Bob Dylan World Tour 1966
Encyclopedia
The Bob Dylan World Tour 1966 was a concert tour undertaken by American musician Bob Dylan
, from February to May 1966. Dylan's 1966 World Tour was notable as the first tour where Dylan employed an electric band
backing him, following his "going electric
" at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival
. The musicians Dylan employed as his backing band were known as The Hawks; they subsequently became famous as The Band
. The 1966 tour was filmed by director D. A. Pennebaker
. Pennebaker's footage was edited by Dylan and Howard Alk
to produce a little-seen film, Eat the Document
, an anarchic account of the tour. Drummer Mickey Jones
also filmed the tour with an 8mm home movie camera. Many of the 1966 tour concerts were recorded by Columbia Records
. These recordings produced one official album, the so-called "Royal Albert Hall" concert, and also many unofficial bootleg recordings
of the tour.
Dylan's 1966 Tour ended with his motorcycle
accident on 29 July 1966. Subsequent to Dylan's withdrawal to Woodstock
, he refrained from undertaking a major tour until 1974.
" single, he wanted to reproduce on-stage the same sound that he had polished in the studio. He soon began to gather a pick-up band, with several musicians, such as bassist Harvey Brooks
and organist Al Kooper
, that had played during the sessions for Highway 61 Revisited
. However, the bulk of the players came from Ronnie Hawkins
' backing group, Levon and the Hawks
(later renamed the Band). They impressed Dylan when he saw them play in Toronto
, at the direction of Albert Grossman
's staffer, Mary Martin, who told him to visit the group at the Yonge Street
club called the Le Coq d'Or Tavern – though Robbie Robertson
recollects it was the Friar's Tavern, just down the street. An alternate version of the first meeting, put forward by Williamson, suggests that he saw them in a New Jersey club. Drummer Levon Helm
and lead guitarist Robbie Robertson were quickly invited to join Dylan's backing group. As the initial tour in North America
progressed, both Kooper and Helm left the band due to stress, which opened up the way for bassist Rick Danko
, pianist Richard Manuel
, organist Garth Hudson
, and drummer Bobby Gregg
, all of whom were members of the Hawks (excluding Gregg), to join the band. Gregg eventually left the band as the tour progressed, and Sandy Konikoff replaced him on drums, but Konikoff too left when Dylan traveled to Australia
. Mickey Jones
then replaced him on drums; and remained with the band throughout the rest of the tour.
while the initial sessions for Blonde on Blonde
were being recorded. Sometime in September 1965, Dylan and the Band embarked to Woodstock, New York to rehearse the songs they would be performing on the tour. Several songs, such as "Maggie's Farm
", "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window", and "It Ain't Me, Babe
" were dropped from the tour's set list as they embarked to different locations.
The first leg of the tour took place in North America, but by now both Kooper and Helm had left the band. The initial sessions with the Band for Blonde on Blonde, proved unproductive, with only two tracks good enough to be released ("Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window", "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
"). Dylan soon began recording in Nashville, Tennessee
with a new lineup of studio musicians. By April, Dylan had finished the sessions for Blonde on Blonde, and continued the tour outside of North America
.
Dylan first travelled to Australia
, where he performed seven concerts over ten days in Sydney
, Melbourne
, Adelaide
and Perth
. The tour group then flew to Scandinavia
for concerts in Stockholm
and Copenhagen
. After Scandinavia, Dylan toured all over The UK (including Northern Ireland
) in May. He made a short trip to Paris
before he finished the tour in London
.
Free Trade Hall
, Manchester, Dylan was called "Judas
!" by audience member John Cordwell, between the songs "Ballad of a Thin Man
" and "Like a Rolling Stone
". Dylan answered back, and told the man that "I don't believe you . . . you're a liar!", before he shouted to the members of the band to "Play it fuckin' loud!", where they then finished off the set with "Like a Rolling Stone". A live
bootleg album
of the electric portion of this concert existed for many years, first appearing on the record In 1966 There Was in 1970, before it was officially released as The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert in 1998. This incident soon became a legendary moment in Rock history; its status even drove BBC Radio 1
DJ Andy Kershaw
to declare "I still can't believe they've finally put it out. I just keep staring at my copy."
. For most it was the night of the big let-down." In Europe, walkouts were common, unlike in the United States. The press became more and more hostile as he traveled through England, particularly in London
. The May 10 concert at Colston Hall in Bristol
was savaged by one reviewer, saying that Dylan was "sacrificing lyric and melody to the God of big beat.", while another stated that Dylan had been "buried in a grave of deafening drums
." Robert Shelton later wrote in Dylan's biography that the press was behaving like a "conformist, Neanderthal mob".
Concert-goers began to become hostile, yelling at Dylan from their seats, shouting phrases like "phoney" and "traitor" between songs. Dylan would often reply to these jeers, such as in Liverpool
, where one man shouted "Where's the poet in you? What's happened to your conscience?", to which Dylan responded, "There's a guy up there looking for a saint." During one concert, as the jeers and shouts reached a terrible level, Dylan lazily replied, "Oh come on, these are all protest songs. It's the same stuff as always, can't you hear?" When the group embarked to Scotland
, the audience turned out to be somewhat more receptive, at least in Glasgow
, where Dylan's supporters outnumbered his hecklers. But in Edinburgh
, a section of the audience attempted to overpower out the band by playing their own harmonica
s. In Paris
, the French even jeered during Dylan's acoustic set; and during the electric portion, Dylan told his audience, "Don't worry, I'm just as eager to finish and leave as you are." The final two nights at the Royal Albert Hall
in London
saw the biggest walkouts of the tour, but there was some support, as The Beatles
were in the audience, shouting down the hecklers. George Harrison
denounced the angry fans as "idiots". When the tour ended, the Band returned to America angry and dejected; Robbie Robertson
later said that, "After those shows we were lonely guys. Nobody wanted to hang out with us."
