Soft Machine, Amboy Dukes, Vanilla Fudge and Jimi Hendrix Experience’s two shows at Atlanta’s Municipal Auditorium blew away Atlanta’s collective mind on Saturday August 17, 1968. Have you ever been Experienced? Now we could answer in the affirmative. Musicians in particular talk about this show nearly 50 years ago!
How about a horrible Jimi Hendrix at the Auditorium shot. It gets worse than this……..helps if you are in closer, right? Bill won’t like I included this, but It was often my vantage
I was there. Vanilla Fudge’s Carmine Apiece collapsed over his drum set from the exertion and the August Atlanta heat. They were magnificent. Jimi’s Hey Joe took the house down.
I was stationed at Ft. Benning, a pal’s girl in Atlanta got tickets, we drove and the three of us sat in the 3rd row. I don’t remember if it was the early or late show. I do remember that the ticket stub was white in color not orange as pictured . I do remember when the experience went on, the curtain remained closed, and the intro to “FIRE” kicked in and
I and the whole place went crazy, and suddenly the curtain opened and Jimi just killed it. The performance was stunning, and everything they played was perfect, sounded just like the recordings.
I was at the afternoon show. Jimi seemed a bit laid back but it was still thrilling to see the band. The Soft Machine seemed more avant grade and quite memorable. The Amboy Dukes seemed energetic and Nugent jumped off the stage at one point during a solo. Even at that young age I remember thinking that he was “acting out”. When the curtain went up for Jimi, everybody in the auditorium immediately rose to their feet. It was like an electric force pulled all of us up from out seats. A bit later I went back to The Middle Earth Shop (where I had bought my ticket) and they had a few of the promo posters left over. I bought one for a couple of bucks. Sold it a few years ago for…more than I paid for it. 😀
Not quite the show that some of the others recall. The afternoon show found Jimi in a foul mood. The opening acts were strong but predictable. Amboy Dukes had the most energy. While the stage was being set up for Hendrix you could hear him playing some subdued blues. When the curtain parted the crowd was pumped up and started shouting out requests. He started off somewhat subdued with less popular tunes. I can remember a lot of shouts to “Play Fire!”, etc. which he made grumbling comments. As the show started to pick up momentum you could see Hendrix trying to communicate a problem to crew in the wings. A guy or two came out and tried doing things with his amp stacks. He kept playing his set but grew more and more upset and surly. About two thirds into the set he started walking back to the amps and banging his guitar tuners into the top right amp. Another song or two later he walked back and jammed the neck through the speaker grill. He finished the set a couple of songs later. It was generally a good performance but it was not “Monterey Pop”.
Bucky was not part of producing it nor does he have a copy of it. Bucky’s light show stories need a lot of fact checking. His job as a production assistant at live shows ended when we hired a full time person.
Hello. My Dad steel guitarist Dickie McCracken played steel guitar at the Atlanta sports arena for rodeos and wrestling matches around 1969. He played steel guitar thru a 1959 fender bassman amp. I wish somebody had pics of this because me and my sister Bree would love to see em. My Dad is no longer with us.
A film I made and used in the Electric Collage light show.
https://vimeo.com/93524264
I was there. Vanilla Fudge’s Carmine Apiece collapsed over his drum set from the exertion and the August Atlanta heat. They were magnificent. Jimi’s Hey Joe took the house down.
I was stationed at Ft. Benning, a pal’s girl in Atlanta got tickets, we drove and the three of us sat in the 3rd row. I don’t remember if it was the early or late show. I do remember that the ticket stub was white in color not orange as pictured . I do remember when the experience went on, the curtain remained closed, and the intro to “FIRE” kicked in and
I and the whole place went crazy, and suddenly the curtain opened and Jimi just killed it. The performance was stunning, and everything they played was perfect, sounded just like the recordings.
I was at the afternoon show. Jimi seemed a bit laid back but it was still thrilling to see the band. The Soft Machine seemed more avant grade and quite memorable. The Amboy Dukes seemed energetic and Nugent jumped off the stage at one point during a solo. Even at that young age I remember thinking that he was “acting out”. When the curtain went up for Jimi, everybody in the auditorium immediately rose to their feet. It was like an electric force pulled all of us up from out seats. A bit later I went back to The Middle Earth Shop (where I had bought my ticket) and they had a few of the promo posters left over. I bought one for a couple of bucks. Sold it a few years ago for…more than I paid for it. 😀
Not quite the show that some of the others recall. The afternoon show found Jimi in a foul mood. The opening acts were strong but predictable. Amboy Dukes had the most energy. While the stage was being set up for Hendrix you could hear him playing some subdued blues. When the curtain parted the crowd was pumped up and started shouting out requests. He started off somewhat subdued with less popular tunes. I can remember a lot of shouts to “Play Fire!”, etc. which he made grumbling comments. As the show started to pick up momentum you could see Hendrix trying to communicate a problem to crew in the wings. A guy or two came out and tried doing things with his amp stacks. He kept playing his set but grew more and more upset and surly. About two thirds into the set he started walking back to the amps and banging his guitar tuners into the top right amp. Another song or two later he walked back and jammed the neck through the speaker grill. He finished the set a couple of songs later. It was generally a good performance but it was not “Monterey Pop”.
I have the film. It is included in “Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church”.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/93524264
Bucky was not part of producing it nor does he have a copy of it. Bucky’s light show stories need a lot of fact checking. His job as a production assistant at live shows ended when we hired a full time person.
Hello. My Dad steel guitarist Dickie McCracken played steel guitar at the Atlanta sports arena for rodeos and wrestling matches around 1969. He played steel guitar thru a 1959 fender bassman amp. I wish somebody had pics of this because me and my sister Bree would love to see em. My Dad is no longer with us.