Rare footage of Jimi Hendrix’s iconic 1969 Woodstock performance has been unearthed, filmed by a 22-year-old drama student who managed to sneak onto the stage and capture the guitarist from just 15 feet away with a video camera.
Hendrix closed out the legendary festival in Bethel, New York, on August 18, 1969, performing with his newly formed band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, also known as the Band of Gypsys. The lineup featured bass guitarist Billy Cox, guitarist Larry Lee, percussionists Juma Sultan and Jerry Velez, and drummer Mitch Mitchell, who had also played with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Now, on the 57th anniversary of the performance, the newly released film Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock — A Second Look offers a fresh look at the historic set, including footage that had remained unseen for decades.
The footage was shot by Albert Goodman, a 22-year-old drama student who found his way onto the stage during Hendrix’s performance. Goodman reportedly hid behind a friend carrying a guitar to gain access, then positioned himself behind percussionist Juma Sultan. Because he was assumed to be part of the professional film crew hired to document the festival, he was able to remain onstage and record the performance using two open-reel videotapes.
The resulting footage puts the electric-guitar innovator remarkably close to the camera, with the guitarist appearing just 15 feet away as he performs several songs from the set. Among the newly unearthed material are performances of “Purple Haze,” “Voodoo Child,” “Message to Love” and Hendrix’s famous interpretation of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” along with rare footage of “Hear My Train a Comin’.” Footage of “Message to Love” is featured below.
Goodman’s story took another unexpected turn in the days following Woodstock. While hitchhiking, he happened to meet a driver who was friends with people working with Hendrix. After Goodman told him about the footage he had captured at the festival, the driver arranged for the student to screen it for Hendrix himself.
Goodman ultimately kept the recordings stored away for three decades before making them available to Hendrix’s family. They can now be seen in Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock — A Second Look, which premiered on YouTube on August 18.
The film offers another perspective on one of rock history’s most celebrated performances — and footage that came remarkably close to never being seen at all.