contemporaries, his personality had greatly changed. The James Dean
look of a leather jacket and slacks was gone. Dylan's new style of dress consisted of a dark green hounds tooth suit consisting of a tight, double-breasted waist-coat with a matching pair drainpipe trousers, all laced with diamond flecked stripes. For footwear, he chose a new pair of handmade Chelsea Boots, which were famously associated with The Beatles
, and better known as "Beatle boots
". According to his primary photographer Barry Feinstein, Dylan picked up the custom tailored suit and boots from a shop on Carnaby Street
in London
. When he wasn't on stage performing. Dylan was rarely seen without his blue suede military jacket, and custom wayfarer-style sunglasses.
Despite the transition from acoustic folk music over to rock 'n' roll
, Dylan did not see himself as a part of the mainstream crowd of musicians. In a press conference in December 1965 he would detach himself from his contemporaries of rock music
and call his style "vision music . . . mathematical music".
During his 1966 World Tour Tour, Dylan is alleged to have taken drugs. During his 1965 tour of England, it was alleged Dylan had used cannabis
, but, by the end of 1965, he is said to have taken other drugs. During his 1966 tour, Dylan told Robert Shelton
: "It takes a lot of medicine to keep up this pace. A concert tour like this has almost killed me." Dylan told Rolling Stone in 1984 that he "never got hooked on any kind of drug.".
songs, he played several of his recently recorded electric songs acoustically ("She Belongs to Me
", "Visions of Johanna
", etc.). During the second half of a concert, he performed eight songs each time; but on the other hand, played some of his older, once acoustic material as electric blues ("One Too Many Mornings
", "I Don't Believe You
"); but the bulk of each set was centered around recent Blonde on Blonde
and Highway 61 Revisited
material, whether it be acoustic or electric. The song "Tell Me, Momma", which opened the second half of the concert, was never recorded for a studio album.
During the initial US Tour (August 1965-March 1966), Dylan rarely played the same set list twice in a row. The set list below is that of the 28 August concert at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, New York City.
Acoustic Half
Electric Half
Dylan added several songs to the set as the tour progressed, including "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
", "Visions of Johanna
", "4th Time Around
", and "Tell Me, Momma", while he omitted "To Ramona", "Gates of Eden", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "Tombstone Blues", "From a Buick 6", "Maggie's Farm", "It Ain't Me, Babe", and "Positively 4th Street
" during the later part of the tour. He also performed several songs only once, including "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
" and "Long Distance Operator". After these revisions, the set each night became consistent, following the pattern below.
Acoustic Half
Electric Half
Each show lasted approximately 90 minutes, not including the break between the acoustic and electric halves.
Musicians per Olof Bjorner.
accident while riding on the property of his manager, Albert Grossman
. The true nature and extent of his injuries has never been publicly disclosed. Although Dylan still had bookings for the rest of 1966 and beyond, he canceled all engagements for an indefinite period after the accident.
There were many reasons that contributed to his decision. He had come under increasing pressure over the preceding few years—his transition to "electric" music had provoked intense criticism from his former colleagues who were still involved in the folk music scene. His concerts and press conferences became increasingly hostile and confrontational, and it has been said that he was using drugs by the end of the tour.
Another significant personal factor is that Dylan was newly married, and with a young family. He had secretly wed Sara Lownds on November 22, 1965, and their first child Jesse was born two months later (Dylan also adopted Lownds' child from a previous relationship, and they had three more children over the next three years).
Dylan's withdrawal from touring coincided with a similar decision by The Beatles
, who had decided to halt public performances after their unpleasant experiences in The Philippines This were soon followed by the touring hiatus imposed on The Rolling Stones
caused by the drug busts and subsequent trials of Mick Jagger
, Keith Richards
and Brian Jones
, which prevented them from touring in the United States for several years.
Another important factor is that the high public profiles of these artists were increasingly making them targets for violence. The surviving members of The Beatles have recorded in The Beatles' Anthology that they received death threats, and were in fear for their lives during their final U.S. tour in 1966.
However, Dylan continued to record in the period following the accident, taping a large body of work with The Band at their home in Woodstock, New York, which became known as The Basement Tapes
. Dylan returned to the studio to record 1967's John Wesley Harding
, and 1969's Nashville Skyline
. In 1969 he began making occasional one-off appearances, usually at festivals or large charity concerts, including his highly anticipated performance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival
, and George Harrison
's 1971 Concert For Bangladesh. However, Dylan did not undertake another full-scale concert tour until the "Before The Flood"
tour that reunited him with The Band in January 1974.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, from February to May 1966. Dylan's 1966 World Tour was notable as the first tour where Dylan employed an electric band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
backing him, following his "going electric
Electric Dylan controversy
By 1965, Bob Dylan had achieved the status of leading songwriter of the American folk music revival.Paul Simon suggested that Dylan's early compositions virtually took over the folk genre: "[Dylan's] early songs were very rich ... with strong melodies. 'Blowin' in the Wind' has a really strong...
" at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the previously established Newport Jazz Festival...
