On Sunday, June 4, 1967, Jimi Hendrix and his band played one of their first performances in London. The guitar virtuoso must have known what a splash he was making among the British rock stars who were coming to hear this “new guy” play. Sunday night’s audience at the Saville Theater included The Beatles’ own Paul McCartney and George Harrison, who had just released their groundbreaking album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, less than a week earlier.
Hendrix surprised and delighted the crowd by opening his show with the title track from Sgt. Pepper! Paul McCartney has spoken about how amazing and unexpected this was. (You can read his recollections and also see a video here.) On this particular night, Sgt. Pepper was the perfect song for that particular audience. It was the right song at the right time.
The next time you perform, what can you do to surprise and delight your audience?
Here’s a fun Beatles story you’ve never heard before.
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