The Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event held June 16 to June 18, 1967, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey. The festival is remembered for the first major American appearances by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who and Ravi Shankar, the first large-scale public performance of Janis Joplin and the introduction of Otis Redding.
Hendrix’ use of extremely high volumes, the feedback this produced, and the combination of the two along with his dive-bombing use of the vibrato bar on his guitar, produced sounds that, with the exception of the British in attendance, none of the audience had ever heard before. This, along with his look, his clothing, and his erotic antics onstage, had an enormous impact on the audience. To take things further, aware of The Who’s planned explosive finale, he asked around for a can of lighter fluid, which he placed behind one of his amplifier stacks before beginning his set. He ended his Monterey performance with an unpredictable version of “Wild Thing”, which he capped by kneeling over his guitar, pouring lighter fluid over it, setting it on fire, and then smashing it onto the stage seven times before throwing its remains into the audience.
Jill Gibson was an experienced photojournalist by 1967. She had a musical background filling in for Michelle Phillips on the Mamas and The Papas second album and was dating Monterey Pop Festival producer, Lou Adler, at the time. Jill was the official photographer for The Monterey Pop Festival. These are her images, many which have never been released prior to now.
Janis Joplin commanding almost 10,000 fans on stageJimi Hendrix in the midst of one of his greatest ever performancesThis performance put Hendrix on the map in the USPhotographer Jill Gibson said Hendrix’s show was “unique”The Who’s Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend and Keith Moon destroying their instruments after their setRolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, dressed in an elaborate flower power suit, taking in the actsThe festival took place over the course of three days in June 1967Jill snapped this picture of the store at the festivalHippies pictured soaking up the Monterey sunshineThe event, which sparked the start of the Summer Of Love, attracted some younger visitorsPolice gathered outside the entrance to the festivalThe ticket office was a modest, shed-like buildingJimi Hendrix with John Entwistle, Monterey, CA 1967The performers’ lounge backstage, Monterey, CA 1967Two unidentified girls backstageBruce Barthol & Barry “The Fish” MeltonCountry Joe McDonald sings to the cameraBarry “The Fish” Melton strums up a storm, Monterey, CA 1967David Bennett CohenCountry Joe and the Fish playUnidentified boy hangs out backstage at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.Peter Tork receives a gift of a “Sticky Wicket” candle at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.Peter Tork clowns around with his candle.Peter Tork shows off his candle to his friends.Someone tries to steal the candle from Peter TorkJanis Joplin belts out a song for the crowd at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.Janis Joplin encourages the crowd to clapMichelle Phillips of the “Mommas and the Poppas”Michelle Phillips, Mama Cass Elliot and John Phillips at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.Michelle Phillips & Mama Cass ElliotPigpen, of the Grateful Dead, performed at night.Mich Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix ExperienceJimi Hendrix with “The Jimi Hendrix Experience”Jimi Hendrix plays with his back to the audienceJimi HendrixCountry Joe & The Fish at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.Memorable Who Concert, Monterey Pop, CA, June, 1967Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.Pete Townshend of The Who performs on stage at the Monterey Pop Festival on June 18 1967 in Monterey, California.Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel performs on stage at the Monterey Pop Festival on June 16 1967 in Monterey, California.Brian Jones at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967