. The musicians Dylan employed as his backing band were known as The Hawks; they subsequently became famous as The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
. The 1966 tour was filmed by director D. A. Pennebaker
D. A. Pennebaker
Donn Alan Pennebaker is an American documentary filmmaker and one of the pioneers of Direct Cinema/Cinéma vérité. Performing arts and politics are his primary subjects.-Biography:...
. Pennebaker's footage was edited by Dylan and Howard Alk
Howard Alk
-Career:Alk enrolled in the University of Chicago at the age of 14. He was a member of the Compass Players cabaret troupe and one of the founders of The Second City. Alk had previously worked with Sills at the Gate of Horn. According to Sahlins, Alk coined the group's name...
to produce a little-seen film, Eat the Document
Eat the Document
Eat the Document is a documentary of Bob Dylan's 1966 tour of the United Kingdom with the Hawks. It was shot under Dylan's direction by D. A. Pennebaker, whose groundbreaking documentary Dont Look Back [sic] chronicled Dylan's 1965 British tour...
, an anarchic account of the tour. Drummer Mickey Jones
Mickey Jones
Mickey Jones is an American musician and actor.-Early life:Jones was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Frances Marie and Fred Edward Jones...
also filmed the tour with an 8mm home movie camera. Many of the 1966 tour concerts were recorded by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. These recordings produced one official album, the so-called "Royal Albert Hall" concert, and also many unofficial bootleg recordings
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
of the tour.
Dylan's 1966 Tour ended with his motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
accident on 29 July 1966. Subsequent to Dylan's withdrawal to Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
, he refrained from undertaking a major tour until 1974.
Finding The Band
As Dylan finished the sessions for his 1965 "Positively 4th StreetPositively 4th Street
"Positively 4th Street" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, first recorded by Dylan in New York City on July 29, 1965. It was released as a single by Columbia Records on September 7, 1965, reaching #1 on Canada's RPM chart, #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and #8 on the UK Singles Chart...
" single, he wanted to reproduce on-stage the same sound that he had polished in the studio. He soon began to gather a pick-up band, with several musicians, such as bassist Harvey Brooks
Harvey Brooks
Harvey Brooks is an American bassist. He has played in many styles of music...
and organist Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
, that had played during the sessions for Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited is the sixth studio album by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released in August 1965 by Columbia Records. On his previous album, Bringing It All Back Home, Dylan devoted Side One of the album to songs accompanied by an electric rock band, and Side Two to solo acoustic numbers...
. However, the bulk of the players came from Ronnie Hawkins
Ronnie Hawkins
Ronald "Ronnie" Hawkins is a Juno Award-winning rockabilly musician whose career has spanned more than half a century. Though his career began in Arkansas, USA, where he'd been born and raised, it was in Ontario, Canada where he found success and settled for most of his life...
' backing group, Levon and the Hawks
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
(later renamed the Band). They impressed Dylan when he saw them play in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, at the direction of Albert Grossman
Albert Grossman
Albert Bernard Grossman was an American entrepreneur and manager in the American folk music scene and rock and roll. He was most famous as the manager of Bob Dylan between 1962 and 1970.-Biography:...
's staffer, Mary Martin, who told him to visit the group at the Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
club called the Le Coq d'Or Tavern – though Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
recollects it was the Friar's Tavern, just down the street. An alternate version of the first meeting, put forward by Williamson, suggests that he saw them in a New Jersey club. Drummer Levon Helm
Levon Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
and lead guitarist Robbie Robertson were quickly invited to join Dylan's backing group. As the initial tour in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
progressed, both Kooper and Helm left the band due to stress, which opened up the way for bassist Rick Danko
Rick Danko
Richard Clare "Rick" Danko was a Canadian musician and singer, best known as a member of The Band.-Early years :...
, pianist Richard Manuel
Richard Manuel
Richard George Manuel was a Canadian composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his contributions to and membership in The Band....
, organist Garth Hudson
Garth Hudson
Eric Garth Hudson is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist. As the organist, keyboardist and saxophonist for Canadian-American rock group The Band, he was a principal architect of the group's unique sound...
, and drummer Bobby Gregg
Bobby Gregg
Robert J. Gregg is a musician who has performed as a drummer and has also been a record producer. As a drum soloist and band leader he recorded one album and several singles, including one Top 40 single in the United States...
, all of whom were members of the Hawks (excluding Gregg), to join the band. Gregg eventually left the band as the tour progressed, and Sandy Konikoff replaced him on drums, but Konikoff too left when Dylan traveled to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Mickey Jones
Mickey Jones
Mickey Jones is an American musician and actor.-Early life:Jones was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Frances Marie and Fred Edward Jones...
then replaced him on drums; and remained with the band throughout the rest of the tour.
Tour Background
Dylan and his backing group gave concerts sporadically throughout the USA and CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
while the initial sessions for Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, released in May or June 1966 on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recording sessions commenced in New York in October 1965, with a plethora of backing musicians, including members of Dylan's live backing...
were being recorded. Sometime in September 1965, Dylan and the Band embarked to Woodstock, New York to rehearse the songs they would be performing on the tour. Several songs, such as "Maggie's Farm
Maggie's Farm
"Maggie's Farm" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 15, 1965, and released on the album Bringing It All Back Home on March 22 of that year...
", "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window", and "It Ain't Me, Babe
It Ain't Me Babe
"It Ain't Me Babe" is the title of a 1964 song by Bob Dylan, first included on his album Another Side of Bob Dylan. The song's opening line is allegedly influenced by musicologist/folk-singer John Jacob Niles' composition "Go 'Way From My Window." Niles is referred to by Dylan as an early...
