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The Last Waltz 40th Anniversay Tour

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/last-waltz-tribute-tour-warren-haynes-don-was-plot-2017-trek-w450910
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfXWA7oudG8
The Last Waltz 40 Tour Dates in 2017
January 21 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Casino
January 23 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
January 24 – Atlanta, GA @ Woodruff Arts Center
January 25 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
January 27 – Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre (Jamey Johnson not scheduled to appear)
January 28 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre (Jamey Johnson not scheduled to appear)
January 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Verizon Hall/Kimmel Center
January 31 – Toronto Canada @ Sony Centre
February 2 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre
February 3 – Westbury, NY @ Theatre at Westbury
February 4 – Washington DC @ The Theater at MGM National Harbor
here's a clip when warren did a preview of this tour in nola during jazzfest 2016
Warren Haynes & Friends - The Weight; The Last Waltz; New Orleans, LA 2016.4.30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tl-s_k06l4

Comments

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    EM194007EM194007 Posts: 2,827
    Already have my tickets for opening night in Hollywood, FL.
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    Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,602
    Philly for me. Can't wait.
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    toolietoolie Posts: 388
    I hope but they do a west leg.
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    Warren Haynes Revisits The Last Waltz
    http://www.jambands.com/features/2017/01/06/warren-haynes-revisits-the-last-waltz/
    January 6, 2017
    Warren Haynes has a new project on the horizon.
    After wrapping up his Gov’t Mule’s annual New Year’s Eve dates at the Beacon Theatre, he’ll head over to Negril, Jamaica in mid-January for the sold-out 8th installment of the group’s Island Exodus (with Soulive, Nicki Bluhm, Marcus King and Ron Holloway and a bonus Warren solo set). Island Exodus runs from January 14-18 but Haynes will make a quick return to the U.S. because on Saturday, January 21, he’ll open a special series of dates with Don Was, John Medeski, Jamey Johnson, Ivan Neville and additional celebrated players.


    The Last Waltz 40 Tour: A Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of The Last Waltz originated with a two-night, sold-out concert event which took place during Jazz Fest 2016 at New Orleans’ historic Saenger Theatre. Those shows, dubbed Last Waltz New Orleans: A Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of The Last Waltz, were so fun and successful that everyone is having another go at it. Haynes and producer/bassist Don Was will once again served as musical directors of the all-star ensemble which also includes Michael McDonald, Terence Higgins, Bob Margolin, Dave Malone, Mark Mullins, Medeski, Johnson and Neville along with the original horn arrangements of Allen Toussaint. After opening in Hollwood, Florida on January 21 (Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) the tour will route up to the Northeast before dipping down to Washington D.C. for the closing night on February 4.

    We recently spoke with Haynes about the tour, his frenzied schedule, upcoming Gov’t Mule album and his remarkable abilities as an unflappable multi-tasker.

    How did this project come about? And how did you get involved?


    I’ve done several of these tribute shows for Blackbird Presents. The first one was for Levon (Helm). Then I did one for Gregg Allman, followed by one I did one for Dr. John and one I did for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Don Was and I are friends, and I’ve become friends with Keith Workman who is the producer of the shows. Don and I were friends prior, and then I discovered he was the musical director for a lot of these shows and we started talking about doing one together. So they called me in November of 2015 and asked me about doing “The Last Waltz” concert in New Orleans. I was intrigued about the idea, so the first thing we talked about was who the singers would be. And they turned out to be myself, Mike McDonald and Jamie Johnson. Everybody loved the idea. So then we started talking about who the band might be and it all came together very quickly. We invited a lot of guests, some of whom were New Orleans staples. The whole thing was supposed to be a one off show, and then everybody started saying we ought to take this on the road and it became a bigger project.

    Was it a problem trying to coordinate the time commitments? You tour a lot on your own and with your various bands. How did you manage that?

    It’s definitely been a chore dealing with everybody’s schedules, but when something is worth doing it’s definitely worth trying to make it work. We just decided to pound it out and see what we came up with and I’m really glad that it worked out. I think it’s going to be a blast.

    Had you mostly worked with these musicians before?


