Stolen Moments
source: Mixdown Master Tape
Tracks:
Disc one
Audience
Ramblin' Down Thru The World (1)
Bob Dylan's Dream (2)
Talkin' New York (3)
Ballad Of Hollis Brown (4)
Walls Of Red Wing (5)
All Over You (6)
Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues (7)
Boots Of Spanish Leather (8)
Hero Blues (9)
Blowin' In The Wind (10)
John Brown (11)
Tomorrow Is A Long Time (12)
Hard Rain (13)
Disc two
Dusty Old Fairgrounds (14)
Who Killed Davey Moore?(15)
Seven Curses (16)
Highway 51 (Curtis
Jones) (17)
Pretty Peggy-O (arr.
by Bob Dylan) (18)
Bob Dylan's New Orleans Rag (19)
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (20)
Hiding Too Long (21)
With God On Our Side (22)
Masters Of War
(23)
Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie (24) read
Review:
Staggering! There are simply no superlatives that could do this release
justice. Sony brought the master tape of this show to light for
consideration of the bootleg series. Why it was abandoned is anyone's
guess. We have long petitioned them to create or work with an
independent manufacturer that could afford to produce small quantity
releases that might not have the appeal to the masses that Sony or
Legacy would require to view it as a profitable venture. In this day
and age of the Goliath Labels being wounded by greed and conquered by
technology, one would think that an idea such as this would make Label
executives giddy at the prospects, yet they continue to turn a deaf
ear. To fulfill the demand, boot labels do their best to get the
material to the public. Some are only looking for the quick bottom
line, but there are a few who are truly interested in producing labor
of love packages. Emerging front and center of that elite coterie is
Hollow Horn. This Encore release is from the same group. Hollow horn
not only releases quality sound recordings, but their folding cardboard
packages include some of the most spectacular colorized images ever
seen. Along with the brilliant package, this one also has a booklet!
The images linked above are created for fans of Jewel cases, and are
not the original issue Hollow Horn package. The release carries the
perfect moniker. It came from a poem that Dylan had written to be
included in the concert program entitled My Life In A Stolen Moment. The
package is full of photos and images, track information and concert
reviews. With all the hoopla of the
splendid visuals of this release laid aside, the sound recording is
worthy of even more praise! There are a couple of minor technicalities
that Legacy would have corrected were they to have issued the concert,
but they would be hard pressed to be able to clean up the recording any
more. It is simply perfection as it is. Dylan fans can finally rejoice
at the release of this incredible masterpiece that has been locked away
for nearly half a century! The Town Hall concert
is steeped in the rich tradition of Dylan folklore. It was, for all
practical purposes, Dylan's first USA concert of any
merit. There were about 600 people in the audience, far
more than the young singer had ever faced before, and there are a few
nervous moments evident in the show. But, what an incredible and
historic show it is! The tape is turned on about a minute before the
show, and the listener is transported into the middle of the audience
as they anticipate Bob's arrival on the stage. About five seconds worth
of hand clapping introduces the
harmonica intro of the first song. There is no other introduction. Oh,
to travel back to that first major performance and to be able to give
this young man an introduction with the foreknowledge of what would
come! The introduction would be as long as the concert! This ranks high
as one of the most important boot releases of all time, and on top of
that, it's simply a thrill and a joy to just sit back and listen to. If
you're only planning on getting one bootleg this decade, this is the
one. Hands down.
© 2008 CD Pinkerton
- bobsboots.com
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(1)
Here is Bob's first "major" concert as a
headline artist, and this version of a Woody
Guthrie composition is a weak introduction to
the world. Bob takes the moment to show the audience his "train
rollin' down the track"abilities on the harp, but there is little of substance here.
This track surfaced a couple of decades ago and has traded among
collectors ever since.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(2)
The Freewheelin LP's
release was a month away, so this was a new song to the audience, and
Dylan stays fairly faithful to the recorded version in lyrics, timing,
and delivery. There is a low mid frequency that produces a very slight
feedback ring a few times, but it's barely noticeable, and diminishes
quickly.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(3)
This live version has never before been
heard. The original version had been released on the eponymously titled
album a year earlier, so Bob has a little fun with it. He switches up
the line with the buildings going up and the people going down among
other things. He's performed this one several times, and seems more at
ease now.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(4)
Another track that's new to collectors.
