Death, Debris and the Rolling Stones

Altamont Raceway Free Concert 1969

How the Altamont Concert Came About

The Rolling Stones planned a free concert in late 1969. They wanted to cap their U.S. tour with a grand event like Woodstock. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco was their first choice. Legal issues forced a change in location. After failed negotiations for other sites, they settled on Altamont Speedway. The decision came just days before the concert. The venue was remote and poorly equipped for a massive crowd. The rushed preparation led to critical gaps in planning and organization.

The Bands at Altamont

The Rolling Stones assembled a lineup featuring some of the biggest names in rock. Santana opened the concert with their Latin-infused rock, energizing the crowd. The Flying Burrito Brothers brought a blend of country and rock, reflecting the era’s musical diversity. Jefferson Airplane followed, known for their psychedelic sound and countercultural anthems. During their set, tensions flared when lead singer Marty Balin was attacked by Hells Angels. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed next, offering harmonies and folk-rock melodies. The Rolling Stones closed the event, taking the stage after sunset. Each band brought a unique style, but the growing chaos overshadowed their performances.

The Grateful Dead Leave the Venue

The Grateful Dead were initially scheduled to perform at Altamont and played a key role in organizing the event. Known for their strong ties to the San Francisco counterculture, they recommended the Hells Angels for security, based on past experiences at smaller shows. However, the chaos during the earlier performances made them reconsider. After learning that Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin had been punched by a Hells Angel, the Grateful Dead chose to leave the venue before performing. Their absence was unexpected and added to the already tense atmosphere.

The Hells Angels and Their Role

The Rolling Stones and their organizers hired the Hells Angels motorcycle club to handle security. This decision stemmed from the band’s desire to maintain a countercultural vibe for the event. The Grateful Dead had used the Angels for smaller shows in the Bay Area, where they acted as informal crowd managers without major incidents.

At Altamont, the Hells Angels were reportedly paid $500 worth of beer for their services. The payment arrangement reflected the casual, non-professional nature of their involvement. Their duties included keeping fans off the stage and providing general crowd control. However, the lack of clear guidelines or professional training created problems.

Armed with pool cues and other makeshift weapons, the Hells Angels resorted to violence to maintain order. Fights broke out between the Angels and the audience as tensions escalated throughout the day. Their confrontational methods only fueled the growing chaos, turning security into a source of fear rather than safety.

The Festival Begins

Early musical moments showed the festival’s intended spirit, even as tensions among the reported 300,000 people grew.

The logistical challenges of hosting such a massive event at the remote Altamont Speedway also left their mark on the day. Traffic jams stretched for miles as hundreds of thousands of fans navigated the few available roads to the site. Many abandoned their cars and walked long distances, determined to be part of the historic event. Some arrived the night before and camped out, fostering an impromptu community with a sense of anticipation. Early media reports highlighted the extraordinary scale of the gathering, initially drawing optimistic comparisons to Woodstock. While these reports celebrated the unity and enthusiasm of the crowd, they also acknowledged the challenges posed by the venue’s limitations and the sheer size of the audience.

Initial Reporting

But then, the Bad News

As the festival came to an end, the aftermath revealed the darker side of the Altamont Free Concert. The sprawling venue, hastily prepared for hundreds of thousands of attendees, was left littered with trash. Piles of discarded bottles, food wrappers, and personal items stretched across the speedway, symbolizing the chaos and lack of organization. The cleanup required days, underscoring the festival’s environmental toll.

Tragically, the day was also marked by multiple deaths. Two young men were killed in a hit-and-run accident after leaving the venue. A third attendee drowned in a nearby canal, an accident attributed to impaired judgment, possibly linked to drug use. These fatalities painted a grim picture of the festival’s inability to ensure the safety of its massive audience.

Even the Bands Weren’t Safe

Injuries added to the toll, both among performers and the crowd. Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin was knocked unconscious after being punched by a Hells Angel during the band’s set, an act that shocked both his bandmates and the audience. Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was repeatedly stabbed in the leg with a bicycle spoke, reportedly by an unruly attendee or security member. Beyond the performers, countless fans suffered from drug overdoses, dehydration, and minor injuries as they navigated the volatile crowd. Makeshift medical tents struggled to manage the influx of wounded, a stark contrast to the more prepared facilities at Woodstock just months earlier.

Adding to the chaos, abandoned cars lined the roads leading to Altamont Speedway, some left stranded in ditches or on the shoulder. Many attendees, overwhelmed by traffic jams and the deteriorating conditions, simply walked away, leaving vehicles and personal belongings behind. Reports of rampant drug use further highlighted the festival’s lawlessness, with psychedelics and other substances contributing to erratic behavior among both the audience and the hired security.

The accumulation of trash, injuries, and fatalities revealed the underlying disorganization of the event and foreshadowed the even darker revelations that would come in the days ahead.

The Event that Ended the Sixties

As the Rolling Stones took the stage at Altamont Speedway, the already tense atmosphere reached a breaking point. Meredith Hunter, an 18-year-old African American attendee, made his way toward the front of the crowd. Accounts suggest that Hunter, who had come to the concert with his girlfriend, became agitated as he faced hostility from some of the Hells Angels stationed near the stage. Witnesses noted that he had been drinking and was visibly frustrated by the aggressive crowd.

Hunter was carrying a .22 caliber revolver, a fact confirmed later by both eyewitnesses and footage from the event. During the Rolling Stones’ performance of “Under My Thumb,” he attempted to approach the stage. The situation escalated rapidly as he brandished the weapon, apparently feeling threatened or trying to defend himself in the chaos. Alan Passaro, a member of the Hells Angels, confronted Hunter and fatally stabbed him in front of the stage. Passaro claimed he acted in self-defense, believing Hunter posed a danger to others in the crowd.

The murder was captured on film by the Maysles brothers, who were recording the concert for the documentary Gimme Shelter. The footage provided a harrowing and vivid account of the incident, showing the altercation in grainy detail. This documentation was instrumental in piecing together the events leading to Hunter’s death and identifying Passaro as the assailant.

Alan Passaro’s Trial

The footage from Gimme Shelter became key evidence in the subsequent investigation. It showed Hunter with the gun moments before Passaro intervened. Authorities arrested Passaro, charging him with murder. The trial began in 1971, with the prosecution arguing that Passaro had used excessive force in the chaotic situation. However, the defense successfully portrayed Passaro’s actions as an attempt to protect himself and others, emphasizing Hunter’s possession of the firearm.

Witnesses testified to the volatile nature of the crowd and the challenges of maintaining security in such an environment. The jury ultimately found Alan Passaro not guilty of murder, accepting his claim of self-defense. The acquittal highlighted the challenges of assigning blame in the context of such an unstructured and chaotic event.

The Strange Death of Alan Passaro

Alan Passaro, the Hells Angel acquitted of Meredith Hunter’s murder, lived a low-profile life after the Altamont trial. However, his story took a mysterious turn in 1985. Passaro’s body was discovered floating in the Anderson Reservoir in Morgan Hill, California, on March 29 of that year. The circumstances surrounding his death were unusual and led to speculation.

Passaro was found fully clothed, with a substantial amount of cash—reportedly $10,000—in his pockets. Authorities ruled his death a drowning, but questions lingered about how and why he ended up in the reservoir. The large sum of cash fueled rumors of foul play, with some speculating that he may have been involved in a criminal deal gone wrong. Others suggested the possibility of a personal or gang-related vendetta.

Despite the suspicions, the exact circumstances of Passaro’s death remain unresolved. His death added another layer of intrigue to the already tragic and infamous legacy of the Altamont Free Concert.

The Legacy of ‘Gimme Shelter’

The tragic events of Altamont were immortalized in the 1970 documentary Gimme Shelter, directed by Albert and David Maysles along with Charlotte Zwerin. Originally conceived as a film documenting the Rolling Stones’ 1969 U.S. tour, the focus shifted dramatically after the chaos at Altamont. The documentary captured the electrifying performances, the escalating tensions, and the shocking murder of Meredith Hunter, presenting an unflinching account of the concert’s descent into chaos.

Released to critical acclaim, Gimme Shelter was hailed as a groundbreaking rock documentary. Critics praised its raw style, which allowed viewers to experience the event as both a celebration of music and a cautionary tale. The film offered unparalleled access to the Stones, including their stunned reactions as they watched footage of Hunter’s murder during editing. This meta-narrative—of artists grappling with the dark side of their fame and influence—added a layer of introspection rarely seen in music documentaries.

Documenting History

While some viewed the film as exploitative for its depiction of violence, most agreed it was an essential historical document. It captured the end of an era, contrasting the optimism of Woodstock with the harsh realities of Altamont. Over time, Gimme Shelter has been celebrated as one of the greatest rock documentaries ever made. Its influence extends beyond music, serving as a case study in the intersection of art, culture, and chaos.

The documentary solidified Altamont’s place in rock history as both a cautionary tale and a stark reminder of the transformative power of music—capable of both uniting and dividing. The haunting imagery and raw emotion of Gimme Shelter continue to resonate, ensuring the Rolling Stones’ fateful concert at Altamont will never be forgotten.