Blackbird Presents is set to honor legendary guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of The Band, Robbie Robertson, with their new concert Life is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson, set for Oct. 17 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Feting the late Robertson will be performers including Trey Anastasio, Ryan Bingham, Mike Campbell, Eric Church, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Warren Haynes, Bruce Hornsby, Jim James, Jamey Johnson, Noah Kahan, Daniel Lanois, Taj Mahal, Van Morrison, Margo Price, Robert Randolph, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell, Mavis Staples, Benmont Tench, Don Was, Bobby Weir and Lucinda Williams.
Robertson died in August 2023 at age 80. His songwriting credits include “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and “Up on Cripple Creek.” When The Band’s 1976 farewell concert “The Last Waltz” was captured on film by Martin Scorsese (and included performances from artists including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Joni Mitchell), Robertson formed a strong bond with Scorsese. Robertson worked as a composer, music supervisor and music producer on many Scorsese films, including Raging Bull, Gangs of New York, Casino, The Wolf of Wall Street and most recently, Killers of the Flower Moon. Robertson is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and a recipient of a lifetime achievement honor at the Grammys.
Scorsese, along with Jared Levine and Keith Wortman, will serve as an executive producer of Life Is a Carnival. Live Nation will serve as the event promoter for the concert. A portion of all proceeds from the event will be donated to The Woodland Cultural Centre, which funds and operates arts, history and education programs on the Sixth Nations Reserve in Canada.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Aug. 2 at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.
