The best Phil Lesh’s documentary movies

The landmark documentary about the tragically ill-fated Rolling Stones free concert at Altamont Speedway on December 6, 1969. Only four months earlier, Woodstock defined the Love Generation; now it lay in ruins on a desolate racetrack six miles outside of San Francisco.

The filmed account of a large Canadian rock festival train tour boasting major acts. In the summer of 1970, a chartered train crossed Canada carrying some of the world's greatest rock bands. The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Buddy Guy, and others lived (and partied) together for five days, stopping in major cities along the way to play live concerts. Their journey was filmed.

"Move Me Brightly" is a film based around a musical gathering at Bob Weir's TRI Studios in San Rafael, California to mark what would have been Jerry Garcia's 70th birthday on 3rd August, 2012. The revolving line-up of performers included fellow Grateful Dead members along with many guest artists who joined together to celebrate Jerry Garcia's life and work. Grateful Dead bandmates and other musicians who played with or were inspired by him. It is fitting tribute to one of rock music's most creative and imaginative composers and performers. Features contributions from fellow Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and Donna Jean Godchaux along with Garcia family members and guests including Carlos Santana, Furthur's Joe Russo & Jeff Chimenti, Phish's Mike Gordon, Black Crowes' Adam MacDougall, Vampire Weekend's Chris Tomson, Yellowbirds' Sam Cohen & Josh Kaufman and many more.

The tale of the Grateful Dead is inspiring, complicated, and downright messy. A tribe of contrarians, they made art out of open-ended chaos and inadvertently achieved success on their own terms. Never-before-seen footage and interviews offer this unprecedented and unvarnished look at the life of the Dead.

Released in 1977 and directed by Jerry Garcia, is a film that captures performances from the Grateful Dead's October 1974 five-night stand at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. This end-of-tour run marked the beginning of an extended hiatus for the band, with no shows planned for 1975. The movie also faithfully portrays the burgeoning Deadhead scene. The film features the "Wall of Sound" concert sound system that the Dead used for all of 1974.

Sunshine Daydream is a concert film starring the Grateful Dead. On a blistering summer day in 1972, the Grateful Dead took the stage on the grounds of the Oregon Country Fair in Veneta, Oregon. for what would become one of the most legendary concerts of the band’s storied history. Considered to be the Merry Pranksters last "Acid Test", the concert offers a snapshot of the band at the peak of its playing prowess. The setlist that day included memorable performance of "Sugaree, " "Deal, " "Black-Throated Wind, " "Greatest Story Ever Told, " "Bird Song" and a mind-melting version of "Dark Star" that stretches over 30 minutes. The show, which was recorded and filmed but never released, has since become the most-requested live show in Grateful Dead history. A digitally remastered and reedited official version of the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 17, 2013.

So Far is a music documentary video by the Grateful Dead. Directed by Jerry Garcia and Len Dell'Amico, it is intended to give a subjective view of the Grateful Dead experience. The soundtrack includes Dead song performances, largely from 1985. The visuals combine scenes of the band playing the songs, other Dead related material, computer animation, and found footage that has been altered and edited in various ways. So Far was released on VHS videotape and on laserdisc in 1987, and has a running time of 55 minutes.

Grateful Dead show on July 17, 1989 at Alpine Valley.