Altamont Free Concert

Lore & Background

The path to Altamont began with Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead discussing a free concert in Golden Gate Park. By early December, plans collapsed due to unhelpful police departments, forcing a desperate last-minute switch. Dick Carter offered his Altamont Speedway on Thursday, December 4, just two days before the event. This hasty move created severe logistical failures: there were no portable toilets or medical tents, and the stage was built only one meter high at the bottom of a slope instead of atop a rise. Consequently, the Rolling Stones' stage manager, Chip Monck, noted that all audience pressure bore directly on the performers. With no barriers and a chaotic crowd descending into madness, organizers asked the Hells Angels to surround the stage. While some accounts claim they were paid $500 worth of beer to act as security, road manager Sam Cutler insisted the deal was merely to protect generators and that the Angels "would make sure nobody tampered with the generators." Regardless of the exact agreement, the lack of supervision and order led to a venue where violence erupted close to the stage.

In Their Own Story

During The Rolling Stones' headline performance, the atmosphere curdled from anticipation into aggression. The Hells Angels, led by Oakland chapter head Ralph "Sonny" Barger, stood on the edge of the low stage. As the band played, a spectator named Meredith Hunter approached the stage. A struggle ensued near the barrier, resulting in Hunter being fatally stabbed with a knife while the concert continued. This tragedy was captured on film by Albert and David Maysles for their 1970 documentary, *Gimme Shelter*. The violence extended beyond this single incident; three other deaths occurred accidentally: two from a hit-and-run car crash and one drowning in an irrigation canal. Scores were injured, numerous cars were stolen and subsequently abandoned, and the site suffered extensive property damage. Even the Grateful Dead, scheduled to perform after Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY), canceled shortly before their appearance due to the increasing violence. As Rolling Stone staff later wrote, it was a day when "everything went perfectly wrong," with the tragedy eclipsing the music itself.

Reader's Guide

For those studying the event's timeline and performers, the concert featured acts in a specific order: Santana opened, followed by Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The Rolling Stones closed as the final act. Notably, the Grateful Dead were the prime organizers but did not perform. The venue switch from Sonoma Raceway to Altamont on December 4 meant the stage could not be raised or repositioned; it remained at 39 inches high. Security was provided by Hells Angels members who, according to Cutler, were agreed upon only to prevent tampering with generators and to offer directions, though they ultimately formed a cordon around the stage. The event took place on Saturday, December 6, 1969. Attendees faced a landscape of dirt, mud, and chaos without adequate facilities. The decision to use the Angels as a buffer against a surging crowd proved catastrophic when the situation descended into absolute chaos, leading to the death of Meredith Hunter and the abandonment of many vehicles.

Did You Know?

• The venue was switched to Altamont Speedway on the night of Thursday, December 4, just two days before the concert on Saturday, December 6.
• The Grateful Dead were scheduled to perform after Jefferson Airplane but left the venue before their set due to escalating violence; they did not formally cancel. The correct performance order was: Santana, Jefferson Air
• Three deaths are commonly cited at the festival: the fatal stabbing of Meredith Hunter, one accidental death from a hit-and-run, and one death from a drug overdose (possibly combined with exposure). The drowning in an ir
• The stage was only 39 inches (one meter) high and located at the bottom of a slope, forcing all audience pressure directly onto the performers.
• Rolling Stone magazine later termed December 6th "rock and roll's all-time worst day," noting that everything went perfectly wrong.