If you’ve been a long time reader of Hidden Track, you know how much we love The Band’s concert film The Last Waltz. We’re excited to see that a number of musicians will come together at NYC’s Highline Ballroom on June 2nd to recreate The Band’s 1976 finale.

Among the musicians participating are The Rev Tor Band, Jeff Mattson of Dark Star Orchestra, Illuminati Orchestra front man Joel Gallant and keyboardist Pete Levin.

Here’s the full list of participating musicians which will be added to in the future…

READ ON

During the final week of 1971 The Band played a residency at New York City’s Academy of Music that was immortalized by the 1972 live album Rock of Ages. For the run, The Band’s guitarist/songwriter Robbie Robertson commissioned New Orleans fixture Allen Toussaint to put together horn charts for the group’s best tunes. The Band was joined by a five-piece horn section for the run that played the magnificent parts Toussaint put together.

Robbie Robertson has just announced that he’s mixing and putting together a “deluxe edition” of Rock of Ages in a post on his Facebook page…

At Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Concert in NYC I did the song ‘I Shall Be Released’ which The Band recorded on our first album. I told the audience it was in remembrance of some dear old friends. Most people knew I was referring to Levon (who passed away one year ago today), Rick and Richard.

We are mixing and putting together a deluxe edition of The Band’s album Rock Of Ages — Live At The Academy Of Music. Hearing my Bandmates perform at the top of their game is so moving and powerful.

I miss those days and miss them so much.

Thank God, Garth is still with us and making beautiful music. -Robbie

There’s already been an expanded edition of Rock of Ages that was released in 2001, yet we’re sure there’s plenty of material from the Academy of Music run that’s never seen the light of day. Robertson only shared the details above, so there’s no word of a release date but we’ll keep you posted.

We’re also hoping there’s video involved. Watch Don’t Do It from the AOM residency…

READ ON

HT faves Widespread Panic concluded a two-night stand at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago last night, where they used part of their encore to pay tribute to Levon Helm and The Band. Panic has been covering Ophelia and The Shape I’m In since 1987 and 1995 respectively. JB and Co. paired the tunes up at an October 30th, 2009 performance in Austin, Texas along with another The Band cover they do – Chest Fever. Since 2011, with the exception of one show, Panic continues to link Ophelia and The Shape I’m In when they play the songs as they did last night in The Windy City.

Thanks to YouTuber faketaper we can watch exceptional video of last night’s Band covers…

Here’s the setlist from the Widespread Panic in Chicago finale…

[Photo by Kristin Murray, Image via PanicStream.com's Facebook Page]

• Audio Stream: Widespread Panic @ UIC Pavilion – April 13

Tonight, Widespread Panic celebrates John Bell’s birthday with a show in Minneapolis.

I’m still buzzing over last night’s Allman Brothers Band show which had so many highlights that I went over in my review. Our pal LazyLightning55 was in the house and captured the Brothers in action. We’re proud to debut two of his spectacular videos from the evening.

Watch as the Allman Brothers Band debut their take on the Bob Dylan / Richard Manuel-penned Tears Of Rage which The Band recorded for 1968′s Music From Big Pink…

Allman Brothers Band – Tears of Rage

• More Videos From Tuesday Night: Allman Brothers Band – Blue Sky,

Now, check out the encore which featured Eric Krasno and The Juke Horns on Southbound…

READ ON

We couldn’t let Thanksgiving pass around these parts without our annual fluffage of the greatest rock movie of all-time - The Last Waltz. Roughly 36 years ago, about 5,000 lucky fans were treated to a full Thanksgiving dinner, followed by a star-studded “farewell concert” from The Band at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, the site of their very first public performance. With each viewing I seem to come away with a new favorite performance from the film, and after last night’s annual viewing, which was particularly poignant since we lost the great Levon Helm earlier this year, it was no surprise it was going to be one of Helm’s signature songs – The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Let’s check it out…

The Band – The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

From everyone here at Hidden Track, we want to wish all of our readers a very happy Thanksgiving!!!

In the summer of 1970 promoters Thor Eaton, George Eaton, and Ken Walker brought together The Band, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and a number of other bands for a train tour through Canada that was immortalized in the 2003 documentary Festival Express. Not only were many of the songs filmed used in the documentary but an additional batch was included as bonus footage on the DVD. However what’s been released isn’t all that was shot in 1970 by filmmaker Frank Cvitanovich.

