The Who's guitar is smash hit of Woodstock display

Hard rock: Pete Townshend smashes his guitar at a gig
12 April 2012

The guitar that Pete Townshend smashed on stage at Woodstock is to go on show in London to mark the 40th anniversary of the music festival.

The Gibson SG Special guitar that Townshend played in The Who's set will go on display at the Hard Rock Café, in Old Park Lane, next month alongside other memorabilia from the 1969 concert.

Items include an original poster, a T-shirt Graham Nash bought as a souvenir when playing at Woodstock with Crosby, Stills and Nash, and a Woodstock 1969 T-shirt given to personal assistants by promoters. The display will be augmented with items from other star names on the bill, such as Jimi Hendrix's vest and Joe Cocker's jacket.

Woodstock took place at Bethel, New York, and was immortalised in a documentary released a year later. Director Ang Lee's film homage to the event, Taking Woodstock, premiered at Cannes this year.

Hard Rock's memorabilia will be on display at the Mayfair venue for two weeks after decorating the VIP tent at the Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park from 26 to 28 June. Sean Dee, the company's vice-president, said: "It's an honour to have preserved these icons of music history."

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