RECORD MIRROR - by Derek Boltwood:
“Talking about Jimi Hendrix - well, it’s not a thing to talk about. If you haven’t seen him live you’ve missed out on one of the greatest experiences ever. Hendrix seems to excel at the Saville, and his performance last week [8 October, London] was as good as any I’ve seen. Definitely a mind blowing Experience.”
NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS - Jimi Too Often?’ review by Jeremy Pascal:
“Perhaps Jimi Hendrix has been booked to the Saville too regularly. Or perhaps we can get used to having his brilliance and finding a fire lacking. His Saville performance on Sunday was comprised of his old favourites - ‘The Wind Cries Mary’, ‘Burning Of The Midnight Lamp’, Foxy Lady’, and the ever popular ‘Wild Thing’ - and this was partly the trouble. We’ve come to expect the numbers and while dazzled by the dexterity and range we’re satiated by the number of times we’ve heard the numbers. Still Hendrix is a ventriloquist of the guitar, committing adultery with it one minute, torturing it the next. Interspersing the act with wry comments, playful insults and indiscreet electronic whines. ‘Foxy Lady’ was a shattering number and I’m surprised the cardboard ruins - left from (a performance of) ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’* - didn’t crumble under the blast. Mitch‘s drum solo fizzed inconsistently and left one slightly disappointed. Nor a sensational set from Hendrix, merely superior to anything else around!
Arthur Brown did his famous impression of a flaming Christmas pudding. At times I'm convinced he's Lord Sutch in drag, at others Pinnochio on a spree! He leaps and loons, creeps and threatens and throws in little poems of dubious taste. He has a truly incredible voice which deserves better material. Brown is an entertainer and a good one but his music seems of little value.
Could be big
The Herd will one day be very big. They are a talented, integrated, good looking group. I believe them to be a potentially very important group but they continually disappoint. They attempt, bravely, to entertain, and they deserved a more sympathetic reception from the audience. Half way through they awarded bananas which is about what some of the audience deserved. Six out of ten for a good effort. Should do well if they persevere. A group called the Eire Apparent also appeared. Their main contribution to the evening was a bass guitarist who did an imitation of Roy Hudd doing an imitation of Mick Jagger and a massacre of "Morning Dew"— a sin that cannot be forgiven.”
MELODY MAKER - ‘THE OTHER (WRESTLING) SIDE OF JMI HENDRIX’ by Chris Welch:
“Hail Jimi Hendrix, British All-In Wrestling Champion! Our Jim, feeling somewhat piquey at the Saville Theatre, London, on Sunday decided to conclude his musical performance by grappling with bass player Noel Redding, dragging him to the floor and assailing him bodily. Presumably, all clean fun, and in the interest of psychedelic experience, one still had the feeling that Jimi meant it - or at least half of it. The Experience had been playing exceptionally well, groovy sounds like ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window’, ‘Purple Haze’, ‘Foxy Lady’ etc., when came the freak-out on ‘Wild Thing’ James went spare, knocked over the amplifiers, flung down his guitar, and assaulted the said bass player. Apart from these asides, Jimi played fantastic guitar with every trick imaginable, Mitch played a beautiful solo on a Howling Wolf blues, and Noel kept his glasses on.”
DISC & MUSIC ECHO - by Jonathan King:
“Multi-coloured trolls out of Peer Gynt; bright, fuzzy haired bouncing dolls - alive and trembling with vitality. Mitch - arms in 75 positions at once; right leg pounding, thumping against the taut bass drum. Noel, plucking 50 notes in every bar, nodding backwards and forwards in a crazy dance with the mike stand. Jimi - howling, screeching, but totally in command.’ smiling, cool - leaping up in the air, crouching tight against the floor. And at the side, proud in the lights, Chas Chandler who discovered them, put them together, watched them grow and knew, believed, adored and cared for the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
I saw them at the beginning, and I saw them again last Sunday at London’s Saville Theatre. Incredible showmanship combined with outstanding musical dramatic skill. I’m delighted they are so big. I’ve said it before. But seeing them cavorting around, so happy and so good, made me want to say it all again. And I just have.”