The reels containing all of the Festival Express footage are available for license through stock film house Historic Films. Recently, Historic Films has given us a taste of what didn’t make the cut when they posted a clip of The Band performing nearly all of Levon Helm belting out Jemima Surrender. While this may have made the rounds among those “connected,” this is the first we’ve seen of this footage. Check out The Band at the peak of their powers crushing Jemima Surrender…

The Band – Jemima Surrender

There’s also clips of Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever and Time To Kill that surfaced…

READ ON

On October 11, 1975 Lorne Michaels and his cast of “The Not Ready For Prime-Time Players” revolutionized television with the debut of a sketch comedy show called Saturday Night Live. Today, 37 years later, the show is still going strong and a fixture of many Americans’ Saturday nights.

To celebrate the anniversary, let’s take a look at Life Is A Carnival as performed by The Band on the October 30th, 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live, less than a month before The Last Waltz…

The Band – Life Is A Carnival

[via Bob Dylan and The Band]

Now that Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel have left this mortal plane we may never know how much truth there was to Helm’s contention that he deserved more songwriting credit for the songs of The Band. American Songwriter dedicated their September/October issue to Helm and while they decided not to get into the songwriting debate in their cover story, a post about it featuring quotes from the man who did get the credit, Robbie Robertson, and Larry Campbell (Levon’s last musical director) has been posted on the magazine’s website .

Campbell’s take isn’t as pro-Levon as you might expect…

The breakup of The Band and the longstanding animosity with Robbie and Levon, did he ever discuss any of that with you?

Oh yeah. He had a lot of bitterness about that. My observation was, Levon was 50 percent right and 50 percent wrong. That’s all I could put it into because I wasn’t there. The thing Levon would do, once he got into a frame of mind about something, it was a logic-free zone. There was no changin’ his mind. … [and] I was not in a position to try and make him think otherwise about his experience. My take on it was always that I’m sure there’s plenty of legitimacy to what Levon was bitter about, but that he’s missing something, too; that things could have been different, had he approached the situation differently — that whatever inequity he felt with Robbie, he had some responsibility for that, too. That’s just what I feel about it. Don’t know the facts. All I know is Levon’s side of it.

While Robertson still feels credit was given when it was due as when Levon contributed to the song Strawberry Wine on 1970′s Stage Fright…

The only song that Levon ever really had any writing part of was ‘Strawberry Wine.’ He came back from Arkansas one time and said, ‘I’ve started this song; see if you think there’s anything there because I’ve got like, a verse and a chorus, and if you think it’s worthwhile, maybe you can help me finish it.’ So he sang what he had and I really enjoyed it. So I wrote some more verses to it. I loved the idea that he was willing to try and do some writing. On the other songs, he was there when I was writing these songs, and I really wanted to be encouraging for him to try and to participate in the songwriting. I just loved the feeling of him participating in that, and I was being a little bit naïve in the idea that some people write and some people don’t.

Yesterday we came across a performance of The Weight from the 1989 Canadian Hall of Fame induction ceremony for The Band. Levon refused to show, so Robbie Robertson handled Helm’s famous vocals. Robertson’s ragged vocals made us realize why he let Helm, Manuel and Danko sing his songs. The trio gave Robbie’s songs life and we wonder if these songs that are now known worldwide would’ve ever gained any attention if it wasn’t for Levon, Richard and Rick’s stirring vocals.

You’ve got to expect Robertson will share more of his take on the subject in his forthcoming autobiography. Be sure to read the whole article for more from Robbie and Larry about Levon.

Given their significant musical impact, it’s hard to believe that The Basement Tapes were never really intended for commercial release. The sessions, which took place in the spring and summer of 1967, were responsible for not only a shift in direction Bob Dylan’s music, but also in the official formation of The Band. While the double-album didn’t hit stores until 1975, fragments had been circulating for years on an unofficial release known as the Great White Wonder (which is credited as the first notable rock bootleg), and  bands like The Byrds, Peter Paul & Mary and Fairport Convention all recording tunes that would later appear on the official release.

On September 25, Down In The Flood, a new documentary about the making of The Basement Tapes, will be released on DVD. The 114-minute film chronicles the story of the circumstances that led to Dylan and The Band recording together, and features interviews with Garth Hudson, Ronnie Hawkins, producer John Simon and Dylan guitarist Charlie McCoy. Let’s check out the trailer…

Down In The Flood Trailer

Now that Levon Helm has passed and his organization has decided to “Keep It Goin’,” music fans will still have the chance to visit The Band drummer’s home/studio/music venue for future Midnight Rambles. In the past it didn’t matter which Ramble you went to, you’d still get a chance to watch Levon in action. Without Helm, it’s more important than it used to be that you pick a Ramble lineup that appeals to you. For instance, if you want to see a bevy of The Band songs, a special, just-announced Ramble on August 10th will be right up your alley.

On August 10th longtime Levon collaborator and leader of Conan O’Brien’s Basic Cable Band Jimmy Vivino will present a special Ramble dubbed The Band Songs – A Celebration of Richard (Manuel), Rick (Danko) and Levon. Joining Vivino at this unusual Friday Midnight Ramble will be The Band keyboardist Garth Hudson as well as former Band members Randy Ciarlante and Jim Weider. Tickets for this show are expected to go on sale soon.

A number of other August Rambles have been announced including an August 4th date with Corky Laing, an August 11th date with Lucinda Williams and a August 25th event with Mike and Ruthy. Tickets for these performances are either on sale now or will go on sale soon via LevonHelm.com.

• Previously: Phil Lesh and Family Ramble at Levon Helm Studios

[via Maud Hudson - H/T Bob Dylan and The Band]

The finale of today’s main stage action at Mountain Jam in Hunter, New York found Gov’t Mule collaborating with the Levon Helm Band on seven songs made famous by the late drummer from his days with The Band. Levon band members Larry Campbell, Brian Mitchell, Jim Weider, Byron Isaacs and the horns all joined Gov’t Mule, which features Ramble regular Danny Louis on keys, for the whole set, while Justin Guip and Teresa Williams came out for most of the tunes.

[iClips Webcast Screenshot]

The Night They Drove Old Dixie and Up On Cripple Creek, two songs Helm hadn’t actually performed with his longtime solo group, kicked off the set before Ophelia brought the LHB back into familiar territory. Throughout the performance Larry Campbell and Brian Mitchell split lead vocal duties with Mule front man and festival curator Warren Haynes. Teresa Williams spent most of the evening singing backing vocals, but did get a few verses out front on It Makes No Difference. Gov’t Mule bassist Jorgen Carlsson sat out the first six songs while drummer Matt Abts only played on Up On Cripple Creek. The group stayed true to the Last Waltz arrangements for the most part, with the notable exception of This Wheels On Fire which featured a guitar duel between Haynes and Campbell.

Levon Helm Tribute: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up On Cripple Creek, Ophelia, The Shape I’m In, This Wheels On Fire, It Makes No Difference, The Weight

Gov’t Mule & Levon Helm Band – The Shape I’m In

All in all, the tribute included seven of The Band’s most beloved songs. A candle on the drum riser marked “Levon Helm” marked the drummer’s familiar place. Amy Helm was supposed to be part of this evening’s performance but according to Haynes “couldn’t make it” though he sent his love out to her. For the final song of the set, Warren brought out Lukas Nelson, Jorgen Carlsson and vocalist Machan Taylor, telling the crowd this performance was the only way they knew how to deal with such a tremendous loss before launching into The Weight. The Levon tribute made up the bulk of Gov’t Mule’s second set on Saturday. Following The Weight, Warren gathered both bands at the front of the stage for a group picture. Once the Levon Helm Band departed, the members of Mule emerged for a Birth Of The Mule that was heating up at press time.

Levon Helm passed away today after a long battle with cancer. This afternoon and over the next few days we expect plenty of tributes and thoughts about The Band drummer to file in from around the world. We’ll compile word of those tributes within this post and will update it accordingly.

