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87 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Last Waltz Didn't Mean The Dance Was Over, May 28, 2004
"There's a flood out in California, and up North it's freezin' cold! And this a-livin' off the road is gettin' purty old!", drummer Levon Helm twangs as The Band gives a fiery performance of 'Up On Cripple Creek,' one of their many signature songs. And indeed, the actual meaning of "The Last Waltz" was that The Band (or more specifically, songwriter/guitarist Robbie Robertson) were saying goodbye to the touring life, and had the intent of being reborn as a studio unit (think Steely Dan). But that didn't exactly go as planned, and the odds-and-ends album "Islands" was the only product of this idea (but even that album was released mostly as a contract-filler for Capitol Records). And though Band members were still talking about a new album as late as 1979, Robbie Robertson was obviously now focused on his work in terms of films, and the legendary five-man version of The Band was no more. And though some critics are cynical as to why a group would give up touring when touring is what a rock group does for a living, Robertson obviously had good reason to say goodbye to the road; it was obviously taking its toll on the personal lives of the Band members, most notably pianist and one of three lead vocalists Richard Manuel. Robertson said in 1987 "To see people teetering on the brink constantly...Richard scared us to death. We scared ourselves to death." (It's been argued that the touring hassles that the reunited Band went through in the 80s is what caused Manuel's suicide, but that's too personal to get into.)It's ironic that Helm could deliver such a powerful vocal performance, belting out the lines that began this review, but the whole time, he was certainly not happy to be a part of this "celebration." And indeed, the rest of The Band may not have been either, despite bassist/vocalist Rick Danko's energy on stage and the musical prowess of Manuel and genius Garth Hudson. They were not ready to end The Band's life as a touring unit, or else they wouldn't have reunited without Robertson. When "The Last Waltz" was released as an album of film it was a definite success, and the movie has been called the greatest rock film ever made. But Helm was the most disappointed. He wrote has gone on record as saying "the camera focused almost exclusively on Robbie Robertson, long and loving close-ups...the film was edited so it looked like Robbie was conducting the band with expansive waves of his guitar neck...for me it was a real scandal." Helm also claims he was scammed financially, but it's easy to agree that the film does feature Robertson a bit prominently, which is why this beautifully packaged box set re-release is an essential item, showcasing each brilliant member, even if sometimes they're buried under the guest stars. This 4-CD set features a heap of tracks that were left off of the original release making it the almost-complete concert. Band essentials like 'Rag Mama Rag,' 'The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show,' and 'This Wheel's On Fire' are fortunately included, as well as additional performances from the long line of guest stars that appeared at the concert (the songs from Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Bob Dylan are the best of the guest-stars). Concert rehearsals (including another essential 'King Harvest') and studio sketches are enjoyable listening as well. The album (and film) "The Last Waltz" is a timeless, definitive piece of rock history, and an important if not controversial piece of The Band's history.
In conclusion, it's important to note the song 'The Last Waltz Suite' (from the wonderful six-part "Last Waltz Suite"). Ironically co-sung by Robertson, this song is eerily but charmingly prophetic; as the song goes, "It's the last waltz, the last waltz with you, but that don't mean the dance is over...The last waltz was through, but that don't mean that the party is over."
How true this was. It wasn't meant to be finished, the studio was meant to be The Band's new home. And though that notion never unfolded, the dance was certainly not over Helm, Danko, Hudson, and Manuel, as they would re-unite as The Band in 1983, touring until Manuel's death in 1986, and releasing three studio albums to surprisingly good reviews in the 90s, until Danko's passing in 1999.
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74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A sumptuous feast, but not everything on the menu, May 2, 2002
For starters, I'll say that the Band is my favorite group of players/singers of any type of music; if I had to give up all my music except for one artist, the choice of whom to keep would be easy. This is an indispensable set, an unshakeable foundation for the serious lover of music that is emotionally honest and played with incomparable originality, versatility, and soul. There's a quote in the booklet: "The Band didn't sound like a group of teenage millionaires." That sums it up. The subject matter of their songs and their manner of putting it across took you inside a whole way of life, populated by people who paid their dues, took their chances, earned their wisdom and shared it with others. Having said all those nice things, I want to throw in some details on why I can't give it five stars, at least this version of it. I'd prefer the songs presented in their original sequence, which you can hear on the bootleg of the show. There was drama in that structure, and you get something dramatic here too, but it's not the same--originally, the Band played their own set, then most of the guests followed, all but for Bob Dylan. After an intermission with poetry reading by some members of the Beat Generation and a Hell's Angel, The Band came back for a few numbers, playing "The Weight" before Dylan's set. Also, while it is true that MOST of the material from the original show is here, there still are a few things left out, such as Richard Manuel singing "Georgia on my Mind" and ragged versions of "Evangeline" and "The Last Waltz." Finally, even though I'm as impressed by the improved sound as anyone, it wouldn't have hurt to leave some of the rough edges intact. The horn sections on "Shape I'm In" and "Don't Do It" were overdubbed after the fact: those are just two of the more obvious examples of post-production sweetening. The true live version of "Don't Do It" is looser and longer, and, to my ears, much more moving. By all means, purchase this set--but be aware that it is a version of the Last Waltz, not a complete or completely faithful document of it.
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36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Care package for Waltz lovers, May 16, 2002
The dream of millions of The Band fans has at last come true. The Last Waltz box set gives the deserved honour to Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson. Honour for the best rock and roll concert of all time.The addition of the missing songs, new mixing of the music and the improved layout are things that make this package something very special. The box set includes no less than 15 songs, which were dropped out from the original publications. Plus, there are a few concert rehearsal versions. It was high time to hear the performances of such songs as `WS Walcott Medicine Show' and `Don't Do It' - the very last song The Band ever played together on stage. As far as guest performances are concerned, `Caldonia' (with Muddy Waters) and `Hazel' (with Bob Dylan) are nothing to be left as takeouts. For the sake of curiosity it's worth mentioning that Robbie's 12-bar Clapton-imitation guitar solo (which is there in The Last Waltz film as Eric fiddles with his guitar strap) on `Further on Up the Road' can be enjoyed now on CD as well. Thanks to the new mixing, the overall sound of The Last Waltz is different. For example, `The Shape I'm In' is stronger than ever as a perfect The Band song: Richard growling the lyrics, Robbie filling in with delicate guitar licks, Rick bouncing about irresistibly with the bass and Levon hitting the drums like throwing big rocks on a tin roof. All this sweetened by Garth's capturing organ. The Last Waltz sounds brighter and fresher - basically it sounds much more authentic. Close your eyes and you are at Winterland... The layout is improved by a thick booklet. It includes a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about The Band and The Last Waltz as well as a tidy collection of photos. Fine supporting material. The Last Waltz box set is pleasingly short of letdowns. Joni Mitchell's `Coyote' is great, but her two previously unreleased songs, especially `Furry Sings the Blues', bring an unwanted plunge of quality to the set. Neil Diamond's less-than-magical `Dry Your Eyes' was familiar already from The Last Waltz LP. Although The Last Waltz box set is a little pricy, it's worth every penny. Money becomes a secondary issue as one listens to Rick, Levon, Richard, Robbie and Garth play gloriously with and without the friends. The Last Waltz really happens. To quote Dr John a little: `Thanks to The Band and all the fellas.'
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by The Band 
