After AmericanaFest: Chest Fever Takes The Last Waltz on the Road
Nashville was the setting for a major milestone for Chest Fever last Thursday, who brought The Last Waltz to AmericanaFest for the band’s first-ever festival performance. With musicians and fans gathering from across the Americana and roots music community, the night gave Chest Fever a chance to share their take on The Band’s music with a new audience and connect with fellow musicians along the way.
The Nashville set also gave Chest Fever room to put a distinctly local spin on their acclaimed show. Built around a bluegrass-leaning ensemble featuring violin, pedal steel, and mandolin, the performance moved between the roots-rock of The Band’s music and the sounds of the city that helped shape it. A cover of Sierra Ferrell’s “I Can Drive You Crazy” opened into a psychedelic jam before giving way to “Rag Mama Rag,” while a loose “Stage Fright” > “Chest Fever” > “Stage Fright” sequence stretched the material into an extended live arrangement.
In their first set, Chest Fever brought a more stripped-down feel to “Atlantic City,” offering an intimate counterpoint to the full-bodied, big-band sound that’s present in much of the show. They also performed “Find A Circle,” an original song by Mrs. Henry—their alter ego. “Evangeline” became another highlight for the Nashville setting, with bluegrass-style instrumental woven throughout the performance. The set ended with a soulful solo rendition of “Georgia On My Mind,” bringing an R&B-inflected touch to the evening’s blend of bluegrass, rock, and Americana.
The Nashville connection extended beyond the musical arrangements. During “The Genetic Method,” Chest Fever’s organist offered a loving salute to one of Tennessee’s most iconic voices, weaving a quote from Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” into the performance. Another highlight of Set 2 came from special guest Colin Linden, the acclaimed Canadian roots musician, guitarist, singer, and producer whose long history with The Band made his appearance particularly fitting.
Linden developed close musical relationships with multiple members of The Band, including Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, and Levon Helm, and co-wrote “Remedy” with guitarist Jim Weider for The Band’s 1993 album Jericho. He took the stage to play alongside Chest Fever for “Remedy,” bringing the song’s own history with The Band full circle. Before the performance, he offered a heartfelt shoutout to friends he had lost, giving the song an added weight within a show already centered on musical history, friendship, and the passing of one generation of musicians to the next.
“I’m very excited to bring the show to Nashville and AmericanaFest, especially since The Band are some of the fathers of Americana music,” said Chest Fever’s de-facto leader Daniel “Dude” Cervantes before the concert. “To be able to do the show in Nashville at AmericanaFest is really cool—and a great honor.”
For keyboardist and singer Jody Bagley, performing in the South carried an added significance. “I think anytime we play this music in the South it’s kind of extra special, knowing that the roots kind of came from there,” he said.
Just one day after the show, Chest Fever entered its next chapter with the release of The 21st Century Last Waltz – Live at Massey Hall. Recorded live at Toronto’s Massey Hall in November 2023, the album reflects the group’s main goal of creating a Last Waltz with a new generation of musicians across various genres. Even with novel arrangements and different musicians, the show still documented a celebration of the original music more than anything, and even included members of The Band’s inner circle as well as Canadian and American rock legends.
AmericanaFest also marked a small first of its own for Blind Owl Records. Between sets and conversations, guests got an early taste of Blind Owl White, the first-ever pour and test of a new wine line coming soon from Blind Owl. Bright and fresh, it was a fitting first taste of what’s to come.
This fall, Chest Fever will take The 50th Anniversary of The Last Waltz Tour on the road, revisiting favorite stops while bringing the show to new cities across the U.S. and Canada. The tour kicks off October 8 in St. Catharines, Ontario, followed by stops in Toronto, Shelburne, Woodstock, Saskatoon, and more. As Bagley puts it, there’s always something new to discover in these songs: “There’s always more to be discovered. There’s always something to be revealed, whether little or large.”
Catch Chest Fever live on tour by visiting chestfeverofficial.com/tour. Tickets are selling quickly, so score yours before they run out!
The 21st Century Last Waltz – Live at Massey Hall is out now on all major streaming platforms.
SETLIST:
The Last Waltz - Nashville, TN 09/17 @ 3rd and Lindsley
Set 1
2. Don't Do It
3. Up On Cripple Creek
4. The Shape I'm In
5. Ophelia
6. Stage Fright > Chest Fever > Stage Fright
7. Who Do You Love (ft. King Corduroy)
8. Dry Your Eyes (ft. Charlie Treat)
9. Such A Night (ft. Chad Lee & Jeremiah Zimmerman)
11. Atlantic City (ft. Chark Kinsolving, Amy Alvey, John Beck & Ryan Mickey)
12. Find A Circle (ft. Chark Kinsolving, Amy Alvey, John Beck & Ryan Mickey)
13. Evangeline (ft. Amy Alvey, John Beck & Ryan Mickey)
14. I Can Drive You Crazy (ft. Amy Alvey, John Beck & Ryan Mickey)
15. Rag Mama Rag (ft. Amy Alvey, John Beck & Ryan Mickey)
16. Georgia On My Mind
Set 2
17. Genetic Method
18. Mystery Train (ft. Sugarmill Slim)
19. Further On Up The Road (ft. Colin Linden & Sugarmill Slim)
20. Hoochie Coochie Man (ft. Colin Linden, Pat Sweany, Sugarmill Slim)
21. Caldonia (ft. Colin Linden, Pat Sweany, Sugarmill Slim)
22. Remedy (ft. Colin Linden)
23. Sip The Wine (ft. Allen Thompson)
24. Helpless (ft. David Newbould & Mara Connor)
25. Coyote (ft. Mara Connor)
26. Caravan (ft. Jon Lathom)
27. The LOUD Prayer (ft. Chris Crofton)
28. Like A Rolling Stone (ft. Noah C. Lekas)