    The only one I hadn’t worked with was Jamey Johnson. I’ve worked a lot with Medeski and a lot in the last few years with Don Was. Terence Higgins was the drummer in my band after I released the Man in Motion album and toured behind that. I worked with the horn guys off and on through the years. It didn’t take a ton of rehearsal. Everybody showed up prepared, we rehearsed a few days and that was that.

    How familiar was everybody with the material?

    In varying degrees, everybody was familiar with the songs. But everybody had plenty of time to live with the music. We decided on the song selection well in advance. We couldn’t possibly tackle the whole show because the original show was so long. When everyone showed up the first day of rehearsal everyone showed up prepared and it just clicked.

    Is the majority of the repertoire Band songs?

    It’s mostly Band stuff. But I did “Caravan” by Van Morrison. We did a version of “I Shall Be Released” that was similar to the Band’s but also kind of different. There were a lot of cool covers. Dave Malone did “This Wheel’s On Fire,” which is a Band song but we had a special guest vocalist doing it. We approached it differently from song to song.

    What did The Last Waltz and the Band’s music mean to you as an individual? Was that an influence on you early on? Did it make a big impact on you musically?

    When I was a kid, everybody had The Last Waltz triple album in their collection. They were mostly people my brother’s age, older than me because I had two older brothers. One was three years older, one was five years older. So everybody we hung out with had The Last Waltz album. So we would hear it a lot long before I ever saw the movie, and when I finally saw the movie it was so intense to have all those people in one place that were all connected to the Band’s music. I think that music is more important now to me and to a lot of people more now than it was then.

    You’ve been a part of so many great bands, be it your solo material, the music you make with Gov’t Mule, and of course the ongoing role you’ve played with the Dead and the Allman Brothers Band. You could have done tributes connected with those bands and their classic albums.

    This opportunity came up because it was the 40th anniversary of The Last Waltz and it was something we were all excited about doing. The one-off version exceeded our expectations and we decided to keep it going a bit longer. I’m very excited it’s going to happen, and of course I was very close to Levon the last 15 years of his life and I really loved him and loved playing music with him as much as possible. We celebrated his 70th birthday with him at Mountain Jam a few years back and we had a lot of guests join us for that. It just feels right. It just feels natural.

    Speaking of which, can you give us some idea of what you have on your slate for the coming months and the new year?

    We’re just wrapping up a new Govt. Mule album, which, if all goes well, we’ll have out sometime in May. So once that’s out, we’ll be touring with Govt. Mule for the next year, year and a half or so. We’ll be going to Europe and Japan and all over the world to spread the word. Of course, there’s always other projects going on, but that will be the main focus for me from that time forward.

    Are you ever home?

    These days it’s either work or family, and those are the two things I focus on. When I’m not working, I’m home with family and I don’t really have a lot going on beyond that.

    It seems like you would have to set aside time to be with the family because you tour so much. It must be a challenge.

    It’s a challenge but I’ve gotten better and better with dealing with it through the years. I have a five year old son now, and when he was born we started looking at ways to keep me home more and gradually my schedule will slow down more. But as long as things are exciting and pertinent, I really enjoy my work and I feel fortunate to be able to do it.
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    EM194007EM194007 Posts: 2,827
    First show of the mini tour is just 12 1/2 hours away, :) can't wait for 7:30 tonight. Should be a great show.
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    josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,299
    I've got tickets to the Westbury show can't wait !
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
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    EM194007EM194007 Posts: 2,827

    I've got tickets to the Westbury show can't wait !

    It was a great show, you won't be disappointed.

    Set 1
    01. Up On Cripple Creek
    02. The Shape I'm In
    03. Stagefright
    04. Georgia On My Mind
    05. Life Is A Carnival
    06. It Makes No Difference
    07. Down South In New Orleans#
    08. This Wheel's On Fire# >
    09. Who do You Love
    10. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
    11. The Night They Drove Dixie Down

    Set 2
    12. Ophelia >
    13. Caravan
    14. Helpless
    15. Mystery Train #
    16. Mannish Boy^
    17. Caledonia ^
    18. Rag Mamma Rag
    19. Forever Young
    20. The Weight* >
    21. I Shall Be Released*
    Encore
    22. Don't Do It

    # Dave Malone guitar and vocals
    ^ Bob Margolin guitar and vocals, John Medeski moves to keys and Micheal McDonald leaves stage
    * Everyone back on stage

