Elly Roberts reviews
The Jimi Hendrix Experience:
Live At Monterey - The Definitive Edition
Distributed by
Universal
DVD: 
HD-DVD:
- Format: DVD & Hi-Def DVD (and accompanying CD)
- Released: October 2007
- Rating: DVD: 10/10; CD: 10/10
On the evening of Sunday June 18 1967, the music world was rocked to its foundations, by one man – Jimi Hendrix.
This is the story of how Hendrix overwhelmed 50,000 fans at the County
Fairgrounds in just 45 minutes. Over the years, there’s been a great debate
about the greatest gig of all time.
So how does Jimi Hendrix’s show at Monterey Pop Festival on June 18 1967 match
up? Read on.
The theme for the California festival (officially known as Monterey International
Pop Festival ’67) was ‘Music, Love and Flowers’ as it tried to show that it
could transcend everything and conquer the world, organised by Mamas and Papas
couple John and Michelle Phillips, and Lou Adler. Organisational footage shows
committee meetings where they decided who would be suitable for the event.
The aim was to, "attract the finest internationally established young entertainers
in the 1967 pop genre and also to showcase little known performers who show
unique promise." - It couldn’t have been written better for Jimi.
Board member Paul McCartney suggested Hendrix (and The Who). It was his first
major American appearence. Typically, there was some opposition to the three
day event. Organisers tried to convince the city council there would be no drugs,
and hippies were the most peaceful and wonderful people in the world and a crowd
of 200,000 over three days wasn’t going to adversely affect the town of Monterey.
They needn’t have worried because Hendrix’s monumental gig spread positive
vibes around the world like wildfire. Monterey was the first pop festival that
brought all kinds of music to one event. Jazz and folk had credibility, whereas
Pop hadn’t, so it was a big gamble.
Big pop names Simon and Garfunkel, Otis Redding, The Mamas and Papas (each closing
a different night) enrolled even though none of the acts were paid (except
Ravi Shankar who got $3,000 for his afternoon slot), with the $1 nominal entrance
fee going to charity.
According to commentators, 99% of people didn’t know who the Jimi Hendrix Experience
was. They were about to find out. Because Hendrix had built up a huge live
reputation, particularly in London, it was his name on musicians lips. They
were expecting big things from him. He delivered the goods, and it became the
launching pad for Hendrix in America, becoming the most important gig in his
career.
Less than a year before, he was playing gigs as an unknown in Greenwich Village
NY. He was spotted by Chas Chandler bass player with The Animals who was looking
for his first venture into band management. He saw him play Hey Joe at
Cafe Wah, later thinking about taking Hendrix to England where he believed he
would change the face of music in England. He knew he was going to be a
sensation, and he was.
A deal (without band members who came later) was struck with Track Records on
a beer mat, as he was then unsigned. Eventually, he met Mitch and Noel at a
jam session in London, where they played a cover of a Tim Rose track, Hey Joe.
As they say, the rest is history. On the DVD, there’s interviews with Chandler,
Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, bassist Noel Redding, amongst others.
Using archive footage we get a feel for the time, which was at the peak of the
hippydom – The Summer Of Love. To everyone’s amazement a media frenzy
ensued. A cluster of luminaries gathered: Stones’ Brian Jones (who introduced
Hendrix) Clapton, Townsend, Janis Joplin, and there was a debate as to who
would follow who.
Hendrix went on before The Who. Silver jacket, fringed orange shirt, red pants,
pink boa, Afro hair and headband, Jimi exploded with Foxey Lady and it wasn’t
long before he began his antics along with some mesmerising guitar licks. As
the stage turned red, his version of Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone remains
a definitive cover, showcasing some blistering blues tricks and picks. By the
time he’d reached Rock Me Baby, he was still nervous, and tending to
talk in cliches, though you’d never think it from the mind blowing performance.
Six songs in, he showed he could handle a more sedate ballad, The Wind Cries
Mary, continuing to chew gum on solos. The came the biggest blast of all.
The raucous Purple Haze during which he lifted his guitar to his teeth.
Audience clips show genuine amazement. More would come. A screeching intro to
Wild Thing was just the start. He cruised through it, with loads of
never before seen Rock exhibitionism: one handed playing, behind his back,
sliding against the speakers, roll backs, pouting, strutting, and THE moment
(shown on DVD and CD packshots), he set his guitar on fire, smashed it up,
while Mitchell and Redding held the fort.
Leaving the stage, drums sticks, guitar parts and strap were hurled into the
crowd. All over in 45 minutes, they were stunned. Pandemonium broke out as
fans went nuts. Jimi modestly summed it up like this. "It was such a good
feeling especially in your own home country, and I guess they feel the same way."
The Bonus has an unearthed monochrome low-key performance in Chelmsford, England
on February 25, 1967, where he plays Like A Rolling Stone and Stone
Free, almost four months before he set his guitar, and the world alight.
Just over three years after Monterey, on September 18 1970, aged 27, Hendrix
died in London from ‘inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication.
His legacy lives on via this brilliant simultaeneous release that includes
colour booklets with archive photos and memorabilia.
One word. Sensational.
Tracks include:
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