" were dropped from the tour's set list as they embarked to different locations.
The first leg of the tour took place in North America, but by now both Kooper and Helm had left the band. The initial sessions with the Band for Blonde on Blonde, proved unproductive, with only two tracks good enough to be released ("Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window", "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
"One of Us Must Know " is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan. It is the fourth track on his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde, and was released as the album's first single that February. The song is an emotional confession of misconnects and apologies from the singer to a woman who has tragically...
"). Dylan soon began recording in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
with a new lineup of studio musicians. By April, Dylan had finished the sessions for Blonde on Blonde, and continued the tour outside of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Dylan first travelled to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he performed seven concerts over ten days in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. The tour group then flew to Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
for concerts in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. After Scandinavia, Dylan toured all over The UK (including Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) in May. He made a short trip to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
before he finished the tour in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert
During the end of the May 17, 1966 concert at the ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Free Trade Hall
Free Trade Hall
The Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, was a public hall constructed in 1853–6 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre and is now a hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The architect was Edward Walters The hall subsequently was...
, Manchester, Dylan was called "Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
!" by audience member John Cordwell, between the songs "Ballad of a Thin Man
Ballad of a Thin Man
"Ballad of a Thin Man" is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan, released on the album Highway 61 Revisited in 1965.-Meaning:"Ballad of a Thin Man" comments on a conventional "Mr. Jones", who walks into a room of intentionally bizarre circus freaks and doesn't "know what's happening".The...
" and "Like a Rolling Stone
Like a Rolling Stone
"Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
". Dylan answered back, and told the man that "I don't believe you . . . you're a liar!", before he shouted to the members of the band to "Play it fuckin' loud!", where they then finished off the set with "Like a Rolling Stone". A live
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
bootleg album
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
of the electric portion of this concert existed for many years, first appearing on the record In 1966 There Was in 1970, before it was officially released as The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert in 1998. This incident soon became a legendary moment in Rock history; its status even drove BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Andy Kershaw
Andy Kershaw
Andy Kershaw is a British broadcaster, known for his interest in world music.His shows feature a mix of country, blues, reggae, folk music, spoken word performance from the likes of Ivor Cutler, and other music from around the world.- Early Life :Kershaw and his sister, fellow broadcaster Liz...
to declare "I still can't believe they've finally put it out. I just keep staring at my copy."
Reception
Because Dylan was now playing "electric", he was being constantly heckled by folkniks or angry fans throughout the second, electric half of a concert. Even the press began to go along with the dissent of his fans. A review in the magazine Melody Maker of the May 5, 1966 concert in Dublin, Ireland stated that "It was unbelievable to see a hip-swinging Dylan trying to look and sound like Mick JaggerMick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
. For most it was the night of the big let-down." In Europe, walkouts were common, unlike in the United States. The press became more and more hostile as he traveled through England, particularly in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The May 10 concert at Colston Hall in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
was savaged by one reviewer, saying that Dylan was "sacrificing lyric and melody to the God of big beat.", while another stated that Dylan had been "buried in a grave of deafening drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
." Robert Shelton later wrote in Dylan's biography that the press was behaving like a "conformist, Neanderthal mob".
Concert-goers began to become hostile, yelling at Dylan from their seats, shouting phrases like "phoney" and "traitor" between songs. Dylan would often reply to these jeers, such as in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, where one man shouted "Where's the poet in you? What's happened to your conscience?", to which Dylan responded, "There's a guy up there looking for a saint." During one concert, as the jeers and shouts reached a terrible level, Dylan lazily replied, "Oh come on, these are all protest songs. It's the same stuff as always, can't you hear?" When the group embarked to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the audience turned out to be somewhat more receptive, at least in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, where Dylan's supporters outnumbered his hecklers. But in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, a section of the audience attempted to overpower out the band by playing their own harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
s. In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the French even jeered during Dylan's acoustic set; and during the electric portion, Dylan told his audience, "Don't worry, I'm just as eager to finish and leave as you are." The final two nights at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
saw the biggest walkouts of the tour, but there was some support, as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
were in the audience, shouting down the hecklers. George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
denounced the angry fans as "idiots". When the tour ended, the Band returned to America angry and dejected; Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
later said that, "After those shows we were lonely guys. Nobody wanted to hang out with us."
Attitude and Personality
Now that Dylan had separated himself from his folkFolk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
contemporaries, his personality had greatly changed. The James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
look of a leather jacket and slacks was gone. Dylan's new style of dress consisted of a dark green hounds tooth suit consisting of a tight, double-breasted waist-coat with a matching pair drainpipe trousers, all laced with diamond flecked stripes. For footwear, he chose a new pair of handmade Chelsea Boots, which were famously associated with The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and better known as "Beatle boots
Beatle boots
Beatle boots are a style of boot that have been worn since the 1960s. The boots are tight-fitting, Cuban-heeled, ankle-high boots with a sharp pointed toe, made popular by the English rock group The Beatles, for whom they were originally made. The style can feature either zipped or elastic sides...
". According to his primary photographer Barry Feinstein, Dylan picked up the custom tailored suit and boots from a shop on Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in London, United Kingdom, located in the Soho district, near Oxford Street and Regent Street. It is home to numerous fashion and lifestyle retailers, including a large number of independent fashion boutiques...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. When he wasn't on stage performing. Dylan was rarely seen without his blue suede military jacket, and custom wayfarer-style sunglasses.