This is the live debut of this song that would be recorded later in the
Fall for inclusion on The Times
LP. Bob introduces it as a true story, but I've
never heard that it is factual from any other source. As it is brand
new, even to Bob; he is fully into it and makes it an instant
masterpiece with a menacing guitar riff and focused, articulate
vocals. After the powerful song has ended, Dylan again returns to the
nervous kid. He sounds like a shy Elmer Fudd as he mumbles "Uh-h-h...
let's see..." and you can hear him making adjustments, and putting on
the harp.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(5)
This track has long been
available from COLUMBIA
RECORDING STUDIO'S REFERENCE
RECORDINGS. Bob has trouble
with the harp throughout the intro. He claims it to be a bad harp, and
it actually sounds as if it has mechanical problems. Once the vocals
start, this becomes a powerful story that quickly lures you into
hopelessness set to a catchy tune.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(6)
Here is another track of a
song that Bob had just written
that has been available as a CBS
REFERENCE. He forgets the lines a
few times, coughs a couple more, but generally has fun with this tongue
in cheek song. The audience loves the double entendre as well, and
responds with
thunderous applause at songs end.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(7)
Before this song, Bob starts
telling his hilarious joke about copying other artist's set lists. The
audience, for the most part, remains stone silent throughout the entire
concert (other than their thunderous applause after each song). Halfway
through this joke, however, someone yells out for Hard Rain.
It
distracts Bob, and he can't recover enough to fall back into the groove
of the joke. Instead, it just kind of whimpers out. This is another
track making it's world debut among traders, as this version has never
circulated. Bob has fun with it, and you can hear in his voice that he
truly enjoys performing it. He had recorded it exactly a year earlier,
and had performed it once at the Hootenanny Show the previous Fall.
Promos of the Freewheelin' LP that contained the song
were just being issued. Exactly a month later to the day came the
infamous Ed Sullivan Show debacle. After being told that he
couldn't perform this song, Dylan walked off the set of the CBS
show, and CBS, in response, pulled the song from the
Freewheelin' release.
Notes
by bobsboots.com |
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View enlarged images
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Information:
source:
Town Hall New York City, New
York April, 12 1963
Manufacturer / Catalog No.
Encore (Hollow Horn)
Special Thanks
to
Lincoln Park Mark
Released:
April 12, 2008 (45th Anniversary)
Bob's Boots ref #
BB-s109
Notes
by bobsboots.com (cond.)
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(8)
One of the highlights of the
set is this incredible world debut performance. Bob's finger picking
lays a magical carpet on which he spreads a haunting melody that
carries this lamentable tale of unrequited love. This version of the
song now makes a world debut for the second time into the hands of
collectors.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(9)
Before this song, Bob can be heard putting on and adjusting the harp.
This will be the first time that an audience has heard this song, and
he prefaces it by saying: This is for
all the, uh, boys 'at know girls 'at want 'em, uh, to go out and get
themselves killed.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(10)
This beautiful and heartfelt version has never traded among collectors.
Bob introduces it by saying “Here’s a song I wrote that’s been
recorded..." referring to the smash hit by Peter Paul & Mary that sold
a staggering 300,000 copies in it's first week alone.
It rocketed to the number two position on the Billboard chart behind Easier Said Than Done by Essex. Warner Brothers recognized it as the fastest
selling single that they had ever released. The audience's lack of
response to the song is due to the fact that that release had not yet
happened. It was still a few weeks away.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(11)
There is some down time here as Bob tunes. An audience member asks for
"Ridin' number nine" (Lonesome Whistle). Bob responds with: "Here's another true
story. Ridin' number nine's a true story too... but, you know..." Another person says
"Seems like number nine, Bob" I'm not sure about the context or
reference here, or why it would have been funny, but Bob viewed it
as a wisecrack and jokingly asked for the lights to come up. He
then attempts to start but stumbles into a cough amongst some very
light hearted and well meaning audience heckling. Even though he
stumbles a couple of times, this is a powerful version and it's the
first song from the show that was chosen to be on the ill-fated first
live album. It did press to acetate, however, and has long circulated
without the introduction.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(12) It's good to have this song included for
the continuity of the show. For the purposes of historical accuracy, we
can overlook the fact that this is a pirate track, having been released
on 1971's Greatest Hits II. It
was also issued on the 1978 Japanese,
Australian and New Zealand releases called Masterpieces.
For an idea of the quality of this show, listen to the official release.
