Most Hendrix collectors are familiar with Jimi's ability to make his guitar talk.
Usually its just a few words like "Thank You! We Love You!" (Miami Pop Festival '69) or
"Sit down muthafuckas!" (San Diego Arena '69). But I witnessed an incredible
display of talking guitar at Jimi's show at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in June
1970.

I was only 16 but this was my fourth time seeing Jimi play live. Ventura is about an
hour north of Los Angeles. I drove up with some friends and we got there early enough
to get a good spot in line. When the gates opened there was a mad dash of about 100
yards around a racetrack to get to the general seating area. I was able to get great
seats only 8 rows back from the stage.

 

After an opening act, Jimi came out wearing a magnificent purple velvet cape. The
first words he spoke were "Tonight we're going to make up for San Bernardino." (He
had played the San Bernardino Swing Auditorium the previous night and apparently there
was some kind of riot that had ended the show prematurely.)

I believe he started with "Spanish Castle Magic" followed by "Fire" and I also remember
an incredible version of "Red House" where his singing was as great as his guitar
playing. But then things took an unfortunate turn for the worse. The Ventura County
Fairgrounds is right on the coast and it was a short walk from the stage to the beach.
Less than halfway into the set a cold wet pea-soup fog rolled in from the ocean and
played havoc with Jimi's guitar strings and his electronic equipment.

A stage hand (not one of Jimi's own roadies because I remember he was wearing a Saltzer
Productions T-Shirt) made the mistake of walking out onto the stage to fiddle with one
of Jimi's cables just as Jimi was about to start a song. Jimi proceeded to vent his
frustration upon this stagehand in the form of a 30 second display of talking guitar
where Jimi silently mouthed vicious obscenities while the guitar did the actual
talking. Interspersed with these outrageous curses were the sounds of thunder and
dive-bomb explosions. It was like the wrath of Zeus was being unleashed in full fury
upon this poor hapless soul who seemed to visibly shrink and recoil in dismay. It
might seem funny to read about, but it was scary to see. Jimi's anger was out of
control in a way which was both awesome and sad to witness. I remember feeling at that
moment that Jimi's soul had grown too great for this mortal coil and that he would not
be with us much longer. (Since then I've read that many other fans who saw Jimi on
that last 1970 tour had the same feeling.)

Anyway after that 30 second diatribe (which must have seemed like an eternity to that
poor stagehand) the show resumed but without much joy in the cold wet fog and the set
was cut short. That was to be the last time I ever saw Jimi.

By Jazmaan