Despite the transition from acoustic folk music over to rock 'n' roll
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Dylan did not see himself as a part of the mainstream crowd of musicians. In a press conference in December 1965 he would detach himself from his contemporaries of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and call his style "vision music . . . mathematical music".
During his 1966 World Tour Tour, Dylan is alleged to have taken drugs. During his 1965 tour of England, it was alleged Dylan had used cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, but, by the end of 1965, he is said to have taken other drugs. During his 1966 tour, Dylan told Robert Shelton
Robert Shelton
Robert Shelton was a music and film critic.Shelton's most enduring claim to fame was that he helped launch the career of a then unknown 20-year-old folk singer named Bob Dylan...
: "It takes a lot of medicine to keep up this pace. A concert tour like this has almost killed me." Dylan told Rolling Stone in 1984 that he "never got hooked on any kind of drug.".
Tour Dates
| Date | City | Country | Venue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | |||||
| February 4, 1966 | Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096... |
United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Convention Center Louisville Gardens Louisville Gardens is a multi-purpose, 6,000 seat arena, in Louisville, Kentucky, that opened in 1905, as the Jefferson County Armory. It recently celebrated its 100th anniversary as city mayor Jerry Abramson's official "Family-Friendly New Years Eve" celebration location... |
||
| February 5, 1966 | White Plains White Plains White Plains may refer to:Places* White Plains, New York* White Plains, Georgia* White Plains, Kentucky* White Plains, Maryland* White Plains, North Carolina*White Plains , listed on the NRHP in South Carolina... |
Westchester County Center Westchester County Center Westchester County Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in White Plains, New York. It hosts various local concerts and sporting events for the area.... |
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| February 6, 1966 | Pittsburgh | Syria Mosque Syria Mosque The Syria Mosque was a performance venue, located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1911 and dedicated in January 1912, it was designed by Huehl, Schmidt & Holmes architectural firm of Chicago.... |
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| February 10, 1966 | Memphis | Ellis Auditorium Ellis Auditorium The Ellis Auditorium was a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. It hosted local sporting events and concerts. It was demolished in 1997.... |
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| February 11, 1966 | Richmond | Shrine Mosque | |||
| February 12, 1966 | Norfolk | Municipal Auditorium | |||
| February 19, 1966 | Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Ottawa Auditorium | ||
| February 20, 1966 | Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... |
Place des Arts Place des Arts right|frame|View of the Place des Arts esplanade. The Musée d'art contemporain is on the left; behind it is the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, with the Théâtre Maisonneuve on the rightPlace des Arts is a major performing arts centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.... |
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| February 24, 1966 | Philadelphia | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Academy of Music Academy of Music (Philadelphia) The Academy of Music, also known as American Academy of Music, is a concert hall and opera house located at Broad and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1857 and is the oldest opera house in the United States that is still used for its original purpose... |
||
| February 25, 1966 | |||||
| February 26, 1966 | Hempstead Hempstead (village), New York Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:... |
Island Garden | |||
| March 3, 1966 | Miami | Convention Hall Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Beach Convention Center is an indoor arena in Miami Beach, Florida and it is currently the largest convention center in the Miami area. It now features 4 large rooms each holding about 12,000 people.- History :... |
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| March 5, 1966 | Jacksonville | Jacksonville Coliseum | |||
| March 11, 1966 | St. Louis | Kiel Opera House Kiel Opera House The Peabody Opera House is a civic performing arts building in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded as the Kiel Opera House, it opened it 1934 and operated until 1991, when it and the adjacent Kiel Auditorium were closed so the auditorium could be demolished and replaced by the Scottrade Center... |
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| March 12, 1966 | Lincoln | Memorial Auditorium | |||
| March 13, 1966 | Denver | Auditorium | |||
| March 19, 1966 | Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
Hollywood Bowl Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances... |
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| March 23, 1966 | Portland | Paramount Theatre Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall , opened as the Portland Publix Theater before becoming the Paramount after 1930, is a historic theater building and performing arts center in Portland, Oregon, United States... |
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| March 25, 1966 | Seattle | Center Arena Seattle Ice Arena The Seattle Ice Arena was a 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena located in the Metropolitan Tract in Seattle, Washington.The Arena was home to the Seattle Metropolitans Pacific Coast Hockey Association franchise from 1915 to 1924. It was built in 1915 at the cost of $100,000. It was located across from... |
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| March 26, 1966 | Vancouver Vancouver Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
PNE Agrodome PNE Agrodome PNE Agrodome is a sports arena located in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was built in 1963 and holds 5,000 people or 3,260 when configured to use the hockey or lacrosse surface. It annually hosts the provincial high school boys' 'AAA' basketball championships... |
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| April 9, 1966 | Honolulu | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
International Centre Neal S. Blaisdell Center The Neal S. Blaisdell Center in downtown Honolulu, Honolulu CDP is a community center for the City & County of Honolulu. Constructed in 1964 on the historic Ward Estate and originally called the Hawaii International Center, the center was renamed after Mayor of Honolulu Neal S. Blaisdell... |
||
| Oceania | |||||
| April 13, 1966 | Sydney | Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
Sydney Stadium Sydney Stadium The Sydney Stadium was a sporting and entertainment venue in Sydney, New South Wales, which formerly stood on the corner of New South Head Road and Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay... |
||
| April 15, 1966 | Brisbane | Festival Hall Brisbane Festival Hall Brisbane Festival Hall was an indoor arena, located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The Festival Hall was originally known as Brisbane Stadium, which was built in 1910. In 1958, the venue was demolished and a new building constructed, by then leading Queensland Construction Company E.J.Taylor &... |
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| April 16, 1966 Two Shows |
Sydney | Sydney Stadium Sydney Stadium The Sydney Stadium was a sporting and entertainment venue in Sydney, New South Wales, which formerly stood on the corner of New South Head Road and Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay... |
