Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and perhaps a new one was born on Wednesday night in Albany. Coming together in grand fashion family, friends and fans of The Band convened at Lark Hall on Thanksgiving Eve for a memorable evening billed as The Last Waltz on Lark Street; a stellar tribute to one of the most celebrated concert performances in rock history.
For anyone not familiar, The Band are about as close to music royalty as it gets in New York State, particularly in the Capital and Mid-Hudson Regions where the group famously lived, partied and wrote music together under the roof of a ‘Big Pink‘ house near Saugerties. Often referred to as just “the band” by Bob Dylan (with whom they often backed), the name stuck and over the course of 16 years, The Band — Rick Danko on bass, violin and vocals; Levon Helm on drums, mandolin and vocals; Garth Hudson on keyboards and saxophone; songwriter Richard Manuel on keyboards, percussion and vocals; and guitarist, songwriter and occasional vocalist Robbie Robertson, would go on to write some of the most timeless songs and albums in American music history.
As the story allegedly goes, after burning out from the demands of the touring lifestyle, it became clear the dynamic that had made The Band so special and unique had changed, the brotherhood and comradery had faded a bit and it was starting to reflect in the music. Then in 1976 it was officially announced they’d be playing their final show; one last chance to dance and it was to be held on Thanksgiving Day at the legendary Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. What took place that night, as famously documented in Martin Scorsese’s iconic film of the same name, The Last Waltz, would go down as one of the greatest star-studded, ground breaking concert celebration spectacles of all time. The film itself would later go on to be selected by the Library of Congress to be forever preserved due to it cultural and historical significance.
Now some 45 years later, the magic made and songs played that night are still being talked about, still influencing and still being played by a whole new generation of New York based musicians and for one close-knit group of Capital Region players and friends, an idea that sparked from a brainstorming jam session somehow serendipitously snowballed into reality and perhaps simultaneously became the next “can’t miss” pre-Turkey day musical meet-up for those who call the surrounding Albany area “home”.
To do this properly and with any sort of ‘relative’ justice, of course, was no easy task and with so many moving parts, variables and logistics to the show, it would also require a bit of help from friends, the good natured people behind the scenes and well, a little luck too. Those obstacles aside, here’s a ‘not-so exclusive’ scoop for the NYS Music reading faithful: never doubt the heart or talent that dwells within the 518 area code. If anyone was up to the challenge, it was the bunch who dared to dream to put this event together in the first place.
With 2021’s incarniton of The Band not finalized until the very last minute, the one-time-only line up ultimatley consisted of 18 players; a ‘who’s who’ of capital region musicians that featured members of The Wheel, The NolaNauts, Eastbound Jesus, Dead Man’s Waltz, Sarah Sippely and Brian Lapointe and the Joints.
Albany’s newest venue, Lark Hall hosted the event. With full support of Jennifer Miller, the visionary proprietor of Lark Hall, the recently renovated, historically preserved venue has quickly made a name for itself, largely by hosting nights like this; unique one-off collaborations and themed performances in a comfortably intimate, church-like setting that’s already earned the praises of nationally known artists like Keller Williams, The Futurebirds, Carl Bromel, Liz Cooper, and legendary Phish lyricist The Dude of Life. All hype and anticipation aside, the time for the inaugural Last Waltz on Lark Street had finally come.
Piped in over the PA system, the performance began with an orchestral rendition of “Theme From the Last Waltz” as the core members of “The Band” gradually filled up the stage. All tuned up and ready to go, the celebration kicked off with ‘Up on Cripple Creek’ into “The Shape I’m In.” The set would begin to stray from its familiar order when our first guests of the evening, NolaNauts horn section Bill Ringwood and Brian George, joined in for a crowd pleasing ‘Ophelia” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.” Mike Coleman would then switch out with Brian Bean on bass for “Further Up the Road” and “Who Do You Love” before the spotlight would shine on Rick Rothermel, The Wheel’s burley multi-talented keyboardist with a voice of gold who arguably had the most challenging role of the evening in filling the legendary shoes of Garth Hudson. After nailing “Chest Fever,” Rothermel handedly made a believer out of anyone in attendance not already having fun. The Nola horns would return once again for “Caledonia Mission” and an upbeat version of “King Harvest”. Following an inspired rendition of “It Makes no Difference” that featured the lovely talents of Sarah Sheppeck on lead vocals, “Life is a Carnival” would bring the opening set to a close and send fans to intermission with huge smiles and lots to talk about.
