Moments that Changed Rock History

For me, one event changed the face of rock n' roll forever. It was the Monterey Pop Festival, held at the fair grounds in Monterey California in 1967. It was the first widely promoted and heavily attended rock festival in history, and it paved the way for many other large festivals like Woodstock. It kick started the famous "Summer of Love" bringing the counter culture of hippies and rock n roll to the public spotlight. The Monterey Pop festival was the stage for the first major American performances for Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding. Without the success of the festival, it is very probable that the more famous Woodstock festival would have never taken place. Perhaps the most famous moment of the festival occurred when Jimi Hendrix ended his show with a cover of Wild Thing, where he placed his guitar on the ground, knelt before it, soaked it in lighter fluid and set it aflame, before smashing it onstage. This performance single handedly launched Hendrix's career in America. The festival was also a kind of changing of the guard for British music in America. The Who's performance helped them grow in popularity and take over the crown of lead British group in America from the Beatles.