Continuing our exploration of concert movies, here’s a chance to join Chicago Sun-Times writer Dave Hoekstra and musician Pat Brennan as they moderate a discussion about the classic documentary the Last Waltz.
Here’s a brief synopsis of the film and if you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out.
Thanksgiving, 1976, San Francisco’s Winterland: the Band performs its last concert after 16 years on the road. Some numbers they do alone, some songs include guest artists from Ronnie Hawkins to Bob Dylan. Martin Scorsese’s camera explores the interactions onstage in the making of music. Offstage, he interviews the Band’s five members, focusing on the nature of life on the road. The friendships, the harmonies, the hijinks, and the wear and tear add up to a last waltz.
WHAT: The Last Waltz on the 9’ X 16’ Screen at FitzGerald’s, 5 Pt. Sound, full bar, no cover
WHEN: Wednesday, August 17, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Fitzgerald’s Nightclub, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, IL
About the commentators:
Dave Hoekstra has been a Chicago Sun-Times staff writer since 1985. He has contributed pieces to Chicago Magazine, the Chicago Reader and Playboy magazine. He has written books about the Farm Aid movement, travel and kick ass country music. His latest book is about minor league baseball in the Midwest.
Patrick Brennan is a Chicago-based musician, writer, composer and Civil War aficionado. Known for scoring more than 250 documentaries since 1996, Brennan has also produced hundred of jingles. He has been the member of countless bands, including Dick Holliday and the Bamboo Gang, Michael McDermott, Jon Langford and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, and Nashvillian Pat McLaughlin. Brennan has also written two major works on the Civil War: Secessionville–Assault on Charleston, and To Die Game–General Jeb Stuart.
What’s The Best Concert Doc Ever?
Have you seen The Last Waltz? How do you think it ranks against other concert movies? What concert films are on your top ten list? We invite you to share your concert film experiences in the comments below, so they can be included in a future episode of Live Fix Radio.