With the fuse already set for a party following the wickedly fun opening set, somehow this collective ensemble of talented musicians made of varying ages, sexes and backgrounds that came together with little time to rehearse, followed it up with an even more epic second set. It was the kind of thing capital region music fans have been dreaming of, really.
Kicking off with Brian Bean back on bass was “The Same Thing” followed by the iconic song “The Weight” which had everyone in The Hall singing along. Now that everyone was friends here, it really started feeling like a family affair when Bryan Gautie and Jill Gautie (along with Dr. Pete Andriakos of The Wheel) took over the stage to perform the only acoustic song of the night, “Coyote.” Sarah Sheppeck would then join them for another classic, “Long Black Veil” and remain on stage as Eastbound Jesus mandolin player Andrew Lynch and fiddler Jessica Bowen then got in on the fun with another highlight on the evening, “Atlantic City.” The strings would stick around for the next number Tom O’Connor introduced as a personal favorite, “Rag Mama Rag.”
Ratcheting up the ramble to a raunchy new high was “Mystery Train” which featured the talented Brian Lapointe on a screaming harmonica. “Across the Great Divide” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” came next, followed followed by “Caravan.” Now with all of the musicians who had participated on the night on the stage, the sentimental set closed with a family-jam style singalong version of “I Shall be Released.” Following pleas from the enthusiastic and appreciative crowd, “Don’t Do It” was selected as the lone encore, bringing the first ever Last Waltz on Lark Street to a celebratory close.
Performing their current album, World Gone Mad, as well as classic songs of The Band, The Weight Band is led by Jim Weider, a 15-year former member of The Band and the Levon Helm Band. Originating in 2013 inside the famed Woodstock barn of Levon Helm, Weider was inspired by Helm to carry on the musical legacy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group.
Years of touring have seen The Weight Band revive “The Woodstock Sound,” keeping the spirit of Americana/Roots Rock alive for audiences of all ages. They continue to keep the sound vibrant by releasing new music, evidenced by the album World Gone Mad, released in February 2018. Their live set features songs from the new album as well as fan favorites from The Band’s treasured catalog, including “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Weight,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
The Weight Band includes Brian Mitchell (The Levon Helm Band), Michael Bram (Jason Mraz), Matt Zeiner (Dickey Betts Band), and Albert Rogers (The Jim Weider Band). With a US and international tour schedule slated for 2019 and beyond, The Weight Band complements The Band’s timeless legacy while pushing the music forward for new audiences.
The Weight Band Tour Dates
11/11- Buskirk-Chumley Theater- Bloomington IN
11/12- Old Town School Of Folk Music- Chicago IL
11/13- Mineral Point Opera House- Mineral Point WI
The Del Lago Casino venue “The Vine” is bringing an infamous night from San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom back to life. The famed concert of “The Last Waltz” will be recreating music by “The Band” at the Del Lago Casino on Saturday November 13th. The evening’s playbill includes over 40 performers as part of “The Salt City Waltz.” The 2021 edition promises to feature new faces and music added to the show. The production inside The Vine offers a glimpse into the 1970’s Winterland Ballroom. It will transport the concert goers to the same movie lens Martin Scorsese shot the original in.
Rick Danko of the Band
The classic house band will feature Los Blancos from Syracuse featuring Mark Tiffault on drums, Colin Aberdeen on Guitar, and Steve Winston on Bass. The addition to their core of Scott Ebner on Piano, Mark Westers on Guitar, and Bill Barry on Organ will help shape the Vine stage nicely.
