Rare flyer for 'Jimmy' Hendrix gig in Nelson up for auction

4:50pm Tuesday 18th November 2008

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A FLYER advertising a Jimi Hendrix gig in Nelson is set to sell at auction for £700.

Entrance to the gig at the Imperial Ballroom on Saturday May 6, 1967, cost around 45p.

The ‘rare’ flyer’s auction price is more than 1,500 times that ticket price.

And it comes complete with a spelling mistake, as Hendrix is ‘Jimmy’ on the flyer, rather than ‘Jimi’.

The flyer - described by auctioneers Bonhams as "scarce" - measures four inches by fifteen inches.

Back in 1967 it would have been stuck in a window or on the wall of a shop or cafe or on an advertising hoarding.

1967 was one of the most successful year's in Hendrix's short life.

He achieved his major breakthrough with his first British top ten hit, Hey Joe, which entered the record charts in January 1967 and reached number six.

This was followed by Purple Haze in March which reached number three.

The week after the Nelson gig The Wind Cries Mary charted at number six.

Three years after his visit to Nelson, Hendrix dead at the age of 27 after choking on his vomit while sleeping.

The Imperial, in Carr Road, was managed by Bob Caine and was one of the most famous and best-loved musical venues in the north of England in the Swinging Sixties.

It regularly attracted the most illustrious names in pop music.

The Beatles liked the Imp so much they performed there twice, on May 11 and July 31,1963.

The Rolling Stones, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Otis Redding and Van Morrison also appeared there.

There were settees at the front near the stage and these could be reserved every week.

Last week, Hendrix's drummer, Mitch Mitchell was found dead in an hotel room in Portland, Oregon. He was 61.

The flyer is auctioned on November 25.