Search - Band :: Last Waltz: Upgrade

Not the discs, but the cassettes

Huwaryu | Astoria, NY United States | 03/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't have this CD set, but i have the cassettes of the original release, and they are played so often that i might have to actually buy the discs.Enough has been written about the event itself. Many people are critical of the concept of "farewell concerts," of a group of musicians getting "tired" of touring -- when that is their whole point of existence. Others are critical of the actual music itself, saying that the performance was luke-warm or even sloppy. If one can get past these criticisms, they might just enjoy something special.I caught a showing of the film on TV in the Mid-90's and was hooked. Not only did the concert make me a fan of The Band, but also of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and Paul Butterfield. I may have been aware of most of the artists (who *hadn't* heard of Clapton by 1979 or later?), but had not really given their work much thought. Admittedly, i am STILL not a fan of Neil Diamond's, but his inclusion in the show was welcomed and stirring, and displays the talent of the Band as well as their appreciation for the music of others. They are real musicians; i am not. Each guest star came to the stage with a composition of their own - the Band took it, made it better without upstaging the artist, and turned it into a great live performance.You can disagree with the motivation behind the show, or allude to its artificiality, but you can't argue with serendipity. This event was an important moment in 20th-Century music. Some of the best examples of recorded-live music are here, especially Van Morrison's Caravan, Joni Mitchell's Coyote, and the Band's own Up on Cripple Creek. Good stuff."

A Musical Artifact

richyy | Australia | 07/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alright first things first I agree Neil Diamond is not a worthy addition among this line up of musical gods. Thank god for the skip button. Ok the review. Album? Concert? Musical artifact take your pick. What ever it is ,its brilliant. A farewell party for the retiring former backing band for Dylan humbly named The Band. The line up, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison all legends, all on fire. I mean seriously every performance is gold, heart felt and full of energy. Unlike most "all star" concerts it seems they all wanted to be there. To single one artist out as a stand out would be impossible. Then there's the hosts of the party The Band. Every song from this concert has become the definitive version for The Band. The Weight has to be one of greatest recordings of any song ever. Ok I could rave on about the artists performances for ever, trust me their amazing. Which brings me to the most important element regarding this recording which is exactly that, the recording. There cant be a better live recording of a concert from this period, you simply cant top perfect. Add the digital remaster and your in the front row. (the DVD sound and picture recording is perfect also, highly recommended). So if you've been living under a rock or are under the age of 30 and dont own it already, buy this album and the DVD. A true musical artifact from this period."

Incredible Fidelity for a Classic Concert

TSC | Santa Cruz, CA United States | 06/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This review is for the 2003 remastered version. I have owned the original CDs for The Last Waltz for years now. I just upgraded to the remastered version and the fidelity is incredible. It was well worth the money to get this concert on a CD on which the quality of the fidelity is equal to the music The Band and its musical guests performed at this Thanksgiving Day concert. It even makes up for the fact that I gave my tickets to The Last Waltz to a friend so I could keep a Thanksgiving dinner date with my Dad and his girlfriend. Oh well. Live and learn. 8-)"