Classic concert: The Band live in Tokyo Japan 1983

This is a great show from Kosei Nenkin Hall in Tokyo, Japan 1983! (september 1st, or maybe 2nd…)

From about 1983 until 1986, The Band consisted of original members Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson, along with the four members of Fayetteville Arkansas’s Cate Brothers Band, Earl and Ernie Cate, Ron Eoff, and Terry Cagle. Terry is Levon’s nephew and plays and sings a lot like his Uncle Levon. Earl and Ernie play keys and amazing guitar, respectively. Ernie is a soulful singer. Ron is an accomplished bassist, and his presence allowed Rick Danko to play some acoustic guitar and fiddle, just as having Terry Cagle on drums freed Levon to play mandolin some.

The story is that The Band asked Earl Cate to replace their former guitarist, but Earl insisted on bringing his brother and the rest of their band, in a move that Rick Danko said was “more than brotherhood.”

If you’re a fan of The Band or the Cates, you’ll love this 1983 video.
– Kevin, Amazon.com

“While the picture quality leaves something to be desired, the music on this video is incredible. Unlike on the “Last Waltz”, you get to see the incredible talents of every band member sans Robbie Robertson. This more accurately depicts the extraordinary ability of Levon Helm and Rick Danko, as well as Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel who were little seen or heard in “The Last Waltz”.

They play the classic Band tracks like “Rag Mama Rag”, “Stage Fright”, and “Chest Fever”, but you see other sides to The Band as well. Richard Manuel’s voice on the soulful “You Don’t Know Me” will make the hairs on your arm stand up, something that you do not get from Manuel in the Martin Scorsese film. It is a shame that Robertson was not with them, but I highly recommend this DVD to any Band fans or those who are curious to learn more about the group.”
– Dylan, Amazon.com

I’ll tell you what fellas, if you want to see a kick ass concert of The Band, buy their 1983 Japan video. I just recently viewed it and it is incredible. Richard gave the most energetic performance I’ve ever seen. He brought the house down with “I Shall Be Released” and “You Don’t Know Me”. This video is far superior to The Last Waltz, because everybody gets more screen time. Garth and Richard are much better represented in this one. In The Last Waltz you wouldn’t even know they were in The Band. Sure Robbie isn’t in this video, but who really cares anyway! It’s almost 2 hours long and it’s great.
-Todd Smith, from alt.music.the-band, August, 1995

Set list:

1. Opening Credits
2. Rag Mama Rag
3. Long Black Veil
4. Up On Cripple Creek
5. The Shape I’m In
6. It Makes No Difference
7. Milk Cow Boogie
8. Mystery Train
9. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
10. Voodoo Music
11. W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
12. You Don’t Know Me
13. Stage Fright
14. Caledonia
15. Chest Fever
16. Java Blues
17. I Shall Be Released
18. Back To Memphis
19. The Weight
20. (I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes
21. Blaze Of Glory
22. Willie And The Hand Jive
23. Ophelia

The Band – Japan Tour ’83 – 110 min

Voodoo Music (better quality from Dailymotion):

– Hallgeir