When a band has its farewell concert nowadays you might expect a special guest or two – Paul Weller or one of the Gallaghers seem to turn up and jam pretty much anywhere. But when The Band called it a day back in Thanksgiving, 1976, they had a rather more stellar line-up of well-wishers join them on stage. Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood and Neil Diamond all took a turn at the mic and the whole shebang was wonderfully captured by a youthful Martin Scorsese in one of the most influential (and best) music films of all time. Tonight the Riverside is showing this classic in a new print, and backing it with a new film from Johnathon Demme (another serial music-film maker). It’s a look at a sentimental journey back to Ontario for another of the Last Waltz alumni, Neil Young, taking in a hometown concert at the beautiful Massey Hall. / Rob Valid

Comments