Well, what the heck - you'll probably never find a MORE complete official version of this concert, and the music itself is incredible. The undisputed highlight of the set is the medley Voodoo Child (13 minutes + !) / Star Spangled Banner / Purple Haze / Woodstock Improvisation / Villanova Junction, which took 25 years to be released in its entirety for the first time (...on the aforementioned single CD). That manic final solo of Purple Haze, followed by a stunning 5 minute guitar improvisation (which can almost be seen as a seperate composition - at the 1969 concerts he played it quite often in almost the same manner, for example in the lengthy version of 'Spanish Castle Magic' on the long-deleted 3 CD set 'Anthology'), then suddenly slowing down to a heartbreaking blues performance... It's something that's got to be heard to be believed - an emotionally exhausting tour-de-force. - The four previously unreleased tracks are good enough to make the set interesting to newcomers and long time afficionados alike - and, yes, 'Lover Man' is almost in its original state, at least without the usual cut-outs of non-Hendrix soloing.

'Live at Woodstock' would be an excellent first-pick for future fans; in the continuing absence of the Berkeley and Winterland concerts, this is as close as you can get to a definitive live performance of Jimi Hendrix.


Excellent, but incomplete.   March 1, 2003
Hiroshi Yokohama (Osaka, Japan)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

When Jimi took the stage at Woodstock to play this set, most of the crowd had left (down from 400,000 to 25,000). The farm on which the concert was staged was now a barren wasteland that consisted of any soggy piece of anything the hippies in attendance didn't want to haul back to their current home.

Jimi took this mess and turned it into a living legend. When he took the stage he didn't even get a proper introduction, but undaunted, launched into a powerful reading of "Message to Love" which, for the most part was a preview of the rest of the show.

There were some problems though, neither Jimi nor his closest bandmates, Mitch Mitchell or Billy Cox really liked the expanded format (which not only included Cox on bass and Mitchell on drums, but two percussionists and a rythym guitarist).

This, is only minor problem though, as neither precussionist is audible due to inadequate miking and the sound of Jimi's guitar.
The worst part, though, is definatly the editing of the rythym guitarist Lary Lee's two solo peices, "Gypsy Woman" and another that the name of which escapes me. I mean, neither disc was even 70 minutes, that means that even if the two songs were ten minutes both could have (and should have) been included. I mean they dismised it as filler and admitted to it in the linear notes but what is so hard about putting on two more tracks? I'm not saying that Lee is some guitar god, but he was part of the band, and part of the Woodstock legend too. All hope of the complete preformance isn't lost, however, as you can obtain the full set with no editing (and all of the songs) on the internet.

Over all, great playing, great step up from the previous Woodstock disc, little or no fake cheering, and almost complete. Great buy, no matter what I said.


Jimi's best live performance? Close to it...   May 8, 2004
Danny (South Philly)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Jimi playing Woodstock was probably the most legendary thing he'd done since he blew the roof off the Monterey Pop Festival two years before. Like Bob Dylan's "Royal Albert Hall" concert, the performance here has legend written all over it, but it's not the hands-down greatest performance he'd ever done. But it's definitely AMONG his best.

At the risk of sounding corny, there is something just a little magical about this particular set; mainly due to the fact that it took place at the biggest music festival in rock history and that Jimi was playing in broad daylight in front of THOUSANDS of fans. Jimi's spoken word indicates he was a little nervous and probably a little wasted, but he lets his strat do most of the talking. It's a long set filled with loose jams, which is always a plus for a Hendrix concert. The most notable being his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner which is probably, aside from Machine Gun from his Fillmore East concerts, the greatest thing he'd ever done live. Novice fans may wonder just what the hell he's doing when he suddenly breaks the song and starts coming up with a bunch of weird licks and feedback, but if you listen closely, it will make perfect sense. I think it's the most "visual" song he's ever done live.

Experience Hendrix did a pretty good job on the mastering. It doesn't sound as muddy as it used to; Mitchell's drum work is MUCH clearer than on the older release. Admittedly, there is kind of a drawback. Two Larry Lee performances were left off, so it's not really the ENTIRE set. Ah, well. It's for the best, I guess. There is no greater crime in music than slowing down a great Hendrix concert.

Great CD (or CD's). As with most things that brand the name "Jimi Hendrix," play it loud for maximum effect.


Hendrix was GOD that Monday morning!   October 19, 2002
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Few performances have become quite as legendary as Hendrix and the Gypsy Sun and Rainbows on that muddy Monday morning at Woodstock, and rightfully so. Sure there were other great performances at Woodstock (Santana, the Who, Janis Joplin...), but none was more electrifying then the Band of Gypsys, not even the shock that the tens of thousands in attendance would have felt, had the rain hit those wires just right.

Unfortunately the Woodstock concert was never well compiled, appearing in poorly mixed, out of order, sloppy compilations. Even the latest Woodstock disc suffers from editing problems, the well documented almost complete absense of guitarist Larry Lee (though in the times when we hear him, he is a clear talent)percussionist Jerry Velez and Juma Sultan, not to mention it is still out of order.

However, this will only disturb the most ardent of Hendrix fans. The rest of us (most notably those that didn't get to see Woodstock live) are only concerned with getting our Hendrix in extreme doses. And Hendrix delivers, playing with unprecedented soul and fury. From the first note of Message to Love, pop these dics (the first two disc collection of Hendrix's Woodstock performance) in and watch your CD player smoke. The concert hits its peak when Hendrix blazes through a stirring, feedback, guitar pyrotechnic filled, instrumental version of The Star Spangled Banner, (Sure beats the version with lyrics by several football stadiums) which then segues into a stunning Purple Haze. And I haven't mentioned the funk injected into a nearly 14 minute Voodoo Child (Slight Return) or the passion and nervous energy of Fire! Nor have I said anything about all the other wonderful guitar jams.

I would take all day if I were to bring up all the great aspects of the Woodstock show. All I can say is that this is guitar playing at its peak, bar none. No fan of rock deserves to be called a rock fan until they own a Hendrix album. This isn't a bad place to start. Sure many aspects of this show are edited out. But Hendrix is not. And it is Hendrix that makes Live at Woodstock essential to everyone's rock and roll collection!