The Monterey International Pop Festival was one of the essential events in music and culture in the 1960s, spurring the “Summer of Love” in 1967 and remembered for the first major American appearances by The Who and Jimi Hendrix, plus the introductions of Janis Joplin and Otis Redding.
Exactly 50 years later, it’s back on the same hallowed grounds in Monterey, California, for three more days of memorable music—and original festival co-founder Lou Adler is involved this time, too. Headliners include Leon Bridges, Father John Misty and Regina Spektor on Friday; Jack Johnson, Norah Jones and Jim James on Saturday; and Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band, The Head and the Heart and Gary Clark Jr. for Sunday’s finale. An art exhibition titled It Happened in Monterey ...Music, Love and Flowers will bring some historical depth to the event through rare documents, photographs, artifacts and screened excerpts of the 1968 Monterey Pop documentary. It also looks at the careers of the legendary musicians who performed there, including Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, The Mamas & The Papas and Eric Burdon and the Animals—the latter also performing on the festival’s opening Friday.
Monterey International Pop Festival at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, June 16-18.
