The Waterloo Fields, home to the Waterloo Music Festival in Byram Township, New Jersey.
In 1977, Waterloo Village opened an open-air concert field about a mile down the road from the historic village to raise restoration funds. Actually, in Byram Township, New Jersey, locals remember (and I grew up at the perfect time) the advertisements on WDHA, WNEW, WPL, WLIR, WDRE, and others announcing major acts performing in outdoor venues, including Waterloo Village and nearby South Mountain Reservation. Looking back, I never knew, nor did I care, but the State of New Jersey had sponsored music promoters to offer major acts in these country settings. No one knew how big they would become.
Crowdsource Request! Looking for any stories and/or memorabilia from the Waterloo Village Concert Series – Feel free to post in the comments section below or Drop us a note with a photo of your memorabilia.
Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam at Lollapalooza in 1992 at Waterloo Village. Credit: AmyRachlin
Some of the Waterloo Village ticket stubs from the famed Waterloo Field. Some called it Stanhope, others Hackettstown, but you all know it was the Waterloo Village Concert Series. Do you have a Waterloo ticket stub? Send us a snapshot – Click Here
Waterloo Village and the concert field (map) have hosted numerous concerts since 1977. We counted 53, and I am sure we missed a few, but here’s what we gathered. How many did you attend? (post a comment at the end of the story).
Muddy Waters – Performed: July 4, 1977
Johnny Cash Performed: Aug. 19, 1979; June 14, 1986
The Beach Boys Performed: Aug. 2, 1987; July 2, 1988
John Kay & Steppenwolf Performed: June 10, 1988
The Gregg Allman Band Performed: June 10, 1988
America Performed: June 24, 1988
Arlo Guthrie Performed: July 15, 1988; Aug. 5, 1989 (with Pete Seeger)
Chicago Performed: July 24, 1988; Aug. 29, 1990
Roy Orbison Performed: July 29, 1988
Bob Dylan Performed: Sept. 10, 1988; July 17, 1989; July 30, 2000 GA $43.50
Indigo Girls Performed: June 6, 1989; Aug. 6, 1999
Neil Young Performed: June 6, 1989
Bad Company Performed: June 23, 1989; July 18, 1990
Steve Miller Band Performed: June 29, 1989
The Allman Brothers Band Performed: July 4, 1989; Aug. 30, 1990; Sept. 1, 1991; Aug. 7, 1993; Sept. 4, 1994; Aug. 13, 1995
Edie Brickell Performed: Aug. 22, 1989
Melissa Etheridge Performed: June 14, 1990
Joe Cocker Performed: July 5, 1990
Stevie Ray Vaughan Performed: July 5, 1990
Damn Yankees Performed: July 18, 1990; Aug. 31, 1991
John Denver Performed: July 27, 1990; June 21, 1991; July 30, 1994
The Moody Blues Performed: July 29, 1990
Santana Performed: Aug. 15, 1990 – GA $26
Blues Traveler Performed: Aug. 30, 1990; Sept. 1, 1991; Sept. 4, 1994
Lollapalooza 1991 Performed: Aug. 11 and 14, 1991. The lineup included: Ice-T, Rollins Band (pictured), Butthole Surfers, Fishbone, Body Count, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction, Siouxsie, and the Banshees. GA $25.00
Emerson, Lake & Palmer Performed: July 31, 1992
While there was no video (just pictures), this was a common teen experience in the 1990s. It was called RADIO, and they actually broadcast live shows. Listen in and remember as WNES’s Pat St. John broadcasts live from Waterloo Village, New Jersey for the opening of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer on July 31, 1992. Boy, if this doesn’t bring back memories…
George Thorogood & the Destroyers Performed: Aug. 7, 1992, GA $22.00
Lollapalooza 1992 Performed: Aug. 12, 1992. The lineup included: Body Count, Lush, Truly, Porno for Pyros, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Cypress Hill, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine (pictured), Soundgarden, Ministry, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam
Ray Charles Performed: Aug. 16, 1992
Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band Performed: Aug. 28, 1992
Spin Doctors Performed: July 8, 1993
Lollapalooza 1993 Performed: July 12-13 and 16, 1993. The lineup included Unsane, Babes in Toyland, Arrested Development, Fishbone, Dinosaur Jr., Truly, Primus, Tool, Rage Against the Machine, Alice in Chains, Jane’s Addiction (pictured), Royal Trux, Front 242.
The concert that changed the Waterloo Village landscape.
