Fountain Valley Rocks to the ‘60s : For 25,000, a Day of Groovin’ on the Past

They came wearing peace signs, tie-dyed T-shirts, bandannas and bell-bottom jeans. They brought picnic lunches, dogs, children, guitars and bongos--even the American flag.

Just as free-loving spirits bonded together 25 years ago in the name of love, peace and flower power, the feeling Sunday among 25,000 concert-goers at Mile Square Park was hip, groovy and far out.

The free concert at the park, billed as a “love-in,” featured bands of the ‘60s and ‘70s: Jefferson Starship, Peter Frampton and former Doors guitarist Robby Krieger.

And the concert drew a mixed crowd of young and old, including children of the ‘60s and ‘70s, who brought their children for a day of reliving “the summer of love.”

“I’ve been to a lot of love-ins . . . and it’s nice to see a revival,” said John Donohue, 67, of Long Beach, who wore a Grateful Dead tie-dyed T-shirt and sat in a folding chair pounding bongo drums to the music. “The spirit is still here, the spirit of giving and coming together.”

Hank Fristoe, 28, of North Hills in the San Fernando Valley agreed that the event had a welcome ‘60s feeling.

“It’s all about having a good time; everybody’s at peace with each other,” Fristoe said.

Dave Le Duc, 38, of Riverside came to the celebration carrying a banner-size American flag. “It’s election year. You’ve got to make people patriotic,” he said.

Le Duc said he came for the afternoon of music because it was free. “And to meet people and have a good time,” he said.

While many concert-goers weren’t even born in 1976 when Frampton created his hit “Baby, I Love Your Way,” youngsters were in tune with times gone by.

Natiya Guin, 13, of Los Angeles wore a T-shirt with a peace sign. Her face, legs and arms were covered with hand-painted hearts and flowers.

“I wish I was back to the times when everybody were flower children,” Guin said. “Because you get to be yourself--you get to express yourself.”

Others also expressed beliefs more political.

Holding posters that read “Pot is Not a Crime” and “Keep on the Grass,” Art Lyon, 25, of Bellflower used the concert to promote the legalization of marijuana.

“People are really sympathetic to our cause,” said Lyon, a member of the Orange County Hemp Council.

Fellow Hemp Council member Sandy MacDonald, 41, of Costa Mesa, added: “During the Summer of Love, nobody smoked marijuana? Get real.”

MacDonald said the movement toward the legalization of marijuana is growing. “It’s a freedom issue,” he said.

The concert was sponsored by Los Angeles radio station KLSX, and Anheuser-Busch Inc. Promoters estimated a crowd of 50,000. The county sheriff’s office estimated 25,000.

Jefferson Starship’s Paul Kantner, an original member of Jefferson Airplane, which performed throughout the late 1960s in San Francisco, said times have changed.

“It’s different; it’s a different time, there’s a whole different set of standards,” Kantner said before his performance. “The looseness and the freedom of the ‘60s is long gone.”

Frampton, who’s made a comeback with hits from his “Frampton Comes Alive” album, said playing a set of old favorites--in a solo acoustic performance--was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“This was very special, there are a lot of people out there--there wasn’t just a few--the whole audience sang along,” Frampton said after his performance.

“It’s nice to know that they’re not just the generation that started with me, but that there’s a new generation out there who weren’t even born when my music came out. So it’s nice to be handed down.”

And for Lee Youngs, 41, of Whittier, a self-professed “weekend hippie” who was sporting a collection of buttons from the era on his hat and jean vest, said the concert was a chance to experience the message of the ‘60s.

“Peace is still a good idea,” Youngs said.