Category Archives: Bob Dylan live

Live: The Dylan-Kerouac Connection

Jack Kerouac (left) and Bob Dylan.

To celebrate Bob Dylan’s birthday, a very special event, “The Dylan-Kerouac Connection,” will be held in Berkeley, CA on Friday, May 18, 2018.

Former Rolling Stone Senior Writer/ West Coast Music Editor Michael Goldberg and acclaimed Bay Area singer/guitarist Johnny Harper will be collaborating on a night of words about and music by Bob Dylan.

Goldberg will read from his new essay, “Bob Dylan’s Beat Visions (Sonic Poetry),” which has just been published in the book “Kerouac On Record” (Bloomsbury). Harper will perform exciting solo versions of “Desolation Row,” “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” Mr. Tambourine Man,” “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and more!

The two set evening will begin at 7:30 pm at The Art House Gallery & Cultural Center, 2905 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Goldberg’s essay focuses on how Jack Kerouac and other Beat writers had a profound influence on the songwriting of Bob Dylan. In reviewing “Kerouac On Record,” Mojo magazine wrote: “Among the strongest in a strong lot are Michael Goldberg’s examination of Dylan’s lit roots and Kerouac’s own musicological piece — ‘The Beginning Of Bop’ – that attempts to capture jazz in words – and succeeds.”

Johnny Harper is a well-known Bay Area singer, lead guitarist, songwriter, bandleader, arranger, and producer of recordings and concerts.

Harper has been known, for many years, for leading rockin’ bands (Johnny Harper & Carnival and the earlier Hot Links) specializing in the joyous, upbeat, and funky New Orleans R&B sound – the music of artists like Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, the Meters/ Neville Brothers, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, and many more. He lived in New Orleans for several years at one point, soaking up the Crescent City’s magic first-hand.

In addition to his work in bands, Johnny is a powerful solo performer, accompanying himself in complex lead/rhythm and finger-picking styles on electric and acoustic guitars. He is a veteran performer in a wider range of American roots music styles – blues and gospel, vintage rock and classic country, R&B/ soul, traditional and contemporary folk, and more. He is an expert on the music of The Band, and knows over 100 Bob Dylan songs! And he is a born storyteller whose comments on the music are by turns moving and highly entertaining.

The show will take place at: The Art House Gallery & Cultural Center, 2905 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA. Suggested donation: $15.00 – $25.00

For additional info, please contact Johnny Harper: jjmusic@ix.netcom.com

– A Days of the Crazy-Wild post –

Audio: Bob Dylan Sings ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ – May 5, 2015 – Houston, Texas

Previously three full songs – “Things Have Changed,” “Workingman’s Blues #2” and “Stay With Me” – plus some of “She Belongs To Me,” all from Bob Dylan’s show at the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas on May 5, 2015, were posted at YouTube.

A few hours ago another song, “Blowin’ In The Wind,” from that show went online.

Here it is:

“Blowin’ In The Wind”:

If you missed the others, here they are:

“Things Have Changed” and some of “She Belongs To Me”:

“Workingman’s Blues #2”:

“Stay With Me”:

– A Days Of the Crazy-Wild blog post –

Audio: Bob Dylan Live At The Majestic Theatre, May 7, 2015 – ‘Stay With Me’

Old photos NOT from the San Antonio gig.

One song from Bob Dylan’s performance at the Majestic Theatre, May 7, 2015, in San Antonio Texas.

“Stay With Me”:

– A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post –

Audio: Bob Dylan Does ‘Things Have Changed,’ ‘Stay With Me’- April 25, 2015

This is an older photo – it’s NOT from the gig.

Three songs from Bob Dylan’s performance at Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, NC, on April 25, 2015.

“Things Have Changed”:

“Blowin’ In The Wind”:

“Stay With Me”:

– A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post –

Video: Bob Dylan, Van Morrison Do Webb Pierce’s ‘More & More’

Dylan, Morrison, January 16, 1998

In 1954 Webb Pierce’s “More and More” spent ten weeks atop the country charts (and reached #22 on the pop charts).

Check out this cool version by Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, which is from a January 16, 1998 concert in New York at The Theater, Madison Square Garden.

Dylan joined Morrison during Morrison’s set.

Here’s Webb Pierce singing “More and More”:

Plus here’s Dylan and Morrison singing “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”:

– A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post –

Video/Audio: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez Sing ‘Never Let Me Go’ From ‘Renaldo & Clara’

Beginning in 1975, Bob Dylan and a superstar troupe of folk and rock musicians hit the road as the Rolling Thunder Review. As the tour progressed a camera crew filmed some of the concerts as well as fictional scenarios that Dylan dreamed up, and real off-stage events.

