The tape of the benefit performance shows that Dylan’s voice had recovered significantly during his six weeks off; unfortunately, it also suggests again that the two-guitar acoustic set format was not very stimulating for Dylan as a performer in 1988. These are again lackluster, uninspired performances, interesting solely because this was only the third time in his career that Dylan is known to have performed “Pretty Boy Floyd” on stage and because, as he had at the October shows, Dylan added Lo “With God on Our Side” a verse about the Vietnam War that he didn’t write – the Neville Brothers had added it when they recorded the song on an album produced by Daniel Lanois earlier that autumn.
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan: Performing Artist Volume 3: Mind Out Of Time 1986 And Beyond)
Oakland Coliseum Oakland, California 4 December 1988 An all acoustic evening of music to benefit The Bridge School.
Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know
~Press Conference, San Francisco 3 December 1965
Legendary press conference.
The San Francisco Press Conference was set up by Ralph Gleason at KQED-TV, an educational station, in the bay area of San Francisco and took place on December 3rd 1965. It was broadcast on KQED later that day, just before Dylan and The Hawks played their first night at the Berkeley Community Theater. Source: The Fiddler Now Upspoke, pp. 359-374.
KQED-TV Studios San Francisco, California 3 December 1965 San Francisco Press Conference
Released on the DVD Dylan Speaks, Eagle Media MDV622, 30 October 2006.
Sixteen years
Sixteen banners united over the field
Where the good shepherd grieves
Desperate men, desperate women divided
Spreading their wings ’neath the falling leaves
Fortune calls
I stepped forth from the shadows, to the marketplace
Merchants and thieves, hungry for power, my last deal gone down
She’s smelling sweet like the meadows where she was born
On midsummer’s eve, near the tower
This is a gem!
Municipal Auditorium Nashville, Tennessee 2 December 1978
Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
Billy Cross (lead guitar)
Alan Pasqua (keyboards)
Steven Soles (rhythm guitar, backup vocals)
David Mansfield (violin & mandolin)
Steve Douglas (horns)
Jerry Scheff (bass)
Bobbye Hall (percussion)
Ian Wallace (drums)
Helena Springs, Jo Ann Harris, Carolyn Dennis (background vocals)
I wasn’t quite sure how to do it and what material to use. I would have liked to do old folk songs with acoustic instruments, but there was a lot of input from other sources as to what would be right for the MTV audience. The record company said, “You can’t do that, it’s too obscure.” At one time, I would have argued, but there’s no point. OK, so what’s not obscure? They said Knockin’ on Heaven ‘s Door.
~Bob Dylan (to Edna Gundersen May 1995)
Thunder on the mountain, fires on the moon
There’s a ruckus in the alley and the sun will be here soon
Today’s the day, gonna grab my trombone and blow
Well, there’s hot stuff here and it’s everywhere I go
Chicago, Illinois
Wintrust Arena
October 27, 2017
Bob Dylan – piano
Tony Garnier – bass
George Recile – drums
Stu Kimball – rhythm guitar, maracas
Charlie Sexton on lead guitar
Donnie Herron – violin, electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel
