Levon Helm's new one

[Ronny Stecher]

Levon's tour opener @ Wellmont Theatre, NJ 2/7/09

[Ronny Stecher]

Levon @ Allman Brothers Beacon Opener, NYC 3/9/09 Pt. 1

[Ronny Stecher]

Levon & Taj @ Allman Brothers Beacon Opener, NYC 3/9/09 Pt. 2

[journeybear]

Man! Somethin' done been unleashed here! Thanks! I saw he original band but once, in Chicago during the "Stage Fright" tour, and obviously it was a great show, as much as I remember from 35 odd years ago ... Opened for the reunited band (ie, w/o Robbie), opened for Rick Danko, and these are also treasured memories.

As I was scanning through "The Last Waltz," it occurred to me ... These guys, being a part of their times, probably helped themselves to all manner of creativity chemistry, just as their peers did. But somehow it doesn't show in their music, apart from some imaginative chord progressions. What they produced was more solid, and durable, and timeless, but no less inventive and unprecedented, as the music produced by many of their contemporaries. That's not to disparage the musical output of Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Hendrix, Cream, The Doors, etc etc etc, which seem more obviously drug-induced (and I love, BTW), but somehow The Band's musical style was more down to earth than that of most everyone else at the time, with the exception of other roots-oriented bands like Creedence. These bands' music seems to have survived not only those tumultuous times, but all the changes popular music has undergone since then.

Just thinking out loud, and in public. And that's what I get for thinking ...

[David]

Wow, I go away for a week vacation and come back to a mighty fine thread of Levon/Band lovin'. Great stuff! Electric Dirt made for a great soundtrack while hanging out in the South Carolina lowcountry and sea islands. Now to go dig up the recent Letterman performance on Youtube that y'all mentioned...

[Ronny Stecher]

Electric Dirt is even more solid the Dirt Farmer, Great Disc!. Here's a link about an upcoming PBS TV broadcast from another site....

http://www.livedaily.com/news/19733.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVvlNJ4Kspc = The Weight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQPV9CrDO3c = Ophelia

I couldn't get the videos up so links included.

[AlanN]

Terrific photos.

And MJ wasn't the only Gloved One, I see.

[Spiritinthesky]

I'm going to buy this today.

[hank]

Wow, just getting back to this thread. Great links and photo's and info. everybody thanks. I see Sammie and John Hiatt got in on the fun at the Ramble At The Ryman. IMO though nobody can sing Stage Fright like Rick used to do it.

[journeybear]

IMO though nobody can sing Stage Fright like Rick used to do it.

Yeah, buddy. I think that performance is really emblematic of his style. That's why I mentioned it in an earlier post in this thread.

Now to go dig up the recent Letterman performance on Youtube that y'all mentioned ...

Actually, it's coming up as a rerun, this Monday!

[KanMando]

Here's a link to Happy Traum's article and interview with Levon Helm and Larry Campbell in the October issue of "Acoustic Guitar" magazine:

http://www.acguitar.com/article/defa...rticleid=24791

Bob

[OKMike]

Playing at the Cain's ballroom, can't wait. Should be a great show. Saw the info on Cain's website and also saw it in Acoustic guitar. Good article.

Mike

[kyblue]

That Ramble at the Ryman looks awesome. Almost makes me wish I had cable.

Doesn't Sam Bush get to have all kinds of fun?

Paula

[Alex Orr]

I saw Levon and his band about ten days ago at Merriwether Post in Columbia, MD as part of the Route 29 Revue festival. Really good show. Levon looked fine and seemed to be having a blast behind the kit. Sadly he was unable to sing. According to Larry Campbell, who was playing guitar, singing, and essentially leading the band, Levon's doctors had told him to refrain from singing for several weeks. Still a great show with a lovely cover of "Attics of My Life" being a real standout, as well as a rollicking runt through "Chest Fever".

BTW, for my money the best performance out of all six acts was from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (http://www.myspace.com/gracepotterandthenocturnals). I knew the name but had never seen them, nor heard any of their stuff. HOLY COW! Talk about a flat out rock 'n roll show with mountains of energy! Every act on the bill was excellent but Grace and the Nocs just blew me away. I've checked out their albums since then and they're good, but nowhere near as exciting and entertaining as their live show. Looking forward to the new record they recorded with T-Bone Burnett that's set to drop in the fall. Unfortunately they're not playing anywhere around here for the rest of the year, but hopefully they'll be hitting up DC sometime next year. I can't wait to see them again.

[Christian McKee]

I'll pipe in here with another bump for Levon's book "Wheel's On Fire." Then, if you're still in the mood to try and enjoy The Last Waltz, check out the DVD release from a few years back. It's got audio commentary from Levon, Dr. John, Garth, Griel Marcus and others, as well as wonderful raw footage of the after concert blues jam.