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| April 20, 1966 | Melbourne | Festival Hall Festival Hall, Melbourne Festival Hall is a concert and sporting venue, located at 300 Dudley Street, West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is one of Melbourne's larger concert venues and has hosted a variety of local and international acts over many years.... |
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| April 22, 1966 | Adelaide | Palais Theatre | |||
| April 23, 1966 | Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Capitol Theatre | |||
| Europe | |||||
| April 29, 1966 | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
Konserthuset | ||
| May 1, 1966 | Copenhagen | Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
K.B. Hallen K.B. Hallen K.B. Hallen was a multi-purpose venue in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was opened in 1938, but burned to the ground on 28 September 2011.It was named after Københavns Boldklub, Copenhagen's first ball-playing club, which was established in 1876.... |
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| May 5, 1966 | Dublin | Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
Adelphi Theatre Queen's Theatre, Dublin The Queen's Theatre, Dublin, located in Pearse Street was originally built in 1829 as the Adelphi Theatre. This building was demolished in 1844 and rebuilt. It reopened that same year as the Queens Royal Theatre, the new owner having been granted a Royal Patent to operate as a patent theatre. The... |
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| May 6, 1966 | ABC Theatre | ||||
| May 10, 1966 | Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Colston Hall Colston Hall The Colston Hall is a concert hall and grade II listed building situated on Colston Street, Bristol, England. A popular venue catering for a variety of different entertainers, it seats approximately 2,075 and provides licensed bars, a café and restaurant.... |
||
| May 11, 1966 | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
Capitol Theatre | ||
| May 12, 1966 | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... |
England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Odeon Theatre | ||
| May 14, 1966 | Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... |
Odeon Theatre Liverpool Empire Theatre Liverpool Empire Theatre is located on the corner of Lime Street and London Road in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The theatre is the second to be built on the site, and was opened in 1925. It has the largest two-tier auditorium in Britain and can seat 2,350 people... |
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| May 15, 1966 | Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest... |
De Montfort Hall De Montfort Hall De Montfort Hall is a music and performance venue in Leicester, England. It is situated adjacent to Victoria Park and is named after Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.-History:... |
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| May 16, 1966 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... |
Gaumont Theatre | |||
| May 17, 1966 | Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... |
Free Trade Hall Free Trade Hall The Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, was a public hall constructed in 1853–6 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre and is now a hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The architect was Edward Walters The hall subsequently was... |
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| May 19, 1966 Two Shows |
Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... |
Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
Odeon Theatre | ||
| May 20, 1966 | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... |
ABC Theatre Edinburgh Playhouse The Edinburgh Playhouse is a former cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland which now hosts touring musicals and music concerts. Its capacity is 3,059, making it the UK's largest working theatre in terms of audience capacity.... |
|||
| May 21, 1966 | Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... |
England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Odeon Theatre | ||
| May 24, 1966 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Olympia Theatre Paris Olympia The Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber.... |
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| May 26, 1966 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Royal Albert Hall Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941.... |
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| May 27, 1966 | |||||
Set Lists
Beginning all of his concerts with an acoustic set, Dylan performed seven songs each time. As well as playing material that was recorded as folkFolk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
songs, he played several of his recently recorded electric songs acoustically ("She Belongs to Me
She Belongs to Me
"She Belongs to Me" is a song by Bob Dylan, and was first released as the second track on his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. It was one of the first anti-love songs and one of Dylan's first of many songs that describe a "witchy woman"...
", "Visions of Johanna
Visions of Johanna
"Visions of Johanna" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan on his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. Dylan first recorded the song in New York City in November 1965, under the working title of "Freeze Out", but was dissatisfied with the results...
", etc.). During the second half of a concert, he performed eight songs each time; but on the other hand, played some of his older, once acoustic material as electric blues ("One Too Many Mornings
One Too Many Mornings
"One Too Many Mornings" is a song by Bob Dylan, released on his third studio album The Times They Are a-Changin in 1964. The chords and vocal melody are in some places very similar to the song "The Times They Are A-Changin'". "One Too Many Mornings" is in the key of C Major and is fingerpicked...
", "I Don't Believe You
I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
"I Don't Believe You " is a 1964 song by Bob Dylan, from his fourth studio album, Another Side of Bob Dylan....
"); but the bulk of each set was centered around recent Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, released in May or June 1966 on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recording sessions commenced in New York in October 1965, with a plethora of backing musicians, including members of Dylan's live backing...
and Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited is the sixth studio album by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released in August 1965 by Columbia Records. On his previous album, Bringing It All Back Home, Dylan devoted Side One of the album to songs accompanied by an electric rock band, and Side Two to solo acoustic numbers...
material, whether it be acoustic or electric. The song "Tell Me, Momma", which opened the second half of the concert, was never recorded for a studio album.
During the initial US Tour (August 1965-March 1966), Dylan rarely played the same set list twice in a row. The set list below is that of the 28 August concert at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, New York City.
Acoustic Half
- "She Belongs to MeShe Belongs to Me"She Belongs to Me" is a song by Bob Dylan, and was first released as the second track on his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. It was one of the first anti-love songs and one of Dylan's first of many songs that describe a "witchy woman"...
