Yes, Levon died earlier this year but what a character:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YdnY0yu ... re=related
Levon Helm an American Rock and Roller
Moderator: Gillespie
The Weight...Old Dixie Down
...I'm a peaceful man...all the bells were ringin'..
"Our problems are man-made,
therefore they can be solved by man."
JFK
therefore they can be solved by man."
JFK
-
John Bolton
- Posts: 374
- Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2007 1:07 pm
- Location: Sioux Falls SD
My Levon Helm and The BAND story...
I have always been a big fan of THE BAND. I played in a rock band in High School and after, and we played many of their songs....
After turning down tickets for the Last Waltz at the Fillmore back in 1978, (out of complete ignorance to the situation) I had always lamented the fact that I had passed up on being witness to a historical moment.
Years later,(circa1984)We made a trip to the City to see the world famous Lipazzaner Stallions from Austria. After the afternoon show at the Cow Palace, there were four of us walking down the street up in North Beach when I read the sign on the Keystone marquee.( another music venue in SF)
TONIGHT ONLY
THE BAND
I remarked ... "Couldnt be... they have broken up for good."
but being a wiser man by then, I crossed the street and asked the guy guarding the door just to be sure....
Well sure enough, it was THE BAND going to perform, first time since the Lazt Waltz concert, start up a new tour "possibly". There was a long line of hundreds of people.
One of the people in our group was handicapped and in a wheel chair. I asked the doorman if there were tiickets still availble? He said it was "first come, first serve and over there was the line." Then he saw our friend in the wheel chair...
I should mention at this point the doorman was a bonifide Hell's Angels MC, and about 8 feet tall. He turned to the next guy in line and asked in his gruff voice, " You dont mind if these folks jump in front of you and get tickets, DO YA?" . "Umm,....no sir go right ahead" he squeaked in reply.
So we were escorted in, put up in the VIP section, just a few feet from the stage. The three of us sat in little chairs, along with a dozen or so of other lucky folks.. and there were three or four other wheelchaired patrons in our area.
The show??Incredible, we were so close that Levon and Robbie Robertson were giving our wheelchaired friends, drumsticks and guitar picks. Their talent as live performers can be described as world class. Levon Helm, a great musician and actor in his own right, will always be remembered by me, by his tenure with THE BAND.
sidebar:
Several times during the evening, two women kept poking me in the back (accidently)with their knees, making me move my positon in the tight quarters, and then leaning over and saying, "Sorry".
Towards the end of the night, when it came to the Band playing The Night they drove old Dixie down", Levon said he wanted to bring up a couple of friends to join them and then he said, " So I want you to give a hand to Bonnie Raitt and Maria Muldaur!"... The two women behind me stood up and as they started for the stage, Bonnie turned to me and said, "I swear, this will be the last time I make you move"
I was taken aback and momentarily speechless...
I have always been a big fan of THE BAND. I played in a rock band in High School and after, and we played many of their songs....
After turning down tickets for the Last Waltz at the Fillmore back in 1978, (out of complete ignorance to the situation) I had always lamented the fact that I had passed up on being witness to a historical moment.
Years later,(circa1984)We made a trip to the City to see the world famous Lipazzaner Stallions from Austria. After the afternoon show at the Cow Palace, there were four of us walking down the street up in North Beach when I read the sign on the Keystone marquee.( another music venue in SF)
TONIGHT ONLY
THE BAND
I remarked ... "Couldnt be... they have broken up for good."
but being a wiser man by then, I crossed the street and asked the guy guarding the door just to be sure....
Well sure enough, it was THE BAND going to perform, first time since the Lazt Waltz concert, start up a new tour "possibly". There was a long line of hundreds of people.
One of the people in our group was handicapped and in a wheel chair. I asked the doorman if there were tiickets still availble? He said it was "first come, first serve and over there was the line." Then he saw our friend in the wheel chair...
I should mention at this point the doorman was a bonifide Hell's Angels MC, and about 8 feet tall. He turned to the next guy in line and asked in his gruff voice, " You dont mind if these folks jump in front of you and get tickets, DO YA?" . "Umm,....no sir go right ahead" he squeaked in reply.
So we were escorted in, put up in the VIP section, just a few feet from the stage. The three of us sat in little chairs, along with a dozen or so of other lucky folks.. and there were three or four other wheelchaired patrons in our area.
The show??Incredible, we were so close that Levon and Robbie Robertson were giving our wheelchaired friends, drumsticks and guitar picks. Their talent as live performers can be described as world class. Levon Helm, a great musician and actor in his own right, will always be remembered by me, by his tenure with THE BAND.
sidebar:
Several times during the evening, two women kept poking me in the back (accidently)with their knees, making me move my positon in the tight quarters, and then leaning over and saying, "Sorry".
Towards the end of the night, when it came to the Band playing The Night they drove old Dixie down", Levon said he wanted to bring up a couple of friends to join them and then he said, " So I want you to give a hand to Bonnie Raitt and Maria Muldaur!"... The two women behind me stood up and as they started for the stage, Bonnie turned to me and said, "I swear, this will be the last time I make you move"
I was taken aback and momentarily speechless...
If we do not all hang together,
we will all hang separately,
Ben Franklin
we will all hang separately,
Ben Franklin
Great story John! We were on a cruise a number of years ago and I had to force Laura and company to go in to see a band which she had not heard of, I told her she would go nuts over this band and although they were a West coast band she would love it (I knew they would play many Motown covers, Laura's favorite)! Who were they? THE PLATTERS!! They were great! We were in a balcony and I made numerous "saves" to keep Laura from falling out! The next evening we were on our way to dinner and the only original Platter and founder of the band, Herb Reed was signing CD's along the passageway, needless to say I got in line and when he was signing I told him we were his biggest fans the night before in the balcony stage left, he laughed and said, "That was you folks, you were a welcome addition to the band", great laughs!! Herb Reed died this year too, in June!
awesome
Truly awesome, John, but I bet she made you move again...rockin' in the seats.
Richie, you are the Great Pretender... I grew up on the Platters...Older sisters
Richie, you are the Great Pretender... I grew up on the Platters...Older sisters
"Our problems are man-made,
therefore they can be solved by man."
JFK
therefore they can be solved by man."
JFK
John â?? GREAT STORY! Back in the day (late 70â??s â?? mid 80â??s) there was a music venue in Ann Arbor called â??The Second Chanceâ??. So many great bands played there; The Band, The Ramones (my ears are still ringing), Johnny Winter, Joe Cocker, Steppinwolf, Sonics Rendezvous (members of the MC5 and The Stooges), Cheap Trick, Bob Seger just to name a few. I was, and continue to be, a music freak! I was pretty much a â??regularâ?? and spent much time backstage. Those were some of the greatest times of my life!! Thank goodness someone had the foresight to record many of the performances. Here is a link to a performance by the Band on 4/10/1984.
http://secondchanceannarbor.com/The_Ban ... eased.html
http://secondchanceannarbor.com/The_Ban ... eased.html
-Steve Girbach