"Electric Church" Jimi Hendrix Experience At the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival

Features interviews with Hendrix bassist Billy Cox, Hendrix engineer Eddie Kramer, concert promoter Larry Vaughan, artists Paul McCartney, Metallica’s Kirk Hammit, Steve Winwood, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Mountain’s Leslie West and Bruce Hampton, publicist Bob Merlis, journalist Anthony DeCurtis, filmmaker Steve Rash and many more.

BACKGROUND:
Electric Church presents the legendary guitarist in full flight at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival before the largest US audience of his career. This critically acclaimed film combines color, 16mm multi-camera footage of Hendrix unforgettable July 4, 1970 concert in its original performance sequence together with a new documentary that traces his journey to the festival amidst the dark shadow of civil rights unrest, the relenting toll of the Vietnam War and a burgeoning festival culture that drew together young people across the country who were inspired by the Woodstock festival.

The film details Hendrix integral role in drawing nearly 500,000 people to his Electric Church – a dusty scorching hot pecan orchard in Byron, Georgia some 100 miles south of Atlanta. Together with Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell and drummer Billy Cox, Jimi skillfully blended favorites such as “Purple Haze,” “All Along The Watchtower,” and “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” with confident renditions of new songs such as “Freedom” and “Straight Ahead” that had not yet been released on album. As a colorful fireworks display stretched overhead across the night sky, Jimi performed the “Star Spangled Banner” to the wild delight of the massive audience.

The performance footage of the Experience has been carefully restored from the original negative in high definition. The audio soundtrack includes stereo and 5.1 surround mixes by Eddie Kramer directly from the original master tapes.

Directed by John McDermott
Produced by Janie Hendrix and John McDermott
Run Time: 105 mins