This article revisits The Band's legendary 1976 farewell concert, "The Last Waltz," captured in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed film, and asks which of the night's many star guests delivered the standout performance. Held on Thanksgiving at San Francisco's Winterland Arena, the show saw The Band joined by an extraordinary line-up of collaborators, making the question of a single "best" performance a genuinely difficult one to settle, given how many contenders there were.

While Bob Dylan's headline slot and the mass encore of "I Shall Be Released" remain the concert's most iconic moments, the writer argues that Van Morrison's rendition of "Caravan" was the true highlight, praising his powerful voice and animated stage presence, memorably prompting Robbie Robertson to shout "Hey, Van the Man!" afterwards. Other guests including Ronnie Hawkins, Muddy Waters, Dr John, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Eric Clapton and Neil Diamond also performed, alongside The Band's own celebrated set of songs such as "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."