Thursday, Oct. 8: Presale Day (10am to midnight)
Mariposa Folk Festival subscribers’ pre-sale, Presale code: LastWaltz50MFF
https://masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/lw50/
ALL-STAR CANADIAN ROOTS AND INDIE ARTISTS TO ASSEMBLE AT MASSEY HALL FOR LW50: A CELEBRATION OF BOB DYLAN AND THE BAND ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAST WALTZ
17+ artist lineup will feature The Weather Station, Born Ruffians, Basia Bulat, Jeremie Albino, and Joel Plaskett in support of MusiCounts
TORONTO, ON – Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026 – An impressive lineup of acclaimed Canadian talent is coming together to celebrate the music of Bob Dylan and The Band at Massey Hall on November 25, exactly 50 years to the day of the legendary concert The Last Waltz. Hosted by Indie88’s Lana Gay, “LW50: A Celebration of Bob Dylan and The Band” will feature show-stopping performances by artists including The Weather Station, Born Ruffians, Basia Bulat, Jeremie Albino, Joel Plaskett, and many more. Additional artists still to be confirmed.
The event is being produced by the team behind last year’s NY80: A Celebration of Neil Young and His Music, which sold out Massey Hall in one hour and raised more than $26,000 for MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and The JUNO Awards. Net proceeds from LW50 will again be donated directly to MusiCounts.
The historic evening will be anchored by an expansive house band under the direction of renowned musician and producer Aaron Goldstein. The powerhouse acts will deliver a reimagining of the collaborative songbook of Bob Dylan and The Band—spanning from their historic 1965 electric performances and beloved Basement Tapes through to their celebrated mid-70s arena era, culminating in the material showcased at their legendary Last Waltz farewell concert, famously captured on film by Martin Scorsese.
Spencer Shewen, Artistic Director of the Mariposa Folk Festival, and Tim Des Islets, President of Noisemaker Presents will produce the event. The stellar core house band will feature a selection of Toronto’s most in-demand musicians and vocalists, alongside the addition of the celebrated Northern Soul Horns.
“Bob Dylan meeting The Hawks in 1965, just around the corner from Massey Hall, remains one of the most pivotal moments in rock history—and it’s a Canadian moment,” said Howl Entertainment’s Dale Gago, the event’s executive producer. “Following the incredible energy of NY80, we are excited to return to this room to celebrate The Last Waltz and the incredible collaborative music they made together on this historical anniversary. And once again to support MusiCounts!”
“Bob Dylan and The Band created music that defined a generation and shaped the sound of modern roots music in Canada and around the world, adds Regan Harney, Executive Director, MusiCounts. “MusiCounts is deeply honoured to celebrate this incredible legacy through LW50, and to invest the proceeds from this historic night directly into school music programs across the country.”
Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko first came together as The Hawks, Ronnie Hawkins’ backing band, in Toronto in 1961, playing a fiery mix of rock ’n’ roll, country, and rhythm and blues. After touring with Dylan and helping forge the sound of modern Americana on The Basement Tapes in 1967, they emerged as The Band and stunned the music world with their landmark 1968 debut, Music From Big Pink. Across a recording career which ran through 1976, The Band released seven albums that distilled timeless storytelling and soulful roots music into a singular, deeply influential sound, with songs including “The Weight,” “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “I Shall Be Released,” “It Makes No Difference,” and “The Shape I’m In.”
The artist lineup includes (in alphabetical order):
Jeremie Albino
Born Ruffians
Dave Bruzza (Greensky Bluegrass)
Basia Bulat
Burner
The East Pointers
Great Lake Swimmers
Georgia Harmer
Kaia Kater
Jerry Leger
Wyatt C. Louis
Danny Michel
Peter & Leah of July Talk
Joel Plaskett
Ariel Posen
Justin Rutledge
Thunder Queens
Tony & Colleen of Great Lake Swimmers
The Weather Station
Whitehorse
Tom and Thompson Wilson
The house band:
Aaron Goldstein (Kathleen Edwards, City and Colour, Cowboy Junkies) – guitar, pedal steel, musical director/bandleader
Carleigh Aikins (Bahamas, Dwayne Gretzky) – vocals
Robin Hatch (Our Lady Peace, Porno For Pyros, Fucked Up) – Hammond B3
Jesse O’Brien (Colin James, Junkhouse, Buddy Guy) – piano
Julian Psihogios (Wild Rivers) – drums
Nichol Robertson (Whitney Rose, Country Flash, Nic & The Narcs, Hulagoons, Layrite Boys) – guitar
Nick Rose (Dwayne Gretzky) – vocals
Vivienne Wilder (Country Flash, the 99s) – bass
Plus the Northern Soul Horns:
Dennis Passley – tenor saxophone
Tom Moffett – trumpet
Yvonne Moir – baritone saxophone
Supporting partners for the event include Mariposa Folk Festival, Noisemaker Presents, Indie88, National Music Centre, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, Toronto Music Experience, Gold Standard Recorders, and Exclaim!
Tickets for this one-night-only benefit spectacle are priced from $49.50. The public on-sale begins Friday, October 9 at 10:00 AM via https://masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/lw50/, following the exclusive Massey Hall “Friends First” and partner presale windows opening on Thursday, October 8 at 10am.