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Just in time for the 2011 holiday shopping season, Sony Legacy will be releasing a comprehensive CD and LP package of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1968 three night, six show concert event from the Winterland in San Francisco. While I eagerly await this official release, I’ve been listening to the excellent Whoopy Cat soundboard bootlegs from these historic shows.

By today’s standards these recordings seem crude and amateurish. But what they represent is the modern rock concert in its infancy, along with three nights of amazing showmanship and guitar playing. The six shows were plagued with technica l difficulties and rushed, out-of-tune performances. But despite all this and even the boredom of playing the “hit” songs, The Jimi Hendrix Experience did not fail to deliver. There is a wealth of information on the web about these concerts and I recommend anyone interested in Jimi Hendrix take time to explore this period of his life.

The Whoopy Cat bootlegs were released some time in the 90’s as three individual double CD packages. At the time, they offered the most complete and best sounding recordings from the Winterland shows. Only part of the first show from October 11th is missing due to technical issues. These are my favorite Jimi Hendtix bootlegs and I look forward to hearing the new official release. They’re great concerts and I’ll finally know just how right Whoopy Cat got these.

Song List:

Winterland Vol.1 [Whoopy Cat, WKP 0025/26] (58:42, 7 tracks - 69:53, 8 tracks)

CD1

Winterland, San Francisco, First Show, 10 Oct 68

1. Are You Experienced 6:52
2. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 8:22
3. Red House 15:18
4. Foxy Lady 6:00
5. Like A Rolling Stone 9:53
6. This Is America 5:31
7. Purple Haze 6:46

CD2

Winterland, San Francisco, Second Show, 10 Oct 68

1. Tax Free 16:34
2. Lover Man 4:02
3. Sunshie Of Your Love 7:23
4. Hear My Train A' Comin' 12:06
5. Killing Floor 9:47
6. Hey Joe 7:08
7. This Is America 7:13
8. Purple Haze 5:40

Winterland Vol.2 [Whoopy Cat, WKP 0027/28] (67:52, 13 tracks - 72:09, 8 tracks)

CD1

Winterland, San Francisco, First Show, 11 Oct 68 (tracks 1-3) Civic Opera House, Chicago, 25 Feb 68 (tracks 4-12)

1. Are You Experienced 16:36
2. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 9:57
3. Red House 11:01
4. Sgt Pepper's 1:44
5. Fire 2:26
6. The Wind Cries Mary 3:29
7. Foxy Lady 3:18
8. I Don't Live Today 3:35
9. Hey Joe 4:28
10. Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window 3:13
11. Manic Depression 4:07
12. Like A Rolling Stone 1:30
13. Purple Haze 2:28

CD2

Winterland, San Francisco, Second Show, 11 Oct 68

1. Tax Free 22:11
2. Spanish Castle Magic 10:32
3. Like A Rolling Stone 12:14
4. Lover Man 5:34
5. Hey Joe 5:32
6. Fire 4:56
7. Foxy Lady 5:20
8. Purple Haze 5:50

Winterland Vol.3 [Whoopy Cat, WKP 0029/30] (63:02, 8 tracks - 68:45, 9 tracks)

CD1

Winterland, San Francisco, First Show, 12 Oct 68

1. Fire 5:28
2. Lover Man 4:49
3. Like A Rolling Stone 11:59
4. Foxy Lady 7:23
5. Jam/Tax Free 19:18
6. Hey Joe 6:44
7. Purple Haze 3:41
8. Wild Thing 3:39

CD2

Winterland, San Francisco, Second Show, 12 Oct 68

1. Foxy Lady 8:25
2. Manic Depression 7:08
3. Sunshine Of Your Love 8:50
4. Little Wing 4:57
5. Spanish Castel Magic 7:47
6. Red House 11:35
7. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 7:21
8. This Is America 4:57
9. Purple Haze 7:45