To make the performance sound full circle at the Vine please welcome the Levon Helm Studio Horns. Featuring Jay Collins on Tenor Saxophone, Erik Lawrence on Baritone/ Alto sax, Steve Bernstein on Trumpet. Special guest on trombone and tuba, from Bruce Springsteen E Street Band Clark Gayton will join the Waltz this year. As Levon Helm once said, “I love horns and the bigger the band, the better it sounds in my ear.”
Producer Stacey Waterman has curated all four editions of the Salt City Waltz; creating an atmosphere very much like that Thanksgiving night in 1976, right down to a chandelier. The idea behind this show is to celebrate the music of The Band and The Last Waltz. The musicians who assemble for this each year are the cream of the crop and leave the audience feeling thankful. You can purchase tickets to the event here.
Levon Helm’s infamous studio barn in the Hudson Valley is still hosting their own live music. The music never stopped through his daughter Amy Helm and the list of other great acts to still turn the same wheel. Music also lives on at Bob Dylan’s Big Pink House that The Band famously recorded at in Woodstock as well.
The Power of Music just kinda kills all those ills. It cures everything and you’ve got more energy because of the music. And I’ve Never Seen it Fail. Its good for ya…real good for ya
It was the Summer of 1973, the ‘Hippie movement’ of the 1960’s still existed, but only in isolated pockets, tucked way in the dusty cobwebbed corners of the counterculture. Groups like the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, and The Band were still playing to crowds that held tightly to the ideals of the mid 1960’s, which the groups themselves still carried on through their music. The bands were also undergoing personal changes reflected back at them through their audience. All three bands and more than 600,000 of their fans would descend on Watkins Glen for one of the largest concerts in recorded history, Summer Jam.
The genesis for 1973’s Summer Jam began as a brain storm by promoters Shelly Finkel and Jim Koplik who had discussed and planned on setting a line up for the ages. After seeing members of the Allman Brothers Band sit in with the Grateful Dead at a Summer 1972 concert at Roosevelt Stadium the seed was planted to bring together an astronomical set of musicians for a gathering to rival even Woodstock, boy, would they be surprised.
The decision to bring The Band on board came by the promoters asking the Dead and Allman’s which artist they would most like to have join them on the bill, the decision was easy and unanimous. Plans were put in place and and set in motion. Roughly 150,000 tickets were sold at $10.00 a piece for the show, large by any standard of measurement. To everyone’s surprise, by the evening prior to the concert that number of intrepid travelers had already showed up to the festival site. By show time on July 28 the number would exceed an estimated 600,000 fans.
Often overshadowed by other festivals in the annals of rock history, the show became something different than originally planned, but ended up being remembered fondly by all participants. The concert also seemed to signal the end of an era, ushering in a time where festivals became corporate interests instead of private excursions into the unknown. Soon to be gone were the days of Monterey, Woodstock, and the Isle of Wight, properly concluding with the biggest of them all ‘Summer Jam,’ situated smack dab in the middle of New York State. Two of the principal performing artists, The Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers had recently lost founding members, Pigpen for the Dead in March of 1973, and Duane Allman and Barry Oakley for the Allmans in 1971 and 1972 respectively. These deaths caused a restructure and reassessment of both bands musical futures which at this point seemed somewhat uncertain for both groups.
The Band on the other hand was also hanging by a thread because of personal issues regarding publishing, as well as substance abuse seeping into the fabric of the group. The ‘Summer Jam’ acts as a celebration of the recent past for the artists involved, as well as a signpost to an unknown future. For the Grateful Dead, the festival featured one of their usual blistering 1973 sets, in addition to an perfectly encapsulated instrumental journey tagged as one of their finest, hailing in true Grateful Dead fashion from the sound check. The Allmans played an extended and crisply executed set featuring new songs from their retooled line up and fiery soloing from Dickey Betts. Robbie Robertson has often been quoted that the Watkins Glen set was one of the legendary performing moments by the boys, and will go down in history as one of their best.
