On this day in 1972, some 200,000 gathered at the Pocono International Raceway in northeastern Pennsylvania for a one day festival that was plagued by cold, stormy weather that resulted in delays that relegated the biggest bands to the early morning hours of the following day.  Black Sabbath and Badfinger were no-shows. After an afternoon and early evening of lesser notable bands, Edgar Winter went on at 10pm and did a riveting set, followed by a long delay before Emerson, Lake & Palmer hit the stage at 4am, followed by Rod Stewart and the Faces, Humble Pie, the J. Geils Band and Three Dog Night.

 

Other Noteworthy Classic Rock events on July 8 include...

 

1944 Jaimoe Johnny Johanson of the Allman Brothers Band born.

1968 1968 Pink Floyd opens a US tour in Chicago.

1970 Queen forms.   
1971 Mott The Hoople fans get rowdy at Royal Albert Hall leading to temporary ban on Rock concerts.   

1978 Clash members Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon charged wtih drunken disorderly conduct at the group's Glasgow concert. 

1979 The B52's debit live in the UK.

1984 Bono joins Bob Dylan and Van Morrison on stage at Wembley Stadium. 
2005 Live 8 concerts includes Pink Floyd reunion at London show.   

2006 Bronze plaque on Bon Scott's grave stolen 5 months after being unveiled.   

2014 Ace Frehley releases Space Invader.   

2014 Ted Nugent releases Shut Up & Jam.   

2018 Carlos Santana joins Eric Clapton on High Time We Went during EC's Hyde Park set...