As you say, Journeybear they were loaded. Their good and bad experiences with drugs are well documented by Levon and others, for whatever it's worth. I've always thought one of the big reasons people didn't associate their music (or them) with drugs is that for the most part, The Band didn't jam. As players they were more Beatles than Stones, except when Dylan was fronting, when it was anybody's guess where it all would end up. But they were so focused on The Song that stretching out in extended instrumental sections was not attractive to them. Even the Chest Fever intro got to nearly THREE minutes in length - well, the Dead were still warming up to the first verse of Dark Star in three minutes of playing But the outsider perspective and psychadelic craziness from any of the instrumental music played in San Fransisco, etc, was pretty well paralleled in the oddball stuff they did - like the Basement Tapes. That's as weird and exploratory as you please, it's just not high gain, or improvised.

Good thread!

Christian

[Ronny Stecher]

Here's a couple pic's from a fabulous double bill that featured Levon Helm Band and The Black Crowes. Both bands are supporting 2 crazy good discs, Levon's disc has been mentioned here, but The Black Crowes disc has some nice moments also.

The new BC's discs (BTF & UTF) have it's normal share of legitimate quality rock blues, but also has that mountain still sounds of Marshall Tucker and some diverse tunes with fiddle, mando, banjo, & lap steel. It was recorded at Levon's Woodstock barn/studio with major contributions by Larry Campbell from LH's band.

Great stuff with it's varied offerings, If you like mature solid music, it might be worth a visit, Here's a couple pic's from 8/29/09House Of Blues, AC, NJ. Chris Robinson of the BC's came out and sang Tennesse Jed of LH's new disc and brother Rich Robinson jumped in with CR for the Levon closing version of The Weight.

[Spruce]

Whoa.....
Levon on a Tele...
That's too cool...

And was he singing??
Sure hope so...

[Ronny Stecher]

That's Jim Weider on Tele from Levon's band, He's been with him on & off for 20 something years. I had dreams of NFL merges and bought season tix to the World League Of American Football (WLAF), They drove out a flat bed stage and played to one side of Giants Stadium field parking it near the NY/NJ Knights bench. That was in '92 or '93 and he was there, He also was at the Dylan tribute w/the Band.

I did and internet search and it says he's been with him '85, but my 1st Band show was in The Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ in ~'86 and I don't recall him there. I think it was Blondie Chaplin? The Band was opened by each of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts solo bands. The guy I remember playing guitar that night wore one of those man dresses with a Casablanca bellboy hat (upside down glass with a tassle off the top?).

Jim is a great player and has a biting tone. I posted a few pic's of the Levon & BC's shows over at the ABB site too.....

http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/mo...read&tid=97500

[Ronny Stecher]

The snow storm had the 2/26/10 Wellmont Theatre show postponed to 3/12 and that was the day of my son's wrestling dinner so I sadly had to miss Levon's show, but My kid brother was more than happy to sit in my 2nd Row seats, He took a couple pic's to show me the view of the room and I thought I'd share.....

[Ronny Stecher]

[Ronny Stecher]

Sweet show by Levon & Willie Nelson @ Radio City Music Hall 7/28/10, Did the dinner and a ferry ride to the freebie bus to midtown as Obama was local visiting a deli in NJ and then messing up traffic in the city for some democratic fund raisers, Sweet weather for a river crossing.
Levon's voice didn't cooperate fully, but his energy never waivered. The band shared along with his vocal duties as usual, Teresa, Amy, Larry, & Brian all jumped the mic for a song or two. Donald Fagan even sang a tune. Levon came out on mando for Deep Elum blues. Willie came out for the Levon set closer The Weight. When Willie & The Family came out I was happy to see a small band with he being the only guitarist. Some nylon country blues pickin'. I've only seen Willie once and that was part of the Bobfest Tribute where he only sang one tune. He played a very solid career spanning set that gave you all you needed to hear. Great Night Of Music.

[Ronny Stecher]

[Larry S Sherman]

Man, that Larry Campbell does a great job supporting living legends. I bet he can share some stories.

Larry

[SternART]

Thanks for the update!! Looks like an orchestra up there..........

I saw the Band numerous times, with and without Dylan, with and without Robbie, and was even at The Last Waltz.......and enjoyed it all. Definitely a "the sum is greater than the individual parts" band !!!

[Jim Ferguson]

Man 'o man......looks like Willie got his ears lowered...:-) Thanks to all for posting all these fantastic pics!!!! Awesome!!!!
Re: the Band.....all but Levon were/are fellow Canadians & they are, in my estimation, one of the best bands ever.....such an interesting sound with such rich lyrics & music......all of them were/are musical geniuses. Loved seeing Levon Helm's brief role in the Mark Wahlberg movie "Shooter" too......a multifaceted talent for sure.
Peace,
Jim

Gibson F-9