On This Day in 2016, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones Kicked Off the Highest-Grossing Music Festival in History

On this day (October 7) in 2016, the Desert Trip festival kicked off with performances from Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. It was the first of six nights, split between two weekends. Other acts on the bill included Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Neil Young, and the Who. It raked in more than $160 million, making it the most lucrative music festival in history.

Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella, arranged the Desert Trip festival. It also took place at the same location, the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Unlike Coachella, though, this festival targeted baby boomers and classic rock fans. The average attendee was in their 50s, and most of the performers were in their 70s. As a result, the festival was dubbed Oldchella.

The lineup brought together six legendary acts that had never shared a stage before. As a result, fans were willing to pay the high ticket prices. Seats ranged from $699 to more than $3,000, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Three-day general admission passes, which earned buyers access to the standing area behind the seated attendees, went for $399 and sold out almost immediately. So, it is easy to see how the six-day festival became the most lucrative in history.

Fans who attended both weekends basically saw the same show twice. Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones played Friday. Neil Young and Paul McCartney played Saturday. The Who and Roger Waters closed the weekend.

Bringing the Desert Trip Lineup Together

Goldenvoice chief and Desert Trip founder Paul Tollett discussed how he brought the lineup of legends together with Billboard ahead of the festival’s opening night.

“Around May of 2015, the thought started to come together. Then, I went and saw each artist play again. I was blown away by how strong these artists’ shows were, and the varied demographic of the audience,” he said.

[RELATED: The 3 Best Songs From Bob Dylan’s 1965 LP ‘Highway 61 Revisited’]

Tollett also explained how he chose which acts would perform together during the festival. He pointed to the Bob Dylan classic “Like a Rolling Stone” as a major inspiration for putting Dylan and the Stones together. “Plus, I saw a picture of a young shirtless Mick Jagger looking at a Dylan album, which is one of my favorite rock photos,” he added. “Neil and Paul were close, so that seemed to fit well. Then, the Who and Roger Waters together seemed insane,” he explained. “When I mentioned the running orders to the artists, all of them were cool with it right off the bat.”

Featured Image by  Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Desert Trip