Description
In 1965, Dylan went electric. The resulting world tour created controversy wherever he went, winding up with a series of confrontational shows in Europe, of which this is the most notorious. The group has roared through classics like Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues; One Too Many Mornings , and Ballad…
Roger Beal –
This is an exciting recording, surprisingly well-miked and mixed considering the equipment of the day. Dylan is in fine, full-blown ironic / sarcastic voice on the electric set: the versions of “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” and “Tell Me, Momma” are tighter and totally in-your-face, better than most any 1960s Dylan studio tracks I’ve heard.In February 1966, fully four months before the Manchester concert captured on this CD, Bob Dylan and The (soon-to-be-called) Band played at Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh, PA. I got tickets to that show and have a few vivid memories. Ushers looked askance at the collection of longhaired weirdos taking their seats in the then-home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The first half of the show, Bob played solo acoustic. The second half was full-out rock and roll. Being a dues-paying member of the rock camp, I really enjoyed that second half. But many around me did not: There were catcalls, boos, and jeers from the folkie purists in the crowd (the crew-cut guys and their girls, many in “ban the bomb” black turtlenecks. The reaction was just what you hear on this Manchester show recording. Oh, and don’t ask me to name all the songs Dylan performed. Other than “Pill-Box Hat” which stands out in my memory for its crazy visuals, the rest of the numbers are lost in the fog of time.The schizoid Pittsburgh audience behavior reminded me of a similar split back in the Carnegie Tech dorm, argued over Iron City beers between fans of the Beatles and of the Stones. We Stones freaks were bored by the sweet melodies and pop arrangements of Lennon and McCartney. The Beatles fans thought Jagger and Company were crude and too loud.The passage of years has proven that both the solo and rock Bob Dylans have staying power, contributing dozens of great and memorable classics to music history …. and the same can be said of the recordings of both the “moptops from Liverpool” and those art school proto-punks the Rolling Stones.
Mark –
This is an exciting recording, surprisingly well-miked and mixed considering the equipment of the day. Dylan is in fine, full-blown ironic / sarcastic voice on the electric set: the versions of “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” and “Tell Me, Momma” are tighter and totally in-your-face, better than most any 1960s Dylan studio tracks I’ve heard.In February 1966, fully four months before the Manchester concert captured on this CD, Bob Dylan and The (soon-to-be-called) Band played at Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh, PA. I got tickets to that show and have a few vivid memories. Ushers looked askance at the collection of longhaired weirdos taking their seats in the then-home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The first half of the show, Bob played solo acoustic. The second half was full-out rock and roll. Being a dues-paying member of the rock camp, I really enjoyed that second half. But many around me did not: There were catcalls, boos, and jeers from the folkie purists in the crowd (the crew-cut guys and their girls, many in “ban the bomb” black turtlenecks. The reaction was just what you hear on this Manchester show recording. Oh, and don’t ask me to name all the songs Dylan performed. Other than “Pill-Box Hat” which stands out in my memory for its crazy visuals, the rest of the numbers are lost in the fog of time.The schizoid Pittsburgh audience behavior reminded me of a similar split back in the Carnegie Tech dorm, argued over Iron City beers between fans of the Beatles and of the Stones. We Stones freaks were bored by the sweet melodies and pop arrangements of Lennon and McCartney. The Beatles fans thought Jagger and Company were crude and too loud.The passage of years has proven that both the solo and rock Bob Dylans have staying power, contributing dozens of great and memorable classics to music history …. and the same can be said of the recordings of both the “moptops from Liverpool” and those art school proto-punks the Rolling Stones.
Nadia –
I love this album. A friend bought this for me when it first came out and sadly somehow it disappeared along the way. I have just repurchased it to replace my missing copy … if my mind changes about my review i will update it.This is one of the great live albums of all time. The dynamic between performer and crowd is unlike anything else i have ever heard. In the first set dylan gives the people what they wanted at that stage, which was solo acoustic with vocals. Even though the lyrics may not have been times are a changing material, they went with it. By the time dylan is playing tambourine man you get the impression he is taunting them with overly long harmonica breaks (it doesn’t detract from the song) To me it always felt like he was saying, without saying, “do you really just want me to sit here and do just this. The first set ends and the real meat and potatoes comes in during the second set. The dreaded electric set.The band play well, the sound is balanced, but obviously loud, and i feel intentionally so. As the set goes on you can tell that some people are loving it and some are starting to get a little restless and agitated. Just before like a rolling stone (if i remember rightly) someone in the crowd yells out “judas” and dylan taunts back “i don’t believe you, you’re a liar!” … you then hear him turn to the band and say ” play it f***ing loud” and it is one of the most amazing things i have ever heard documented on a live album (and i have hundreds of live albums and dvd/blurays. They tear into the song with so much venom and power it takes it to a whole new level.If you love dylan and know anything about this period of his career, if you like dylan and enjoy the electric rock of hwy 61, blonde on blonde etc etc this is an essential document to the climate of the times that dylan was changing.