🍀 February, 10

🍀 1967.

Newbury, The Plaza, Market Place, Berkshire, England, JHE

Concert [Ricky Tick Club] between 20:00 and 23:00 (60 to 75 minutes)

Songs: Hey Joe (Billy Roberts) and others unknown

The Plaza Bulletin: “Last night at ‘The Plaza’, Newbury, ‘The Jimi Hendrix Experience’ roared and romped their way through an hour and a quarter’s worth of music that shattered the senses both aurally and visually.

Resplendent in red corduroy trousers and antique waistcoat, Jim proceeded to show just how many positions it was possible to play the guitar in, at the same time showing his very own professional skill which must rate him as one of the most outstanding newcomers on the scene since Jeff Beck or Eric Clapton.

Outstanding for ‘The Experience’ on drums was Mitch Mitchell, youthful understudy of ex-Pretty Things drummer Viv Prince.

Throughout the evening, Jimi showed flashes of on-stage humour for which he must be given full credit. ‘Hey Joe’ current chart rider, was introduced as being written by Mickey Mouse; after a sudden frenzy of excitement in which he attacked his amplifier with his guitar (not a new idea, but somehow done refreshingly) he announced ‘Anyone wanna buy an’ old guitar?’ This one don’t tune so well.’

The finish came suddenly, in an excess of violence. Mitch Mitchell attacked a cymbal stand and it broke into pieces, then distributed his drum kit round the stage and finally squirted the other two with a handy water pistol. The bass guitarist locked his guitar in it’s case and then kicked it about over the stage. Jimi attacked his huge amplifier with his guitar, breaking all the strings and nearly toppling the amplifier onto his hand. He then squatted on the guitar with both feet and rocked to and fro. Then the evening came to it’s conclusion in a storm of feedback, flying microphones and water pistols.”

🍀 1968.

Los Angeles, The Shrine Auditorium, Jefferson & Hoover, CA, JHE

Concert at 20:30 (45 minutes)

Support: Soft Machine with The Mark Boyle Sensual Laboratory (light show); Blue Cheer; The Electric Flag

Audience: 7,000+, sold out

Jimi and Noel started to use Sunn amplifiers/speakers for the first time at this show.

Neville Chesters: “Very good show.”

Noel: “Good and loud”

“We had massive and beautiful new Sunn amps. On stage we looked like three midgets against the wall of speakers, dwarfed but reassured at the same time by the black and silver tube-lit jungle which pounded the body. The other-worldliness was exaggerated by the police calls and radio signals which the circuitry picked up.”

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Mike Bloomfield

“In the winter of 1968, I attended a fabulous concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The Shrine was a huge theater with a couple of balconies, a massive stage and so on. The evening in question was opened by the Soft Machine, followed by the Electric Flag. The headline act was the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was absolutely great - the Flag and the Experience were both in great form (I don't remember the Soft Machine all that well).

I don't recall any jamming before, during or after the Flag's set at the Shrine. They were definitely playing well, but I also I felt that Hendrix put on a pretty incredible show. At one point a tripped-out woman jumped up on the stage and started dancing. Hendrix danced right along with her while the cops and security guards scrambled to get her down from the stage. Jimi was so fluid on stage – he was constantly in motion. I remember that he broke a string during a solo, and then swung his white Stratocaster around by the neck and let it fly. It arced high into the air and hit the back curtain just below the proscenium, which broke its fall as it slid down to the stage. A quick-witted roadie had another Strat in Jimi's hands before the first hit the ground. It couldn't have been more perfect if it had been planned and rehearsed.”

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🍀 1969.

Noel Redding flies from London to Spain for a short holiday.

🍀 1970.

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