In spite of prior planning by the promoters and authorities leading up to the evening of the concert, roads and highways were still backed up for a hundred miles, stores in Watkins Glen and surrounding areas were wiped of groceries and beer, and over 150,000 folks were waiting at the 95 acre concert site a night early. Routes 14 and 17 were gridlocked, and even secret back road entries were congested with abandoned cars, forgotten ground scores and backpacking travelers making their way to the festival site.
The day of July 27 found all three bands arriving, scoping out the situation, and standing slack jawed at the amount of people already at the festival site. Legend tells us that when Robbie Robertson guitarist of The Band inquired about a sound check in preparation for the expansive outdoor venue, all three bands decided to do the same thing that evening and make it a mini performance. What happened next is the stuff legends are made of. All three bands played beautiful sets to the lucky early arrivals. The Band ran through a couple of their well know classics as well as jamming on a few unique instrumental grooves that harkened back to their days as The Hawks, when they were still playing Toronto bars and clubs.
A crushing ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ opens the ‘rehearsal’ and is answered by encouraging crowd feedback. The instrumental groove the group break into following ‘Dixie’ is jump started by Danko’s smooth fretless bass flourishes and the rest of the band falling in line with a jumpy Levon Helm swing. Robertson’s Stratocaster draws blood with its stinging ring cutting through the somewhat marginal sound quality. Another jewel of the practice session is the rare Danko sung version of ‘Raining in My Heart,’ a bit jagged, but oh so charming.
The Allman’s followed and also ran through a rough and ready sound check that was made up of a few songs planned for the next evening including ‘Ramblin Man’ and ‘One Way Out,’ short but sweet when compared to what would follow. When the Grateful Dead approached the stage for their ‘rehearsal’ segment little did the band or assembled throng know what they were in for.
The Grateful Dead’s ‘soundcheck’ appeared as two sets lasted an hour and a half, but according to many opinions and in true Grateful Dead fashion possibly outshines the next day’s ‘official’ performance. The bonus being the performance circulates in pristine quality unlike songs from the other participants of the concert. The unique improvised instrumental jam that preceded ‘Wharf Rat’ is an anomalous display, never to recreated, and is one of those magical Grateful Dead moments made for the time in which it was born. The jam appeared years later on the official release box set So Many Roads, proof of its distinguished standing in the Dead’s long and varied history.
Prior to the sound checks first highlight ‘Bird Song,’ Phil Lesh states ‘This whole thing is a fraud, we’re really clever androids,’ as they band prepares to levitate off of the ground. ‘Bird Song’ comes skipping in, riding with Kreutzmann on the humid Summer evening breeze. Succulent and patient Garcia and Lesh probe the soft cloudy edges of the jam, floating in space. Expansive yet slightly tentative, the ‘Bird Song’ jams wings are lifted by the gusts of inspiration starting to stir.
After polished and well played versions of various first set classics, including a big fat ‘Tennessee Jed’, the band finds itself in one of those sacred spaces, where the music eventually plays the band, and all bets are off. The unnamed jam grows from silence, quietly, pensively, with light cymbal hits and the guitarists peeking around corners probing into darkness. Lesh increases the intensity with some fuzzy chording; Weir gives the musical drift a tangible shape with perfectly timed strums. Lesh then begins to drone and detonate, the band turns into particles and star dust, breaking apart, and then coagulating as a Garcia led jam rises from nothingness. Billy K catches on, Garcia sets the rhythm and the band achieves lift off. Slick, smooth and jazzy, the band improvises idea after idea. Weir strikes out with nervous lush rhythmic ideas, Phil hides and seeks, and Garcia peels off layer after layer of juicy skin revealing the jam’s plump and succulent center. The band sinks their teeth deep into the music creating one of their finest moments in front of the lucky crowd who descended early upon Watkins Glen that Summer night of 1973.
