Jefferson Airplane assumed the stage at 8AM on the third day of Woodstock in August of 1969, right after The Who. “Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music, believe me, yeah… It’s the new dawn…” announced the beautiful Grace Slick before diving into the nearly two-hour set.

They played staples like “Somebody To Love,” “Volunteers,” and “Plastic Fantastic Lover,” and began their encore with a blaring “White Rabbit” for the appropriately tired, yet energetically charged, early morning crowd. Watch some footage from the legendary performances below:

White Rabbit

The Alice In Wonderland themed drug-haven fairytale was originally written and performed by Slick when she was in a band called The Great Society. She brought it to Jefferson Airplane, along with “Somebody To Love,” when she joined the band in 1966.

Somebody To Love

At this point in their career, Jefferson Airplane was amongst the most popular bands in the San Francisco, hippie culture. During the turbulent times of protest and war, their music was often turned to as sources of political defiance and widespread peace.

Uncle Sam Blues

Won’t You Try / Saturday Afternoon

Volunteers

 

3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds

 

Setlist: Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock, Bethel Woods, NY – 8/17/69

Set: The Other Side of This Life, Somebody to Love, 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds, Won’t You Try / Saturday Afternoon, Eskimo Blue Day, Plastic Fantastic Lover, Wooden Ships, Uncle Sam Blues, Volunteers, The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil, Come Back Baby

Encore: White Rabbit, The House at Pooneil Corners