In 1983, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak poured millions into the US Festival, a massive outdoor event in scorching Southern California aimed at uniting the world through music and technology. What followed was chaos: extreme 100+° heat causing heat strokes, logistical nightmares, ego-fueled artist demands, and a “most favored nations” contract clause that ballooned Van Halen’s payout to a record $1.5 million. The Clash cashed a huge check while preaching against greed (only for their hypocrisy to be projected on giant screens mid-set), David Bowie flew in with an entire 747 of gear, and a sea of 375,000 metal fans helped turn the ambitious “Unite Us in Song” dream into a $12–24 million loss in just days—yet the event symbolized the shift from new wave to heavy metal dominance.
