My buddy turns to me and says, “I had this movie on a bootleg VHS tape and always thought some strange big bird was flapping above Garcia’s head…now I know it was a crazed naked man flapping his arms and penis. IMAX Theatre is great.”

The Grateful Dead’s 3rd Annual “Meet up at the Movies” in honor on Jerry Garcia’s Bday (Aug 1) was a huge success. In fact the theatre was sold out.  I saw a dozen old Dead tour buddies and had lots of laughs telling stories about the “good ole days”.  Garcia tearing into a killer jam brings me back to those magical days every time.

Seeing a remastered film of this show was special. The Dead crew know how to connect with fans and keep the tradition going. I was flooded (in a good way) by social media about the show.

 

For those not familiar with the movie…read the Rolling Stone story here.

On a blistering summer day in 1972, the Grateful Dead took the stage on the grounds of the Oregon Country Fair in Veneta, OR for what would become one of the most legendary Dead concerts in the band’s storied history.

“Sunshine Daydream” — a movie about this day — was originally shot on 16mm film and restored to HD resolution. The film captures the band fresh off the Europe ’72 tour and at the epicenter of the counterculture movement. The background story told on how the Dead came together to help raise money to keep the local town’s Springfield Creamery afloat is cool.

Evidently, the show didn’t raise nearly enough money to save the Creamery, so the Grateful Dead wrote an additional check to ensure the business/community could carry on.

 

Here is a link to Birdsong from the movie…check it out.

Some thoughts on the movie:

1. This movie captured the Dead’s jazzy jam side very well.  That Dark Star and space were iconic.

2. Very cool to see how this stage was designed from logs in the Oregon forest.  Watching local carpenters nail together the stage while hanging from thin wires is wild.

3.  The video of the kid playing with the dog (if you saw the movie, you know what I’m talking about), who eventually snatches a candy bar from his hand, was touching and cute (even for a grizzled old dog like me.)

4. The tie-dyed amplifier covers are classic.  As is the t-shirt with the Garcia face worn by the stagehands.

5. Great song selection that demonstrates several sides of the many faced band…

…El Paso” and Jerry’s Mexican guitar riffs…

…Garcia and Donna’s sweet voices on “Birdsong” and “Sing Me Back Home”…

…Phil’s crazy bass thumping…

…the Weir/Garcia interplay of obscure chords and timing.

6. There is a crazy naked guy (who BTW looked a lot like Iggy Pop — see atop the story) standing on a telephone pole behind the stage for most of the concert.

In Paramus at the movie theatre, it was funny that the whole movie audience clapped in unison when he eventually put some shorts on to cover his unkept man junk.

7. The close-up of Garcia’s eyes while his fingers danced on the guitar during the Dark Star jam is priceless.

8. Billy Kreutzman had an understated drum set and …as duly pointed out by skins man Bundy two seats to my left…he rocked that little garage drum kit like a champ.

9. The Merry Pranksters footage which shows Neal Cassady behind the wheel of the “Further” bus.  I love the sign taped to the front windshield that says “Neal gets things done.”

10.  Phil Lesh looked like he had a REALLY good time.

Lastly, a new little man entered the lives of a dear friend on the same day as Jerry Garcia….Aug 1.  I hope Liam captures some of Jerry’s ability of creative expression.

Any time you want to get your Dead on… throw on this flick!

Peace y’all..