially the star attractions and who can blame them. 

I became fascinated with the book by Dan Davis all about his and others experiences at this Labor Day weekend (September 4,5 & 6 back in 1972). 

One band who did appear and perform (and curiously dropped sun visors and let off white doves during their set) was Black Oak Arkansas. Their music is characterised by three guitar players and the raspy vocals of Jim Mangrum, though this track from their 'High on the Hog' album released a year later and called 'Moonshine Sonata' is an instrumental. Info on who did appear and what they played is sketchy, so the band probably didn't play this track, but no matter. You can imagine (or hallucinate)... white doves and helicopters - it must have been surreal. 

No video today, but it's great track and Black Oak Arkansas are named in the afore mentioned YouTube video at the 12:26 mark. 

ALL this is strangely similar to the festival 'Woodstock '99' (see the Netflix documentary film).