Phish Performed: July 25, 1993; June 23, 1995. A concert-goer died at the 1995 Phish concert that had attracted 30,000 people even though only 18,000 tickets were sold. Events like this had utterly overwhelmed the area’s limited access roads and caused considerable friction with the surrounding towns. The foundation began downsizing the concerts around this time. Ticket: $22.50
HORDE Tour 1994 Performed: Sept. 4, 1994. The lineup included The Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews Band
HORDE Tour 1995 Performed: Aug. 11, 1995. The lineup included Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers; Blues Traveler; The Black Crowes
Rusted Root Performed: Aug. 13, 1995
The Wallflowers Performed: July 25, 1997
98 Degrees Performed: Aug. 27, 1999
The String Cheese Incident Performed: Aug. 28, 1999
Jeff Beck Performed: Aug. 31, 1999
Gov’t Mule Performed: Aug. 28, 1999; Aug. 11, 2000
moe. Performed: Aug. 28, 1999; June 7, 2003 GA $33.00
Bad Religion Performed: May 28, 2000
Blink-182 Performed: May 28, 2000 GA $25.50
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Performed: Aug. 1, 1999; July 15, 2000
Peter Frampton Performed: July 21, 2000
Blue Oyster Cult Performed: July 21, 2000
Guster Performed: July 30, 2000
Medeski Martin & Wood Performed: Aug. 11, 2000
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones Performed: Aug. 11, 2000
Alan Parsons Performed: July 21, 2001
The Flaming Lips Performed: Aug. 9, 2003
G. Love & the Special Sauce Performed: Aug. 15, 2003
Something Corporate Performed: Aug. 15, 2003
311 Performed: Aug. 15, 2003
Peter Tork Performed: May 23, 2013
Bourbon Street Blues Festival Performed May 20-21,2017 – Headlined by the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band and the Robert Cray Band. Other performances by Bernard Allison, Mike Zito, Bonerama, the Bob Lanza Blues Band, the Above Ground Blues Band, Billy Hector, the Fins, Lee Delray, Robert Ross and Mike Esposito. $80
Let it All Hang Out Festival: Performed: August 23,24,25, 2019
The Highland Festival is an environmental festival celebrating local food, music, arts, history, and cultural and natural resources in New Jersey. The festival features live entertainment with two days and two stages with entertainment by New Jersey musicians. Local food vendors offer locally sourced food with cooking demonstrations, tastings by New Jersey chefs, and more.
Waterloo Concert Field (or the Fields at Waterloo)—This location is well suited for large events (500 vehicles to several thousand vehicles). It has electricity, water, fencing, lighting, and ample parking.
View of the old stage before the Phase One Stage demolition at The Fields at Waterloo event in Allamuchy Mountain State Park. 5/4/2017. For events going forward, promoters will bring in their stages and other equipment as needed, Photo by Jerry McCrea for NJ Advance Media
2019 – The last concert series at Waterloo Village
There May Be Hope
And without COVID-19 – we could have had…
Waterloo Village Today
Today, Waterloo Village has both a tired look and a bright future. Over the past twenty years, many of the 26 village structures have lacked preventative maintenance. It just looks tired.
Did you know Waterloo Village does weddings? Well yes they do! After we got back home we looked up weddings at Waterloo Village and couldn’t believe how nice it could be.
In the spring of 2014, a 10-year lease (with the option of 10 more) was awarded to Jeffrey Miller Catering (JAM Catering) out of Philadelphia, making them the exclusive caterer for Waterloo Village. The Bride even gets their own Bridal Cottage.
Entrance to Waterloo Village path
Waterloo Village 1859 – Methodist Church
Waterloo Village United Methodist Church was set on August 9, 1859 and the church dedicated on February 9, 1860. General John Smith was the first to be buried in the churchyard cemetery.
Waterloo-Village-Peter D. Smith House Mr Local History
Wellington House mid 20th Century
Wedding party at Waterloo Village – Yes you can have a wedding reception there.
Waterloo-Village Plaque – Mr Local History
Waterloo Village Tavern and Hotel -2020 Mr Local History
Waterloo Village Blacksmith. Source: Mr Local History
Waterloo Village Blacksmith and gristmill
Waterloo-Village-Waterfall. Source: Mr. Local History
Waterloo-Village-Outbuildings and Outhouses. Source: Mr Local History
Waterloo Village, Allamuchy Mountain State Park Waterloo Road, Stanhope, NJ 07874 (973) 347-1835 (administered by Kittatinny Valley State Park) Waterloo Village Concert Field, 1 mile down Waterloo Road This 19th-century village, located on the banks of the Morris Canal, contains a working gristmill, a general store, a blacksmith shop, a canal museum, and several historic houses. It also includes an early 19th-century log cabin farm site and a 17th-century Lenape Indian Village exhibit. Waterloo Village is open from dawn to dusk, and the Historic Site Office is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call for historical programming and event information.
More Waterloo History & Tidbits
Have something to share? Post a comment in the section below.
I remember seeing Emmylou Harris at Waterloo on August 22, 1992. It isn't included in your list and I have looked through many achieves and the only reference to it is in the NY Times, coming events linked below.
It's 3/4 down the article. https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/22/nyregion/new-jersey-guide-mclean-in-englewood.html
Do you have any recourses to check this further?
I would appreciate it very much.
Thank you,
Paula
View Comments
I remember seeing Emmylou Harris at Waterloo on August 22, 1992. It isn't included in your list and I have looked through many achieves and the only reference to it is in the NY Times, coming events linked below.
It's 3/4 down the article.
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/22/nyregion/new-jersey-guide-mclean-in-englewood.html
Do you have any recourses to check this further?
I would appreciate it very much.
Thank you,
Paula
We checked here - https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/waterloo-village?date=past nothing listed.