Category Archives: Bob Dylan

Review: Bob Dylan Performing Artists 1986 – 1990 and Beyond

Paul Williams “Mind Out Of Time” the 3rd in his series of Bob Dylan rock appreciate tomes is a goldmine for Dylan fans

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Paul Williams – Mind out of Time Bob Dylan Performing Artist

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Rock critics are a dime a dozen and none so sublime as Paul Williams who wrote three volumes of his series “Bob Dylan Performing Artist.”

In “Bob Dylan: Performing Artist Volume 3: Mind Out Of Time 1986 And Beyond”, Williams, the founder of Crawdaddy magazine, takes the reader on a musical journey through most of Bob Dylan’s concerts from his low in 1986 with The Grateful Dead to the Never Ending Tour rebound.

You can read this book quickly although I think the commentary runs together after a while. This is not a book to be read in a sitting. It’s best to follow his expert and entertaining critique by listening to the concerts.  Continue reading

Bob Dylan releases US Canada summer tour 2013

Dates just announced – Bob Dylan will be touring with Wilco in June to August during the summer of 2013

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Bob Dylan tours with Wilco summer 2013

Bob Dylan will be touring across the USA this summer with one date in Toronto Canada.

On a tour dubbed AmericanaramA, Dylan will appear in 26 cities between June 26 and August 6, 2013 with Wilco and My Morning Jacket.

Dylan is halfway through a successful spring 2013 tour of the eastern United States that is getting warm to glowing reviews in the press.

While his voice may be rough and raw, Dylan’s energy level is not diminished. Peter Stone Brown wrote the Bethlehem PA show was a “near religious experience”. “Tonight at Stabler Arena, Bob Dylan and his band were on from the first note to the last. They started strong and never let up.”  Continue reading

Bob Dylan wows Buffalo on first leg of 2013 North American Tour

The Never Ending Tour goes on with a re-invigorated Bob Dylan who will turn 72 in May

Bob Dylan Buffalo poster Bob Dylan wows Buffalo on first leg of 2013 North American Tour photoBob Dylan gave his fans in Buffalo New York at the Alumni Arena something they fans did not get last year – songs from Tempest, his new 2012 CD.

Dylan sent a chill up the spine of unnamed enemies with “Pay in Blood”, romanced lovers with “Soon After Midnight”, resurrected the ghost of Chicago blues with “Early Roman Kings” and sung about that “flat-chested junkie whore” among other denizens of a modern-day “Desolation Row” with “Scarlett Town.” (I embedded impressionistic video of Scarlett Town at the end of the story.)

He opened last with the Academy Award winning “Things Have Changed” from the movie “The Wonder Boys” just to remind the audience that things have and will indeed change. Not only do the songs change but Dylan loves to dish them out in new tunes and arrangements.  Continue reading

Bob Dylan sings along with Swiss Liz

Great moments in Dylan history: in 1993 a red-headed fan joined Bob Dylan at the mic for a duet of “The Times They Are Changin’”

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Swiss Liz sings “The Times They Are A Changin’ with Bob Dylan

It was the dreaded moment for Bob Dylan, the private and reclusive bard of 1960s boomer rebels.

In Eindhoven, Holland on February 17, 1993 during a concert Liz Souissi, a fan, appeared on stage to sing along with Bob Dylan.

She was later dubbed Swiss Liz and she would not leave the mic until the song was over.   Continue reading

Is Taylor Swift the new Bob Dylan

When Taylor Swift sang “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” at the NRJ Music Awards she was just following Bob Dylan

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Taylor Swift sings We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together at NRJ Awards

Some critics pick at the Pop Country singer Taylor Swift for writing songs like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together“, sung recently at the NRJ Music Awards.

Taylor Swift’s song is a firm put-down of an ex-lover. The song is no worse than Bob Dylan’s many songs that dismiss former lovers like he did in “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right.”  Continue reading

Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue bootlegs

1975 and 1976 saw Dylan crisscrossing North America with improvisational show that still rocks

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Bob Dylan 50th Anniversary Collection

When Sony released 100 copies of “Bob Dylan 50th Anniversary Collection” 4 CD set only in the EU, it set off a flurry of press stories and fan interest.

All of sudden, fans could get their hands on 86 outtakes from the first two Bob Dylan albums. Well, not quite. Sony only issued the 100 copies to protect their European copyright extension, certainly not for the artistic merit of the tracks.

My question is: who listens to the first two Bob Dylan albums anymore? Hence why would B- versions be interesting and worth $1,300 on eBay? Continue reading

Dylan live – It’s Not Dark Yet But It’s Getting There

One of Dylan’s most poignant songs about life, love lost and despair in a recent live performance

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Bob Dylan, Not Dark Yet

“Not Dark Yet” is one of the finest Bob Dylan songs from his late period masterpiece ”Time Out of Mind”.

A fan posted this rare concert video. The world-weariness Dylan wrote about in the atmospheric Daniel Lanois 1997 production seems even more poignant with Dylan’s current singing voice.

Continue reading