[1] The trade name lawsuit arose within the last few days before the '69 show; the court ordered that Robinson had to use "not affiliated with the Newport Pop Festival" disclaimers in advertising.
[citation needed] The first Newport Pop Festival was held at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California, on the weekend of August 3–4, 1968.
Harvey "Humble Harve" Miller, a Top 40 disc jockey for 93 KHJ-AM in Los Angeles, was hired to promote the show and hosted the event with Wavy Gravy.
The big hits with the crowd included Tiny Tim, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe McDonald, The Chambers Brothers, and Steppenwolf.
Al and Gary teamed up with Bill Quarry, Alfie Zaner and Rich Romello and produced the San Francisco International Pop Festival at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton on October 25–26, 1968.
That show drew over 40,000 people and featured Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Chambers Brothers, José Feliciano, Deep Purple, Procol Harum, Johnny Rivers, Iron Butterfly, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Canned Heat, The Grass Roots, Rejoice, and Fraternity of Man.
Rolling Stone Magazine published an article on the event in its September 14, 1968 edition, writing: Newport Pop Festival Drags on in Dust and Heat: Dead, Country Joe, Crosby, pie fight weekend's highlights An estimated 140,000 attended the first and probably the last Newport Pop Festival in California's Orange County Aug. 3-4, viewing, among others, Tiny Tim, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Grateful Dead, Chambers Brothers, Charles Lloyd, James Cotton Blues Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and the Byrds.
The performers appeared on a raised stage under a striped canopy, but the young crowds were left sitting or standing in a huge, flat, dusty-dry open field under a broiling sun.
During the second number, a long blues, even the cops on stage were grinning and adlibbing a moderate version of the boogaloo.The second day's climax came when David Crosby started a planned pie fight with Jefferson Airplane.
Besides those already mentioned, bands appearing were Alice Cooper, Steppenwolf, Sonny and Cher, Canned Heat, Electric Flag, Butterfield Blues Band, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly, Illinois Speed Press and Things to Come.But admission to the festival was $5.50 per day – to sit in heat and dust.
Most considered it another in the series of pop music shucks.The Newport Pop Festival – which wasn't even held in Newport, but in Costa Mesa – was produced by Humble Harvey Miller, one of L.A.'s Top-40 DJs, and Wesco Associates, basically the same coalition that staged a similarly uncomfortable weekend festival last summer in another Los Angeles dust bin.Among other highlights that concert-goers recall were when helicopters flew overhead, dropping flowers on the audience.
During the Charles Lloyd Quartet set, a local group called Super Chief began playing a Lee Michaels song, "Hello," on an alternate stage at the rear of the crowd.
Sunday, August 4, 1968 Eric Burdon & the Animals, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Country Joe & the Fish, The Byrds, Things to Come.
Bands that were rumored to have performed at the festival, but didn't Lovin' Spoonful, Rhinoceros, Sky Pilot and The Turtles were not listed on the official poster for the event.
The 1969 festival was intended to be the successor to the Orange County event, hoping to capitalize on the brand name and market momentum generated in 1968.
[1] The venue, Devonshire Downs, formerly a racetrack and multi-purpose event and entertainment facility, is now part of the North Campus of California State University at Northridge.
Friday, June 20, 1969 Ike & Tina Turner, Albert King, Edwin Hawkins Singers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Joe Cocker, Southwind, Spirit, Don Ellis Orchestra, Taj Mahal, and Jerry Lauderdale.
[8] Saturday, June 21, 1969 Albert Collins, Brenton Wood, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Charity, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Eric Burdon and War, Friends of Distinction, Jethro Tull, Lee Michaels, Love, Steppenwolf and Sweetwater.