An endless stream of collaborative ideas pours from the group like the icy waters raging through the shady tree lined Watkins Glen only a few short miles away. Some of the melodies are familiar, some are brand new, some mix and match like oil and water, some blend like paints on an artists pallet. One of the finest musical moments in the Grateful Dead’s long and storied history has just occurred, thankfully captured for posterity. An audacious beginning to a concert event that hasn’t even ‘started’ yet! The jam eventually dissolves into a fitting and lucid ‘Wharf Rat,’ the previous journey to arrive there filled with drama and intrigue.
The Dead portion of the soundcheck concludes with a solid but anticlimactic ‘Around and Around’, that leaves the assembled throng looking to find a place to sleep, and prepare for the following days awe inspiring display of music, stamina, and mother nature, that would extend to extravagant lengths. The following day would start at 10:00 AM and conclude very early on the morning of July 30th; history was going to be made.
As the morning of July 28, 1973 revealed itself, the ground beneath the Watkins Glen, New York State Summer Jam concert site was preparing to hold the weight of 600,000 musical travelers ready to rock and roll. The largest gathering for a rock festival was about to take place with a legendary bill of bands that would play extended and legendary sets. After the previous evenings ‘warm up’, the groups as well as the crowd were primed for an all day event. Pleasant but humid New York Summer festival weather settled hazily across the bronzed crown of hippies slightly threatening summer storms. The awe inspiring event about to take place would make history in not only musical but social ways, the smoky remnants of that afternoon still smoldering in the annals of rock history.
The Grateful Dead took the stage promptly at noon to an introduction by Bill Graham who exclaimed, ‘From Marin County to Watkins Glen, the Grateful Dead!’ Blasting into an excitable ‘Bertha’ the Dead ran through a typical, that is to say, well played and amazing set of first set classics. The set is brimming with a typical East coast high energy, building to then detonating on a psychedelic pinnacle with the set closing ‘Playing in the Band’. Slithering through the some of the more familiar themes of the era, by half way into the jam Lesh and Garcia are exchanging husky scrubs and bombs, while the rest of the band is tied into a kinetic and electric fast paced groove. While not reaching the extravagant peaks of the jam from the night before, this is a thick and gooey ‘Playin in the Band’ from an era with many stand outs.
Following a marathon ‘China/Rider of epic proportions comes ‘Eyes of the World’, the peak of the second set and of the Dead’s performance for me; the post verse jam contains a plethora of melodic statements from Garcia, with the song morphing into a swelling and pulsating improvised drift. From fifteen minutes on, Garcia plays like a man possessed and hits on several syncopated grooves that band responds to in kind touching on the delicate spaces explored during the previous day’s sound check, before falling back into the recognizable ‘Stronger That Dirt’ theme. Garcia then deliciously liquefies the band into Weir’s well timed and well placed ‘Sugar Magnolia’. Observed as an entire piece of work the Grateful Dead played an amazing two days of music at Watkins Glen, a testament to their constant journey to strive for the golden note.
The Band’s set started at 6:00 PM after the Dead’s extended four and a half display concluded and became an amazing cross section of their legendary career, peppered with unique instrumental interludes specific to the Watkins Glen performance. Opening and romping joyously through ‘Goin Back To Memphis’, the Band’s music captured the feel of the festival perfectly through its pastoral imagery and down home instrumentation.
This is rock and roll, country blues distilled to its very essence; it doesn’t get much better than this! During these early moments of the Band set, the low point of the festival weekend occurred as a skydiver unfortunately missed their intended mark and perished on the grounds. As an addendum, there was a supposed ‘official’ release of the Band’s set from Watkins released in 1995, but after inspection and discussion it was revealed that this collection was/is a fraud and contains only two actual tracks from the event. The only way to hear the performance as it was is to hunt down one of the circulating audience recordings that exist in decent quality.
