JIMI HENDRIX. "Isle Of Wight". POLYDOR UK 1971 LP. ORIG .

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 ‎– Isle Of Wight Label:  ‎– 2302 016 Format: , LP, Album 
Country: Released: Genre: Style: Tracklist A1Midnight LightningA2Foxy LadyA3Lover ManB1FreedomB2All Along The Watchtower Written-By –  B3In From The Storm Companies etc Recorded At –  Pressed By –  Credits Executive-Producer – * Mixed By –  Written-By –  (tracks: A1 to B1, B3) Notes

Recorded At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970. 
Ⓟ 1971



review by Alex Henderson

's August 8, 1970 set at the Isle of Wight festival in England resulted in two types of posthumous LPs in the 1970s: illegal bootlegs from various underground labels, and legal releases from Polydor. One of the legal releases that Polydor put out in England was , a single LP that is consistently exciting . 's performances of "Foxy Lady," "Lover Man," "Midnight Lightning," "All Along the Watchtower," "In from the Storm" and "Freedom" are excellent and made  well worth the price of admission when it first came out in 1971.


The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival was held between 26 and 31 August 1970 at East Afton Farm an area on the western side of the . It was the last of three consecutive music festivals to take place on the island between 1968 and 1970 and widely acknowledged as the largest musical event of its time, greater than the attendance of . Although estimates vary, the  estimated 600,000, possibly 700,000 people attended. It was organised and promoted by local brothers, Ronnie, Ray and Bill Foulk. Ron Smith was site manager and Rikki Farr acted as compere.

The preceding , also promoted by the Foulks, had already gained a good reputation in 1968 and 1969 by featuring acts such as , , , , ,  and  in his first performance since his 1966 motorcycle accident.

The 1970 version, following  in the previous year, set out to move one step forward and enlisted . With Hendrix confirmed, artists such as , , , , , , , , ,  and  willingly took up the chance to play there. The event had a magnificent but impractical site, since the prevailing wind blew the sound sideways across the venue, and the sound system had to be augmented by 's PA. There was a strong, but inconsistent line up, and the logistical nightmare of transporting 600,000 people onto an island with a population of fewer than 100,000.

Political and logistical difficulties resulted in the organisers eventually realising that the festival would not make a profit and declaring it to be "a free festival", although the majority of the audience had paid for tickets in advance, and the event was filmed contemporaneously. The commercial failings of the festival ensured it was the last event of its kind on the Isle of Wight for thirty-two years.