Pennebaker Hegedus Films

The Monterey Pop Festival ran for three days in June 1967. For most of the five shows, the arena was jammed to bursting with perhaps as many as 10,000 people. The live performances were spectacularly successful. Janis Joplin, who was singing with Big Brother and the Holding Company, pulled out all the stops with a raw, powerful performance that helped establish her as the preeminent female rock singer of her day.

The Who climaxed a brilliant set by smashing their equipment at the conclusion of “My Generation”. Jimi Hendrix (in the American debut of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) offered an awesome display of his virtuosity as a guitarist and as a showman, humping his Marshall amplifiers and then setting his Stratocaster ablaze. Another highlight was Ravi Shankar’s meditative afternoon of Indian ragas. And then there was Otis Redding, the dynamic soul man turned in what many present believe was the festival’s best performance. ABC offered $400,000 for network rights to Pennebaker’s film (which was released in theaters after ABC decided it was too far out for the TV audience).

Feeaturing:

Janis Joplin “Combination of the Two”
Scott McKenzie “If You’re Going To San Francisco”
The Mamas and the Papas “Creque Alley”, “California Dreamin’”, “I’ve Got A Feelin’”
Canned Heat “Rollin and Tumblin’”
Hughy Masekela “Bajabula Bonke” (Healing Song)
Jefferson Airplane “High Flyin’ Bird”, “Today”
Eric Burden and the Animals “Paint it Black”
The Who “My Generation”
Country Joe and the Fish “Section 43”
Otis Redding “Shake”, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”
Jimi Hendrix “Wild Thing”
Ravi Shankar “Raga Bhimpalasi”

A film by DA Pennebaker
1968, 98 min., color
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Limited Edition Monterey Pop Posters - $25