4/11/09

The Virtual Museum: Dylan's First Concert








































Friday, April 12, 1963 was a very important date for the then 22 year old Bob Dylan. For on that night, Dylan played New York’s Town Hall—his first-ever concert as a headliner.

Prior to that night, Dylan had only headlined in small clubs and at the 200 seat Carnegie Recital Hall, where he drew fewer than 70 people. Though he’d occasionally played a few songs on larger stages as part of multi-artist bills, this was the first ever proper Bob Dylan concert (with many thousands to follow !)

A crowd of 900 attended the Town Hall show, which took place six weeks prior to the release of Dylan's 2nd album, "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." Columbia Records recorded the show for a proposed but never released live album; however various tracks have surfaced over the years on compilations and promo cd’s.

Above is the handbill (identical to the poster) and a signed program for the show, which we recently sold. The program features the first appearance of Dylan's poem, "My Life In A Stolen Moment," reprinted many times in future years. We know of only a few other copies of this extremely rare program.

On our website, Recordmecca, we are currently offering a Dylan signed program from his famous Halloween, 1964 concert at New York’s Philharmonic Hall (released as part of Dylan’s “Bootleg Series.”)


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