Jimi Plays Monterey (1989)

Its no exaggeration to say this might be the most intense and groundbreaking 45minute performance in the history of rock Jimi Hendrixs debut American set at 1967s Monterey Pop Festival is generally considered one of the most radical and legendary live shows ever Virtually unknown to American audiences at the time even though he was already an established entity in the UK Hendrix and his twopiece Experience explode on stage ripping through blues classics Rock Me Baby and Howlin Wolfs Killing Floor interpreting and electrifying Bob Dylans Like a Rolling Stone debuting songs from his yettobereleased first album and closing with the now historic sacrificingburning of his guitar during an unhinged version of Wild Thing that even its writer Chip Taylor would never have imagined Hendrix uses feedback and distortion to enhance the songs in whispertoscream intensity blazing territory that had not been previously explored with as much soulfrazzled power