Mavis Staples & Trey Anastasio Carry Stirring ‘The Weight’ Performance At Robbie Robertson Tribute Concert

One of recent memory’s greatest assemblages of talent joined forces last night at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles to honor the late The Band guitarist/songwriter Robbie Robertson. Life Is A Carnival: A Musical Celebration Of Robbie Robertson was a four-hour, three-set affair featuring many highlights, including Mavis Staples, Trey Anastasio and Bob Weir teaming up on “The Weight.”

“The Weight,” one of The Band’s most beloved hits, was the penultimate number of the 35-song concert. Staples was the last icon to take the stage on a night that featured performances from Jim James, Nathaniel Rateliff, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby, Warren Haynes, Taj Mahal, Margo Price, Robert Randolph, Allison Russell, Daniel Lanois, Jamey Johnson, Ryan Bingham and Eric Church and many others.

Mavis Staples and Trey Anastasio led the evening’s house band — Ryan Bingham, Jamey Johnson, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, Don Was, John Medeski, Dave Malone, Terence Higgins, Cyril Neville, Mark Mullins and The Levee Horns — through “The Weight.” Bobby Weir was on hand to add his signature rhythm guitar strummings. Staples famously covered The Band’s 1968 single with the group and her family band The Staple Singers at The Last Waltz in 1976.

While Mavis Staples was the star of “The Weight” last night, Anastasio traded verses and smiles with the legendary vocalist. Weir was among those providing harmony vocals on the choruses. “Oh Robbie, Robbie, Robbie. We love you, Robbie!” Staples exclaimed at the end of the song. Then, all of the evening’s performers emerged for the “I Shall Be Released” finale.

Watch fan-shot of Staples, Anastasio and Weir’s “The Weight” below:

Setlist (via Phish.net)

Set One: Up on Cripple Creek (Eric Church), Ophelia (Ryan Bingham), The Best of Everything, Evangeline (Margo Price), Acadian Driftwood (Allison Russell), Straight Down the Line (Robert Randolph), Who Do You Love? (Taj Mahal), Down South in New Orleans (Dave Malone), Go Back to Your Woods (Bruce Hornsby), King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (Bruce Hornsby), The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Jamey Johnson)

Set Two: Broken Arrow (Daniel Lanois), Life is a Carnival (Warren Haynes & Taj Mahal), Whispering Pines (Lucinda Williams), Twilight (Nathaniel Rateliff), Across the Great Divide (Nathaniel Rateliff), Rag Mama Rag (Jamey Johnson), Don’t Do It (Nathaniel Rateliff & Margo Price), Tupelo Honey (Van Morrison), Days Like This (Van Morrison), Wonderful Remark (Van Morrison)

Set Three: The Shape I’m In (Eric Clapton), Out of the Blue (Eric Clapton), Forbidden Fruit (Eric Clapton), Chest Fever (Eric Clapton), Further on Up the Road (Eric Clapton), Forever Young (Ryan Bingham), It Makes No Difference (Jim James), Stage Fright (Warren Haynes), Caravan (Warren Haynes), When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Weir), The Unfaithful Servant (Trey Anastasio), Look Out Cleveland (Trey Anastasio), The Weight (Trey Anastasio, Bob Weir & Mavis Staples), I Shall Be Released (All)