This concert takes place in the middle of a year of rest and uncertainty for the Band. Looked at historically, the concert is a towering peak in the landscape of the Band’s performing career. The songs are tight, dynamic and rise and fall like a high speed run down a country gravel road. Garth Hudson is especially on his game laying down a plethora of breezy and inspirational keyboard flourishes that would culminate with his divergent solo spot “Too Wet Too Work’. Danko and Helm are locked in tight, and the vocals of Manuel, Danko, and Helm wrap around one another like a snaky gospel revival. After rocketing through a series of exciting high tempo tracks including ‘Loving You Is Sweeter That Ever’, and a drunken romp through ‘The Shape I’m In’, the group is eventually forced to leave the stage for twenty minutes because of threatening inclement weather. During the jam on ‘Endless Highway’ prior to their leaving, the crowd can be heard on the recording discussing and preparing for the incoming thunder storm. The ‘fly on the wall’ aspect of this field recording is especially entertaining.
Levon Helm’s remembrance of this moment in his autobiography is that the group left the stage as the weather descended, gulped some Glenfiddich whiskey and watched Hudson return to his keyboard for his orchestral spotlight, ‘Genetic Method’ in this case driving away the rain in the process of the extended solo. Titled ‘Too Wet To Work’ in the case of this performance, Garth traveled through numerous musical landscapes, teasing dynamically, improvising, until the weather dissipated and the Band returned to the stage, slamming into a celebratory ‘Chest Fever’, that in Helm’s words would be forever ‘burned into his memory’. The crowd claps in time with the musical waves, a highpoint of the afternoon. The remainder of the Band set burns through an aggressive and elastic instrumental and then momentous and extended versions of smoldering rock classics like ‘Holy Cow’ and ‘Saved’, as well as crowd pleasing renditions of ‘Cripple Creek’ and ‘Life Is A Carnival.’ Absolutely legendary, the monumental nature of the day as well as joy emanating from the stage translates well to the field recording I am enjoying.
By the time Allman Brothers Band hit the stage at 10:00 PM, the almost one hundred acre concert site had become a swamp, and the happily soaked crowd swelled with anticipation for the upcoming musical onslaught. Opening with the recent for the time ‘Wasted Words’, the band is cooking from the get go with Betts and Allman dueling through vocals and slide guitar over the syncopated groove. The band receives a second introduction after the opener because Bill Graham wanted to make sure every band had each individual member introduced to the crowd. The Allman’s then swagger through beautifully crafted versions of ‘Come and Go Blues’ (featured on official release ‘Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas’) ‘Blue Sky’, ‘Jessica’, ‘You Don’t Love Me’, among others. Recent additions Chuck Leavell and Lamar Williams fill in admirably on keys and bass respectively. Leavell and Betts especially have developed an intense chemistry, bouncing hearty melodic ideas off each other throughout the show, with their interplay on ‘Blue Sky’ being a highpoint worth of inspection.
The centerpiece of the Allman’s extended set is the mammoth performance of ‘Les Brers In A Minor’ which bookends a pulsating and dynamic drum duet by Jaimoe and Butch Trucks, the second of the performance following an aggressive ‘You Don’t Love Me’ duet. Each member gets a chance to express themselves as ‘Les Brers’ like its distant cousins ‘Jessica’, and ‘Liz Reed’ navigates a series of death defying twists and turns while solving a series of delicate melodic mysteries. Rock and Roll veteran Chuck Leavell’s extended dance with the black and whites is a pleasure to behold and spreads out a plush carpet in which the band uses to step into drums. This song represents a powerful and confident jam by the retooled group, asserting their ability to move forward while still respecting their past brothers Duane and Barry. Betts guitar lines range from syrupy amber licks to sharp stinging fly bys, the central pole in which the group revolves.
The Allman Brothers set concludes with ‘Whipping Post’, hoped for, expected, and played like a runaway freight train headed down a dark track. Peak after peak is reached the crowd is astonished, amazed and taken to a unique place by the music played. The weekend ends bombastically, well past midnight following the Allman’s set when members from all three groups return to the stage for Summer Jam. Sincerely sloppy, and at moments stunningly brilliant the music continues into the dawn. Rick Danko appears first to drunkenly croon into the mic momentarily and quite endearingly, soon to be joined by Garcia, then Manuel and eventually Betts, Lesh, Allman and others for some more lengthy jamming to conclude the massive weekend of music to the crowds delight.
