JIMI HENDRIX, A CHORD TO REMEMBER IN WAIKIKI
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Jimi Hendrix, A Chord to Remember in Waikiki
JIMI HENDRIX CONCERT at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 30, 1969.
Jimi Hendrix was not happy. He deemed the sound system the venue's management had provided as inadequate. Fans knew it too. Noel Redding (bass/rhythm) & Mitch Mitchell (drummer) knew it. Suddenly, in the middle of the first song, Jimi kicked an amp and said, “If you can’t do better than this, f*#% it” and walked off the stage. Fourteen minutes later, it was announced that all paying attendees should keep their ticket stubs; that those who had already thrown theirs away could get a receipt before leaving; that arrangements would be made; but that Jimi Hendrix would NOT be performing this night. The crowd was more than disgruntled and became noisy in their disappointment.
KKUA was the only rock station on the islands at the time. I worked part time as a “jock” and, on occasion, sold some air time. This Friday night, I was the station representative of sorts. No one else at the station particularly wanted to go…except me. They thought of Jimi's music as "noise"; and, after all, no one expected any real problems. I immediately ran backstage to see what the problem was and how it was to be handled. Don’t get me wrong. I did not have a voice in the situation. Jimi Hendrix was inaccessible to anyone, probably shooting up. Noel Redding was as confused as anyone, asking if his band, Fat Mattress, should go out to quiet the crowd. The decision was made that they should not, that this concert was over. The management of the venue took it upon themselves to attempt to appease the unhappy crowd. I contacted my station manager and told him the situation. Though he was in bed, he said he was very happy that I had called; actually thanked me.
The next day (31 May), around noon or so, an agreement had been made. Jimi would do the concert this night, Saturday night, at eight o’clock. The equipment issues had been addressed to his satisfaction. The time of the concert was announced frequently on our station, as well as a couple of others who generously cooperated. Jimi may have been right about the equipment, but it cost the station and the venue a lot of money. Nonetheless, I attended the concert again; sat on the 4th row near the center. The police announced that people could smoke and drink responsibly without fear of reprisal – as long as no one rushed the stage and there was no violence. They made it clear that doing so would be dealt with harshly. Five very large Hawaiian officers were each side of the stage.
The crowd response to the concert was less than spectacular, but spectacular was what Jimi Hendrix wanted. Most fans were still a little cool because of his antics on Friday; but a Jimi Hendrix concert was a music event not to be missed. Though he had taken time to briefly explain, something was missing when it was over and Jimi knew it. Before he left the venue, he told its management that there would be another concert – a free concert, open to all – on Sunday evening. He wanted good will on his side…he had conscience and compassion for those fans he had disappointed. Kind of surprising, actually.
Sunday (1 June) evening, over ten thousand people came to the Waikiki Shell to see Jimi Hendrix. Though that surpassed safety regulations, attendees were allowed to sit in the grass around the venue. They could still see, and God knows they could hear. I think people on the other islands could hear. Again, police made their announcement about drinking and smoking and violence. Again, the police had a strong presence near the stage. They were quite true to their word. Pot smoking was rampant, as was beer drinking; but no one got loud or pushy or aggressive in any way. A long-haired, bearded guy at the end of my row had two Army surplus rucksacks, one full of primo pot and the other full of little corn cob pipes…dozens of them. He would load a pipe, light it and pass it in some direction, to anyone who would take it. I was close enough to him that I got more than my share. Directly behind me was a girl with a small paper bag full of hand rolled joints. She, too, would light one and pass it away. Meantime, Jimi was outdoing himself. It was a fabulous concert and people were in absolute awe of his ability with that guitar. There was no screaming or yelling, just quiet reverence for a master guitarist. Fat Mattress did the “split” (break).
When Jimi came out after the split, he thanked us for understanding, thanked us for respecting the music. He broke into “Hey, Joe” and the crowd went wild. Finally, “The Wind Cried Mary” was the last song. Really?! What about “Purple Haze?!” They hadn’t done “Purple Haze”! Someone in the crowd yelled, "What about Purple Haze!?" Suddenly, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell stepped forward on the stage, bowed at the waist, and silently left. Jimi Hendrix was alone on the stage with his back to the crowd. Most of us wondered, "What’s going on!?” Then, vibrating off the Shell and into the cosmos, the first chord of “Purple Haze.” If someone cheered, no one could hear it. Not a sound could be heard except Jimi Hendrix and his guitar. People were standing. No one was sitting. Respect. That’s what they were offering. Respect. No one made a sound. Oh, yes, most were stoned and “imprisoned” by the music; but each knew they would likely never see anything like this again…ever.
Suddenly, at the end of the song, Jimi quietly said, “Thank you”; and, after leaning his guitar against an amplifier, offered a peace sign and walked off the stage.
Just before Jimi offered that “Thank you,” he had hit a single chord, a MAGIC chord, a resonant chord that would feed itself when his guitar was leaned against that amp, a single chord that would last for a very long time without anyone touching the guitar again.
But what was so amazing about this particular chord? This chord sounded like applause.... thunderous applause.
We all heard it, but no one was moving. All were mesmerized by the sound of the applause. It was as if each person thought everyone but them was applauding. We all heard it, and some of us looked around for the source of such applause. But no one was moving. A guy looked at me and asked, “Can you hear it, man?” I only nodded. He took another look around and said in total amazement, "Wow, man." The applause was the chord that Jimi Hendrix had left us. He could make his own applause. I like to think he was applauding his fans, all the people that came to see him play and enjoyed the experience....The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Fourteen minutes. That’s how long the chord lasted. No one left. As the applause faded away, seemed distant, and finally disappeared, most realized Jimi was not making an encore this night. It was over….but what an ending to a fabulous concert, a once in a lifetime experience.
I have read a number of historical documents discussing Jimi Hendrix' concerts and can find no reference to any other of his concerts ending in such a manner...never. Believe me, it would have been mentioned, certainly by the most avid of his fans….. but it wasn't.
Only a few of those 10,000 or so attendees who heard the "magic chord" are still alive today. Those that are remember... I promise.
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