It's the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love (remember that? Or at least heard of it?). It was a great time to be alive, when for a brief period--less than two years--it seemed as though things might be all right. People were actually interested in each other, believed in the goodness of all, and welcomed new ideas and possibilities. We could sure use a bit of that attitude now.
All posters and images are from the Summer of Love exhibit at San Francisco's DeYoung Museum. The exhibit will be available until August 20, 2017. Oddly, the posters and clothes seemed sterile and overly formal, as if put together by someone who recognized the outward trappings of the Love children, but didn't participate. Perhaps that what we all do with past eras we tend to romanticize. There was a light show room with squishy bean bags for lazing about that felt just like home.
It's hard to imagine a time when creativity touched every part of life, from art to clothes to food, and especially to music. Every night was a party, and everybody experimented with everything. And then the heavy drugs came in and ruined it all. It was over in a flash, and now it seems like a dream. But it was a beautiful one.
Black Light was our neon. Tower records had a section dedicated to it and album covers were designed with it in mind. Bright white clothes made people glow like angels on the crowded dance floors.
The Conservatory of Flowers (aka the Glass House) in the middle of Golden Gate Park was home to an amazing light show and concert on June 21 (light show will be on until October 21--see it!) that featured some of the old local rockers themselves: Country Joe MacDonald (Country Joe and the Fish), Jack Casady (Jeffferson Airplane) and a few others, plus sons and daughters. A good time was had by all, and the smell of skunk wafted over the crowd just like in the old days...
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