" - "To RamonaTo Ramona"To Ramona" is a folk waltz written by Bob Dylan for his fourth studio album, Another Side of Bob Dylan. The song is one of the many on the album to highlight the more personal, and less political, side of Dylan's songwriting that would become evermore prominent in the future...
" - "Gates of EdenGates Of Eden (song)"Gates of Eden" is a song by Bob Dylan that appears on his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released on March 22, 1965 by Columbia Records. It was also released as a single as the B-side of "Like a Rolling Stone". Dylan plays the song solo, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and...
" - "Love Minus Zero/No LimitLove Minus Zero/No Limit"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" is a song written by Bob Dylan for his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released in 1965 . The song was originally written as a tribute to Dylan's future wife Sara Lowndes...
" - "Desolation RowDesolation Row"Desolation Row" is a 1965 song written and sung by Bob Dylan. It was recorded on August 4, 1965, and was released as the closing track of Dylan's sixth studio album, Highway 61 Revisited...
" - "It's All Over Now, Baby BlueIt's All Over Now, Baby Blue"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan and featured on his Bringing It All Back Home album, released on March 22, 1965 by Columbia Records . The song was originally recorded on January 15, 1965 with Dylan's acoustic guitar and harmonica and William E. Lee's bass...
" - "Mr. Tambourine ManMr. Tambourine Man"Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, which was released on his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The Byrds also recorded a version of the song that was released as their first single on Columbia Records, reaching number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and...
"
Electric Half
- "Tombstone BluesTombstone Blues"Tombstone Blues" is the second track off Bob Dylan's album Highway 61 Revisited. Musically it is a straightforward blues song, however the lyrics are typical of Dylan's free-associate surreal style of the period, with such lines as "the sun's not yellow, it's chicken".It was performed by Marcus...
" - "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)"I Don't Believe You " is a 1964 song by Bob Dylan, from his fourth studio album, Another Side of Bob Dylan....
" - "From a Buick 6From a Buick 6"From a Buick 6" is a song by Bob Dylan from his album Highway 61 Revisited, which was also released as a single on the B-side of Positively 4th Street...
" - "Just Like Tom Thumb's BluesJust Like Tom Thumb's Blues"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan. It was originally recorded on August 2, 1965 and released on the album Highway 61 Revisited. The song was later released on the compilation album Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol...
" - "Maggie's FarmMaggie's Farm"Maggie's Farm" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 15, 1965, and released on the album Bringing It All Back Home on March 22 of that year...
" - "It Ain't Me, BabeIt Ain't Me Babe"It Ain't Me Babe" is the title of a 1964 song by Bob Dylan, first included on his album Another Side of Bob Dylan. The song's opening line is allegedly influenced by musicologist/folk-singer John Jacob Niles' composition "Go 'Way From My Window." Niles is referred to by Dylan as an early...
" - "Ballad of a Thin ManBallad of a Thin Man"Ballad of a Thin Man" is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan, released on the album Highway 61 Revisited in 1965.-Meaning:"Ballad of a Thin Man" comments on a conventional "Mr. Jones", who walks into a room of intentionally bizarre circus freaks and doesn't "know what's happening".The...
" - "Like a Rolling StoneLike a Rolling Stone"Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
"
Dylan added several songs to the set as the tour progressed, including "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
"Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" is a traditional folk song popularised in the late 1950s by blues guitarist Eric Von Schmidt. The song is best known from its appearance on Bob Dylan's debut album Bob Dylan.-Early years of the song:...
", "Visions of Johanna
Visions of Johanna
"Visions of Johanna" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan on his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. Dylan first recorded the song in New York City in November 1965, under the working title of "Freeze Out", but was dissatisfied with the results...
", "4th Time Around
4th Time Around
"4th Time Around" is a song by Bob Dylan on his 1966 album, Blonde on Blonde.-Narrative:With lyrics that contrast the mundane with the absurd, "4th Time Around" is suggestive of a young romance. The song revolves around the actions and brief spoken phrases of a man and a woman, who are presumably...
", and "Tell Me, Momma", while he omitted "To Ramona", "Gates of Eden", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "Tombstone Blues", "From a Buick 6", "Maggie's Farm", "It Ain't Me, Babe", and "Positively 4th Street
Positively 4th Street
"Positively 4th Street" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, first recorded by Dylan in New York City on July 29, 1965. It was released as a single by Columbia Records on September 7, 1965, reaching #1 on Canada's RPM chart, #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and #8 on the UK Singles Chart...
" during the later part of the tour. He also performed several songs only once, including "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
"Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?" was a 1965 single by American rock artist Bob Dylan. It reached #58 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #17 on the UK chart in January 1966...
" and "Long Distance Operator". After these revisions, the set each night became consistent, following the pattern below.
Acoustic Half
- "She Belongs to Me"
- "4th Time Around"
- "Visions of Johanna"
- "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"
- "Desolation Row"
- "Just Like a WomanJust Like a WomanJust Like a Woman is a 1992 British film by Christopher Monger starring Julie Walters, Adrian Pasdar and Paul Freeman. Gerald, a finance executive , finds himself thrown out by his wife when she discovers women's underwear in their flat; in fact the clothes belong to him. He takes lodgings with...
" - "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Electric Half
- "Tell Me, Momma"
- "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)"
- "Baby, Let Me Follow You DownBaby, Let Me Follow You Down"Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" is a traditional folk song popularised in the late 1950s by blues guitarist Eric Von Schmidt. The song is best known from its appearance on Bob Dylan's debut album Bob Dylan.-Early years of the song:...