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    catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    okay so...back in the day, one of my earliest and most influential musical memories is watching THE LAST WALTZ on television late at night when my very young self shouldve been in bed. i was mesmerised. and to this day i remain mesmerised. to say THE LAST WALTZ is one of the most influential moments of my musical education would be so far from an understatement its incomprehensible . i have grown up with THE BAND... they have been the measure for ALL bands that i have discovered since i discovered them. i can not perceive the music of thanksgiving 1976 without rick danko, levon helm, richard manuel, robbie robertson and garth hudson.

    when i saw the title of this thread i shuddered with so much apprehension i knew there was nothing anyone could say that would make an iota of difference... and so i say i can not conceive of any anniversary concert tour of 'THE LAST WALTZ' without rick danko, richard manuel and levon helm. NO musicians have been as influential to my musical journey as the 5 men who as far as im concerned are reprentative of the quintessential american band.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
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    Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,602

    okay so...back in the day, one of my earliest and most influential musical memories is watching THE LAST WALTZ on television late at night when my very young self shouldve been in bed. i was mesmerised. and to this day i remain mesmerised. to say THE LAST WALTZ is one of the most influential moments of my musical education would be so far from an understatement its incomprehensible . i have grown up with THE BAND... they have been the measure for ALL bands that i have discovered since i discovered them. i can not perceive the music of thanksgiving 1976 without rick danko, levon helm, richard manuel, robbie robertson and garth hudson.

    when i saw the title of this thread i shuddered with so much apprehension i knew there was nothing anyone could say that would make an iota of difference... and so i say i can not conceive of any anniversary concert tour of 'THE LAST WALTZ' without rick danko, richard manuel and levon helm. NO musicians have been as influential to my musical journey as the 5 men who as far as im concerned are reprentative of the quintessential american band.

    A bar owner here in Philly put together a recreation of the Last Waltz on the day either before or after Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was in the Troc (a theater with maybe 1,000-2,000 capacity) and it was one of the cooler things I have ever seen. Amazing music by appreciative people. Garth Hudson was there and played on Stage Freight. Was awesome.

    I am very much looking forward to this show on Sunday. Awesome musicians paying respect to one of the important rock shows ever.
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    Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,602
    EM194007 said:

    I've got tickets to the Westbury show can't wait !

    It was a great show, you won't be disappointed.

    Set 1
    01. Up On Cripple Creek
    02. The Shape I'm In
    03. Stagefright
    04. Georgia On My Mind
    05. Life Is A Carnival
    06. It Makes No Difference
    07. Down South In New Orleans#
    08. This Wheel's On Fire# >
    09. Who do You Love
    10. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
    11. The Night They Drove Dixie Down

    Set 2
    12. Ophelia >
    13. Caravan
    14. Helpless
    15. Mystery Train #
    16. Mannish Boy^
    17. Caledonia ^
    18. Rag Mamma Rag
    19. Forever Young
    20. The Weight* >
    21. I Shall Be Released*
    Encore
    22. Don't Do It

    # Dave Malone guitar and vocals
    ^ Bob Margolin guitar and vocals, John Medeski moves to keys and Micheal McDonald leaves stage
    * Everyone back on stage

    I can't wait. This looks awesome.
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    toolietoolie Posts: 388
    Up here in Canada they just announced a 4 date Last Waltz Remembered tour with Corb Lund, Matt Anderson, and Amy Helm (Levon's daughter). It'd be cool to see both shows the same year.
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    toolietoolie Posts: 388
    Up here in Canada they just announced a 4 date Last Waltz Remembered tour with Corb Lund, Matt Anderson, and Amy Helm (Levon's daughter). It'd be cool to see both shows the same year.
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    catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003

    okay so...back in the day, one of my earliest and most influential musical memories is watching THE LAST WALTZ on television late at night when my very young self shouldve been in bed. i was mesmerised. and to this day i remain mesmerised. to say THE LAST WALTZ is one of the most influential moments of my musical education would be so far from an understatement its incomprehensible . i have grown up with THE BAND... they have been the measure for ALL bands that i have discovered since i discovered them. i can not perceive the music of thanksgiving 1976 without rick danko, levon helm, richard manuel, robbie robertson and garth hudson.

    when i saw the title of this thread i shuddered with so much apprehension i knew there was nothing anyone could say that would make an iota of difference... and so i say i can not conceive of any anniversary concert tour of 'THE LAST WALTZ' without rick danko, richard manuel and levon helm. NO musicians have been as influential to my musical journey as the 5 men who as far as im concerned are reprentative of the quintessential american band.

