It was a trip, man.
In the summer of 1970, some of the biggest musical stars of the day -- Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Band and others -- hopped a train and rode the rails from Toronto to Calgary for five days of partying, concerts, jams and more partying.
The whole shebang -- including a Winnipeg stop -- was filmed, but disputes between promoters and filmmakers delayed the editing and release of the film until now, more than 30 years after the event.
It was worth the wait.
Of the 75 hours of film shot, 46 were found and distilled into The Festival Express, a revealing and fascinating 90-minute rockumentary directed by Grammy-winner Bob Smeaton.
The concert footage is the main draw, of course, and with good reason. The Festival Express is an amazing document that captures the artists at the peak of their creative powers -- especially Joplin's gut-wrenching performances in Winnipeg and Calgary.
Winnipeggers old enough to have been there will also get a kick out of shots of the pre-expansion Forks, a one-level Polo Park, a bleacherless Winnipeg Stadium and of course the crowd of stoned hipsters dancing in the hot sun.
But the true highlights of the film are the fly-on-the wall scenes in the train. Travelling between cities and gigs, the musicians are seen letting their hair down, jamming and partying -- although the drug of choice seems to be Canadian Club more often than LSD.
One scene that shows The Band's Rick Danko playing with The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and Janis Joplin in various stages of intoxication is particularly bittersweet. On the one hand, the three look like they're having the time of their lives. On the other, the realization that all three of them are dead -- and basically as a result of their social vices -- gives the footage an extra layer of tragic significance.
But for the most part, the mood of the film remains as care-free as the trip itself. When the Express riders run out of booze following the Winnipeg show, they make an emergency pit stop in Saskatoon, raising $800 by passing the hat. The booze is spiked with a hallucinogenic and the trip is back on.
"That train was buzzing down the rails," recalls The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, one of several musicians whose memories of the trek help illustrate what a unique experience it was for everyone involved.
Bluesman Buddy Guy echoes the sentiment. "I'll never get that chance to be with Jerry and Janis again," he says. "Those things only happen once in a lifetime."
But whether you were there or not, Festival Express is a must-see for any fan of '60s music. Viewers at the preview screening we attended could be heard singing along -- and you just might find yourself joining in on a chorus or two.
(This film is rated PG)
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