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In an interview with the Janesville Daily Gazette, Meadow operators Marling and Fugate pointed the finger at Janesville teens as being "too apathetic" while complaining of "nothing to do," a charge that was coupled with an observation that many teens were losing interest in the changing style of music. The psychedelic movement had altered pop music from primarily "made for dancing" to primarily "made for listening." A similar phenomenon arose among youth earlier in the century according to music historian Elijah Wald, author of How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'N' Roll (Oxford University Press, 2009), when big band music was the popular form of dance music. As more and more improvisational jazz styles influenced the music, dance hall operators noticed a decline in dancing as more people chose to simply sit and listen. As a result, dance hall attendance shrunk.

Janesville Daily Gazette
December 28, 1968

Janesville Daily Gazette
January 3, 1969

Marling and Fugate were supported by an editorial published six days later in the Gazette. The newspaper strongly agreed with the Meadow operators, also charging that Janesville youth had largely ignored a string of ongoing efforts over recent years to provide social opportunities for them. Janesville teens, the editors said, chose instead to continue complaining about having "no place to go, nothing to do, [and] no place to meet."

A young Janesville citizen responded to the accusations presented by the Meadow and the local newspaper. In a "Voice of the People" letter, the Meadow's alleged "drawbacks" were delineated. One argument claimed that the dark ballroom environment with picnic table seating instead of more intimate booths and tables was not conducive to socializing. Admission prices also were criticized, the writer citing $1.50 as being too steep for music provided by local musicians, whom he categorized as "third-rate." Higher admission costs for bigger acts were claimed to be "out of reach" for his peers. He concluded by pointing out that alcoholic beverages were not available for the 18 to 20 age group, ignoring the fact that Rock County was dry for that age group and that it would have effectively shut the doors to anyone under the age of eighteen.

The Meadow may have suffered from an identity crisis. Some believed, as this letter writer, that the environment should have been more club-like, with conversational style seating and better lighting. Others (including me) viewed it more as a psychedelic ballroom intended primarily for dancing, listening to music, and enjoying the light shows. By today's standards, the cost of admission to hear three hours of live music seems fairly reasonable. A $1.50 or $2.00 admission charge in 1968 was competitive with what other venues charged. Though one could argue that Neil Diamond ticket prices were comparatively high. While music is a matter of personal taste, teens in the Janesville area had an opportunity to support a music venue in their own town that rivaled some of the best teen environments in the area such as Beloit's Pop House (which existed for 30 years without serving alcohol), Belvidere's Rumpus Room, and Rockford's Sherwood Lodge. Instead, many teens chose to stay away, opting for a drive on "the circuit," or go to another venue like Majestic Hills, or just waiting to turn of age so they could have a beer at one of the 18-year old bars outside of Rock County, such as Joe's White Elephant in Monroe.

Finally, for some perspective on the cost-of-living in 1968... a six-pack of Hamms or Meister Brau beer was about a dollar. Michelob was $1.50. An eight-pack of 16 oz. Coca Cola cost 79 cents. A 23" Zenith color TV console ran about $500 to $630 depending on features. A KLH Model Twenty high fidelity music system was $440. Record albums (LPs) retailed for $4.98. An 8-track tape cost slightly more and a player for those tapes ranged from $60 to $90. Gas was 34 cents a gallon, a quart of oil was 50 cents, and a set of 4 Atlas Plycron tires set you back $130. Movie admission prices were $1.50. You could get a 5% interest rate on 6-month certificate of deposit. Minimum wage was $1.60 per hour.

It's a shame the Meadow didn't survive for a couple more years as a music venue for youth in Rock County and the surrounding area. But it was not the only area venue that prematurely closed its doors.

Shutting down operations a few months before the Meadow was the Factory on Gorham Street in Madison. According to Capital Times reporter Gary Rettgen, "The Factory became one of the biggest draws of national rock talent -- the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Harvey and the Seven Sounds, and Wilson Pickett. It was intended to be the destination of Otis Redding the night he died in a plane crash in Lake Monona (on December 10, 1967)."

Janesville Daily Gazette
January 7, 1969