[Photos by Jeremy Gordon]

Obituaries and Remembrances:

• Jambands.com: “The only American member of the quintessential Americana quintet, Helm—who also played mandolin, guitar and other instruments—had managed to beat the odds for nearly two decades since being diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990s. “
• Rolling Stone:  ”But at one his last shows, in Ann Arbor on March 19th with a 13-piece band, the audience roared when he sang the Band classic ‘Ophelia.’”
• New York Times: “In Mr. Helm’s drumming, muscle, swing, economy and finesse were inseparably merged. His voice held the bluesy, weathered and resilient essence of his Arkansas upbringing in the Mississippi Delta.”
• Billboard: “People ask me about ‘The Last Waltz’ all the time,” Helm writes in a forward of “This Wheel’s on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of The Band.” “Rick Danko dying at fifty-six is what I think about ‘The Last Waltz.’ It was the biggest f–kin’ rip-off that ever happened to The Band — without a doubt.”
• USA Today: “Countering the psychedelic trend that dominated the fractured music scene, they wrote and recorded songs steeped in old-time country, soul, R&B, ’50s rock, gospel, blues and folk ballads — with lyrics that spoke of an older America.”
• Los Angeles Times: “But the one that might crystallize his approach to music throughout his life was “The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show,” an ode to the kind of freewheeling gatherings in which the musician, who died of cancer Thursday at 71 in New York, thoroughly reveled.”
• Grateful Web: “Levon Helm was a very special person to many people and the music community at large and his presence will be missed, but his music will live on forever.”
• Washington Post: “Though its music was often called “country rock,” The Band was as much influenced by gospel, rhythm and blues, New Orleans jazz and hillbilly music as by the contemporary Nashville music scene. The band often used the mandolin, tuba or accordion in its arrangements. Mr. Helm said the dual keyboard sound — Manuel’s organ and Hudson’s piano — was inspired by Anglican church music.”
• Bob Dylan: “He was my bosom buddy friend to the end, one of the last true great spirits of my or any other generation.”
• SPIN: “As the unmistakable voice carrying songs like “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “The Weight,” and “Up on Cripple Creek,” Helm gave the ’60s a signature rasp of ragged desperation and defiance.”
• Time: “And all I can say is: if you were one of the lucky ones who caught a Midnight Ramble, good for you; if you never did, shoot yourself.”
• Real Clear Politics: “We heard all of it in that soulful howl of his lamenting the missing Ophelia and the soul-crushed Confederate soldier, and the temptations and ravages of the road.”
• NPR’s The Record: “Helm got back on his feet financially and physically, and the Ramble became a regular event. People came from around the world to hear the man play in his own home. “
• Village Voice: “As any fan, who considered The Band his family, you so wanted these two friends to shake hands one last time and say ‘I’ll see you down the line pardner.’”
• Garth Hudson: “ I AM TERRIBLY SAD. THANK YOU FOR 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP AND MUSIC. MEMORIES THAT LIVE ON WITH US.”
• President Bill Clinton: “ His music, with the Hawks, the Band, and throughout his career, and his standout performance in Coal Miner’s Daughter, touched a cord with me and with many Americans. He never forgot his roots.”
• Widespread Panic Bassist Dave Schools: “ There was a real homespun honesty about the way he sang about the simple things in life and how sometimes they weren’t so simple. These were songs of the common man…sung by a most uncommon man. And that swinging beat…it was just irresistible.”
• Elvis Costello: “ The are few more stirring sounds in all recorded music than the drags and press rolls and that announce in the last chorus of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”. No other drummer ever sang with such sadness and longing. Few singers of any kind could manage it.”
• Joe Henry: “In the same way that his great friend and sometimes-boss Bob Dylan connected the dots between Jimmy Reed, Arthur Rimbaud and Muhammad Ali, so Levon drew the second line that had Howlin’ Wolf, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Marvin Gaye and Hank Williams all dancing out in front of the same New Orleans funeral parade. “
• Jeff Tweedy: “Levon was the glue, not just in The Band, but in all of what people think of when they think of North American music. He was a great unifier; a great glue. He unified blues and country, rural and city, and even North and South. Luckily he showed us all the way to keep it together and let it swing.”
• Glen Kotche: “Getting the privilege to double drum with him last year at our Solid Sound festival was one of the greatest thrills I could ever imagine. He was a passionate man with an extremely gracious, warm and giving personality.”
• The Jayhawks: “Hell, we even named our band “The Jayhawks” as a nod to their original name “The Hawks,” a fact made clear to him as we stood backstage watching his daughter play at a venue in Woodstock about 10 years ago.”
• Amnesty International: “On behalf of Amnesty International’s millions of members around the world I want to say how grateful we are to Levon Helm for his generous artistic contribution and support that will make a real difference to our life-saving work around the world,”