    A bar owner here in Philly put together a recreation of the Last Waltz on the day either before or after Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was in the Troc (a theater with maybe 1,000-2,000 capacity) and it was one of the cooler things I have ever seen. Amazing music by appreciative people. Garth Hudson was there and played on Stage Freight. Was awesome.

    I am very much looking forward to this show on Sunday. Awesome musicians paying respect to one of the important rock shows ever.
    i appreciate that... its just that my viewing of THE LAST WALTZ at the age i was remains one of the most informative musical events of my life... it was a revelation of the highest order. and yeah i wouldve been excited to see garth play on stage fright but it wouldve been tempered greatly by rick danko's absence on vox. :/

    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • Options
    when i got old and saw one of my musical heroes die it took a long time to heal but i'm at the point where if i hear a cover version of any song that he did i cherish it. no matter who sings it, in whatever circumstance. no right no wrong way to grieve but moving on helped me celebrate it still. i met rick danko a long time ago, shortly after richard took his own life. i'm looking forward to this celebrationx10

    The Last Waltz 40 Tour
    Symphony Hall at Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, GA
    January 24, 2017
    http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=591034
    Set I

    01 Up On Cripple Creek (The Band)
    02 Shape I’m In (The Band)
    03 Stage Fright (The Band)
    04 Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles)
    05 Life Is A Carnival (The Band)
    06 It Makes No Difference (The Band)
    07 South In New Orleans (Anglin, Anglin, and Wright) *
    08 Wheels On Fire (The Band) *
    09 Who Do You Love (Ronnie Hawkins)
    10 King Harvest (The Band)
    11 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (The Band)

    Set II

    01 Chest Fever (The Band)
    02 Ophelia (The Band) >
    03 Caravan (Van Morrison)
    04 Helpless (Neil Young)
    05 Mystery Train (Junior Parker) *
    06 Rag Mama Rag (The Band)
    07 Mannish Boy (Muddy Waters) **
    08 Caledonia Mission (The Band) **
    09 Forever Young (Bob Dylan)
    10 The Weight (The Band)
    11 I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan)
    -encore-
    12 Such A Night (Dr. John)
    13 Don’t Do It (The Band)


    Warren Haynes - guitar, vocals
    Michael McDonald - keys, vocals
    Jamey Johnson - guitar, vocals
    John Medeski - organ, keys
    Don Was - bass
    Terrence Higgins - drums
    and
    Mark Mullins and The Levee Horns

    with

    Dave Malone - guitar, vocals * (s1t07-08, s2t05)
    Bob Margolin - guitar, vocals ** (s2t06-07); without Michael McDonald, John Medeski on keys
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    Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,602
    Absolutely loved the show. Love warren Haynes. Have seen him multiple times with the allmans and mule. That said, Michael McDonald was a horrible choice. Turned Neil
    Young songs into Michael Bolton songs
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    i totally disagree about that michael macdonald comment but that's just a matter of personal opinion.
    fact is the show is amazing+
    there was enough twists and turns to make it a very unique inspired tribute and musical experience
    a massive highlight for me was cyril's 1st set songs especially who do you love. WOW
    we had joan osborne show up and that was a great addition. horn section blew my mind more than once.
    it was cool to see don was play and jamey johnson is great. i've been a fan of terrence for 5 years and it was my time seeing him play oh and medeski was wonderful(as always)
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    josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,299
    Saw this last night really really great show I loved everything about it , and what can you say Warren his a treasure love watching him perform !
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
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    Warren Haynes' Last Waltz (feat. Garth Hudson)
    2017.02.04
    MGM Grand, Oxon Hill, MD
    http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=591188
    Taped and transferred by opsopcopolis
    Lineage: Berliner CM33 > Tascam DR-60D > WAV > ProTools > WAV > xACT > FLAC

