Redirecting to a newer version of this post….
His presence burns from the video screen. His music bursts with aliveness. Anyone can see he’s being driven by some kind of primal force.
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan: Performing Artist, Vol 2: The Middle Years 1974-1986
GREAT performance from Dylan & his trio (core of what would become the The Rolling Thunder tour band).. They were the last act this day.. the filming was running late & they didn’t get to play before 2 am. Still there is fire in Dylan’s eyes.. and he drives his band through the songs.
Band:
- Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
- Scarlet Rivera (violin)
- Rob Stoner (bass)
- Howie Wyeth (drums)
Dylan gives an excellent performance, and is surprisingly unselfconscious about the camera – he looks uncomfortable at the start of each song.. but it is a functional discomfort, which evolves into a purposeful seriousness, clearly a surface expression of his concentration, his intensity, his intent.
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan: Performing Artist, Vol 2: The Middle Years 1974-1986
Setlist:
- Hurricane
- Oh, Sister
- Simple Twist Of Fate
Dylan, accompanied by Scarlet Rivera, Rob Stoner, and Howie Wyeth, performs three songs at WTTW-TV studios in Chicago for “The World of John Hammond,” a one-hour tribute to John Hammond, Sr. “Hurricane” is performed twice, the broadcast version being an edit of the pair. The other songs are “Oh Sister,” receiving its first public performance and dedicated to “someone watching tonight,” and a rewritten version of “Simple Twist of Fate,” concentrating more on the narrative and clearly influenced by his collaborations with Jacques Levy.
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995
-Egil
Was told ro watch is all….
I remember seeing this live on TV on channel 11 – WTTW that night at Rich & Gretchen’s apartment. Amazing. The apartment was in Des Plaines, I think.
This performance, and the 1984 Letterman show with The Plugz, are Bob’s best TV appearances ever, in my opinion. It is probably no coincidence that both shows are with very basic, stripped down bands. I wish he would do that more often.
I was hoping to see him in London this November but all sold out just want to see him one more time first time was the lse of wight 1969
I remember listening to this on the radio. As a matter of fact, I recorded it on an old Wollensack recorder. Never knew this video was available. Great!
Great. I had never seen or heard this before. Amazing that such gems keep popping up. This is a powerful performance of songs that clearly were very important to Dylan at the time. Thanks for sharing.
You really have to appreciate Dylan’s striped prison trousers as he sings Hurricane. An awesome performance, thanks.
Dylan weaves the magic.