• Martin Scorsese: “The late Jim Carroll once said that Levon Helm was the only drummer who could make you cry, and he was absolutely right. Levon’s touch was so delicate, so   deft, that he gave you more than just a beat – he gave the music a pulse. “
• Nils Lofgren: “Our friendship continued and every time we spoke on the phone–or the too rare occasions when our paths would cross–I felt honored and blessed to count him as a friend.”
• Bernie Taupin: “Oh, I guess I just want to say all these things about the earth and granite of his being, the raw Appalachian timber of his voice and the powerful sway of his backbeat. The throb of his tom-toms the first time I heard “Tears Of Rage” and that wicked, knowing smile recounting tales of Carney barkers and backwater medicine shows.”
• Simone Felice: “Could it have been little more than a month back that I sat on a wooden bench not five feet from his drum-riser as he played and sang Ophelia with the grace of a veteran dancer, the spirit of a country preacher, at once lithe, weather-worn, fiery, weary, imperishable.”
• The Atlantic – Levon Helm Was Perfect: “Levon Helm will be sorely missed, and never forgotten. He cuts an imposing figure in the history of rock and roll and leaves behind a body of work that that we’re blessed to have, a lifetime of perfect tempos, perfect taste, perfect feel.”
• CBS News – Levon Helm’s Miraculous Encore: “In the whole history of rock n’ roll, no one ever had a greater encore than Levon Helm.” [VIDEO]
• Jeff Hanna – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: “The Band showed us a way to combine all of the truly great American musical forms and reshape them into something beautiful and unique.”
• Ringo Starr: “God bless Levon. It was great spending time with you. Peace & love, Ringo”
• Los Lobos: “Our recent experience sharing the stage with Levon at what will be the last Ramble was truly one of the amazing nights of our entire career.”
• Phil Lesh: “Levon may be gone from our daily lives, but his spirit still burns brightly in our hearts. My love and prayers go out to his family, friends, and fans around the world.”
• Peter Stone Brown: “For almost 50 years, Levon Helm brought me something that went beyond mere pleasure.”
• Jane Fonda: “I got to know Levon personally because he played my husband in the ABC movie “The Dollmaker.” He was kind and deep and devoted to music, as a singer and playing not only drums, but harmonica, fiddle, mandolin, you name it.”
• Jon Taplin: “Levon and Garth Hudson made a good living ($150,000 a year) off royalties from The Band’s eight recordings in the 60′s and 70′s up until 2001 when the Big Pirate sites like Limewire and (in 2003) Pirate Bay really got going. And then the record royalties came to a halt. “
• Rich Robinson: “My Love goes out to Levon and his family. Levon and his music is a great gift to this world. He will always be remembered. It was a true honor for me to get to know him over these last few years and share a musical experience.”
• Pitchfork: “He sounds like a man with something to say and– unexpectedly, miraculously– time to say it. Every artist should go out on such a strong note. And perhaps that’s what makes his death so tough to accept: Even at 71, it seemed like he was just getting started.”
• Jim Weider: “I thank all of you for your caring thoughts in this tough time of such a great loss. Levon gave so much to all of us, and changed my life from the day I started playing music with him!!”
• Susan LaSala (Big Pink owner): “We’re all gonna miss you but will always hear you voice and your heart-beat through the land and the whispering of the north-wind in the pines out back.”
• No Depression: “In the Band’s vocal ensemble, his brawny Razorback yawp supplied the group’s bottom, meshing sublimely with Richard Manuel’s tenor reveries and Rick Danko’s baritone parabolas; as a lead singer, he conveyed a rush of emotion – weariness, confusion, rage, priapic delight – with directness and unerring honesty.”
• Listen Up Denver: “As time went on, my father spent more and more time at The Barn, and with Levon. When I got a call that he and my little sister (who babysat Levon’s grandson) would be going on tour with The Levon Helm Band, and they would be making a stop at Red Rocks, I couldn’t really believe my ears. My dad, a retired construction worker, was now living a life I could only dream of, and one he never imagined!”
• Rob Delaney: “I can’t speak for Levon Helm or Robbie Robertson (or Sammy Davis, Jr., in whose Los Angeles home they converted into a studio to record “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,”) but those gentlemen made a work of art that reached out across the decades to me and made me feel love and empathy and kinship with someone who I would’ve thought was different than me in the past, but that I now know isn’t.”
• Chadbyrne Dickens: “Without question, for a lot of music lovers, Levon’s passing represents more than just a man, but a symbol of a past era, one of the last moguls of the old guard, the idealistic time of the Woodstock Music Festival and folk music when it was more significant to the common man.”
• Stephen Davis: Interview w/ Levon’s Co-Author
• Wall Street Journal: Legendary Rock Drummer Remembered
• Elton John: Levon – A Part of My Life That Was Legendary
• Poughkeepsie Journal: Levon Helm Truly An Angel 
• Ronnie Hawkins: Video of Interview About Levon

