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- Cert:
- Cat.no: 9884320
- Running time: 219 minutes
- Year: 1969
- Pressing: 2005
- Region(s): 0, PAL
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Stereo
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: None
- Widescreen: 16:9
- Disc Format: 2*DVD 9
- Price: £15.99
- Rating: 10/10
- Extras:The Road To Woodstock, Live At Woodstock: A Second Look, Jimi HendrixPress Conference, Nashville Roots, Recording Woodstock, Rare Artefacts &Memorabilia; Booklet: Colour photographs, Hendrix handwritten set and essayby John McDermott
Things didnt exactly go according to plan at the Woodstock Music And Art Festival scheduled between Friday 16 and Sunday 18 August 1969.
Beset with problems from conception to conclusion and beyond, the intendedthree-day events scheduling was thrown into chaos by the weather andcongestion.
Artist appearances werent running smoothly resulting in massive delays.
Many artists were helicoptered to the site from hotels and venues furtherafield. Hendrix wasnt initially planned as the final act – Roy Rogers wasfirst choice, with Hendrix to follow. A change of heart on the organisersbehalf saw the great man himself draw a close to the proceedings.
He was due to appear at midnight on the Sunday, playing under the stars andmassive lighting rig. It was meant to be an impressive climax, but it wasput back to 9am on Monday, as other acts played through the night.
By this time, thousands had returned home or to their jobs, leaving Hendrixto play to a much smaller crowd, which, according to Bethel historianBert Feldman reached 700,000 at its peak. Therefore, many missed out onthis legendary performance. Also, Hendrix performed with an expanded bandand not as MC Chip Monck introduced them as The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
For his set, this cost the organisers $32,000, twenty thousand more thanThe Who and Jefferson Airplane. Hendrix rehearsed for ten days with hisnew band called Gypsy Sun & Rainbows; also know as a band of gypsies.It consisted of regular Mitch Miller, Billy Cox, Juma Sultan, Larry Lee and JerryVelez.
Coming on at a un-RocknRoll time must have seemed a surreal experiencefor the left – overs and Hendrix himself.
Even the crowd and entourage looked weary. Expecting a three pieceExperience, the fans were thrown into confusion by his new invention, butsoon warmed up to his awesome performance. Hendrix was continually movingon with his musical experimentation, a very brave move under the circumstances.This uninterrupted colour footage captures every musical note that eventfulmorning, with most chit-chat cut to save on film which was rapidly runningout, a decision made by film maker Wadleigh.
Until now weve only been given snippets of his performance via theWoodstock DVD, which did no justice to the set. At long last we get achance to see what most didnt. A mix of close-ups and angled shots followsevery movement of Hendrix and band, who eventually turn up the heat asthey blast they way through new songs and hits.
The stage was congested with crew and admirers, as situation that wouldnot happen now. Wadleigh and crew did a remarkable job under the circumstances,compounded by cameras which were regularly malfunctioning.
You can only sit back and admire Hendrixs technique at every level, fromblues sojourns to rock classics, as he regularly nods and points to bandmembers to keep it tight.
Along with concert footage, we get interviews with band members and organisersas they re-live memories of Three Days of Peace at Max Yasgurs muddypasture near Bethel, New York State thirty six years ago.
Disc 2, A Second Look features black and white video footage, secretly filmedby 22 year old Albert Goodman. Hendrix eventually saw the raw efforts, and wassuitably impressed. Until now it has remained unseen by the public. We getanother view of the entire set, with one additional song not covered byWadleigh Hear My Train A Comin.
An outstanding DVD in every way.
Live tracks include Message To Love, Red House, Foxy Lady, Fire,Voodoo Child, Purple Haze, Hey Joe.
More info atJimi Hendrix.com /Osfa.org.uk
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.