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,
Palace of the Republic, Berlin concerts of Bulat Okudzhava (29 November 1976), Harry Belafonte (25 October 1983), or of the rock-band Purple Schulz (21 January 1989). German electronic music group Tangerine Dream performed a spectacular concert recorded live at the Palast der Republik on 31 January 1980 which also was Johannes Schmoelling's first live performance with the band. The concert was unique in that Tangerine Dream was the first Western group who was allowed by the Communist government to play in East Berlin at the time and was dubbed "the performance behind the Iron Curtain". An album of this recorded concert was released titled "Quichotte"