Levon Helm’s First TV Appearance – 1959

Musical Tributes:

• Megafaun: I Shall Be Released
• David Gans & Sycamore Slough String Band: The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down
• Umphrey’s McGee paid tribute to Helm by covering Up On Cripple Creek [VIDEO] at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Band’s 1969 hit was debuted by UM at one of their first shows in 1998 and was last played with Huey Lewis at the Summer Camp Music Festival in 2011. Brendan Bayliss later told the Tulsa audience, “If anyone is not familiar with The Band, do yourself a favor and go home and download one song. It will change your life.” [via @JeffersonWaful]
• Bon Iver covered Ophelia in their encore at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. [VIDEO]
• Guster covered The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down [VIDEO] to finish their set at the Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York [via Joe Madonna] The next night they performed the cover again [VIDEO] and then brought up a few guests the following evening for another take [VIDEO]
• McLovins: Up On Cripple Creek
• The Band of Heathens: American Son
• Drive-By Truckers and Megafaun: The Weight
• Warren Haynes Band: It Makes No Difference, The Weight, IMND Reprise
• Deer Tick & Friends: I Shall Be Released
• Miranda Lambert covered Up On Cripple Creek during her performance at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, telling the crowd “y’all need to listen to some older music.”
• Bruce Hornsby covered The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down during his set on Friday at the Wanee Festival in Live Oak, Florida [VIDEO]
• Sister Sparrow: Up On Cripple Creek
• Greensky Bluegrass covered The Weight at The Showbox in Seattle [via Jambands.com]
• Ryan Montbleau Band covered Ophelia at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, New York [VIDEO From Next Night]
• The Black Keys welcomed John Fogerty to join them in covering The Weight [VIDEO] at Coachella [REHEARSAL VIDEO]
• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: Danko/Manuel
• Megafaun: Ain’t No More Cane
• Splintered Sunlight: The Weight
• Simone Felice: Radio Song
• The Felice Brothers: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
• Frank Turner: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
• Dawes covered The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down at Coachella [via @wsjrock]
• Dopapod: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
• Trampled By Turtles: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down [2nd Performance]
• The Frames met up with Glen Hansard in Prague for Hansard’s birthday, where they played some of Levon’s songs in celebratory tribute [via @graham_hopkins]
• NEEDTOBREATHE w/ Stephen Kellog: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
• Alexis P. Suter Band: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, The Shape I’m In
• Allman Brothers Band w/ Bob Weir, Susan Tedeschi and Tedeschi Trucks Band Horns: The Weight > It Makes No Difference [UPGRADED VIDEO]
• Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes: The Weight, Chest Fever, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,
• The Lumineers covered The Weight on Thursday night at StageOne in Fairfield, Conn. [VIDEO]
• Punch Brothers: The Weight
• Leftover Salmon and Col. Bruce Hampton covered Up On Cripple Creek on Friday night at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse [via @kevintank - AUDIO]
• The Bacon Brothers: Up On Cripple Creek
• Gov’t Mule covered The Shape I’m In on Saturday at the Wanee Festival in Live Oak, Florida [AUDIO]
• Hot Day at the Zoo: Ophelia
• Lisa Hannigan covered The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down at The Paradiso in Amsterdam [VIDEO] Lisa reprised the cover a few nights later [VIDEO]
• Tom Petty dedicated The Best of Everything to Levon Helm at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colo. [VIDEO]
• Hot Tuna dedicated I Am The Light Of The World to Levon Helm at the Wanee Festival in Live Oak, Florida [VIDEO]
• Martin Sexton and Stephen Kellogg: The Weight
• Iron & Wine: Long Black Veil
• Everyone Orchestra featuring Michael Kang and Mark Karan covered The Weight at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif. on Saturday [via Jambands.com]
• Trampled By Turtles: The Weight
• Trigger Hippy: The Weight
• Paul Shaffer and The Late Show Band played The Band covers during each break on Monday night’s The Late Show with David Letterman. Also, Dave and Paul discussed Levon’s passing.
• Ivan Neville, Tony Hall and Johnny Vidacovich: The Weight
• The Infamous Stringdusters: Up On Cripple Creek 

