Making Contact: The Easter Be-In - Stanley Park, 1968

 

Mud and grass. Chilled air with smoke. Blue sky with clouds. We hiked through the woods, deep into Stanley Park. Friends converged from all directions, carrying blankets and drums, baskets with food, and bringing babies, guitars and dogs.

 

Weren't sure where in the park exactly. Somewhere in the center. We kept moving inwards. More and more people. Drums in the distance. Groups stopping to light up. Pass the joint around. The smell of grass in the air. Groovy, man. Wow! This is getting far out. Stoned now— Let's get it on!

 

Over the hill out onto a large field, a meadow within a forest. Sound is much louder now. Crazy sights, hundreds of freaks. Hair long and loose. Beards and braids, sideburns, headbands, blue Mao caps and top hats. Frock coats and woolly vests. Macrame. Patchwork jeans and bell-bottoms. Cowboy boots and sandals. One white shirt and tie. Singing, dancing and grooving to the rhythm of the drums. A gathering of the tribes.

 


The audio for MAKING CONTACT is a collage of elements from: vintage1968 recordings by sound sculptor Dennis J Vance from his Voice of Intermedia collection which includes pieces by Don Druick and Ed Varney; contemporary field and studio recordings by Michael de Courcy; and recordings of William de Courcy playing piano and acoustic guitar.

 

Many thanks to my friend and long-time collaborator James Szuszkiewicz for his expert assistance in the realization of this project.