It may be the most legendary rock concert of all time. Never have so many icons of a generation assembled on one stage, with one peerless band, to such indelible ends as the Band's final hurrah at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving Day, 1976.
The epic all-star event featured Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Eric Clapton and many more. It became an essential album and a classic film by young director Martin Scorsese.
Now, live on stage across New Zealand, it's about to make history once more. The show will be performing in Auckland's The Civic, in the Christchurch's Isaac Theatre Royal and in the Wellington's Opera House this November.
The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary Concert Tour reunites two of the creative lynchpins of the landmark event for the first time: the Band's keyboard genius Garth Hudson and their music director John Simon, the "sixth member" of the US-Canadian outfit that lit the torch of Americana for generations to come.
Both will perform live on stage, carrying the spirit of those unforgettable performances of 40 years ago, and sharing stories about the monumental task and seemingly effortless delivery of a gig that has passed into rock'n'roll folklore.
"40 years ago I was the Musical Director for The Last Waltz and I had a ball! And now that New Zealand is celebrating The Last Waltz with it’s terrific musicians playing the iconic songs from that historic concert, I’m stoked to be a part of it. Those performers will add so much to the original material of The Last Waltz. I can already feel the excitement pouring from those stages in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. It’s gonna be great."
John Simon, Original Musical Director of the Last Waltz Concert and The Band’s Music Producer.
The Anniversary concert's handpicked rock ensemble naturally features some of our most seasoned and revered players, led by the Warratahs' Barry Saunders, blues guitar giant Kevin Borich, Canadian expat Tami Neilson, country journeyman Delaney Davidson and the Eastern's Adam McGrath, with more to be announced soon...
They'll be backed by one of the mightiest bands ever to straddle the rock-country divide: The Bads features Brett Adams, Dianne Swann, Dave Khan, Mike Hall, Wayne Bell and very special guest Paddy Milner—whose reputation as one of the world's great blues pianists stems from work with Tom Jones, Jack Bruce, David Gilmour, Eric Burdon and Van Morrison.
From "The Weight" to "Forever Young", "Caravan" to "I Shall Be Released", "Mystery Train" to "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", don’t miss this magical intersection of timeless music and unique performers revisiting one of the great moments in rock history.
The Last Waltz
Christchurch - Tuesday November 22 - Isaac Theatre Royal
Wellington - Wednesday November 23 - The Opera House
Auckland - Thursday November 24 - The Civic
Post a comment