This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:18:50
The video chronicles the chaotic and ill-fated Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival of 1972, spearheaded by young promoters Bob Alexander and Tom Duncan in Indiana, inspired by past music festivals. Despite massive planning and a significant budget, the event faced severe backlash from local authorities due to concerns over security and logistics, leading to its secret relocation to Bull Island in Illinois. The festival drew massive crowds but fell into disarray due to insufficient facilities, rampant drug use, food shortages, and exorbitant prices. Major headliners like Joe Cocker and Black Sabbath canceled, and subsequent logistical mismanagement incited widespread looting and fires. The ensuing destruction left the area in shambles, with tragic fatalities and legal repercussions for the organizers. The video's latter segments acknowledge the difficult circumstances and historical documentation provided by contributors, encapsulating the festival's turbulent legacy.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the narrator discusses the internet’s fascination with failed music festivals, starting with the notorious Bull Island Erie Canal and Soda Pop Festival in 1972. This event was overshadowed by chaos and poor planning, reminiscent of earlier festivals like Woodstock. Young promoters Bob Alexander and Tom Duncan aimed to create a major event in Evansville, Indiana, following their previous, troublesome Freedom Festival and Ice Cream Social. With headliners like Joe Cocker and Black Sabbath, they planned a three-day festival at Chandler Raceway, vastly expanding their ambitions despite prior backlash from local authorities.
00:03:00
In this segment of the video, the organizers, Bob and Tom, face significant challenges in hosting their music festival as officials in Warrick County, Indiana, and neighboring counties file injunctions to prevent the event due to concerns about security, sanitation, and traffic. Despite spending over $700,000 and facing legal barriers preventing the festival from occurring in Southwest Indiana, they discover Bull Island. This piece of land, located technically in Illinois but on the Indiana side of the Wabash River, escapes Indiana’s jurisdiction and thus bypasses the injunctions. To ensure the festival proceeds, Bob and Tom decide to keep the new location a secret until it is too late for any legal obstacles to be introduced. As the festival nears, attendees initially head to the original location, oblivious to the venue change.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the festival faces numerous logistical challenges. Initially, despite county officials’ efforts to block the event, many attendees flood nearby towns and parks. Eventually, the festival location is announced, drawing tens of thousands to Bull Island, creating traffic chaos. Attendees abandon their cars to walk the dusty, newly-built roads, exuding excitement despite the disorder. They camp out without essential facilities like water and bathrooms and explore an area called “Alice in Wonderland Lane” filled with open drug dealing. With minimal law enforcement, festival-goers resort to skinny dipping and bonfires for entertainment. When the music begins, it is disorganized. Problems such as long lines for water and swampy, makeshift toilet areas dubbed “turd fields” due to a lack of outhouses highlight the event’s dire conditions.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the narrator describes the deteriorating conditions at Bull Island during a music festival. With up to 275,000 attendees and very limited toilet facilities, sanitation issues contributed to a sour mood. Major acts like Joe Cocker and Black Sabbath did not perform due to disagreements over payment and possible safety concerns. Despite this, the crowd maintained a positive vibe initially, enjoying performances by lesser-known bands. However, heavy rain turned the site into a muddy mess, worsening the situation. Additionally, the use of dangerous drugs posed serious health risks, overwhelming the small medical team. Food scarcity became a significant problem, with desperate attendees even attempting to slaughter a cow for food. The only food vendor, Rhys Catering, dramatically increased prices, inciting growing frustration among the crowd.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, it describes the chaos and disorder at a music festival. Attendees repeatedly looted supplies from mobile kitchens while the workers hid. A tractor full of beer and a semi-truck full of red soda and cigarettes were also robbed, with the stolen goods being distributed among the crowd.
The music continued with performances from Ravi Shankar, Canned Heat, and Black Oak Arkansas, but the crowd was most excited for the headliner, Rod Stewart and the Faces. However, similar to Joe Cocker and Black Sabbath, they arrived to a chaotic scene and chose to leave. Other bands like Fleetwood Mac, the Allman Brothers, and the Doors also canceled, causing long gaps in the schedule and leading to crowd frustration.
Some attendees set abandoned catering trucks on fire, creating a dangerous situation with exploding gas tanks and tires. Despite the escalating public safety emergency, officials decided to let the festival run its course.
By Monday morning, many attendees, disappointed by the absence of their favorite bands, started leaving. The remaining crowd was much smaller, with fans like the Doobie Brothers and the Eagles performing to a dwindling audience. People found their cars broken into, with tires stolen or their vehicles towed. The scene was likened to a war-torn village, with debris and trash everywhere.
Despite the exodus, a few die-hard fans stayed, hoping for a surprise appearance by Rod Stewart. They waited through the night, but even they began to leave as the sun rose on Tuesday morning.
00:15:00
In this segment of the video, it details the chaotic and destructive end of the Erie Canal and Sodapop Rock Festival. Approximately 100 individuals stormed the stage, destroyed the scaffolding, and set fire to the entire wooden structure, including mobile homes and backstage trucks. Illinois state troopers later searched for stragglers and overdose victims but found none. The aftermath included thick trash, which was buried, and two unfortunate deaths: one by drowning and another by overdose. Organizers Bob Alexander and Tom Duncan faced numerous lawsuits and fines, even jail time, but were released after proving they were broke. Bob Alexander continued in media promotions until his death in 2020, while Tom Duncan left the business. The video acknowledges the difficulties faced due to the festival’s last-minute location change and credits the event for having actual performances compared to disasters like Fyre Festival, despite numerous challenges and a tragic conclusion.
00:18:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses how the festival organizers introduced harmful drugs with some poisonous doses and raised the price of a hamburger to $63 to create drama. The speaker then expresses gratitude to the Bowl Island Facebook group, Dan Davis, and Sean McDevitt for their contributions in documenting the festival and finding valuable resources, including footage from the Indiana State Police.