The music drifting from the stage meanders for a bit before falling into the highlights, ‘Not Fade Away’, ‘Mountain Jam’, and’ Johnny B Goode’, a momentous and special way to conclude the Summer Jam. The ‘Not Fade Away’ is pleasant enough, but the twenty plus minute ‘Mountain Jam’ the follows elicits speeding clouds, percolating rivers, and joyous wilderness romping. Garcia is especially active, intertwining and responding to everyone on stage. Betts and Garcia together create richly constructed summits during their journey, pausing at scenic overlooks that dance with collaborative playing by all of the principals on stage. The musical movement comes as a defining musical statement for the weekend, an instrumental climax, a joining of ideas and people and a perfect example of the magic available through collaborative musical interplay and willing participants.
Watkins Glen, Summer Jam 1973 is not only notable for its collection of an amazing group of musicians, but for its eclectic collection of fans. The collaboration between the two of these principals combined for a historic and alchemic weekend combining music and experience. The encapsulated moment in time for this weekend will never be recreated, but fortunately forever enshrined on recordings and in the memories of the participants.
On Saturday July 6, 1974, Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY held the first ever concert in its history. Eric Clapton and his band would serve as headliners, with The Band serving as a warm up for Slowhand. Tickets for the show were $8.50 each ($46 in 2021 dollars) and caught one of rock’s biggest legends upon the release of his classic 461 Ocean Boulevard.
The show was held one year after opening as the new home of the Buffalo Bills, going 9-5 in their inaugural season. More affectionately known as ‘The Ralph’ in the late 90s, the Buffalo-based multi-national food company Rich Products gave the stadium its original name, signing a 25-year, $1.5 million dollar deal, one of the first sales of naming rights in American sports.
Following a sellout show at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh the night before, the Buffalo show would not be Clapton’s finest hour by any means. July 5 was Robbie Robertson’s 31st birthday, and with The Band guitarist on the road with the hard-partying Eric Clapton, its possible that Clapton indulged too much the night prior, affecting his performance the next day. Clapton reportedly said “It’s Robbie’s birthday today and … there’s gonna be some bovver tonight.”
Not much is known about The Band’s set beyond their final song, which may have been the most pivotal part of the evening. Joining the opening band for a song is not unnatural for a headliner, but rarer still, as the impact of the main act’s arrival is lessened. When Clapton joined The Band on July 6 for an encore of “Chest Fever” in the support slot, the performance was disjointed and led to the drunken Clapton needing to be carried off stage.
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
The Band setlist via Setlist.FM
Hard Times the Slop (Noble “Thin Man” Watts cover), Just Another Whistle Stop, Stage Fright, The Weight, The Shape I’m In, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Across the Great Divide, Endless Highway, Up on Cripple Creek, The Unfaithful Servant, Smoke Signal, The Genetic Method, Chest Fever (with Eric Clapton)
Clapton’s band included George Terry (guitar), Dicks Sims (keyboards), Carl Radle (bass), Jamie Oldaker (drums), and Yvonne Elliman (backing vocals). Also joining the lineup was Freddie King, who was flown in specially for these shows.
Geetarz shares insight on Clapton’s performance, which is widely reported as the worst show of the 1974 tour, and a low point for sure. Eric was reportedly massively, incoherently drunk, and unintelligible at times. As the show begins with Clapton giving an outro to emcee “Legs” Larry Smith, a member of the crowd would shout “Clean Up Yer Act!,” a sign of the times indeed.
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
Drunk and stoned, Clapton would start playing songs without getting the band on the same page, starting the show with a rambling “Last Train to Brownsville”, where he seemed to start engaging with the audience who had apparently been throwing fireworks at the Clapton, saying “To be serious … one more of them, I’ll tell you, and you’re out of here! One more of them silly fucking fireworks and you are out of here! Behavior!”
