6 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
A guide to the Grateful Dead's 2025 Meet-Up at the Movies
The Grateful Dead's annual Meet-Up at the Movies is expanding in honor of the 60th anniversary of the legendary Bay Area band's founding.
Traditionally celebrated only one day each year, its 2025 edition — featuring a 4K restoration of the 1977 concert film 'The Grateful Dead Movie' — can be seen in theaters starting Wednesday, Aug. 13, through Sept. 2.
What's more, this year's Meet-Up will include IMAX screenings for the first time, Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 13-17.
'It was the greatest screening I've ever experienced of a film I've seen hundreds of times,' declared David Lemieux, Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager, in a statement after seeing a preview of the film in IMAX.
What is Meet-Up at the Movies?
It is an annual event in which concert videos and films of the Grateful Dead are screened in movie theaters around the world, allowing Deadheads, as the band's superfans are known, to gather together for a communal experience.
This year in the Bay Area, it also serves as a special treat for those who attended this months' anniversary concerts at Golden Gate Park earlier in the month.
The first event occurred in the United States on April 20, 2011 — appropriately 4/20, the cannabis holiday — with screenings of 'The Grateful Dead Movie.'
What is 'The Grateful Dead Movie'?
Though released in 1977, 'The Grateful Dead Movie' was filmed in October 1974 during a five-night run at San Francisco's now-defunct Winterland Ballroom. At the time, they were thought to be the band's final performances, with the Oct. 20 show billed as 'The Last One.'
The concerts featured in the film showcase the Dead's Wall of Sound — the sound system designed specifically for the band — that redefined concert audio. The film also includes interviews with band members and crew, as well as a rare portrait of the band's fans and even some animation.
The movie had a budget of $600,000 and was directed by the band's frontman, Jerry Garcia, and documentarian Leon Gast. It opened in theaters on June 1, 1977.
In addition to the first Meet-Up, 'The Grateful Dead Movie' was screened at the 2017 event. It has since been restored in 4K with remastered sound.
Where can I see it in IMAX?
'The Grateful Dead Movie' will be available to watch on several IMAX screens across the Bay Area, including the traditional large IMAX screens at the AMC Metreon 16 in San Francisco and the Regal Hacienda Crossings in Dublin.
Is it only showing in IMAX?
What else will be screened?
'China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider,' a bonus live performance from the Winterland shows not included in the official film release, will make its theatrical premiere after 'The Grateful Dead Movie.'
How can I get tickets?
Will there be merchandise?
Of course! Many theaters will offer hats, T-shirts, hoodies, posters, etc.
How can I keep the party going?
Last October, the band released 83 minutes of additional footage that didn't make it into its final cut on its YouTube channel. The bonus material, previously included in a 2004 DVD release, has been remastered in HD and includes performances of 'Uncle John's Band,' 'Sugaree' and a handful of extended numbers.
