WOODSTOCK IS ALIVE WITH ELLIOT TIBER

Robert Funaro with Steve Walter, Elliot Tiber and Joe Franklin

Today is the 38th Anniversary of WOODSTOCK; the three-day festival of Peace and Love in 1969. Last night, at STEVE WALTER's CUTTING ROOM in Chelsea, author ELLIOT TIBER launched his new book TAKING WOODSTOCK; his first hand account of his life and role in the festival. He introduced MAX YASGUR to MICHAEL LANG, and was able to secure the necessary permits that enabled the music festival to go on. Tiber's parents owned the local El Monaco Hotel in Bethel, New York, and he soon found himself on the Chamber of Commerce ... which granted him his extraordinary access as well as putting him at the center of the history-changing event. Tiber also lived a closeted-gay life, journeying to New York on his weekends and dabbling with the likes of ROCK HUDSON; TRUMAN CAPOTE; and, TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, and, immersing himself in the burgeoning gay movement in NY, which culminated in his appearance at the Stonewall riots. With the band MOSTLY MOPTOP playing a dizzying array of classic-rock hits (the band's ANTHONY POMES doubles as the marketing-man for SQUARE ONE PUBLISHERS, who released the book), the dressed-for-the-festival crowd grew to maximum proportions. ROBERT FUNARO ('Eugene' on The Sopranos) showed, as did singer/songwriter LARRY STEVENS (whose new CD HEART OF THE FIGHTER is just out); former-FANTASTICKS-producer TONY NOTO; RUDY SHUR, the CEO of SQUARE ONE PUBLIHSING; BOBBY BANK, from WireImage; CHARLIE RUPPMAN, from The Daily News; and, the legendary JOE FRANKLIN, who, with JAMES EDSTROM of TIMES SQUARE GOSSIP, introduced Tiber and choose the 3-best outfits. Even Walter (and, PR-poobah DAVID SALIDOR, who put the event together), with The Cutting Room staff (including the extraordinary SUSAN HATHAWAY and PETE ABRAHAM) dressed up. A proper salute indeed for an extraordinary moment in time.

Supermodel Chloe with David Salidor

Taking Woodstock's Elliot Tiber and Rudy Shur

Photos By: James Edstrom