The Early Show - Berkeley Community Center 1970
Hendrix arrived in Berkeley - a town that, in 1970, was synonymous with radical political thinking and protest, the theatre was small - 3,500-person capacity - thousands ticketless fans were outside, determined to get in. These elements all combined to create a pressure-cooker atmosphere. Hendrix purposely giving the audience just what it wants. Roars of approval greet his solo, which he really did play with his teeth. With the audience firmly captivated, he then plays one for himself, unleashing one of the most searing blues ever heard, but Hendrix must have sensed he was losing the audience , of course, he pulls out all the stops, dazzling the audience with one last barrage of sound and fluid, psychedelically-drenched guitar pyrotechnics that left the audience dazed, inevitably - if not in awe.
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