Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock (I) (1999 Video) User Reviews

Only about half of the actual concert made it onto this DVD.

[PeterDawson · 10/10 · 28 March 2005]

Although it took 30 years for this to be released, there is only about an hour of the actual 2 hour concert on this DVD. I suppose we should all be grateful that there's this much, but I'm sure you'll agree it would have been wonderful to see it all. Hendrix was paid $18,000 for his set (more than anyone else), and he was suppose to close the three day festival on Sunday night. But because of bad weather and logistic problems, he didn't walk on stage until early Monday morning. By then only about 50,000 people remained of the estimated 500,000 who attended the festival. He's accompanied by Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox. Another guitarist (Larry Lee), and 2 percussionists (Juma Sultan and Jerry Velez) also play, but why they are there is totally and utterly beyond me. They are rarely seen, and are almost inaudible on both this and the C.D. of the same performance. Having heard the songs so many times over the years, it's fascinating viewing seeing how Hendrix actually got the sounds he did. At times the direction is extremely poor, with overlong shots of Jimi's grimacing face rather than letting us see what he was doing with his hands. Come on Mr. Director. With all those cameras on him you could have done a lot better. But I should be grateful, as I said earlier, that we at least have this. Future generations of aspiring guitarists will be able to see a man in action, the like of who only comes along once every century, or more.

Thankfully they filmed this

[JeremyRusso · 10/10 · 29 March 2019]

A lot of Woodstock was not filmed thank goodness they filmed this performance. If you really want to see a master of his craft completely in his element performing at the most important music festival in history, then look no further than Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock

Hey Joe, where you goin with that gun in your hand?

[Bernie4444 · 10/10 · 14 December 2023]

I grew up in the Woodstock era and was stationed in nearby West Point after my Viet Nam tour. So, this collection or documentary "The Road to Woodstock" directed by Bob Smeaton also holds a piece of my history.

I must say I almost did not watch this film as the front has was packed with sound bites of people doing just what I did in the first paragraph of this review; they spent too much time telling how great they were and then some antidote about Jimi.

Hang in there you will be carried away. This is as close to "live" as you are going to get. Jimi is one of those performers that when let loose can perform rings around his formal recordings. Sometimes I think it is an acquired taste. I have to confess that besides his adaptation of "Star-spangled Banner" I was taken back more by "Hey Joe" written by Billy Roberts. Of course, everyone has his or her favorites.

No matter how you look/listen to it, this production deserves a place in your collection.

New Live at Woodstock DVD out

[therealdon · 1/10 · 15 July 2006]

There is a new version which contains this footage and at least 30 minutes more. This new DVD is a definite upgrade to this one. I have submitted it through add new title. I bought the new one which is 2 discs at wal mart for 10 bucks. The new version contains all footage that survives. This is a great performance by Jimi and is the last performance at Woodstock. He performed at 9 on Monday morning, but he was supposed to perform Sunday night. He was given option to wait til midnight Monday night but opted to play that morning. This is fortunate because part of the new DVD was shot with CV black and white and would probably have been of no quality.