easy-rider-live-radio-city

members of Steppenwolf, Byrds playing 'Easy Rider Live' event at Radio City (BrooklynVegan presale)

easy-rider-live-radio-city

Counter culture classic Easy Rider turned 50 this month and in celebration of that, there’s going to be a special screening and music event at Radio City Music Hall on September 20. Dubbed “Easy Rider Live,” it features a remastered print of the film on “the world’s largest theater flown LED screen” with a live soundtrack featuring Steppenwolf’s John Kay, The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn and “special guests.” T. Bone Burnett is the music producer for “Easy Rider Live” and the film’s co-writer and star, Peter Fonda, will give opening remarks.

“What a ride it’s been,” Fonda said in a statement. “From a funky motel room in Toronto in ‘67 to a roar on the shore at Cannes in May 1969. A wild ride up the stairs at the Palais into the history books of cinema. Looking for America. Would we find it today? I think not. Did we really ‘blow it?’ You bet. Fifty years later, are we blowing it now? You bet. Enjoy the new print. Sing along with the songs. Laugh with the humor! Remember the spirit! Find the love.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 2 at noon but you can get them early with the BrooklynVegan presale that runs Thursday, August 1 from 10 AM to 10 PM. Watch a trailer for Easy Rider Live, below.

Easy Rider‘s soundtrack includes Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” and “The Pusher,” The Byrds’ “Wasn’t Born to Follow,” Roger McGuinn’s “Ballad of Easy Rider” (co-written by Bob Dylan) and his cover of Dylan’s “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” Jimi Hendrix’s “If 6 Was 9” and more. There’s no score to the film and event producer Peter Shapiro tells Variety that no extra music will be added to the presentation, though the songs may play out longer than they do in the film. “Maybe if it’s an interstitial piece, the film has maybe two minutes of music with a visual montage of them on the road on the motorcycles — and maybe the songs go longer, and after the montage we let the band play for a bit. But the movie itself will be treated purely,” Shapiro told Variety.

Watch the trailer for Easy Rider and listen to the soundtrack below.