    Set 1:
    01. Theme From the Last Waltz
    02. Up on Cripple Creek
    03. The Shape I'm In
    04. Stage Fright
    05. Georgia on My Mind
    06. Life Is a Carnival
    07. It Makes No Difference
    08. Down South in New Orleans
    09. Who Do You Love?
    10. This Wheel's on Fire
    11. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
    12. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

    Set 2:
    13. Ophelia
    14. Caravan
    15. Helpless
    16. Mystery Train
    17. Rag Mama Rag
    18. Mannish Boy
    19. Kind Hearted Woman Blues
    20. Farther Up the Road
    21. Such a Night
    22. Forever Young
    23. The Weight
    24. I Shall Be Released

    Encore:
    25. The Genetic Method
    26. Chest Fever
    27. Don't Do It

    Notes:
    Last show of the Last Waltz 40th anniversary tour.

    The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary Band:
    Warren Haynes - Guitar, Vocals
    Don Was - Bass
    Jamey Johnson - GUitar, Vocals
    John Medeski - Keys
    Michael McDonald - Keys, Vocals
    Terrence Higgins - Drums

    Guests:
    Ivan Neville - Keys, Vocals
    Cyril Neville - Percussion, Vocals (tracks 8, 9, 16)
    Bob Margola - Guitar, Vocals (tracks 18, 19, 20, 23)
    Garth Hudson - Keys (tracks 23 - 27)
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    toolietoolie Posts: 388
    Awesome to see Garth on the keys!!! Man I hope they do a west coast leg.
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    Cliffy6745Cliffy6745 Posts: 33,602

    i totally disagree about that michael macdonald comment but that's just a matter of personal opinion.
    fact is the show is amazing+
    there was enough twists and turns to make it a very unique inspired tribute and musical experience
    a massive highlight for me was cyril's 1st set songs especially who do you love. WOW
    we had joan osborne show up and that was a great addition. horn section blew my mind more than once.
    it was cool to see don was play and jamey johnson is great. i've been a fan of terrence for 5 years and it was my time seeing him play oh and medeski was wonderful(as always)

    Guess I'm just not the biggest McDonald fan in general. Great show though. Incredible music.
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    BrainOfJHABrainOfJHA KC Posts: 695
    Hope they recorded one for an audio/video release.
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    EM194007EM194007 Posts: 2,827

    Hope they recorded one for an audio/video release.

    They were audio and video recording the first show in Hollywood, FL.
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    EM194007EM194007 Posts: 2,827

    i totally disagree about that michael macdonald comment but that's just a matter of personal opinion.
    fact is the show is amazing+
    there was enough twists and turns to make it a very unique inspired tribute and musical experience
    a massive highlight for me was cyril's 1st set songs especially who do you love. WOW
    we had joan osborne show up and that was a great addition. horn section blew my mind more than once.
    it was cool to see don was play and jamey johnson is great. i've been a fan of terrence for 5 years and it was my time seeing him play oh and medeski was wonderful(as always)

    Guess I'm just not the biggest McDonald fan in general. Great show though. Incredible music.
    Same here, really not a fan of his either. But guess we had to take the good with the bad. When McDonald left and Medeski took the front spot, the keyboards were smoking.
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    helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,262
    edited March 2017
    more dates added

    Tickets for all shows go on sale FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 at 10 A.M.

    March 30 at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie in Dallas, TX
    March 31 at Revention Music Center in Houston, TX
    April 1 at Stubb's Austin in Austin, TX
    April 2 at Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, TX
    April 7 at The Fox Theatre in Detroit, MI
    April 8 at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH
    April 9 at The Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL
    April 13 at THE ORPHEUM THEATRE in Los Angeles, CA
    April 14 at Harrah's Resort Southern California in San Diego, CA
    April 15 at Nob Hill Masonic Center in San Francisco, CA

    The Last Waltz 40 Tour, created by Keith Wortman and led by GRAMMY® Award-winning guitar legend and vocalist Warren Haynes and GRAMMY® Award-winning producer/musician Don Was, has been met with critical praise and warm reception from audiences across the country who have been thrilled night after night by the amazing music of The Band showcased in a unique light. The additional dates will also include Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and GRAMMY® Award-winner Dr. John, Jamey Johnson, Terence Higgins, Danny Louis, an all-star horn section led by Mark Mullins featuring the original horn arrangements of Allen Toussaint, and very special guests Cyril Neville, Dave Malone, and Bob Margolin. Other very special guests to be announced.
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    helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,262
    04.04.17 It’s time for the Last Waltz, again
    via Chicago Tribune

    It was 40 years ago last Thanksgiving that the Band threw itself a farewell concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. "The Last Waltz" was a sprawling, legendary affair lasting more than five hours, featuring guest appearances from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton. It would spawn a three-LP soundtrack and a 1978 film directed by Martin Scorsese, considered the best concert documentary of all time.

