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Album Details

• Artist: The Band
• Album: The Last Waltz
• Label: MGM
• Year of Release: 1978
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-03-31

The Last Waltz was meant to be the very last show for The Band. They decided to go out in style, inviting all of the friends that they had made over the years to play as well. What ended up is one of the best festivals/concerts to ever be documented. Martin Scorcese was approached to film the concert but he had another movie engagement. Once Robbie Robertson and the rest of the Band explained exactly what was going to happen, Martin just couldn’t refuse so I fit it into his busy schedule. The stage was set quite elegantly with beautiful chandeliers and curtains complete with front floor lights that gave the setting even more personality. The crowd was treated to a sit-down thanksgiving dinner before the show and then the Band came on and played for hours. Scorcese knew that concert films had been done in which the crowd had been documented and wanted this one to be about the music. The result was very few audience shots. If they were there then they were shot from the back of the stage to catch the band in action. The appearing guests read like a who’s who of music at that time: Neil Young, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, the man The Band got their start with – Ronnie Hawkins, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and more. Scenes were shot later with the Staple Singers and Emmylou Harris in order to round out musical styles. What the Band got was one of the finest music concert documentaries ever filmed to date.

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