The Who performed at the Woodstock festival in 1969.
Woodstock took place from 15 to 18 August 1969 at Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, New York. The Who appeared during the early morning of 17 August, playing a demanding set that included songs from Tommy, which had been released earlier that year. Their performance helped establish the album as a powerful live work as well as a studio recording.
The band reportedly resisted the festival's countercultural atmosphere and insisted on being paid before performing. Their set ran into the morning, and guitarist Pete Townshend famously knocked Abbie Hoffman off the stage after Hoffman interrupted the performance. The Who were one of many major acts at Woodstock, alongside Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Santana. The festival is often remembered as a 1960s event, but its actual dates were in August 1969.