Rockin' at the Red Dog (2005)

Perched in the middle of Virginia City, Nevada, is a little-known piece of '60s counterculture history. Though the hippie movement is acknowledged to have been born in San Francisco, the seeds of musical experimentation, free love, and artistic expression germinated in the Red Dog Saloon, where bands like The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and The Charlatans played long before they were famous. The psychedelic era was ushered in at this nightspot, where the scene was somewhat surreal, as the musicians carried guns, the kitchen served gourmet French meals to rowdy customers, and the air was full of creativity and revolution. Filmmaker Mary Works pieces together the story using interviews with key members of the community, music, archival footage, photos, and poster art. A sense of the excitement of the times is palpable, while an interesting look at what each person went on to do is also afforded.