After “Let it Grow,” Clapton shouted “I am drunk and I am ready for fuckin’ trouble!,” and then brought up Freddie King, but Eric was far from ready and was outshone by King. Clapton even gave a drunken intro for King: “He’s strapping on his guitar, moving to the guest spot, and if you haven’t heard of him, you don’t fucking deserve him! His name is Freddy.”
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
You would think that bringing on stage a blues guitarist he looked up to would keep Clapton on his toes, but he was outshined in Buffalo and reportedly unable to keep up during this performance of “Have You Ever Loved a Woman?” Doubling down, when King sang the line ‘It’s a shame and a sin’, Clapton weighed in unnecessarily: “Don’t believe them! There’s no shame, there’s no sin…” a revealing moment for Clapton who was at the time secretly in love with Patti Boyd, then married to his friend George Harrison.
Capping off the show with “Little Queenie,” Clapton was now more incoherent and ready to end the night. Rambling during the Chuck Berry song, and apparently triggered by the repeat mentions of the Queen, Clapton said “Meanwhile, in Birmingham …. England, that is, not here, in Alabama …. they’re making Persian carpets … at 19,000 quid apiece … there’s only 10 Pakistanis here! They can’t be bad – who am I?”
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
The next night in Jersey City was reportedly a somewhat better show for Eric Clapton, and likely The Band as well, with a recording available below that offers an idea of what the July 6 show sounded like. Rich Stadium has seen many more shows over the years, with Clapton setting the bar low for all to exceed in the years that followed.
Going To Brownsville*, Smile, Let It Grow, Hideaway**, Have You Ever Loved A Woman**, Tell The Truth, Willie And The Hand Jive, Get Ready, Steam Rollin’ Man, Little Wing, Blues Power, Presence of The Lord, Little Queenie, Crossroads * with Legs Larry Smith ** with Freddie King
Photos below are by Watt Casey Jr., who was working for Showco, this being his first show.
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Mike Younger has just released a new single just right for these carnivalesque political times, “Lord of the Fleas.” And while the lyrics for this tune were just penned to reflect today’s tumultuous climate, its rhythm track, an all-star powered slice of pure Americana, is a remarkable story of its own, one dating back 20 years, and featuring none other than Levon Helm.
In January 2001, Younger was working with producer Jim Dickinson (Big Star, The Replacements) on sessions for what was to be his second album, the follow-up to his Rodney Crowell-produced 1999 debut, “Somethin in the Air.” Dickinson conjured a powerhouse band including Muscle Shoals’ legends David Hood (bass) and Spooner Oldham (keyboards), North Mississippi All Stars’ Luther Dickinson (guitar) and Levon Helm, the heartbeat behind The Band (drums). Unfortunately for Younger, his record company folded while he was finishing the recording, and the rights to the tracks were tied up in a legal battle… until now.
“Lord of the Fleas” features a stately New Orleans style swing and funeral march horns, accenting Younger’s pungent lyrics about the culture wars, the war on refugees and so much more. Sounding much like a track one of the The Band’s classic era albums, Mike Younger has found memories of the session, and the contributions Levon Helm gave to them in sound and spirit.
“Working in the studio with Levon was one of the most important musical moments of my life,” says Younger. “I had been listening to his music since I was about 13 or 14. It was both thrilling and intimidating to me to get to work with someone I admired so much. But it was a real joy to strike up a friendship with him.”
“It was equally crushing to have the music swept away from me for almost 20 years, for reasons beyond my control,” laments Younger. “So it is immeasurably gratifying to have found and completed the project we started together, in spite of all the years and obstacles thrown in my path.”
The promotional video for new single emerges as an American news reel – illuminating the great contradiction of the modern patriot. “Lord of the Fleas” is the first single and video to be released from Nashville-based Younger’s highly-anticipated long-player, entitled “Burning the Bigtop Down,” slated for release in 2021.