" - "Just Like Tom Thumb's BluesJust Like Tom Thumb's Blues"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan. It was originally recorded on August 2, 1965 and released on the album Highway 61 Revisited. The song was later released on the compilation album Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol...
" - "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box HatLeopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat"Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" is a song by Bob Dylan, from his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. Like many other Dylan songs of the 1965-1966 period, the song features a surreal, playful lyric set to an electric blues accompaniment.-Lyrics:...
" - "One Too Many MorningsOne Too Many Mornings"One Too Many Mornings" is a song by Bob Dylan, released on his third studio album The Times They Are a-Changin in 1964. The chords and vocal melody are in some places very similar to the song "The Times They Are A-Changin'". "One Too Many Mornings" is in the key of C Major and is fingerpicked...
" - "Ballad of a Thin ManBallad of a Thin Man"Ballad of a Thin Man" is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan, released on the album Highway 61 Revisited in 1965.-Meaning:"Ballad of a Thin Man" comments on a conventional "Mr. Jones", who walks into a room of intentionally bizarre circus freaks and doesn't "know what's happening".The...
" - "Like a Rolling StoneLike a Rolling Stone"Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
"
Each show lasted approximately 90 minutes, not including the break between the acoustic and electric halves.
Tour Musicians
- Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
: acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, lead vocal - Robbie RobertsonRobbie RobertsonRobbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
: electric guitar - Rick DankoRick DankoRichard Clare "Rick" Danko was a Canadian musician and singer, best known as a member of The Band.-Early years :...
: bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocal - Garth HudsonGarth HudsonEric Garth Hudson is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist. As the organist, keyboardist and saxophonist for Canadian-American rock group The Band, he was a principal architect of the group's unique sound...
: organ - Richard ManuelRichard ManuelRichard George Manuel was a Canadian composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his contributions to and membership in The Band....
: piano - Mickey JonesMickey JonesMickey Jones is an American musician and actor.-Early life:Jones was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Frances Marie and Fred Edward Jones...
: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Levon HelmLevon HelmMark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
: drums (before November 26, 1965) - Bobby GreggBobby GreggRobert J. Gregg is a musician who has performed as a drummer and has also been a record producer. As a drum soloist and band leader he recorded one album and several singles, including one Top 40 single in the United States...
: drums (December 1965) - Sandy Konikoff: drums (before March 26, 1966)
Musicians per Olof Bjorner.
Aftermath
On 29 July 1966, two months after the last concert of the World Tour, Dylan was involved in a motorcycleMotorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
accident while riding on the property of his manager, Albert Grossman
Albert Grossman
Albert Bernard Grossman was an American entrepreneur and manager in the American folk music scene and rock and roll. He was most famous as the manager of Bob Dylan between 1962 and 1970.-Biography:...
. The true nature and extent of his injuries has never been publicly disclosed. Although Dylan still had bookings for the rest of 1966 and beyond, he canceled all engagements for an indefinite period after the accident.
There were many reasons that contributed to his decision. He had come under increasing pressure over the preceding few years—his transition to "electric" music had provoked intense criticism from his former colleagues who were still involved in the folk music scene. His concerts and press conferences became increasingly hostile and confrontational, and it has been said that he was using drugs by the end of the tour.
Another significant personal factor is that Dylan was newly married, and with a young family. He had secretly wed Sara Lownds on November 22, 1965, and their first child Jesse was born two months later (Dylan also adopted Lownds' child from a previous relationship, and they had three more children over the next three years).
Dylan's withdrawal from touring coincided with a similar decision by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, who had decided to halt public performances after their unpleasant experiences in The Philippines This were soon followed by the touring hiatus imposed on The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
caused by the drug busts and subsequent trials of Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
and Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
, which prevented them from touring in the United States for several years.
Another important factor is that the high public profiles of these artists were increasingly making them targets for violence. The surviving members of The Beatles have recorded in The Beatles' Anthology that they received death threats, and were in fear for their lives during their final U.S. tour in 1966.
However, Dylan continued to record in the period following the accident, taping a large body of work with The Band at their home in Woodstock, New York, which became known as The Basement Tapes
The Basement Tapes
The Basement Tapes is a 1975 studio album by Bob Dylan and The Band. The songs featuring Dylan's vocals were recorded in 1967, eight years before the album's release, at houses in and around Woodstock, New York, where Dylan and the Band lived...
. Dylan returned to the studio to record 1967's John Wesley Harding
John Wesley Harding (album)
John Wesley Harding is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's eighth studio album, released by Columbia Records in December 1967.Produced by Bob Johnston, the album marked Dylan's return to acoustic music and traditional roots, after three albums of electric rock music...
, and 1969's Nashville Skyline
Nashville Skyline
Nashville Skyline is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's ninth studio album, released by Columbia Records in April 1969.The album marked a dramatic departure for Dylan, previously known for his groundbreaking, poetic folk music and rock and roll...
. In 1969 he began making occasional one-off appearances, usually at festivals or large charity concerts, including his highly anticipated performance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
, and George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
's 1971 Concert For Bangladesh. However, Dylan did not undertake another full-scale concert tour until the "Before The Flood"
Bob Dylan and The Band 1974 Tour
The Bob Dylan and The Band 1974 Tour was a two-month concert tour in early 1974 that featured Bob Dylan, in his first real tour in eight years, performing with The Band, who as The Hawks had once been his little-known backing band...
tour that reunited him with The Band in January 1974.
External links
- Bjorner's Still on the Road 1966: Tour dates & set lists