Re-creation of legendary San Francisco concert has become a beloved Denver Thanksgiving tradition

By Kyle Kirves

The word “timeless” gets tossed around an awful lot, especially when talking about music, but when it comes to the Band’s “The Last Waltz,” the word timeless is apropos. It is very easy to picture the songs being sung and the music being played by performers from any era of American history, from the Civil War to present day. Linchpin favorites as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “The Weight” are the audio equivalent of tintype photographs.

This year’s “The Last Waltz – Revisited” show is set for Wednesday, November 23, at the Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 N. Clarkson St., in Denver. Tickets go fast to this show, so get yours early through lastwaltzrevisited.com, Ticketmaster, or the Fillmore.

Maybe that’s why it makes total sense for that most American of holidays, Thanksgiving, to be so closely tied to “The Last Waltz.” The original performance by The Band happened on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, and was the subject of Martin Scorcese’s first concert motion picture.

Since 2005, a pantheon of Colorado musicians have performed the double album (and more) in its entirety in the longest running tribute to the original concert. The show is billed as “The Last Waltz – Revisited,” and it’s set for the Wednesday before turkey day. For the 18th annual performance, more than 70 well-known local musicians will take the stage, including special guest Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Not ones to leave the younger generation out, students from the Aurora School of Rock will round out the roster.

The set list has swelled, too, now with over 30 songs from the Band’s prodigious catalog. Talk about a Thanksgiving feast!

“It’s really kind of a family affair, a great tribute to the musical community and our city,” says Gayor Gellor, production manager of “The Last Waltz – Revisited.”

“For many of the local musicians who may have been touring the bulk of the year, it’s a kind of homecoming, and for everyone, a great way to kick off the season,” he adds.

It’s a holiday tradition that had humble beginnings, starting with a gifted copy of the Scorcese film to originators CR Gruver and Tori Pater of the band Polytoxic. They gravitated to the ensemble nature of the concert, and they loved the music.

“Originally, in our band, we used to cover an album once a month at this bar that sat about 300 people,” Pater says. “Then we did “The Last Waltz” one May for CR’s birthday and it was just a smash. So we decided to do it again on Thanksgiving, just like the original show, and it just took off from there.”

Says Gruver of the selection: “When we watched the movie years ago, we loved that there were all these songs and stories and voices in it. We looked at each other and said, ‘We have friends that could play these parts! We should do this! It would be so much fun!’ And we were right,” he says. “Now it’s become this holiday tradition.”

Those roles are now filled by performers who are a Colorado Who’s Who of local music. Similarly, the various venues that have hosted “The Last Waltz – Revisited” are a veritable Where’s Where of legendary venues: Sancho’s, Dulcinea’s, the Cervantes Masterpiece ballroom, and now the current home in Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium.

Like the troupe of musicians and the setlist, the fanbase for the event is huge, and tickets go fast. If you go, know that in addition to your ticket, you should bring a canned food item for the Denver Rescue Mission. Not only will you be benefiting the event’s banner charity and recipient of a portion of the gate, you’ll also net a limited edition “The Last Waltz – Revisited” poster.

According to production manager Gellor, “From our sponsors to the musicians to the audience all the way through to the Denver Rescue Mission, it really is a realized community program and experience. We’re all grateful that we see that realization come to fruition in the show and the festive atmosphere that’s a result of a full year of planning every year. It’s a great community party.”

“And when you drink and party for charity, there’s no hangover,” Pater says laughing. I don’t know if we can hold him to that, but it’s worth a try.

When asked if there will be any surprises at this year’s event, Gruver demures, saying, “Well, there are surprises every year. But if I told you about them, they wouldn’t be surprises.” Fair point, underscoring that, like many favorite Thanksgiving dishes, this one is something of a folk recipe – a little of this, a little of that, a little different every year.

But there’s one thing that never changes, year in and year out:

“The love,” Pater says, “is real. What you see up onstage is what’s going on backstage and the audience is part of that and you can feel it. You can feel all of that come together. Especially when everyone joins in a singalong to The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”

Sounds like a timeless way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Kyle Kirves drinks beer, plays guitar, runs trails, and manages projects – all with varying degrees of success. While not a craftsman himself, he is quite content writing about the Colorado artisans who create such wonderful things and memorable experiences.

This article appeared in the November-December issue of Thirst Colorado. Click here to read the full magazine online, and pick up our print magazine all over Colorado.