The original Woodstock was not only the pivotal pop culture event of the 1960s but a landmark moment in American history. And the last Woodstock, which took place in 1999, might be the most infamous moment of the 1990s.
Sandwiched in between those two notable music festivals was the 1994 edition of Woodstock. Woodstock 1994 went off without a hitch, especially when compared to ’69 and ’99. The festival, which saw acts like Aerosmith, Metallica, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers take the stage, was a good time for most who attended.
The event, nicknamed “Mudstock,” went down in Saugerties, New York, and saw a weekend that was filled with rainstorms. That rain created mud, which covered most of the fans in attendance—and even some bands.
On the smaller “south stage,” one band embraced the mud, and the chaos, and created a moment for themselves. That band was Green Day. And while they were already rising in popularity at the time thanks to their new album Dookie, they left Woodstock 1994 an even bigger deal.
One Member of Green Day Left Woodstock 1994 Missing Some Teeth
Green Day’s Woodstock 1994 set, which is only about 30 minutes long, is one of the best of the event. The band sent the crowd into a frenzy with songs like Welcome to Paradise, Basket Case, and When I Come Around. That same crowd lovingly pelted them with mud throughout their set, and the band rolled with it, making them seem like even bigger rockstars in the process.
It’s actually pretty impressive watching them try to play their instruments while said instruments are caked in mud. It’s the kind of unpredictable variable that a performance like this needs to go from great to legendary. But one band member, bassist Mike Dirnt, left Woodstock 1994 a little more legendary and with a few less teeth.
At the end of Green Day’s set, mayhem and pandemonium took over the stage. The band and the fans were throwing mud back and forth at one another and things were starting to get a little out of control. One jumpy security guard got too excited and tackled Dirnt, mistaking him for what he thought was a rowdy fan who had jumped up on stage.
Dirnt would injure his arm and lose three teeth as a result of the hit. Green Day would even have to cancel a few Lollapalooza dates so he could heal up from his injuries. But hey, that’s Woodstock, right?
