Unbelievable raw time capsule of what happened to the rock n' roll party post-sixties. What happened traveling on the train to and from the shows was the show you wanted to get tickets to, not what happened in the stadiums. You also get a glimpse at the party starting to close out. You understand why Janis Joplin was losing her voice after you watch her and Rick Danko (The Band) drunkenly flirting through song, while Jerry Garcia tries to slip in there with his, I've always loved you, Janis! There's a little sadness in this one as it's a closing of an era, you see the stars haggling with their fans of 60s philosophy to pay to get into the stadiums, instead of embracing all that freedom and love. There's definitely a clashing here of what the dream was, and the pitfalls of the music industry.

one of the finest concert movies from the 70s great music and 70s vibe !

Never a dull moment on two fun-packed discs. The only traveling festival ever was both a massive failure and a massive success. This, BTW started just 5 weeks after my first Dead show. Owned.

I had never heard of this festival tour until I saw the DVD for sale at my local DVD shop. I bought it on instinct, pessimistically expecting a low-budget, partly black-and-white montage with too many stills, but was fortunately captivated by this great, fly-on-the-wall look at what has to be one of the most exciting tours in history. It's all in colour, and there is also amazing sound; somewhat a necessity for capturing the on-stage performances of the great American bands of the time. Moreover, there's a large amount of bonus material, including concert footage of some of the lesser known artists who had the opportunity of a lifetime to play on the same bill as Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead and the Band, as well as jam with them on this rail-trip of a lifetime.

trip out and flashback, man. this movie is far out. i wish i was there.

Some really good conert footage and behind the scenes of some of the top bands of the 60's and 70's.

Like my mate said, wrap yourself up warm and enjoy the ride aboard the festival express. As I was quite ignorant of the genius of Janis Joplin previous to this, it was quite a treasured moment when she appears on stage for the first time and belts out 'cry baby' with astonishing emotion and vigour. All the more tragic when you think she died three months later. At the end, just before she plays the last song with the great Jerry Garcia, she presents the two organisers with a model of the train, 'to always remember the journey', and a crate of tequila, 'to continue the journey'. I don't know but that moment was quite chilling when you think about it. But a great rockumentary nevertheless.

This is up there with The Last Waltz..... that is the highest possible recommendation I can give this treasure of a rock documentary. I had goose bumps during several of the performances.....and what a concept. 'Woodstock was for the audience. This is for the artists'. Like Last Waltz and Woodstock its everything that the late sixties aspired to be all bunched into one awesome train ride. Its about 3 months before Janis death and she is primal in this. Wrap yourself up in a warm throw with a big cup of cocoa and transport yourself to the groovy years.

Excellent concert 'time capsule' faithfully captures the essence of the best concert films of its day as director Bob Smeaton documents the goings-on of a choice few icons of an era as they travel by train through Western Canada bringing their traveling music festival to five cities. Smeaton's brainchild is not without incident. Fights break out, the militia are called in, and tales are told by the survivors, including a still-embittered Smeaton, who personally bankrolled the entire engagement and, incredibly, regrets having staged the whole affair. In the end, we are left with documented proof of Joplin and Garcia jamming along with Delaney and Bonnie on a train, drinking the continent dry, as well as excellent ensemble performances on stage at the end of the run. A young Buddy Guys tears it up, and Joplin's dynamic performances here are both achingly heartfelt and eerily prescient, considering she'd be gone from us within a month of this festival. Beautifully shot, masterfully(and lovingly) edited in classic, early 1970's documentary-style that brings to mind Scorsese's 'Woodstock' for an official release some thirty years after the fact. A treasure. Painfully preemptive run-time is compensated by lots of DVD extras. ~ Jeffam.com

Excellent concert 'time capsule' faithfully captures the essence of the best concert films of its day as director Bob Smeaton documents the goings-on of a choice few icons of an era as they travel by train through Western Canada bringing their traveling music festival to five cities. Smeaton's brainchild is not without incident. Fights break out, the militia are called in, and tales are told by the survivors, including a still-embittered Smeaton, who personally bankrolled the entire engagement and, incredibly, regrets having staged the whole affair. In the end, we are left with documented proof of Joplin and Garcia jamming along with Delaney and Bonnie on a train, drinking the continent dry, as well as excellent ensemble performances on stage at the end of the run. A young Buddy Guys tears it up, and Joplin's dynamic performances here are both achingly heartfelt and eerily prescient, considering she'd be gone from us within a month of this festival. Beautifully shot, masterfully(and lovingly) edited in classic, early 1970's documentary-style that brings to mind Scorsese's 'Woodstock' for an official release some thirty years after the fact. A treasure. Painfully preemptive run-time is compensated by lots of DVD extras. ~ Jeffam.com

One of the highlights is Janis Joplin jammin' with Jerry Garcia. Doesn't get any better than that.

How come hardly anybody seems to know about this film?

I've been on many trains-but this is the train ride I'd love to be on. A lot of nice concert footage and informal jams on the train. It was the first time i saw footage of Janis Joplin playing live and she seems to have been a very interesting performer. This was probably one of if not the last footage taken of her as she died about a month after these festivals.

I'm always in the mood for this. just straight up classic 1970

WOODSTOCK on a train is the best way to describe this film. Assembled from new interviews and footage shot back in 1970, this film tells the story of a group of performers who rode a train across Canada to perform three shows. Great music truly carries the film, while the pompous producer with the thick moustache drags the film down a bit.

I Just fell in love with a dead woman. I am speechless... "And I know that it may always be true, that the grass is always greener when your looking in somebody elses yard...He said I gotta go find myself ya know, I gotta find my life, somewhere in Africa or over in NYC or over in Olima; someplace those cats are always wonderin' off too, they are always goin somwhere man. And I said baby don't you realize; you lookin for your life over there, honey. You wanna know where your life is? Your lie's waiting like a goddamn fool, right here, for you man!" -Janis Joplin

Back in the summer of 1970, an historic event took place that few here in the states knew about. A year after Woodstock, a promoter put together another festival with several big-name acts, including, among others, The Grateful Dead, The Band, and Janis Joplin, and scheduled three, outdoor, day-long concerts at three separate cities across Cananda. What made it historic, was that the bands travelled across Cananda together on one chartered train that became a week long jam session. This film records that entire experience and brings just a taste of it to the screen. This viewer happened to be one of the lucky few to have not only heard about the Festival Express, but actually attended the concert in Toronto that kicked it off. What a show, and what a time the musicians had. This film shows them on-stage and on the train, making music, and just plain having a great time. The commentary is provided by those who were there, remembering a time that can never be recaptured as several performers are no longer with us. Watching Janis reminded me of what a great talent she was and what a great loss that she met an early end. She definitely held nothing back in her performances and left it all on stage. Five stars!

I want to go across Canada by train with a bunch of awesome musicians in 1970! Damn my not being born for another 15 years!

nice footage of music

one for people who like that sort of thing, I would imagine a complete bore for those who don't.