Chest Fever Debuts New Single “CARAVAN” from The 21st Century Last Waltz – Live at Massey Hall

Today, Chest Fever officially releases “Caravan” the latest single from their upcoming album The 21st Century LAST WALTZ – Live At Massey Hall. The single comes with a corresponding live music video available on Youtube. Recorded during the band's landmark performance at Toronto's legendary Massey Hall on November 18, 2023, the release continues the band's weekly rollout of singles and videos leading up to the full album's release on September 18, 2026. 

Joining Chest Fever on stage is Bryan Barbarin, who steps into the role as Van Morrison. A member of the renowned New Orleans Barbarin musical family, Barbarin blends jazz, rock, and funk into a dynamic live show, earning him appearances at SXSW, Sundance, and NAMM, as well as performances before sold-out audiences around the world. The singer’s spry stage presence and commanding voice made him a fitting choice, and his theatrical background and larger-than-life charisma are on full display throughout “Caravan,” bringing a freshness and unique energy to the song.

Originally appearing on the 1970 album Moondance, “Caravan” became one of the iconic moments of the 1976 farwell concert. Equal parts rock, soul, and rhythm and blues, the song builds from a swinging groove into an explosive sing-along track, fueled by driving horns, invigorating rhythms, and Morrison's—now Barbarin’s—passionate vocal delivery. It remains one of the most recognizable and exhilarating performances from The Last Waltz, making it a natural centerpiece for Chest Fever's tribute.

Horns arranger Jesse Audelo recalls “Caravan” being particularly memorable: "I think one of my fondest memories of performing was “Caravan.” I love that song—it's always huge, everyone is singing along, and the whole band is completely locked in.” For Canadian singer-songwriter Nicole Cerminara, who was another musical guest that night, “Caravan” stands out as one of the highlights of the entire Massey Hall show. "It was one of my personal favorites,” she says. “Bryan did a great job on that."

The accompanying live video captures another highlight of the performance: the infectious camaraderie between Chest Fever guitarist Dan Cervantes and Barbarin. The two share a history that stretches back to high school, making their onstage chemistry all the more natural. Barbarin also holds a unique place in the band's history as the only original special guest from the 2017 production of The Last Waltz to return for the Massey Hall performance. 

Bryan Barbarin & Chest Fever

His appearance bridges the earliest chapter of the project—documented in the film The Beginning of the Beginning of Chest Fever, a loving nod to Robbie Robertson's famous quote from the original rockumentary—with its latest evolution. "We felt Bryan Barbarin was the only person on the planet who could hold a candle to the original performance with Van The Man and The Band,” says Cervantes. “His persona is larger than life on and off the stage, and people still come up to us years later and say, 'THAT song was the highlight of the entire five hour show!” That communal energy between the artists on stage and the audience has always been central to the song's appeal, and with its explosive crescendos and irresistible chorus, Barbarin's rendition of “Caravan” achieves exactly that. 

Although “Caravan” isn't a song by The Band, its place in The Last Waltz has made it inseparable from the concert's legacy. For singer-songwriter and pianist Devin Cuddy—who was also featured on several tracks that night—the song holds a deeply personal significance. "Even though it's not a song by The Band, it still means a lot. It's one of those formative, canonical songs that inspired me, right alongside classics like “Such a Night” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.””

Nearly fifty years after Van Morrison's performance, Chest Fever's rendition of “Caravan” thus captures the same sense of excitement, high kicks, musical freedom, and joy that made it one of the 1976 concert’s—and 2023’s—most defining moments.

“Caravan” is available for streaming on all major platforms with the corresponding music video available on Youtube. The full album, The 21st Century LAST WALTZ – Live At Massey Hall, will be available for streaming on September 18, 2026. 

For more updates, releases, tour announcements, and other exclusive content, visit chestfeverofficial.com, and follow Chest Fever on social media:

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