Bob Dylan in Cardiff
Welsh Dylanologists rejoice! Exactly 40 years ago today your boy sailed into Wales armed with some big amplifiers and a new sound. He'd gone electric.
According to reports Dylan arrived on stage in Cardiff half-an-hour late looking somewhat different - the Huck Finn hat and denims of yesteryear had been replaced by a new suit - buttoned up. That was OK though because for the first hour he performed a solo acoustic set which went down well with his Welsh fans.
Then, with the immortal line: "It used to be like that... but now it goes like this," he launched into a plugged in, rocked-up version of I Don't Believe You. For the next hour confusion reigned as the assembled throng wondered what that din was coming from the stage - some disgruntled folkies headed straight for the exits. Those who stayed witnessed the metamorphosis of an idol.
Those interested in Dylan's performance at the Capitol in 1966 should get hold of the bootleg documentary Eat the Document. This film, shot by D A Pennebaker, shows Dylan backstage at the Cardiff venue performing a piano duet with none other than the late great Johnny Cash.
posted by Anthony Brockway at 10:01 AM
6 Comments:
I left halfway through LARS...Why?? I was 15 and the last train from Queen St Station to Treherbert was at 22:00, those were a more innocent time and I wasn't about to sleep on the street.
As for the concert? SUPERB!! still the best concert I have ever seen...there were no boo's at Cardiff and apart from me [ and I felt hugely ashamed ]no walk out's either.
I see the first half is now officially on sale as part of a 36 CD set of the tour, but at £100 it's grossly expensive so I'll take care of my memories
An obsessional fan since 1965
No boos? I was also at that concert and caught the train back to Tonypandy. I was 15 and it was the first concert I'd seen apart from school bands. It transfixed me and without sounding too pretentious changed my whole attitude to music and made me aware of life outside the then parochial confines of the valleys. Through my rose-coloured glasses I also remembered no boos- this was polite Cardiff, after all. I bought the 36 CD set and it only (frustratingly) has the electric half but the catcalls and shouting eclipse the legendary Manchester set. Dylan seemed energised by these reactions and Like a Rolling Stone becomes more electrifying (no pun intended) the more abuse the audience throws. Which is why, apparently, the Cardiff gig is regarded as the best of the entire tour.
>Anonymous
I also bought the 36 cd set...
I can't even find a setlist for the acoustic part...
It would be interesting to hear more from you...whatever you remember...
>Landysghost
The cd in the boxset only has the electric part...so not the first but the second half of the concert...
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Bloody hell! How did I miss that? I was in my first year at Cardiff Uni. The only excuse I can think of is that it was exams time and I needed to buckle down to revision. Or else I didn't have enough money. Bloody hell!
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