If you like Jimi Hendrix, you will certainly like this DVD too. It's just fantastic how he played in Woodstock back then. While there are many other DVDs on Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock - Definitive 2 DVD you don’t want to miss out on. This double disc is a must for any music lover who wants a record of just how music got to where it is today. A lot of Woodstock was not filmed, thank goodness they filmed this performance. If you really want to see a master of his craft completely in his element performing at the most important music festival in history, this is it.

Nine o'clock on Monday morning, 18^th August, 1969: while the work force was starting the day, Jimi Hendrix was taking the stage at Woodstock. While hundreds of thousands had already left, around 25,000 people remained to see this incredible performance.

On Disc One, Hendrix with his wailing guitar, along with trashing drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox, offered masterly renditions of the songs of the disbanded Jimi Hendrix Experience (Hey Joe, Foxey Lady), and gave a preview of the blues-based band - Gypsy Sun and Rainbows and later Band of Gypsys (Izabella, Hear My Train A Comin'), as well as Jimi's era-defining rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. The rock guitarist was a virtual unknown in America when he delivered his literally incendiary performance at Monterey in 1967, but all that changed when Woodstock happened for him when he was picked to close this mammoth three-day show (he was slated to appear on Sunday night, but weather and various snafus pushed that to Monday morning).

The music had changed, too. Hendrix had started moving away from the format of short, poppy songs with the ‘Electric Ladyland’ album, and while he still plays Purple Haze, Foxey Lady, and Fire, much of the emphasis in this lengthy set is on extended jamming. Not all of it works, but when it does as on Spanish Castle Magic and a sped-up Voodoo Child (Slight Return), which leads into the feedback-drenched re-imagining of The Star-Spangled Banner, the performance takes off. Expect all this, in an all-new 5.1 and 2.0 stereo soundtrack mixed by Eddie Kramer, Jimi's original studio engineer.

Though the weekend had witnessed some landmark performances by other great artists at the most famous festival in rock music history, this performance from Hendrix is regarded by many as the defining moment in a festival ripe with defining moments. Unfortunately, the recording of the camera setting is sometimes a bit unfortunate (you might think that only amateurs would have filmed this).

The second DVD with additional camera settings from presumably amateur films is also interesting. However, these can be seen in black and white and the quality is also not quite as convincing. It is a never-before-seen (by me at least) sort of home camera behind the scenes version of his entire appearance. The footage is professional grade. A classic performance with Jimi at his best.

In addition to the full-length feature Live At Woodstock, also accompanying the DVD is a 16 page booklet with detailed footnote note on the event, rare images of Jimi Hendrix and liner notes of the DVD. The cover of the DVD is an embossed cover.

This deluxe two DVD collection also features a multitude of special bonus features including:

The Road to Woodstock:

A new documentary featuring Hendrix performance footage and new interviews with Woodstock promoter Michael Lang, and Hendrix band members Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, Larry Lee, and Juma Sultan among others.

Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock: A Second Look

In addition to the newly re-edited color footage featured on DVD one, A Second Look offers a totally unique perspective of Jimi’s Woodstock performance that has never before been shared. A Second Look combines never before seen black and white video footage of Jimi’s legendary Woodstock performance intercut with alternate camera angles filmed in color. A Second Look features uninterrupted footage of every performance featured on DVD One in its original performance sequence. In addition, A Second Look presents never before seen video footage of “Hear My Train A Comin'”–a performance missed by the film crew and presented here for the very first time.

Jimi Hendrix Press Conference:

Filmed at Frank’s Restaurant, Harlem on 3^rd September, 1969 two weeks after Woodstock, at a press conference called to announce his upcoming benefit performance on behalf of the United Block Association, a Harlem based youth organization, Jimi spoke about the festival and his memorable rendition of “Star Spangled Banner.” Sadly, little more than a year later, Jimi Hendrix, still regarded as the greatest rock guitarist ever, passed away on 18^th September 1970.

Nashville Roots:

Band members Billy Cox and Larry Lee recall their friendship with Jimi Hendrix and their shared journey from the fabled R&B ‘chitlin circuit’ to the greatest rock festival ever conceived.

Recording Woodstock:

Engineer Eddie Kramer details the recording of the entire epic festival.

Rare Artifacts and Memorabilia:

Collection includes original Woodstock poster, festival tickets, and Hendrix’s own handwritten set list draft, and poem about the festival, “500,000 Halos

Release Year: 2005

Rating: *****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira