The Last Waltz (Prime Video )

[metirish]

I had never seen the Martin Scorsese documentary chronicling The Band's farewell show at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco , amazing insights and performances, I didn't realize what a great guitar player Robbie Robertson was

[Edgy MD]

Stands rivaled only by Stop Making Sense as the greatest American concert film.

[metirish]

I'll have to watch that, some amazing performances, Dylan really played the strat too , Van Morrison was brilliant, just amazing to watch , can't believe I had never seen it

[Frayed Knot]

It's tough naming a highlight from that movie since essentially all the performances are highlights.

There may have been a few lesser gigs that wound up on the cutting room floor but if you want to call any particular number

(whether from by The Band or from one of the guests) as the best of the bunch and you won't get an argument from me.

[Edgy MD]

The only flaw was that a couple of the acts they couldn't squeeze in to the live performances ended up performing at a different time with The Band in an otherwise empty theater. They get edited in, but it feels kind of jarring.

[Frayed Knot]

One memory I have of seeing TLW for the first time was that it was in a college lecture hall that they'd use for movie nights on weekends.

So when the credits are going up during the film's intro each succeeding name was cheered ... until there were a substantial bit of booing for Neil Diamond,

presumably because his inclusion apparently offended the hipper-than-thou crowd and they were afraid that Neil's lack of (perceived) coolness would rub off

on them somehow if they didn't register their complaints. It bothered me then and it still bothers me now on the rare occasions I think about it.

Anyway, those who turned their ears off during his 3-4 minutes on stage missed a nice performance from a song of his I didn't know then and don't think

I've ever heard anytime since except for when seeing that Last Waltz performance.

[YOUTUBE]RurccWvJiS8[/YOUTUBE]

[Edgy MD]

That's what you get for going to college.

[cal sharpie]

I agree with Edgy that, along with Stop Making Sense, this is the greatest music concert film.

I saw The Band the year before The Last Waltz (where they opened for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). I was living in the Bay Area and knew about the upcoming Last Waltz and would've liked to go but I was in high school and it was Thanksgiving so I couldn't. One of my friends did go, however, and stayed for the whole shebang til 4am or thereabouts,

Also, I read Robbie Robertson's memoir, Testimony earlier this year. It's pretty great for what it is and has much on The Last Waltz.

[whippoorwill]

Neil Diamond is super cool

[Fman99]

It is the greatest music concert film ever made and I won't hear arguments to the contrary.

I'm a huge fan of the Band and even having listened to many different renditions of these songs, the ones in this movie are very often the best versions. I play a number of these songs at my gigs when I can squeeze them in.

[Edgy MD]

Neil Diamond is super cool

 

Greatest album cover ever.

[whippoorwill]

My son, when he was in Jr Hi got me a Neil Diamond Greatest Hits CD. It was kind of unexpected, but I never realized just how much I loved Neil until I listened and realized I loved almost every single song.

My son has always had a knack for gifts.

Edgy, do you mean Hot August Night? That's a great album cover indeed.

[Edgy MD]

It is insanely zexy. For a guy who has trouble getting cool points, Neil got himself a cover shot there that even Jim Morrison would envy.

I would post it here, but the forum might break.

[Edgy MD]

I'll have to watch that, some amazing performances, Dylan really played the strat too , Van Morrison was brilliant, just amazing to watch , can't believe I had never seen it

 

The fun part of the Dylan performance is how it changes The Band's demeanor. All along, it is a Band concert with all these big shots stopping by to sing for them and try to keep up, but when Dylan comes on, they instantly turn into his band again, staring intently at him, watching him for the cues with noticeable deference.

[Frayed Knot]

I was just doing some reading about how Dylan almost broke the movie before it could get made.

He was just about to release Renaldo and Clara, a movie he starred in as well as co-wrote that eventually pre-dated the release of LW by a few months,

and he was reluctant to appear in something which might conflict with it. Scorsese and the Band knew that a Dylan-less Waltz would blow a major hole

in the financial outlook of their film so frantic negotiations went on leading practically right up to performance night.

In the end crisis was averted when Bob agreed to allow two, but only two, of his performances into the picture ... and the rest is history.

[whippoorwill]

It is insanely zexy. For a guy who has trouble getting cool points, Neil got himself a cover shot there that even Jim Morrison would envy.

I would post it here, but the forum might break.

 

Do it!