![]() With studio recordings, it's easier to drop your pre-conceptions because you don't necessarily think of it as a group playing in front of you. With a live show, you have the preconception of a stereo sound stage. Because CONCERT is written huge in my head, the placing (as on the DVD video) takes a bit of getting your head round. With The Last Waltz, I checked 'Caravan' first, and while the voice is right in front of you, bits of guitar, some of the horns and all the audience is behind you. With studio albums, there's no reason why instruments shouldn't appear in new locations. It came out in 2002, and it's hugely impressive while being oddly disconcerting. There's also a DVD-Audio version of the original 3 album release in 5.1 surround sound with enhanced quality over the Dolby Digital movie soundtrack. By a happy coincidence, Van Morrison has recorded the same Ray Charles standard on, 'Down The Road.' As with Van's version of 'You Don't Know Me' I sense that the homage is to Richard Manuel as much as to Ray Charles. Having heard Richard's 'Georgia' on the Complete Last Waltz bootleg, Robbie was correct. You get a rehearsal version of 'King Harvest' instead. Having heard the warts and all version, it was a case of too far gone, though Manuel's fans will be disappointed at losing them. ![]() Robertson decided that Richard Manuel's voice on The Band performances of both 'Georgia On My Mind' and 'King Harvest (Has Surely Come)' was too shot away to use. You still don't get the full concert, But you do get everything on the audio box set that the guests did. The remixing process by Robertson has brought Richard Manuel's piano and Garth Hudson's organ higher in the mix and I'd say that Robertson has taken his own guitar further back in the mix Any musician will say that a lead guitarist putting himself lower in the mix is the equivalent of pigs flying, but this time it's true. The sound quality is now stunning, one of the best restorations I've heard. It's apparent that they cleaned up other material in 1976 to 78 too. The DVD is a remaster and restoration of the film, and the film is (supposedly) 'specially encoded for high-resolution TVs.' In addition, the existing 30 tracks have been joined by 24 additional ones on the box set. The soundtrack was completely remastered and remixed by Robbie Robertson over a six month period, with three versions of remixes - stereo on the box set, 5.1 surround sound on the DVD and 6.1 for cinemas. The restored and remastered film received a limited theatrical re-release in the USA in 2002, leading up to the release of a 4CD box set and DVD (initially only in US Region 1 format) in May 2002. It also proves that not only didn't Van Morrison overdub, but he had no need to. A few years ago a 4CD bootleg appeared of 'The Complete Last Waltz' which documents the entire concert, with hum and fluffs and warts and all. The guest vocals seem to be undoctored, and include Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Dr John, Paul Butterfield and Bobby Charles. He would have refused to do it, and they were damn near perfect in the first place. The only thing untouched, it was said, were drummer Levon Helm's parts. Robbie Robertson's guitar had also been 'improved' in places, as had some vocals. Because of sound problems, a loud hum on Garth Hudson's organ, and Rick Danko's out-of-tune bass guitar, extensive overdubbing had taken place. The Band's farewell performance in 1976 was filmed by Martin Scorsese, and released in cinemas in 1978 accompanied by a 3 LP set. It inspired 'This is Spinal Tap' if nothing else. The best concert film of all time? The best rock movie of all time? Well, probably. ![]() Sadly the final issue was cancelled late in 2008. This article was written for Wavelength, the Van Morrison magazine, and typeset and illustrated for the final issue. ![]() Peter Viney: Van at The Last Waltz Van at The Last Waltz Compiled by Peter Viney ![]()
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