    Last April, a group of musicians led by Gov't Mule/Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist/producer Don Was assembled during Jazz Fest in New Orleans for a 40th anniversary celebration that expanded to a nationwide tour, which rolls into the Chicago Theatre on Sunday.

    Haynes, Jamey Johnson, and Michael McDonald stand in for the Band's trio of vocalists, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel; (Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson, who has performed at several recent anniversary dates, are the only members from the lineup still alive).

    One of the things that made "The Last Waltz" so great is that no one knows what made it so great, says Was. "I don't know that anyone really knows the answer to that. It was an incredible cast of musicians, and they just rose to the challenge. Everyone was great, and I suppose that doesn't always happen."

    In separate phone interviews, Was and Haynes talked about the challenges involved in resurrecting one of rock's most historic nights. The following are excerpts from those conversations:

    On their earliest exposure to "The Last Waltz"

    Don Was: I saw it in the theater when it first came out, and my wife was nine months pregnant. And the low end, the music was so loud that she went into labor during the movie, and my oldest kid was born the next morning. It's a deep emotional attachment on a whole other level. He's a drummer, by the way.

    Warren Haynes: I just remember that everybody had the (soundtrack), the triple record. It was such an important part of rock history. I think I heard the record first before I saw the movie. I was a teenager when that happened, and very impressionable, and there was this excitement with the music and the film. All those people together under one roof, and there was nothing flawless or perfect about it.

    On the haphazard nature of the 1976 concert

    Haynes: There was no way to rehearse as much as you'd probably think you need to with all those special guests, it would take forever. But that kind of music benefits from spontaneity. That's one of the things that makes that music timeless.

    Was: I played bass on Ringo's album last week, and I told him we were doing "The Last Waltz," and he kind of looked at me blankly, and I had to remind him he was there. I think it was very wild, and none of the musicians I've talked to really remember much about it.

    On whether they felt pressure to faithfully re-create the original show

    Haynes: No, because we're not trying to re-create it. We're honoring it in our own way. I can't imagine there would be someone in the audience questioning the motivation behind it.

    Was: I was very nervous before the New Orleans show, to be honest with you. We didn't factor in people's attachment to the music, we just thought it'd be a fun show. Once we hit the opening line of "Up on Cripple Creek," everybody was up, and we knew that something different was happening, and all fears were erased.

    On whether they should even try to faithfully re-create the original show

    Was: I think it's a big responsibility, and we took it quite seriously. For me, I could never play exactly like Rick Danko, nobody could. He played the songs differently every night. I've done a lot of research into it, and the Band was like a jazz group, they approached it differently every night. You kind of learn the fundamentals of it.

    Haynes: It was never like, "Let's play the songs the way they did it." It was, "Let's do what feels right."

    Was: Those songs mean a lot to folks, and you don't get to hear them. McCartney's off doing Beatles songs, the Stones are off doing Stones songs, but no one's playing that repertoire.

    On whether they got Robertson's blessing before embarking on the tour

    Was: Well, I didn't go ask for his hand in marriage or anything, but I heard that he dug the idea, and maybe he'll show up and play with us. He's aware of it, and he digs it. I've known him for a long time. How can he not like it?

    Haynes: No. (One of the show's organizers) spoke to Robbie and says that Robbie's really happy we're doing this, but I haven't talked to Robbie.

    Does he believe the legend of a backstage squabble between Neil Diamond and Dylan at the 1976 show?

    Haynes: I've heard those rumors, and have no way of knowing. Don doesn't think it's what happened, and Don is someone who's worked with both of them, so he has more insight into that than me.

    Was: No (laughs). Neil's a pretty sweet guy, and he loves Bob Dylan. Really, I don't believe that happened, but there was a lot — it was good that they didn't drug test people that night. Anything's possible.
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