The Weight provided the feel of a faster tempo though the actual tempo was the same as the studio performance. Manuel's Lowrey organ, which was mixed out of the studio recording, was prominent; and Robertson participated vocally in the choruses. In the 1970s, "The Weight" appeared on three live albums by The Band, "Rock of Ages", "Before the Flood", and "The Last Waltz". Just after their November 25, 1976, "farewell concert," The Band performed a gospel arrangement of "The Weight" with The Staple Singers that was filmed for "The Last Waltz". Mavis and Pops Staples sang second and third verse lead vocals,
Rock of Ages (The Band album) Rock of Ages (The Band album) Rock of Ages: The Band in Concert is a live album by the Band, released in 1972. It was compiled from recordings made during their series of shows at the Academy of Music in New York City, from December 28 through December 31, 1971. It peaked at #6 on the "Billboard" 200 chart, and was certified a gold record by the RIAA. An expanded release of recordings taken from the same series of shows, called "Live at the Academy of Music 1971", was released in 2013. The Band booked a residency at the Academy