One of my favorite performances from the tour (included in “Renaldo & Clara”) is the Dylan and Joan Baez version of Johnny Ace’s 1954 R&B hit, “Never Let Me Go” (written by Joseph Scott).

Video clip from “Renaldo & Clara”:

Full song:

“Never Let Me Go”:

Never Let Me Go (Renaldo & Clara) by Bob Dylan on Grooveshark

Another version from the Rolling Thunder Review tour:

Never Let Me Go by Bob Dylan on Grooveshark

And another:

Bob Dylan – Tell It Like It Is 11-11-75 – 07 – never let me go by Bob Dylan on Grooveshark

Johnny Ace’s version:

— A Days of The Crazy-Wild blog post —

Video: Bob Dylan At Beacon Theater, 1990 – ‘Willin’,’ ‘Man In The Long Black Coat’ & More

Bob Dylan at the Beacon Theater, New York, October 17, 1990.

The concert begins 30 seconds into the video clip.

Set list

Absolutely Sweet Marie
Man In The Long Black Coat
Willin’
T.V. Talkin’ Song
Simple Twist Of Fate
Wiggle Wiggle
Man Of Constant Sorrow
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Tangled Up In Blue
Joey
What Good Am I?
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
In The Garden
Like A Rolling Stone
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Highway 61 Revisited

[Last August I published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” Rolling Stone has a great review of the book. Read it here. There’s info about True Love Scars here.]

Audio: Bob Dylan At The Gaslight, Sept. 1961 – Full Set – ‘Song To Woody,’ ‘Pretty Polly’ & More

This weekend I’ve been celebrating the 54th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s arrival in New York on January 24, 1961.

Toward the end of that year, after he’d been gigging around, after he’d met John Hammond and been signed to Columbia Records, but prior to recording his first album, on September 6, 1961, Bob Dylan performed at the Gaslight in New York.

His set, which included an appearance by Dave Van Ronk playing guitar and singing harmony vocals on “Car, Car,” was recorded on a reel-to-reel and you can hear it right now.

Some of these songs appeared on the first official Bootleg series set. Others have yet to be officially released.

The order of the songs has apparently been rearranged by whoever put up this YouTube clip.

Set List (apparently the songs have been ordered differently than when they were performed).

He Was A Friend Of Mine
Car, Car
Man On The Street
Song To Woody
Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
Pretty Polly

This is the correct order of the set according to www.BobDylan.com:

Man On The Street
He Was A Friend Of Mine
Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
Song To Woody
Pretty Polly
Car, Car

[Last August I published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” Rolling Stone has a great review of the book. Read it here. There’s info about True Love Scars here.]

Audio: 54 Years Ago Bob Dylan Arrives In New York – ‘Talkin’ New York,’ ‘Spanish Harlem Incident’ & More

1961

Fifty-four years ago, on January 24, 1961, Bob Dylan arrived in New York, where within a few months he would not only get a rave review in the New York Times and meet the legendary record man and producer, John Hammond, but would be signed by Hammond to Columbia Records and by the end of the year he’d record his first album, Bob Dylan.

Dylan recorded his first six albums in New York, and the city was his base of operations from ’61 into ’66.

I thought I’d pull together some of Bob’s recordings that are either about or take place in New York in some way, or were recorded in New York.

“Talkin New York” live at Town Hall, April 12, 1963:

“Song To Woody”:

“Hard Times In New York” recorded by Cynthia Gooding, March 11, 1962:

“Spanish Harlem Incident,” alternate take:

“Ballad In Plain D,” alternate take 2 (partial):

“She Belongs To Me,” Free Trade Hall, Manchester, May 7, 1965:

“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” Free Trade Hall, Manchester, May 7, 1965:

“Freeze Out 1,” (“Visions Of Johanna” outtake):

ttp://youtu.be/WYifDaD96rM

“Love Minus Zero/ No Limit” and “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window” and “From A Buick 6” (alternate takes):

–A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post —

Video: Bob Dylan Live At Madison Square Garden – 1998 – Full Concert – ‘Positively 4th Street,’ ‘Cold Irons Bound’ & More

Seventeen years ago.

Bob Dylan and his band at the Madison Square Garden Theater, January 20 1998.

Set List:

Absolutely Sweet Marie
Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You
Cold Irons Bound
Born In Time
Silvio
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
Girl From The North Country
Tangled Up In Blue
Million Miles
Positively 4th Street
‘Til I Fell In Love With You
Highway 61 Revisited
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
Love Sick
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

– A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post –