FRIDAY MOVIE SUGGESTION NIGHT PRESENTS "EXPERIENCE": JIMI HENDRIX AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL!

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Once again, we break ground with a "first" for "Friday Movie Suggestion Night": a movie that is available on DVD, but did not receive a traditional release in any theater! The CD "Experience" was the soundtrack from this film that I played in my car along with a handful of others to make time pass by more quickly during my recent travel on the Interstate Highways. While not as dramatic as The Monterrey Pop Festival where Hendrix lit his guitar on fire before smashing it to pieces at the end of his set, this is really a fine performance. Here we have Jimi's backup band, "The Experience" with Noel Redding on Bass (even though he had never played bass before auditioning; he was a guitarist), and Mitch Mitchell--a well-known London drummer who brought jazz chops and a lead style of playing to the band. Jimi Hendrix and The Experience followed the lead of Cream and Grand Funk Railroad as among the first "power trio" pioneers in Rock music. Just Guitar, Bass and Drums at high volume. However, Hendrix mixed fascinating lead and rhythm guitar duties together while being among the first to use guitar feedback and a wah-wah pedal. "The Experience" was also one of the first integrated bands. Given the racially troubled times, the idea of having a black front man with two white men was quite a strong political statement. This was the band that Hendrix recorded his three most successful albums, "Are You Experienced?", "Axis: Bold As Love" and "Electric Ladyland". The band dissolved in June of 1969 at The Denver Pop Festival where Hendrix announced "This is the last gig we'll be playing together." Two separate personnel line ups evolved: a larger one for The Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, (I found a great 2-CD copy of Hendrix's full Woodstock performance at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday August 18th, 1969 with only 25,000 remaining in the crowd) and "Band of Gypsy's" which found Hendrix returning to a "trio" format. Hendrix died later that year. "The Experience" was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. This filmed performance turned out to be the last U.K. appearance of The Jimi Hendrix Experience on February 24, 1969. I hope you enjoy it!

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Set List

1. Sunshine of Your Love



2. Bleeding Heart



3. Fire



4. Little Wing



5. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)



6. Room Full of Mirrors



7. Purple Haze



8. Wild Thing



9. Smashing of the Amps