Celebrating after unearthing a bag of Panama Red that Mitch Mitchell had buried backstage at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival are, from left, Jack Johnson, Lou Adler, ALO’s Dave Brogan and Steve Adams, M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger, ALO’s Zach Gill and Lebo, and APE’s Gregg Perloff.

Photos by Jay Blakesberg

The 50th anniversary of the Monterey International Pop Festival was celebrated over the weekend at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, Father John Misty and Booker T. Jones were among the acts paying tribute to the festival that introduced the world to Otis Redding, Janis Joplin and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Lou Adler produced the original, with John Phillips of The Mama and The Papas, and returned to run this year’s show with Goldenvoice’s Paul Tollett and Another Planet Entertainment’s Gregg Perloff. Besides Jones, the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh and Eric Burdon performed at both events. Michelle Phillips joined The Head and the Heart to sing “California Dreamin’.”

Lou Adler, left, informed Goldenvoice’s Paul Tollett, center, and APE CEO Gregg Perloff, “we’re paying the acts the same as we did in 1967—a roll of quarters, two quaaludes, a six-pack of Lucky lager and a Frisbee.”

Photo courtesy Press Here Publicity.