The Goose Lake International Music Festival held August 7-9, 1970 in Leoni Township, Jackson County, Michigan, only one year following Woodstock, was “was one of the largest music events of its era”, and featured many of the top rock music bands of the period, including Bob Seeger, Jethro Tull, Iggy and the Stooges, Rod Stewart, Ten Years After, the James Gang with Joe Walsh, and Chicago. An estimated 200,000 rock music fans attended the festival.
Despite its apparent success, including the novel use of a revolving stage, the establishment did not approve of the festival, and arrested many participants after the event on drug charges. Michigan Governor William Milliken and Attorney General Frank Kelly denounced the event and said no future similar event would occur in Michigan!
Mississippi Queen played by Mountain from the Goose Lake Festival.
Iggy Pop and the Stooges at the Goose Lake Festival.
Sources :
Mark Deming, “Goose Lake memories : Why Michigan’s most important rock fest remains an obscure footnote in rock history”, Metro Times, July 2, 2008.
Leanne Smith, Forty years ago this weekend, more than 200,000 young people gathered for the Goose Lake International Music Festival (with video), MLive, August 6, 2010.
Goose Lake Festival Reassessed, Rock and Roll Graffiti, July 26, 2007.
Bob Garrett, “Michigan’s Woodstock”, Seeking Michigan, August 7, 2012.
Leanne Smith, “Hippies, skinny dipping, happiness fill memories of those at Goose Lake festival in 1970”, MLive, August 6, 2015.
Leanne Smith, “Rarely seen color photos show Goose Lake festival like it was in 1970”, MLive, August 6, 2015.
Benjamin Raven, “Before superstardom, Rod Stewart, Bob Seger among those who rocked Goose Lake”, MLive, August 7, 2015.