Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church

Thursday, January 31, 2019

ELECTRIC CHURCH presents the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix in full flight at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival before the largest US audience of his career. This critically acclaimed film combines color, 16mm multi-camera footage of Hendrix’s unforgettable July 4, 1970 concert in its original performance sequence together with a new documentary that traces his journey to the festival amidst the dark shadow of civil rights unrest, the relenting toll of the Vietnam War, and a burgeoning festival culture that drew together young people across the country who were inspired by the Woodstock festival.

The film details Hendrix’s integral role in drawing nearly 500,000 people to his Electric Church – a dusty scorching hot pecan orchard in Byron, Georgia some 100 miles south of Atlanta. Together with Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell and drummer Billy Cox, Jimi skillfully blended favorites such as “Purple Haze,” “All Along The Watchtower,” and “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” with confident renditions of new songs such as “Freedom” and “Straight Ahead” that had not yet been released on album. As a colorful fireworks display stretched overhead across the night sky, Jimi performed the “Star Spangled Bannger” to the wild delight of the massive audience.

Featuring interviews with Hendrix’s bandmate Billy Cox, Hendrix engineer Eddie Kramer, concert promoter Larry Vaughan, artists Paul McCartney, Metallica’s Kirk Hammit, Steve Winwood, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Mountain’s Leslie West and Bruce Hampton, publicist Bob Merlis, journalist Anthony DeCurtis, filmmaker Steve Rash, and many more.


  • Country USA
  • Running Time 105 minutes
  • Distributor Abramorama
  • Director John McDermott
  • Producer Janie Hendrix, John McDermott

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.