by Corinne Cacas, Merion, PA

I grew up in Salinas, Calif. (Steinbeck country) near Monterey and 90 minutes south of San Francisco. The music scene in San Francisco was in full gear at the time and lots of folks (my cousin included) were making trips to the Avalon Ballroom and the Fillmore to hear groups like Cream, the Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Country Joe and the Fish, and the Jefferson Airplane. I couldn’t make the trek north since I was only 14.

Luckily early in the spring of 1967, there was lots of news in the local press that a three day musical event would be happening in June at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. Since it was in my own backyard, I was allowed to attend with my cousin, a high school student. We secured tickets for the entire day on Saturday and luckily I was able to see many of the bands who were part of the San Francisco scene. It was a magical time both inside and outside of the arena. I remember a pond full of mini orchids for the taking, vendors selling leather goods, god’s eyes, ponchos, and buttons proclaiming, “tune in, turn on, drop out.” Incense permeated the air.

My most memorable musical moment did not occur on Saturday (hard to imagine with such a line up) but on Friday night. I did not have a ticket to the Friday evening show but my sister had won a ticket from a local radio station and needed to be picked up at the end of the concert by my mother. I went to along to help find her at our meeting spot. Since we arrived a little early I walked the fairgrounds and approached an open side gate of the arena next to the stage to take in a little of the show. Booker T and the MGs were playing “Green Onions.” All of a sudden the band picked up the pace and Otis Redding came on stage and tore up the place. I was able to catch his entire set. Hearing him sing “Try a Little Tenderness” was one of my favorite musical moments. That performance brought the house down and brought him a new audience.

I’ve been to a lot of concerts over the 40 years since that weekend but nothing can compare to that very special time. The orchids are pressed in my program, the buttons are in a box, the press articles are yellowing and the poncho is neatly folded in my drawer. If you have not seen Monterey Pop, pick up a copy and enjoy the moment. I can even see my sister in a crowd scene from that Friday night concert.