Music on Film Nite Presents "Jimi Hendrix Live in Maui" Relive The Experience at Arena Theater, May 16

     This 2022 Grammy-nominated film chronicles the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s storied visit to Maui, their performance on the dormant lower crater of Haleakala volcano on the island, and how the band became ensnared with the ill-fated "Rainbow Bridge" movie produced by their controversial manager Michael Jeffery. The film screens on Monday, May 16 at 7:00pm, and has a runtime of 91 minutes.

     Never-before-released original footage, and new interviews with key players such as Billy Cox and director Chuck Wein, form this fascinating account about one of the most controversial independent films ever made.

     Inspired by Easy Rider and directed by Warhol acolyte Chuck Wein, Jeffery’s film centered around the idea of a “rainbow bridge” between the unenlightened and enlightened worlds. It was envisioned to feature everything from surfing and yoga to meditation and Tai-Chi and filmed without the aid of a script or professional actors. It proved to be a rambling assemblage of hippie excess and Jeffery grew concerned that his investment was being squandered.

     The Experience were already booked to perform a concert in Honolulu at the H.I.C. Arena on August 1, 1970, and when word of mouth about a free Jimi Hendrix concert led a few hundred curious Maui locals to the Baldwin cattle ranch in Olinda where a makeshift stage was constructed and the audience was arranged by their astrological signs. The performance was a success – the trio was at the height of its powers and played two sets flawlessly against a stunning natural backdrop, including breathtaking renditions of crowd favorites like "Foxy Lady," "Purple Haze," and Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," as well as then-unreleased songs like "Dolly Dagger" and "Freedom" that showcased the new direction Hendrix was moving toward.