“This film should be played loud,” says the title card for The Last Waltz, and Seattle’s Tribute to The Last Waltz shows how that statement applies to recreations of the night filmed at Bill Graham’s Winterland Arena in San Francisco, CA on Thanksgiving, 1976. However, the volume was not the only similarity this tribute had with the film. In the film, The Band brings out many of their “friends” to perform with them. Some notable names seen that night in 1976 include Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many more. Other than the fabulous seven-piece horn section and spectacular six-piece band, the group that hosted their tribute event at the Neptune Theatre had 18 friends join them in this Thanksgiving tradition. All were local artists, whether solo or in a Seattle-based band. For the full list of the performers from the night please visit this link.
The doors opened a bit later than expected, but the line that went down the street didn’t seem to mind. The balcony seating filled in much faster than the standing-room floor. The lights dimmed and “The Theme from The Last Waltz” began playing as the band took the stage. They opened with “Up On Cripple Creek” with Ian Cunningham. The song got a huge crowd response from the get-go, beginning a night of memories and laughs with people of all ages joining in the song. The set opener set the volume and spirit high, but that was only the beginning.
When I say some of the performances made my curiosity of how an event like this still works after 10 years disappear, I mean it. From Sean Clavere delivering a ripping version of “Who Do You Love?” to Danny Oleson smashing his violin on stage during a performance of “Rag Mama Rag” after an incredible piano solo from Leif Dalan, the antics and the music kept the night alive. Shaina Shepherd delivered beautiful renditions of “Life Is A Carnival” and “Georgia On My Mind” that were chill-inducing. She stunned with a standout vocal performance that left her in a visible sweat. She would later return with Kate Dinsmore, Annie Jantzer, and Shasta Bree for an emotional and moving performance of “The Weight,” an original by The Band that went on to be covered by many artists including Aretha Franklin, John Denver, and more.
Other notable performances include Pete Jordan’s performance of “Stage Fright,” in which he replicated Rick Danko’s tone tremendously. “It Makes No Difference,” with Jantzer who did beautifully on vocals, had one of my favorite guitar solos from the show. Joe Michiels plays an emotional solo that matches Jantzer’s vocals incredibly well before being joined by Nate Henry on Tenor Saxophone who closed out the song with a final solo. It feels necessary to also mention the show-stopping performance of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” from Cameron Lavi-Jones who had the whole crowd singing along with him in one of The Band’s most celebrated tracks. The night ended the same way the film does, with everyone on stage performing “I Shall Be Released.”
Ultimately, the concert was one of the most well-put-on tributes I have seen, and while it does not entirely replicate the movie, it still does it justice and upholds the quality of The Band’s and Martin Scorsese’s work. It is an event I hope to attend for years to come and I wish I had heard about it sooner. For a $32.50 general admission ticket that got me front and center to the stage, I’d say it’s one of the best ways I’ll ever spend that money. That being said, the event is also for charity. The concert proceeds went to Northwest Harvest, a local non-profit that looks to provide equitable access to nutritious food.