The Open Air Love-and-Peace-Festival was attended by about 25,000 visitors on the Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn. At the chaotic event, Jimi Hendrix gave his last festival appearance, and last scheduled appearance of any kind before he died on September 18, 1970.
Backed by German sex-shop mogul, Beate Uhse, three young German organizers planned a European answer to Woodstock. Inspired by the Isle of Wight, they liked the idea of having the festival on an island, which quickly led to the isle of Fehmarn, a well connected small island between Germany and Denmark. What could go wrong? Everything.
On Thursday Sept. 3rd, approximately 4,000 music fans populated the area as the festival facilities officially opened. During the night, the wind increased and it started to rain. About 180 rockers of the Bloody Devils (later to become a chapter of the German Hells Angels) arrived and soon 'persuaded' the organizers to appoint them as security. Friday was stormy and it rained throughout the entire day. More and more visitors arrived at the festival area and had to face the security checks by the heavily armed and drunk Hells Angels.
As the Festival opened, the crew had major problems getting the sound system going properly and coping with the heavy storm. The rain got worse during the afternoon, the whole stage was wet and performers kept getting electric shocks from the microphones. By evening the rain became catastrophic. Sheets of water fell from the sky and the show had to be stopped for a few hours. The weather was preventing some bands from getting to the festival and some just bailed. The organizers gave up for the evening at 11.
During the night the bikers started to riot until the producers paid them to go away. Saturday was cold and cloudy but the rain had stopped enough for a few groups to go on but the crowd was not happy when told that Ten Years After and Procol Harem had pulled out. The next set of storms came in and wiped out Saturday night and Jimi Hendrix was delayed until the next day.
At 1pm the following day, Jimi Hendrix finally appeared on stage much to the excitement of the crowd, but not all of them were happy. Booing and screams of Go home! were mixed with cheers. Jimi hears this and tells the crowd he does not care if the boo as long as they boo in key. Some moments later he apologizes for not getting on last night. Soon enough, the crowd forget their frustration, and Jimi played a good show. and the sun came out.
The last songs Hendrix ever played live was a suitably stormy version of Voodoo Child (Slight Return). Fittingly and ironically, the final lines of the song – and the final lines that Hendrix would ever sing in public were: ‘If I don’t see you no more in this world/I’ll meet you in the next one and don’t be late, don’t be late.’
“Thank you. Goodbye. Peace!” shouted Jimi.