Thanksgiving 1977 (November 25th) was a night to never forget for 5,000 fans in San Francisco, California. Canadian-American rock band, The Band, was a vital part of rock 'n' roll history. The original line-up featured Rick Danko (bass guitar, vocals), Garth Hudson (keyboards, saxophone), Richard Manuel (keyboards, vocals), Robbie Robertson (guitar, vocals), and Levon Helm (drums, vocals).
From 1965-1967 they were Bob Dylan's backup band for his first U.S."electric" tour. From there, their success skyrocketed, earning them a spot at 1969's Woodstock festival, and receiving immeasurable praise from Rolling Stone. By 1976, Robertson was becoming weary of all the touring, and Richard Manuel suffered a neck injury. Robertson urged the band to retire from touring, conceiving Thanksgiving's massive "farewell" concert, dubbed "The Last Waltz."
It was a night for the books. Taking place at The Winterland Ballroom in SF, the audience of 5,000 was treated to a turkey dinner. The performance featured a horn section with arrangements by Allen Toussant, and a bevy of impressive guests joining them on stage. The roster of special guests included (hold onto your hats): Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ronnie Hawkins, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Dr. John, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Ron Wood, Bobby Charles, Neil Diamond and Paul Butterfield. The concert was recorded, and later made into a live film, by none other than Robertson's friend, a guy by the name of Martin Scorsese.
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If you're impressed, get ahold of the setlist. It was a whopping 42-songs long, which included three encores, the second of which were two jams with various guests. The night fired off with their beloved jam "Up On Cripple Creek," and the whole night was career-spanning.
They threw in plenty of covers like Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?" with Hawkins, Dr. John's "Such a Night" with the man himself, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Helpless" with Young, a handful of Joni Mitchell numbers, and more. See the epic setlist below.
Once The Last Waltz was released on film, it was hailed one of the greatest documentary concert films ever made. In addition to the performance, the film also features interviews done by Scorsese himself. Any music fan has most likely watched it, but if you haven't or want to see it again, you can watch the full concert on YouTube.
The band reformed in the '80s without Robertson, and the reunited band was well-received. They were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 1989 Juno Awards.
We all have a lot to be thankful for today, but if there's one thing that "The Last Waltz" can help us remember to be thankful about, it's the magic of music.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Setlist.fm fam!
