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An epoch-making live performance, one of the musical events that have remained carved in the history of rock not only for our excellent performance, but also for the high level of spectacle of the performance itself, which elevated Hendrix to myth status. I must have been 15 years old and, with a friend of mine, I watched a special on a satellite channel about this historic performance, being ecstatic, struck by what this African American boy could do with his guitar, incredible! I think the same sensation was felt by the spectators who attended the event, on that distant Sunday evening of June 16, 1967 at the Monterey Festival, a small Californian town that had the good fortune to host these three days of great music in the midst of the "Summer of Love."
Jimi Hendrix, after a long stint with various groups, including Little Richard's, in the early '60s, was taken under the protective wing of Chas Chandler, former bassist of the Animals, who brought the guitarist to perform in England, accompanied by Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, members of the future "Experience," perhaps with Cream the most famous "power trio" in rock history. Jimi's desire to hit it big in the States, the nation from which he left unknown a few months earlier, was immense, and the Monterey Festival represented a golden opportunity for him to showcase his extraordinary qualities in his homeland... The Who, led by Pete Townsend, had just finished their concert, ending with the destruction of their instruments after an incendiary performance, and onto the stage came a slender, blonde boy, one Brian Jones of the Stones, who introduced the Experience, describing Hendrix as "the best guitarist I have ever heard". After a few seconds, the trio took the stage, kicking things off with an abrasive and exceptional version of "Killing Floor," where Hendrix, draped in a pastel pink "boa," launched into a fast, powerful riff, leaving the crowd stunned, having never heard anything like it before... Jimi moved with confidence, determined to put on a great show, wailing on his Stratocaster to the point of exhaustion, with solos and riffs on the edge, aided by his trusty "squires" attempting to keep up with his improvisations, and with excellent results.
After an energetic "Foxy Lady" where Jimi showed off his skills by playing his instrument with his teeth and behind his back, true trademarks of the Seattle musician, Jimi delighted the audience with an excellent cover of Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," an authentic musical gem, with a soft and effective guitar. This would only be the first in a series of reimaginings of Dylan's repertoire, an artist Jimi always greatly appreciated, like perhaps the most famous "All Along the Watchtower" which would later be included in the historic album "Electric Ladyland" the following year... The performance continued at a brisk pace, without hesitation from the band, with other milestones like "Hey Joe," "Can't you see me," "Rock me Baby," historical pieces impeccably executed by the trio, with strength and technical feats, feedback and distortions that seemed to come from another planet; Hendrix thanked the applauding audience, smiling with his sly and cheerful air, telling them that a few months earlier he was broke and unknown to the world, while now he had been swept away by fame, before introducing another historic piece from his repertoire, the delicate and magical "The Wind Cries Mary".
The real surprise comes at the end of the concert; after a fiery "Purple Haze" with the guitar being slammed and battered against the amplifiers, Jimi grabs another six-string and throws himself into the closing track, "Wild Thing". From the instrument come monstrous sounds, distortions to the limit; the guitar almost seems to complain, scream and writhe in the musician's hands, as he squeezes everything possible out of it. Jimi takes it, lays it on the ground, and after crouching over it, almost simulating a sexual act with it, he pulls out a bottle of gasoline and sets it on fire, to the bewilderment of the audience... The instrument burns, emitting metallic and infernal sounds, Hendrix retrieves it inflamed and smashes it against the stage, throwing the remaining pieces to the crowd before retreating backstage with his band, leaving everyone breathless. The crowd is shocked by what they have seen, caught in excitement and fear at witnessing the guitarist doing such a thing, experiencing a sort of ancestral ritual between the musician and his instrument.
Jimi knew what he wanted to achieve and he achieved it; after an excellent musical performance that alone would have sufficed, this final scene elevated him to a "wizard" of the six-string, leaving an indelible image of his greatness in the years to come...
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