behindthegrooves:

On this day in music history: June 18, 1967 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience make their American performance debut at The Monterey International Pop Music Festival. Hendrix are booked to perform on the recommendation of Paul McCartney, having seen Hendrix and the Experience perform at the Saville Theatre in London two and a half weeks earlier (opening their set with The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”). The bands set at Monterey climaxes with Hendrix setting fire to his Fender Stratocaster and smashing it on the stage. The performance becomes legendary, and is captured in the D.A. Pennebaker film “Monterey Pop”. It quickly launches Hendrix into rock superstardom in the US and worldwide.