If the psychedelic sixties were born in the dancehalls of San Francisco, then they were conceived in a saloon in Virginia City, Nevada. Rockin' at the Red Dog - The Dawn of Psychedelic Rock, originally released as The Life and Times of the Red Dog Saloon is the story of the Red Dog Saloon and of the unique extended family that grew out of these wild times. It is told with remarkably articulate and intimate interviews, woven together with music, poster art, photographs, and rare archival footage.

Screening Comments:

"Great to hear all the women tell their stories."

"It's an amazing little piece of rock and roll history/ little known but with far reaching significance in the overall story of 20th century America...a story that needed to be told."

Background

The film focuses on the music, the art, the lightshow and the lifestyle that made the culture of the Sixties possible, a missing piece of Nevada history and a uniquely American story.

The Red Dog was the first of the dancehall venues, a place where the wild west was enacted on a daily basis, gourmet meals were served, and a new kind of rock and roll was being played. The atmosphere fostered cultural growth and artistic expression—and people danced! The Red Dog offered more than wild nightlife. It provided people with a forum for experimentation. Life was to be shared. Motivations weren't material or competitive, and what started out as a business proposition evolved into an extended family network that remains today.