Hidden Track Coverage:

• Levon Helm in Final Stages of Cancer Battle
• In Memoriam: Levon Helm – Age 71
• Love For Levon: Hidden Track Founder on Helm
• Love For Levon: Carly Shields on Helm
• Love For Levon: Dan Alford on Helm
• Love For Levon: Chad Anderson on Helm
• Video: Bon Iver Pays Tribute to Levon Helm – Ophelia
• Love For Levon: Jeremy Gordon on Helm
• Love For Levon: Marc Millman on Helm
• Love For Levon: Jimmy Coulas on Helm
• Love For Levon: Andy Kahn on Helm
• Love For Levon: Chad Berndtson on Helm
• Love For Levon: Parker Harrington on Helm
• Love For Levon: David Schultz on Helm
• Love For Levon: Jeffrey Greenblatt on Helm
• Love For Levon: Scott Bernstein on Helm

Stories About Levon:

• How Helm Met Dylan – Just One Phone Call
• Amy Helm Pays Tribute To Her Father
• The Night The Band Played Mountain Stage
• What It Was Like Opening For Levon
• Jon Carroll Recalls Performing With Levon
• What Does The Future Hold For LHS and The Band’s Legacy?
• Levon Acting Gig Turns Into Jam Session
• Levon Helm Quotes – Inspiring Words
• A Classic 1968 Interview With The Band
• Levon and Robbie – The Band of Brothers
• Levon Helm and The Battle Over Free Music
• Wanee Festival Pays Tribute to Levon Helm

Finally, we’ll compile tweets about the passing of Levon Helm below…

READ ON

Rick Danko Band 03/01/1978 SBD [MP3, Stream]

HT faves The Band are known for their legendary final show, billed as The Last Waltz and immortalized by Martin Scorsese’s film of the same name. However, The Last Waltz was not the last time the original members of The Band shared a stage. Richard Manuel, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson all sat in with The Rick Danko Band for the final three songs of the bassist’s late set at The Roxy in Los Angeles, Calif. on March 1, 1978.

Thanks to original Relix editor and taper extraordinaire Jerry Moore we can listen to an excellent (though not perfect) soundboard-sourced recording of Danko’s late set which featured the sit-in. Rick’s performance starts off with a pair of songs from his recently released self-titled debut – Sip The Wine and New Mexicoe. From there, Danko and his solo band run through an interesting version of The Band classic This Wheels On Fire. After another pair of tunes from Rick Danko – Rick Danko, the members of The Band took the stage.

There’s no doubt the quintet known as The Band had a magical chemistry and it shines through during their last-ever performance. Garth Hudson spends most of the trifecta of Stage Fright, The Shape I’m In and The Weight on accordion, which is a bit too high in the mix (told ya it wasn’t perfect) but Robertson’s steely shredding sounds fantastic. While Don’t Do It was the final song performed at The Last Waltz, a stirring rendition of The Weight from this night will fittingly go down as the last tune ever performed by the original members of The Band. When The Band reformed in 1983 it was without Robertson. Richard Manuel’s tragic death in 1986 crushed any hopes of future reunions.

Back in 1995 a Robbie Robertson-less version of The Band stopped by NBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien to promote the newly released Across The Great Divide retrospective. Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and the more recent additions to this last version of The Band shared the stage with members of the Max Weinberg 7 to perform a rousing Life Is A Carnival. Check it out…

The Band – Life Is A Carnival (Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien)

Bring up the date July 28, 1973 and there is a certain percentage of music fans that will immediately know its significance, as it saw three of the most iconic and influential bands of all-time – the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers and The Band – perform at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Raceway for Summer Jam ’73. While there’s been plenty written about this historic concert, which reportedly drew a larger crowd than Woodstock, we’ve got a pretty cool homemade video to share with you today from a group of friends that documented their journey to the fest from Chicago. The nine-minute documentary of sorts, has some fantastic visuals from their road trip, as well as some shots of the Dead and The Band on stage, with the narrator chronicling the entire thing. Let’s check it out…

Watkins Glen Road Trip