The other night I was watching the LCD Soundsystem concert film - Shut Up and Play the Hits which chronicles the band's final show on April 2nd, 2011. The concert footage blew me away mostly because of James Murphy's voice which sounded even more impressive live than on the albums. Also the crowd was so excited and the energy was so hypnotic, I had to get up and jump around my living room. Lastly comedian/beat boxer/soul singer Reggie Watts and indie gods - The Arcade Fire also made an appearance. I really wish I could have been there!
Anyway it got me thinking about all of the great "final" farewell shows in rock history and thought it might be a cool idea to revisit some of them. Some of these concerts have been released as award winning live albums and concert films, others are available on bootleg recordings, and still others we only know about from those lucky enough to attend. Also you might have noticed the apostrophes around the words - "last" and "final". Because as we all know, bands don't stay broken up for long. Most of these artists have reformed in one way or another, sometimes with new members (Smashing Pumpkins) or reunited "classic" lineups (Guided By Voices).
Also, I know I'm probably missing a ton of important shows, but let me know what else should be on this list
(in no particular order)
The Band - The Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA - 11/25/76
Released as a live album and a Martin Scorsese directed film titled The Last Waltz, this remains one of the greatest rock n' roll films of all time. The five hour concert was loaded with guest appearances by old touring mates - Bob Dylan and Ronnie Hawkins, as well as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, and many more. Over the years, the band would continue to occasionally record and play shows with altered lineups, but nothing ever came close to matching this incredible gig.
The Smashing Pumpkins - The Metro, Chicago, IL - 10/20/00
In May of 2000, Billy Corgan made a surprise announcement on the radio that the band was breaking up. Corgan eventually reformed Smashing Pumpkins with a different lineup but never again with guitarist - James Iha. This 38 song, four and a half hour long set took place at the same club where the band got their start, and featured guest appearances by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, The Frogs, and Corgan's father. Although never officially released in any format, there is a rumor that it will come out as part of the reissue of Machina in 2013. Below is a link to an audience recording of the performance:
http://archive.org/details/tsp2000-12-02.brown.shn
Morphine - Nel Nome de Rock Festival, Palestrina, Italy - 7/3/99
There has and will never be a band that sounds quite like Morphine. This Boston experimental jazz rock/alternative group was fronted by ace singer and bassist Mark Sandman. Prior to this concert, the band had released four critically acclaimed albums and were well loved on college radio stations across the US. Sadly on July 3rd, 1999, Sandman collapsed on stage and was soon pronounced dead due to a heart attack. The band disbanded afterwards, but the remaining members continue to play in various other projects.
The Sex Pistols - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA - 1/14/78
"Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good Night." These were the famous last words spoken by lead singer Johnny Rotten before slamming his mic to the ground and walking offstage at The Winterland Ballroom. Suffering from the flu, and tired of his manager, bandmates, and in the direction they were heading, the group disbanded. Rotten would go on to form the experimental band - Public Image Ltd.. Later in 2006, the band reunited for shows. The entire show was filmed and can be seen below:
The Replacements - Grant Park, Chicago, IL - 7/4/91
From what I've read, the band had no plans to break up until they walked onstage, in front of one of the largest audiences of their career. By 1991, half of the members from the original lineup were no longer in the band. This performance started strong, but as with many Replacements shows, things quickly got sloppy towards the end. Westerberg began hinting that this would be their last gig. During the last few numbers, each member of the band started handing their instruments over to their road crew to play. The show was broadcast on WXRT radio and has been widely bootlegged with the title It Ain't Over Til the Fat Roadie Plays. Listen to it below:
Tired of not being able to hear themselves play over the wail of screaming fans, the Beatles decided not to tour anymore after this show. The eleven song set was short and sweet. John Lennon was the main catalyst for the decision, which led to much more time to experiment in the studio and record classics like Revolver, Sgt Pepper, and Abbey Road. Hear the show below:
Guided By Voices - The Metro, Chicago 12/31/04
The "final" show from these prolific indie rock titans featured a 63 song set, an audience and band that had been obliterated from drinking tons of beer, and guest appearances from just about everyone who had ever played in the band. The band reformed in 2010, and released 3 new albums in 2012 alone. This complete concert was released on a DVD called The Electrifying Conclusion.
David Bowie - Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK - 7/3/73
After touring for over a year behind Ziggy Stardust and Alladin Sane, David Bowie announced it would be his last show ever in London. Highly theatrical, mind bending, and very ahead of its' time, the performance was filmed and released as the concert film - Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Despite his announcement, Bowie would be back the following year with a very different, and equally stunning live show on the Diamond Dogs tour.
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