Altamont’s Tragic Turn in 1969 — Violence, Death and the Rolling Stones’ Darkest Moments in Rock History
via Martin Frecha / YouTube
A Day That Was Meant to Be About Music
The Altamont Speedway Free Concert was held on December 6, 1969. It was supposed to be the West Coast’s answer to Woodstock and drew a massive crowd of about 300,000 people. Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young all performed before the Rolling Stones.
The Grateful Dead, scheduled to go on after CSNY, canceled their set when they saw the rising tension and chaos. Despite warnings, the Rolling Stones decided to perform. What followed would become one of the darkest moments in rock history.
A Dangerous Security Decision
To handle crowd control, the Rolling Stones made a risky move. They hired members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club to act as security. The payment was beer, and the group was expected to keep order near the stage. But the situation quickly became out of control.
Even before the Stones appeared, there were signs of serious problems. The Hells Angels used fists and pool cues on crowd members. During Jefferson Airplane’s performance, singer Marty Balin was knocked unconscious by a member of the security team. It was clear things were going wrong.
Meredith Hunter’s Death
Later in the day, an 18-year-old fan named Meredith Hunter got into an argument with the Hells Angels near the stage. Hunter pulled out a small revolver and raised it. In response, Hells Angel Alan Passaro stabbed him several times. Hunter was then beaten by others while he lay on the ground.
His death was captured on camera and later shown in the documentary Gimme Shelter. An autopsy later found drugs in Hunter’s system. But his killing, in front of thousands, shocked everyone. He wasn’t the only victim. Two others died in a hit-and-run, and one person drowned in a canal nearby.
Watch the incident below:
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The Rolling Stones’ Reaction
The Rolling Stones continued their performance, but Mick Jagger was visibly concerned. He tried to calm the crowd by saying, “Be cool.” His words didn’t help. The stage was low, the crowd was tense, and the atmosphere was anything but safe.
The band later faced heavy criticism. A well-known magazine even called the concert “rock and roll’s worst day.” Keith Richards blamed the layout and poor planning. He said the event “got exactly what they wanted—a dark scary atmosphere.” The Hells Angels were never hired by the band again.
What Altamont Left Behind
Altamont marked the end of the peace-and-love era. The dream of the 1960s felt shattered. The Grateful Dead refused to return to the stage. Alan Passaro was put on trial but was found not guilty, as the court believed he acted in self-defense. Years later, reports came out that the Hells Angels tried to plan revenge on Jagger for his comments. Altamont left scars on everyone involved.
