I thought about this as a new topic because I watched the movie again the other day and was just wondering where we all drifted off to over the years. I was twenty years old in Oct '74 and lucky enough to have gone to the shows although I didn't catch the full run. After hearing rumors the boys might be going into retirement I knew I had to catch the last shows. I was living in Huntington Beach (in Southern Cal) at the time so I grabbed my backpack, a pocketful of change and hitch hiked to San Francisco. I took me three days to get there, which was unusual. In those days it was fairly easy to catch a ride in one long day, but it took me a whole day just to get through LA to Santa Barbara, another day to get to Big Sur and then the third day to get into The City for the last 3 shows. I got lucky and scored tickets for Fri Sat and Sun from a head with some extras (yes, miracles definately do happen!). I don't remember too much of the shows (due to exaggerated happiness) but I do remember cameras and film crew. I didn't want to be on camera or be interviewed (shyness and mild paranoia!) so I did my best to dance off into the crowd whenever they were heading in my direction. I do recognize a lot of the folks in the movie, not by name of couse but by their happy faces. Winterland will always hold special memories for me because it was such a magical building. The balcony would seem like it was bouncing when everyone was really rockin' and the spiral stairwells had their own unique acoustics that really reverberated with sound. And of couse it had it's own smell! And the bathrooms!! Probably the worst bathrooms on the planet but that's another story! If you can find a copy of the movie "Get Crazy" it's pretty close to the Winterland experience. Also the Kaiser in Oakland is almost identical to Winterland except it's a little bigger. Anyway if you were in the movie, either interviewed or just filmed flipping and flopping with the music it would be interesting to know who you are and a little bit about yourself and where life has taken you over the years.
"Unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God" ...
... the Books of Bokonon
Posted: March 10, 2008 - 8:19am
granfallooon had a darn good idea for a topic, so here it is:
I'm sure a lot of us would like to know more about the players and heroes from the Grateful Dead Movie. maybe some info on who they are, where are they now etc. a few folks come to mind: the "chicklets" guy that lip synched US Blues at the edge of the stage, the 2 guys that were discussing royalties for being filmed (in particular the guy that says "there is nothing like a GD concert"), the dancing cowboy/hippie at the start of SugMag and the space cadet that was "just getting my space together" after he "just came from a phone call" among other assorted characters. Just a thought.
If you have any inside knowledge, or questions of your own, post here!