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While listening to music by one of my favorite bands, thinking about winter themed material for today’s MOT, I stumbled across this fantastic blending of music and stunning visuals.
Composed by drummer Mickey Hart, with lyrics by Robert Hunter, Fire on the Mountain was released on the Grateful Dead’s Shakedown Street album in 1978.
Teton Gravity Research presents Chris Benchetler’s short film about some of the world’s best athletes on a spontaneous journey of skiing, snowboarding, surfing, and music. The soundtrack is Grateful Dead music. In fact, the soundtrack is from the live soundtrack of the legendary Grateful Dead concert at Cornell University, Ithica, NY on May 8, 1977. The Grateful Dead performed Fire on the Mountain for the first time at that concert.
It was at that 5/8/1977 concert that they segued Fire on the Mountain and Scarlet Begonias into an epic 25 minutes and 50 second performance.
Like the music of the Grateful Dead, Benchetler improvises. Fire On The Mountain features some of action sports’ most legendary athletes: snowboarding’s Jeremy Jones, Danny Davis, Kimmy Fasani, surfing icon Rob Machado, and skiers Michelle Parker and Chris Benchetler himself.
The visuals in this short film are stunning. Narration is by basketball great Bill Walton, himself a dedicated DeadHead. He can often be seen in the front row at concerts by Dead and Company.
Teton Gravity Research just released this video four days ago. Enjoy.
Some great wintertime photography in that video!
Hey, it’s the Holiday season. Let’s rock a bit of Christmas cheer. Have a Boogie-Woogie Merry Christmas with Dr K, Anthony Miles, and Terry Miles:
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