ALBUMs

The Band – Live at the Academy of Music 1971

Album Reviews

During the final week of 1971, The Band played four legendary concerts at New York City’s Academy Of Music, ushering in the New Year with electrifying performances, including new horn arrangements by Allen Toussaint and a surprise guest appearance by Bob Dylan for a New Year’s Eve encore. 

Selected highlights from the concerts were compiled for The Band’s classic 1972 double LP,Rock Of Ages and now all four of the concerts from this series of shows are being released on the on 30th September as ‘Live At The Academy Of Music 1971’, in a 2 CD or  4 CD+DVD collection.

The collections features new stereo and 5.1 Surround mixes, including 19 previously unreleased performances and newly discovered footage of two songs filmed by Howard Alk and Murray Lerner. 

The release is produced by The Band’s Robbie Robertson, with co-producers Michael Murphy and Matt D’Amico.  The stereo mixes for the first two discs and the DVD’s 5.1 Surround mix were done by Bob Clearmountain, with the stereo mixes for discs 3 and 4 helmed by Sebastian Robertson and Jon Castelli, assisted by Ryan Nasci. 

 The collection was mastered by Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering.  The concerts were originally recorded by Phil Ramone with Mark Harman.

 

 

 

Robbie Robertson of the Band quoted from the liner notes says; “When the original Academy of Music shows were mixed, I was never truly happy with the results. I was in charge of the mixing and the engineer and I did the best we could under the circumstances, but I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have another crack at this. I don’t know of anybody better at this kind of mixing than Bob Clearmountain. He has brought out a sonic life in these recordings that was meant to be. This is a fulfilment of that extraordinary musical experience that I can now wholeheartedly feel great about sharing.”  

 

Liner notes appear not only from Robbie but also Allen Toussaint, Jim James and even Mumford & Sons (they get everywhere).

   

In summary what we actually have here is an enhancement in sound on the 2001 re-masters via a 2 CD version of the ‘Academy’ release although, it is not clear if the songs on the new release are from the same night’ as on the ‘Rock of Ages’ album, not that it really matters much because, we still get the same songs, just re-re-mastered.

   

If your budget expends to the £70 4-CD version with a DVD, you get a complete Soundboard recording of the 1971 New Year’s Eve show. I have not heard these discs to comment on the sound quality but it seems a massive price hike for what in year’s gone by would have been a bootleg.

   

The fact that Rick Danko, Levon Helm and Richard Manuel are no longer with us, means that The Band can never again function as a band and this in turn makes such releases so valuable today. Who said, there is no such thing as time travel? Put you headphones on, shut your eyes and experience a band, The Band from 1971!

 

Finally for such a historical document and compared to ‘Rock of Ages’ the cover art for ‘Academy’, is not as good as the original!

 

Pete

 

Track Listing

 

Disc 1

 

1.  The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show Friday, December 31

2.  The Shape I’m In   Friday, December 31

3. Caledonia Mission  Thursday, December 30

4. Don’t Do It  Wednesday, December 29

5. Stage Fright Friday, December 31

6.  I Shall Be Released Thursday, December 30

7.  Up On Cripple Creek Thursday, December 30

8. This Wheel’s On Fire Wednesday, December 29

9.  Strawberry Wine* Tuesday, December 28

10.  King Harvest (Has Surely Come) Friday, December 31

11.  Time To Kill  Tuesday, December 28

12.  The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Wednesday, December 29

13.  Across The Great Divide  Thursday, December 30

 

Disc 2 

 

1. Life Is A Carnival  Thursday, December 30

2. Get Up Jake  Thursday, December 30

3.  Rag Mama Rag  Friday, December 31

4. Unfaithful Servant  Friday, December 31

5.  The Weight Thursday, December 30

6.  Rockin’ Chair  Wednesday, December 29

7.  Smoke Signal Tuesday, December 28

8.  The Rumor  Thursday, December 30

9.  The Genetic Method  Friday, December 31

10.  Chest Fever   Tuesday, December 28

11. ( I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My  Rock And Roll Shoes Wednesday, December 29

12. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever Wednesday, December 29

13.  Down In The Flood (The Band with Bob Dylan) Friday, December 31

14. When I Paint My Masterpiece (The Band with Bob Dylan) Friday, December 31

15.  Don’t Ya Tell Henry (The Band with Bob Dylan) Friday, December 31

16.  Like A Rolling Stone (The Band with  Bob Dylan) Friday, December 31

 

Disc 3 New Year’s Eve at the  Academy of Music 1971  (Soundboard Mix)

 

1. Up On Cripple Creek*

2. The Shape I’m In 

3. The Rumor*

4. Time To Kill*

5. Rockin’ Chair*

6. This Wheel’s On Fire*

7. Get Up Jake*

8. Smoke Signal*

9. I Shall Be Released*

10. The Weight*

11. Stage Fright

 

Disc 4 New Year’s Eve at the  Academy of Music 1971 (Soundboard Mix)

 

1 . Life Is A Carnival*

2. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

3. Caledonia Mission*

4. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show

5. T he Night They Drove Old  Dixie Down*

6. Across The Great Divide*

7. Unfaithful Servant

8. Don’t Do It*

9. The Genetic Method 1 0. Chest Fever* 

11. Rag Mama Rag 1 2. ( I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My  Rock And Roll Shoes*

 

Encores –

13. D own In The Flood (The Band with Bob Dylan)

14. W hen I Paint My Masterpiece (The Band with Bob Dylan)

15. D on’t Ya Tell Henry (The Band with Bob Dylan)

16.  Like A Rolling Stone (The Band with Bob Dylan)

 

* Previously unreleased