The Band played their last concert on November 25, 1976, at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco — a night Martin Scorsese filmed and rock has been working through ever since. Buffalo’s annual tribute to that evening arrives this November for the ninth time, and for once the calendar lines up: this year is the 50th anniversary of the original event.
About the Show
Presented by the Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation and Babeville, the production places over 30 Buffalo-area musicians into the roles of The Band and the original concert’s revolving cast of guests. The core five have held consistent: Doug Yeomans as Robbie Robertson, Jim Brucato as Rick Danko, Pete Holguin as Levon Helm, Ron Davis as Garth Hudson, and Jim Beishline as Richard Manuel. Among the special guests, Mark Norris steps into Van Morrison and Eric Crittenden takes on Muddy Waters, among dozens more who complete a recreation that reaches past the Scorsese film into the Extended Version of the original concert, pulling in performances that made the night but not the final cut.
What separates this from a touring tribute is the frame: these performers portray the characters from the film rather than approximating the sound. Bob McLennan, who launched the show with Doug Yeomans, has said they “hoped to be successful enough to do an encore performance” at the outset, and “didn’t expect to be doing a sold-out show in 2026.”
The Last Waltz is also the Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation’s single largest annual fundraiser, with proceeds supporting music education (instruments and instruction) for children and veterans across Western New York.
Venue & Logistics
Asbury Hall at Babeville has hosted the show since its debut and sold out every year since: nine consecutive years at the 1,200-capacity historic hall on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. The room’s size is part of why it works. It’s substantial enough to hold a production of this scope, close enough that nothing disappears into the back rows. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the show runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets
General admission seated tickets are $45 for the public ($40 for SAMF members); Gold Circle Reserved seating is $55 ($50 for SAMF members). Press coverage indicates the 2026 show has already sold out; check the ticket link for current availability or secondary market options. Those interested in member pricing can join the Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation for access to discounts and future presales. Buy tickets