Rock of Ages: 'Live at The Academy of Music 1971' CelebratesThe Band's Historic New Year's Eve Concerts

During the final week of 1971, the Band played four legendary concerts at New York City’s Academy of Music, ushering in the new year with some seriously great performances.

The shows included new horn arrangements by Allen Toussaint — and a surprise guest appearance by Bob Dylan.

Highlights from the concerts were compiled for the Band’s 1972 album, Rock Of Ages. For the first time, however, all four multi-track recordings of the shows have been revisited on Live at The Academy of Music 1971, a 4CD+DVD collection that was released September 17 by Capitol/UMe. The collection’s first two discs were also be released as a 2CD set.

The collection features new stereo and 5.1 Surround mixes, including 19 previously unreleased performances and newly found footage of two songs filmed by Howard Alk and Murray Lerner.

Live at The Academy of Music 1971 is presented in a deluxe, 48-page hardbound book with previously unseen photos, a reproduction of Rolling Stone’s original Rock Of Ages review by Ralph J. Gleason, an essay by the Band’s Robbie Robertson and appreciations of the Band and the set’s recordings by Mumford & Sons and Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

The collection’s first two discs feature performances of every song played over the course of the four concerts, and the New Year’s Eve soundboard mix on discs 3 and 4 puts the listener in the room for that entire night: uncut, unedited, taken straight from the master recordings and presented in full for the first time. The set’s DVD presents the tracks from discs 1 and 2 in 5.1 Surround, plus Alk and Lerner’s filmed performances of “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” and “The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show.”

Live at The Academy of Music 1971 was produced by Robertson, with co-producers Michael Murphy and Matt D’Amico. The collection was mastered by Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering. The concerts were originally recorded by Phil Ramone with Mark Harman.

To order either version of Live at The Academy of Music 1971, visit these links:

• 4CD/DVD Box Set
• 2CD.

For more about the Band, check out their official Facebook page. For a trailer of the DVD, check out the video below. Also, be sure to check out the complete track listing below the video.

Live at The Academy of Music 1971 Track Listing:
* indicates previously unissued performance

Disc 1 [CD]
1. The W.S. Walcott Medicine ShowFriday, December 31
2. The Shape I’m In Friday, December 31
3. Caledonia Mission Thursday, December 30
4. Don’t Do It Wednesday, December 29
5. Stage FrightFriday, December 31
6. I Shall Be ReleasedThursday, December 30
7. Up On Cripple CreekThursday, December 30
8. This Wheel’s On FireWednesday, December 29
9. Strawberry Wine *Tuesday, December 28
10. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)Friday, December 31
11. Time To Kill Tuesday, December 28
12. The Night They Drove Old Dixie DownWednesday, December 29
13. Across The Great Divide Thursday, December 30

Disc 2 [CD]
1. Life Is A Carnival Thursday, December 30
2. Get Up Jake Thursday, December 30
3. Rag Mama Rag Friday, December 31
4. Unfaithful Servant Friday, December 31
5. The WeightThursday, December 30
6. Rockin’ Chair Wednesday, December 29
7. Smoke SignalTuesday, December 28
8. The Rumor Thursday, December 30
9. The Genetic Method Friday, December 31
10. Chest Fever Tuesday, December 28
11. (I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My Rock And Roll ShoesWednesday, December 29
12. Loving You Is Sweeter Than EverWednesday, December 29
13. Down In The Flood (The Band with Bob Dylan)Friday, December 31
14. When I Paint My Masterpiece (The Band with Bob Dylan)Friday, December 31
15. Don’t Ya Tell Henry (The Band with Bob Dylan)Friday, December 31
16. Like A Rolling Stone (The Band with Bob Dylan)Friday, December 31

Disc 3 [CD] - New Year’s Eve At The Academy Of Music 1971 (The Soundboard Mix)
1. Up On Cripple Creek *
2. The Shape I’m In
3. The Rumor *
4. Time To Kill *
5. Rockin’ Chair *
6. This Wheel’s On Fire *
7. Get Up Jake *
8. Smoke Signal *
9. I Shall Be Released *
10. The Weight *
11. Stage Fright

Disc 4 [CD] - New Year’s Eve At The Academy Of Music 1971 (The Soundboard Mix)
1. Life Is A Carnival *
2. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
3. Caledonia Mission *
4. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
5. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down *
6. Across The Great Divide *
7. Unfaithful Servant
8. Don’t Do It *
9. The Genetic Method
10. Chest Fever *
11. Rag Mama Rag
12. (I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes *
13. Down In The Flood (with Bob Dylan)
14. When I Paint My Masterpiece (with Bob Dylan)
15. Don’t Ya Tell Henry (with Bob Dylan)
16. Like A Rolling Stone (with Bob Dylan)

Disc 5 [DVD] – Live At The Academy Of Music 1971 in 5.1 Surround Sound
1. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
2. The Shape I’m In
3. Caledonia Mission
4. Don’t Do It
5. Stage Fright
6. I Shall Be Released
7. Up On Cripple Creek
8. The Wheel’s On Fire
9. Strawberry Wine *
10. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
11. Time To Kill
12. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
13. Across The Great Divide
14. Life Is A Carnival
15. Get Up Jake
16. Rag Mama Rag
17. Unfaithful Servant
18. The Weight
19. Rockin’ Chair
20. Smoke Signal
21. The Rumor
22. The Genetic Method
23. Chest Fever
24. (I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes
25. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
Archival Film Clips – December 30, 1971
1. King Harvest (Has Surely Come) *
2. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show *