Eric Clapton led an all-star tribute for Robbie Robertson

The evening “Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson” on Thursday evening saw Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and others pay homage to the late singer-songwriter and guitarist of The Band.

Over the course of the four song sets, material from the Band, Robertson’s solo career and other favorites were performed.

Clapton played the entire third set, with “The Shape I’m In” as the centerpiece. The billboard at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles also included Elvis Costello, Warren Haynes, Mike Campbell, Bruce Hornsby, Don Was And Bobby Weir.

Many of these artists will now take the show on the road, headlining the “Life Is a Carnival: Last Waltz Tour ’24” dates that begin this weekend.

Robbie Robertson passed away in August 2023 at age 80, leaving Garth Hudson as the only surviving member of the band. His three adult children later alleged elder abuse in a lawsuit against Robertson’s widow. Robertson had died of cancer a few months after a private wedding to Toronto restaurateur Janet Zuccarini.

Martin Scorsese produced “Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration” and will turn the concert into a film, just as he did with “The Last Waltz” in 1978. That was the last appearance of the five-piece lineup of the Band.

Robertson launched his solo career with 1987’s “Robbie Robertson,” while the Band released a trio of studio albums without him, starting with 1993’s “Jericho.”

Robertson also worked on a number of celebrated scores for other Scorsese films, including The King of Comedy from 1982, Gangs of New York of 2002 and, more recently, Killers of the Flower Moon of 2023.

‘Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson’
Ladder, October 17, 2014

SEPT 1
“Up on Cripple Creek” (with Eric Church)
“Ophelia” (with Ryan Bingham)
“The Best of Everything” (with Mike Campbell)
“Evangeline” (with Margo Price)
“Acadian Driftwood” (with Alison Russell)
“Straight Down the Line” (with Robert Randolph)
“Who Do You Love?” (with Taj Mahal and Robert Randolph)
“Go Back to Your Woods” (with Bruce Hornsby)
“King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” (with Bruce Hornsby)
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (with Jamey Johnson)

SEP 2
“Broken Arrow” (with Daniel Lanois)
“Life Is a Carnival” (with Warren Haynes and Taj Mahal)
“Whispering Pines” (with Lucinda Williams)
“Twilight” (with Nathaniel Rateliff)
“Across the Great Divide” (with Nathaniel Rateliff)
“Rag Mama Rag” (with Jamey Johnson and Bruce Hornsby)
“Baby Don’t You Do It” (with Nathaniel Rateliff)
“Tupelo Honey” (with Van Morrison)
“Days Like This” (with Van Morrison)
“Wonderful Remark” (with Van Morrison)

SEP 3
“The Shape I’m In” (with Eric Clapton)
“Out of the Blue” (with Eric Clapton)
“Forbidden Fruit” (with Eric Clapton)
“Chest Fever” (with Eric Clapton)
“Further On Up the Road” (with Eric Clapton)

SEP 4
“Forever Young” (with Nathaniel Rateliff, Ryan Bingham and Margo Price)
“It Makes No Difference” (with Jim James)
“Stage Fright” (with Warren Haynes)
“Caravan” (with Warren Haynes)
“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (with Bob Weir)
“The Unfaithful Servant” (with Trey Anastasio)
“Look Out Cleveland” (with Trey Anastasio)
“The Weight” (Mavis Staples, Trey Anastasio and Bob Weir)
“I Shall Be Released” (with all-star ensemble)