← All events
film · Wednesday 12 August 2026 · TBD 
The Last Waltz (Tonic Classic Film Club)
At The Court House · Bangor, Co. Down
At The Court House · Bangor, Co. Down
Few concert films have the reach of The Last Waltz. Martin Scorsese’s 1978 documentary of The Band’s farewell performance at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco is a genuine landmark - Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and a dozen more all sharing the stage on one extraordinary Thanksgiving night in 1976. Tonic Classic Film Club brings it to The Court House in Bangor for a mid-week evening screening that suits anyone who cares about music, film, or both. It is the kind of event that rewards going on your own as much as with a group.
Tonic Classic Film Club was founded to keep the spirit of the old Tonic cinema alive - that Art Deco 2,000-seat picture house that served Bangor for decades before it burned down in 1992. The club screens golden oldies, arthouse, independent and foreign-language films to a fully seated audience in The Court House theatre. The format is sociable without being fussy: each screening opens with a short introductory talk giving context to the film, then the lights go down for the main feature. Afterwards, the bar stays open and the conversation tends to run long.
The Last Waltz itself is rated among the finest concert documentaries ever made. The Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry in 2019 as culturally and historically significant. Scorsese used seven 35 mm cameras to capture The Band’s final show, and the result feels less like a gig recording and more like a film about the end of an era. On a big screen with good sound, it is a different experience entirely from watching it at home.
Bangor is straightforward to reach from Belfast - the train journey takes around 30 minutes, with regular services from Great Victoria Street and Lanyon Place stations. By road the town sits at the end of the A2 dual carriageway, roughly 20 miles from Belfast city centre. The Court House is on Bangor’s seafront, a short walk from the train station. Street parking is available along the seafront and in the town centre; most bays are free in the evening.
Bangor Marina sits just below the venue and is worth a look before the film. The town has a good range of cafes and restaurants for an early dinner before the screening. There is more to see in Bangor and across Co. Down.
Heading to The Court House in Bangor? Down has plenty more to see. Read the Bangor area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.