“The Last Waltz” (the Band, etc.) – Classic Albums Live

I’m looking forward to the Classic Albums Live performance of the Band’s 1976 farewell concert “The Last Waltz” at Kitchener, ON’s Centre in the Square this evening. I wonder how authentic it will be, though: copious amounts of cocaine, “Joni Mitchell” not quite knowing what to sing in the verses of “Helpless” by “Neil Young” (himself at first unable to remember how the song goes), “Eric Clapton’s” guitar strap breaking, “Robbie Robertson” pretending to contribute to the backing vocals (while otherwise MC’ing as though it was “his” band), whether “Garth Hudson” uses a Lowrey organ instead of a Hammond, not being able to see Stratford, ON native “Richard Manuel” (d. 1986) singing lead vocals behind all of the guest artists onstage, “Levon Helm” being relatively pissed off about the whole ordeal, and so on. I can see faking Ronnie Hawkins, Neil Diamond, and Van Morrison (hell, I can fake them!), but who on Earth will be able to fake Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan? The Classic Albums Live folks are out of Toronto, though, so the percentage of Canadians could actually be even higher than in the original!

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