The quality on this boot release is even cleaner and brighter than this
officially released track.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(13) Always the showman, Bob pulls out the
song that the audience had requested earlier as the closer for the
first set. After recognizing it, the crowd breaks into applause. This
is yet another track that has never been traded.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(14) While this song was never released, Bob
took the basic chord pattern and song structure and turned it into When The Ship Comes In. It was
intended for release, however. This was another of the four songs from
this concert that was scheduled for the first live album. As such, it
has traded since that time from the acetate recording. Good thing too,
as this was the one and only time that the song was ever performed.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(15) This is the third and final song from the
show that was pressed as a CBS
REFERENCE, and has been available to traders for many years. This full
version, however, includes Dylan's poignant introduction to the song.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(16) This song and the two that follow it are
more versions that are making their world debut into the hands of
collectors. Bob's rolling finger picking style is beautiful guitar
work. It's a little faster than the released version, and, therefore,
not quite as ominous. But, it's still splendid and an incredible
listen.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(17) Truly one of the delights of the package.
This song has always been reported as being performed at the show, but
because this was Dylan's debut as an original songwriter, some doubted
the fact. Yet, here it is in full glory. Bob holds out the first
"walkin" for a full eight seconds as well as "highway" from the second
verse. He is comfortable with the song and throws everything he's got
in his arsenal into it. The vocals, harp, and guitar are perhaps more
expressive here than in any song of the concert. Simply an incredible
find!
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(18) This has to take first place as the
surprise of the evening. Bob is heading toward the end of the show and
is getting ready to present his most powerful anti-war segment when
someone yells out for this song. He not only cheerfully indulges them,
but when he makes a mis-step, he incorporates into the song "Oh I'm
fallin' down the stairs. pretty Peggy-O" The audience
loves it.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(19) While he was in a jovial mood, Bob
continues with this tongue in cheek ditty. This is the third of the
four show songs that have always circulated from the acetate pressing
of the unreleased In Concert LP.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(20) A highlight among highlights! this is the
tenth song so far that has never before seen the light of day. The
first appearance of this song was at the Gaslight Cafe. This is the
second performance. It's a tender and beautiful one with Bob's voice
going into higher registers. He starts of joking that it's a difficult
song to sing and that he might not be able to; but he pulls it of
incredibly well.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(21)
A great quality stereo
version of this song first circulated among tape traders in the USA
in 1992 as part of a career spanning compilation tape.
Three years later it was included on an incredible silver disc release
by Scorpio entitled The Genuine bootleg Series.
This is the most shocking political finger pointing song that Bob has
ever written. As the lyrics are hard to find, we've transcribed them
from the show here. The crowd
explodes with a thunderous standing ovation.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(22)
The audience is now putty in Dylan's hand (as if they weren't from the
beginning of the show). He continues the powerful political statements
with his final two songs. They are incredible. The audience doesn't
dare breath as they hang on every syllable. This song sees them on
their feet again. The only drawback here is that it has already been
released as an official track on Bootleg Vol. 7.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(23)
The final song, again, has been released on The Bootleg series Vol. 7. However,
this version includes one and a half minutes (and even that has been
edited) between song talk when the audience is on their feet cheering
and screaming and asking for songs, and... Bob is slightly overwhelmed
and becomes hopelessly tongue-tied as he tries to introduce this one.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
(24) This is the complete version of the poem with
an intro by Dylan. It was the final track originally
planned to be issued
on the CBS album BOB DYLAN IN CONCERT
that was never released. It did press to acetate, however, and the
acetate version has traded among collectors since the mid 1960's.
Rumors have always floated around as to why the live LP
was never pressed. One of them finds this track to be a long,
meandering, pointless and self-indulgent
exercise in escapism that
would alienate the record buying public. It was eventually officially
released on THE BOOTLEG SERIES (RARE
& UNRELEASED) 1961-1991, Volume 1, in March of 1991.
Bob's introduction to the
poem, heard on
this release, was not included on the official release. This is an
insane mis-step encore after leaving the audience shredded by the
previous songs, and the only reason that they remain pin drop quiet is
out of respect of the young man that had just taken them to new places
in their thoughts of what a concert can be. Bob would have done much
better by reading this poem first in place of the opening song, and
ending with the powerhouse political trio of songs that would have had
the audience cheering to this day. Even as a twenty-one year old new
kid on the block, Dylan wanted to do what Dylan wanted to do. Whether
the crowed would hate it or love it was irrelevant. Read the Poem.
Notes
by bobsboots.com
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