Whitla Hall, Festival '67, Queen's College, Belfast.
Before the shows, Jimi is given a Birthday cake by the Festival organisation. It was Jimi's 25th birthday, and this was the only night the Jimi Hendrix Experience played in Ireland.
Songs - 1st show:
Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Fire
Purple Haze
Hey Joe
Foxy Lady
The Wind Cries Mary
Wild Thing
Songs - 2nd show:
Foxy Lady
Fire
Catfish Blues
The Wind Cries Mary
Purple Haze
Wild Thing
The Belfast Newsletter (28 November) ‘Hendrix was worth bringing’ by unknown: “Jimi received an enthusiastic response from the two 1,000 strong audiences... were grasped entirely by this way-out brand of music, obviously exceptionally skilful, if you appreciate that sort of thing… With Noel Redding and drummer ‘Mitch’ Mitchell, Hendrix captured his audience.”
Gown (7 December) by Liam and Roisin McAuley: “It is now an acknowledged fact that a Pop Concert should be ear-splitting and kaleidoscopic. Last week’s Jimi Hendrix concert fulfilled both criteria. On stage, amplifiers dwarfed and deafened the performers; in the gallery frenzied amateurs feverishly juggled with six squares of coloured cellophane and two spotlights. Fifteen hundred people sat in the ’Whitla’ and waited for their minds to he blown...
It was Hendrix’ s birthday. The audience sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in a feeble and slightly embarrassed fashion. The compére hurriedly initiated a cry of ‘We want Jimi.’ The lights dimmed and weaved; Hendrix exploded on to the stage; ‘Plug your ears, it’s gonna be LOUD.’ the ensuing welter of noise, confusion and flashing lights could not obscure the fact that Jimi Hendrix is a guitarist of considerable talent and though it is at times difficult to separate sheer gimmickness from genuine musical JHEression. He played the guitar in fifty different positions from the Kama Sutra, made an indecent assault upon the amplifier, and in a final frenetic gesture smashed a Fender Stratacaster [sic] against the wall (having first displayed method in his madness by unplugging it). It was as though he had finally succeeded in identifying the instrument with his own arrogant virility and subsequently frustrated with the latter had involved it in the final act of destruction. It is now as important to smash a guitar as it is to play it. Hendrix did both with admirable expertise.”
Offstage, Hendrix is incongruously mild, affable, and unassuming. He sat in the dressing room, temporarily detached from the bevy of road-managers, and munched birthday cake. He constantly strummed a guitar covered in psychedelic patterns.”
If you or anyone you know attended one of the shows at the Whitla Hall on 27 November 1967 please drop us a note at novdec1967@yahoo.com
We would really appreciate hearing from you!
