A bit gobsmacked by memories, stories, and a few visits to see some of the video and some of the history....

Re: The Band, Stage Fright, The Last Waltz, the song authors, the challenges, the venues, promoters and friends - like Dylan, Neil Young, & Joni Mitchell.

Thin-sliced: Here's an article from the CBC (fittingly), out 7 yrs ago on the 40th anniversary of The Last Waltz.

Lots of good triviata and fascinating tidbits here... A taste below. Enjoy the article and be sure to see the vids.
To THE Band... and this one's for you @V. T. Eric Layton 🥃 🎶

10 things you should know about the Band's Last Waltz

"The White Room" (ever hear of it?)

As Helm writes in his memoir, it was floor-to-ceiling white, with cutouts of Groucho Marx's nose postered to the walls and glass tables with razor blades "artfully strewn about."

"Cocaine was a big, big deal at the time," writes Helm, adding that the room was "often filled with people tapping razors on the table."

"Neil Young's cocaine booger"

Young must have spent his fair share of time in the Cocteau Room, as he reportedly came out to perform "Helpless" with a large cocaine rock stuck up his nose. You can see it in the teeth-gritting intensity of the performance, but you can't physically see the rock. Robertson has admitted to spending a fair amount of money in post-production editing it out, as per Young's manager's request. "The most expensive cocaine I ever bought," he once said. As he recalls in his memoir, "as soon as Neil Young took the stage, I could tell no one at Winterland was feeling better than he was."

It's not difficult to see how 'buzzed' Young and band are; they sure did seem to be enjoying it, as sad as the end was, but celebrating.
And then there's Joni Mitchell... But not to spoiler alert that bit... Enjoy!

#music #RockHistory #TheBand #70s #1970 #1976 #BobDylan #JoniMitchell #LevonHelm #RickDanko #BillGraham