The Last Waltz: Seafoam Green

Back in November 1976, as punk was starting to make its cultural mark and my record collection was just starting to take shape, one of the greatest bands of the pre-punk era - nay, of any era - was bowing out on stage at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.

Known simply as The Band, these 4 Canadians and 1 native of Arkansas had amassed a lifetime of tales of life on the road and had recorded at least 2 of the greatest albums ever made. They’d toured the world with Bob Dylan, and 4 of them had been on stage with Dylan in Manchester on that infamous night in 1966 when he was dubbed ‘Judas!’ by an audience member, incensed that he’d ‘sold out’ on folk music and ‘gone electric’. They’d also, arguably, been responsible for inventing the genre we now call Americana, both with their music - a tasty gumbo of country, blues, r ‘n’ b, soul and folk - and their image - immortalised by photographer Elliott Landy, himself inspired by the American Civil War photography of Mathew Brady.

Their final concert, dubbed The Last Waltz, featured a stellar line-up of their music business pals - including Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, Dr John, Ronnie Hawkins, Paul Butterfield and Eric Clapton, and was filmed by Martin Scorsese, forming the template for many a Rock Doc to follow.

Tonight, at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, The Last Waltz was lovingly recreated by top Liverpool band Seafoam Green and a host of their equally talented musician friends. They played all the songs which featured in the Scorsese concert film (...with the exception of the one performed by Neil Diamond, I noticed!), alongside other songs from The Last Waltz album, originally featuring the likes of Emmylou Harris and the Staple Singers. And they totally rocked the joint!

Frustratingly, I managed to completely bungle my camera settings for most of the show but was able to salvage a few semi-decent shots. You can see a few more in the Extras.

As Dr John would say... “Such a night!”

Here’s a clip of The Band from The Last Waltz film, playing the classic ‘Up On Cripple Creek’ https://youtube.com/watch?v=dIw20N-yw8c

And here’s Dave O’Grady from Seafoam Green performing ‘Celtic Wanderings’ at Big Pink, the house in West Saugerties, New York, which was home to several members of The Band in the late ‘60s and is fabled in music history as the place where they and Dylan recorded much of ‘The Basement Tapes’ and after which The Band’s debut album ‘Music From Big Pink’ (currently celebrating its 50th year) was named https://youtube.com/watch?v=2ENg3IS_29o