Viswa Vanapalli
In 1999, music fans looked forward to the revival of one of the most popular counterculture music festivals of all time: Woodstock. But by the end of the three days, things devolved to unimaginable levels, leaving people hurt and causing extensive property damage. Netflix’s documentary series ‘Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99’ chronicles what went wrong with the ’99 revival. David Blaustein, who was right in the thick of things at the time as a young reporter, shares his experiences on the show. So, let’s find out more about him then, shall we?
Who is David Blaustein?
At the time, David Blaustein was only 26-years-old and had traveled to Rome, New York, as a rookie journalist to cover Woodstock. He was working for ABC News as an entertainment reporter and movie critic. During a radio interview in August 2022, David remembered there were signs from the beginning that things were not alright. The festival was being held at a decommissioned Air Force base. The hot weather and asphalt reflecting the heat made it challenging for concertgoers.
On the show, David talked about the 1990s being an era brimming with sexuality and violence, possibly providing an insight into what the concertgoers were thinking at the time. During Limp Bizkit’s performance at Woodstock, David actually got into a mosh pit, providing a unique perspective to the news coverage at the time. But according to him, Fred Durst, Limp Bizkit’s lead singer, riled the crowd up, which soon led to people diving over each other, causing many injuries.
David remembered seeing a girl who was injured in the head by a glass bottle, people with broken bones, and blood everywhere in the medical area. In addition, he mentioned in the radio interview that the bathroom facilities were terrible, the sewage system left a lot to be desired, and the infrastructure was poor. All of this caused the perfect storm, which culminated in looting and vandalism.
Where is David Blaustein Today?
On the show, David Blaustein talked about how people in groups began to behave like animals right after the final act finished performing on the third day. Apart from the fires and the looting, there were allegations of sexual assault as well. David mentioned that the organizers took no responsibility and downplayed the incidents. While David got out okay in the end, Woodstock ’99 was a disaster.
Besides covering the festival, David is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and has reviewed multiple films. While working for ABC, he also previewed Oscar nominations and interviewed celebrities. David worked for radio channels before moving on to on-air gigs. David is an LGBTQ+ ally and seemingly a Gun Control advocate. He currently lives in Massachusetts and doesn’t shy away from sharing his political views on Twitter. From what we can tell, David hasn’t reviewed any movies since 2017.
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