Author: Egil Mosbron

December 8: Bob Dylan – Night of The Hurricane, New York 1975

Posted on by Egil Mosbron

bob dylan night of the hurricane

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]The people from the Hurricane Carter movement kept calling me and writing me. And Hurricane sent me his book, which I read and which really touched me. I felt that the man was just innocent, from his writings and knowing that part of the country. So I went to visit him and was really behind him, trying to get a new trial.
~Bob Dylan (to Bill Flanagan, March 1985)

Tonight is billed as “The Night of the Hurricane,” and Dylan is in a good mood, dedicating one song to Al Grossman, who is in the audience and “‘is not running for President” (a dig at Muhammad Ali’s attempts to turn the benefit into a political rally). Baez hams it up during her set with Dylan, and Robbie Robertson joins the Revue for a great “It Takes a Lot to Laugh.” Although not as inspired a performance as Montreal, the concert ends the tour on a high note. The traditional end-of-tour party is at the Felt Forum after the show. The partying continues at a restaurant near the Westbury Hotel.
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The last show of the 1975 tour @ Madison Square Garden, New York City – 8 December 1975.

The show was a benefit concert for the imprisoned boxer, Hurricane Carter, hence the name of the show: “The Night of the Hurricane.” Special guests for the night: Robert Flack and Muhammad Ali.

Madison Square Garden
New York City, New York
8 December 1975
Night of The Hurricane

  • Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar)
  • Bob Neuwirth (guitar)
  • T-bone J. Henry Burnett (guitar)
  • Roger McGuinn (guitar)
  • Steven Soles (guitar)
  • Mick Ronson (guitar)
  • David Mansfield (steel guitar, violin, mandolin ,dobro)
  • Rob Stoner (bass)
  • Howie Wyeth (piano, drums)
  • Luther Rix (drums, percussion)
  • Ronee Blakeley (vocal)

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December 7: Bob Dylan received the Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997

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As recipients don’t give a speech and musicians don’t perform, here are some other artists honoring Bob Dylan on December 7, 1997.

Bruce Springsteen performing “The Times They Are A-Changin'”

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December 5: Johnny Cash played MSG, New York City in 1969

Posted on by Egil Mosbron

Johnny Cash at Madison Square Garden is an album by Johnny Cash that was recorded in December 1969 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but which was not released until 2002 (making it his 86th album overall).

The album was recorded just 4 months after Cash’s seminal At San Quentin was released, which is probably why it was not released soon after its recording. As with all Cash live shows of this period, he was backed up by the Tennessee Three, which consisted of W.S. Holland, Marshall Grant and Bob Wooton. After the first 11 songs, Johnny Cash took a short break and the guests stepped up to the plate with their current hits. As if Johnny wasn’t enough, we get Carl Perkins and The Statler Brothers in tremendous form. The Carter Family was a standard part of the Johnny Cash Show, and it is a real treat hearing Mother Maybelle with her daughters. They also performs back up vocals on many of the songs.

As with most Cash shows, the genres covered ran the gamut from country music to rockabilly to even some folk rock. Similarly to “Johnny Cash At San Quentin”, Johnny Cash at Madison Square Garden includes numbers performed by Perkins, the Statlers and the Carters while Johnny was offstage.

It is an absolute must have for any Johnny Cash fan! I still wonder why Sony took 33 years to release this gem.

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December 4: Watch Bob Dylan @ Oakland Coliseum 1988

Posted on by Egil Mosbron

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]The tape of the benefit performance shows that Dylan’s voice had recovered significantly during his six weeks off; unfortunately, it also suggests again that the two-guitar acoustic set format was not very stimulating for Dylan as a performer in 1988. These are again lackluster, uninspired performances, interesting solely because this was only the third time in his career that Dylan is known to have performed “Pretty Boy Floyd” on stage and because, as he had at the October shows, Dylan added Lo “With God on Our Side” a verse about the Vietnam War that he didn’t write – the Neville Brothers had added it when they recorded the song on an album produced by Daniel Lanois earlier that autumn.
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan: Performing Artist Volume 3: Mind Out Of Time 1986 And Beyond)[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Oakland Coliseum
Oakland, California
4 December 1988
An all acoustic evening of music to benefit The Bridge School.

  • Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar)
  • G.E. Smith (guitar)

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December 3: Watch Bob Dylan’s Press Conference @ KQED-TV Studios, San Francisco, 1965

Posted on by Egil Mosbron

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Legendary press conference.

The San Francisco Press Conference was set up by Ralph Gleason at KQED-TV, an educational station, in the bay area of San Francisco and took place on December 3rd 1965. It was broadcast on KQED later that day, just before Dylan and The Hawks played their first night at the Berkeley Community Theater.
Source: The Fiddler Now Upspoke, pp. 359-374.

KQED-TV Studios
San Francisco, California
3 December 1965
San Francisco Press Conference

Released on the DVD Dylan Speaks, Eagle Media MDV622, 30 October 2006.
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December 2: Bob Dylan Nashville 1978 (12min video)

Posted on by Egil Mosbron

Here is a clipped “Mr. Tambourine Man” and full versions of “Masters Of War” & “Changing Of The Guards”.

The videos were broadcasted in 1979 by Italian TV in the TV special “Il Profeta é Stanco”.

Municipal Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee
2 December 1978

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • Billy Cross (lead guitar)
  • Alan Pasqua (keyboards)
  • Steven Soles (rhythm guitar, backup vocals)
  • David Mansfield (violin & mandolin)
  • Steve Douglas (horns)
  • Jerry Scheff (bass)
  • Bobbye Hall (percussion)
  • Ian Wallace (drums)
  • Helena Springs, Jo Ann Harris, Carolyn Dennis (background vocals)

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