The concert was a very elaborate affair, 5,000 tickets to the show were sold.
It started at 5:00 p.m. when everyone was served turkey dinners, as it was Thanksgiving Day.
This was followed by ballroom dancing before the show started at 9:00 pm.
The Band played with superb ease, and every song revealed The Band and each guest that sang on it in its best light.
The concert went on until the early hours of the morning, with The Band playing their final encore covering Marvin Gaye's 'Don't Do It' and The Band played their final note where every member was present.
After the concert was finished, and was recorded and shot with Martin Scorsese (director of Goodfellas, The Departed, Shutter Island) directing and controlling the cameras, it had to be edited and pieced together with interviews between Martin Scorsese and The Band, and fashioned into a film.
The movie was released in 1978, two years after the concert. The film has been hailed critically, listed among the greatest rock films. Chicago Tribune film critic George Wilmington calls it 'the greatest rock concert movie ever made – and maybe the best rock movie, period.'
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The Last Waltz- Background Info On The Band (II)
The Band followed Music From Big Pink with a handful of well-recieved albums, and The Band were enjoying touring and playing in large venues. but in 1976 they decided that they wanted to play their final concert; The Last Waltz.
This concert was played in the Winterland Ballroom, San Fransisco. It had a size capability of 5,400 people.
The Band chose it as the venue for their final concert as 'it was the first place where the band played as The Band,' and it was a good location, as it had a visual appeal which suited the film/concert.
For the concert the band summoned various musician friends to play with The Band in the concert. Here is a list of them;
Bob Dylan
Neil Diamond
Joni Mitchell
Eric Clapton
Ringo Starr
Muddy Waters
Paul Butterfield
The Staple Singers
Ronnie Hawkins
Emmylou Harris
Ronnie Wood.
This concert was played in the Winterland Ballroom, San Fransisco. It had a size capability of 5,400 people.
The Band chose it as the venue for their final concert as 'it was the first place where the band played as The Band,' and it was a good location, as it had a visual appeal which suited the film/concert.
For the concert the band summoned various musician friends to play with The Band in the concert. Here is a list of them;
Bob Dylan
Neil Diamond
Joni Mitchell
Eric Clapton
Ringo Starr
Muddy Waters
Paul Butterfield
The Staple Singers
Ronnie Hawkins
Emmylou Harris
Ronnie Wood.
The above image is a photograph taken from the The Last Waltz, from left; Dr. John, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Rick Danko, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Last Waltz- Background Info On The Band (I)
The Band formed in 1967 in Toronto, Canada. At first they constisted of five members; Rick Danko (Bass, Vocals), Robbie Robertson (Guitar, Vocals), Garth Hudson (organ, piano, clavinet, accordion, synthesizer, saxophone) Richard Manuel (piano, vocals) and one American, Levon Helm (drums, lead vocals.)
They initially tried to call themselves many different names, including The Hawks, The Levon Helm Sextet, Levon and The Hawks and The Canadian Squires.
None of these names seemed to work, and eventually as everyone seemed to know them as The Band, they decided to officially be called The Band.
They starte of as an accompanying band, youring and recording with solo singers such as Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan.
Eventually The Band started writing there own material, they did most of this living in a large pink rented house, near Woodstock, which they called 'The Big Pink.'
They initially tried to call themselves many different names, including The Hawks, The Levon Helm Sextet, Levon and The Hawks and The Canadian Squires.
None of these names seemed to work, and eventually as everyone seemed to know them as The Band, they decided to officially be called The Band.
They starte of as an accompanying band, youring and recording with solo singers such as Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan.
Eventually The Band started writing there own material, they did most of this living in a large pink rented house, near Woodstock, which they called 'The Big Pink.'
The above image is the album cover of Music From Big Pink, 1968, http://images.hugi.is/myndlist/115869.jpg
In reference to the house they called their debut album 'Music From Big Pink' which was released in 1968. This album recieved critical acclaim, 'The Weight' probably being there most succesful song on the album.
The music was a distinctive blend of folk, country, rock and soul, but also an element of physchedelic appearing in the song 'Chest Fever.'
The Last Waltz
I'm doing a blog on everything surrounding a specific concert, The Last Waltz.
This was a farewell concert performed by The Band, along with guest appearances from artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Armstrong, Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison.
It was performed on the 26th of November, 1976, in The Winterland Ballroom, San Fransisco.
The concert was recorded and filmed when combined with interviews with The Band, was released as a film in 1978. This film was directed by Martin Scorsese.
The movie was quite unique, as it was more not a documentary, or simply a filmed concert. It
This was a farewell concert performed by The Band, along with guest appearances from artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Armstrong, Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison.
It was performed on the 26th of November, 1976, in The Winterland Ballroom, San Fransisco.
The concert was recorded and filmed when combined with interviews with The Band, was released as a film in 1978. This film was directed by Martin Scorsese.
The movie was quite unique, as it was more not a documentary, or simply a filmed concert. It
captured an important moment for a band which played such an important part in the movement of rock 'n' roll in the sixties and seventies.
The above image is the original cover for The Last Waltz soundtrack.
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