Olof's Files. Volume 1: Bob Dylan 1958-1969

The Rolling Thunder Revue was conceived by Bob Dylan as a traveling show that was to be on “a forever tour” appearing in small venues, coffee houses even, without much advertising or marketing hullabaloo. The Revue was to consist of a variable number of performers backed by a core band. If the Revue passed through town and a local artist felt like joining he was always welcome. Well, that was the concept anyway. And it started out pretty much that way, but during the last part of November the venues got bigger, the press coverage got more intense.

The first Rolling Thunder Revue started in Plymouth, Massachusetts and ended with the first of two benefit concerts in Madison Square Garden in New York City, 8 December. There was a second benefit concert in Houston in January. The second and last part of The Rolling Thunder Revue took place in April and May 1976.

During the first Rolling Thunder Revue Bob Dylan filmed his famous 4-hour movie Renaldo And Clara. Please refer to chapter 6 for details. All shows were taped by the Dylan crew and some were filmed. A lot of rehearsals and informal sessions etc were also filmed and later included in Renaldo & Clara.

The reporter Larry Sloman has in his book On The Road With Bob Dylan. Rolling With The Thunder a very candid and entertaining recollection of what it was like to be on tour with The Rolling Thunder Revue. An index to this invaluable book can be found in chapter 6.

5.2 The show

A concert by the Rolling Thunder Revue consisted of two sets.

Set 1	Circa 15 songs by the group (Guam)
	5-6 songs by Bob Dylan backed by Guam
Set 2	5 songs acoustically by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez backed by Guam
	Circa 10 songs by Joan Baez and Roger McGuinn backed by Guam
	1-3 songs by Bob Dylan solo
	5-6 songs by Bob Dylan backed by Guam

There were no encores!

5.3 The musicians

The band called Guam consisted of:

Scarlet Rivera (violin),

T-Bone J. Henry Burnett (guitar, piano),

Steven Soles (guitar),

Mick Ronson (guitar),

David Mansfield (steel guitar, mandolin, violin, dobro),

Rob Stoner (bass),

Luther Rix (drums, perc., congas),

Howie Wyeth (drums, piano),

Bob Neuwirth (guitar),

Roger McGuinn (guitar),

Ronee Blakley (vocal).

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5.4 The dates

October

	New York City, New York	Studio Instrumental Rentals, Rehearsals	PA
30	Plymouth, Massachusetts	War Memorial Auditorium	MA(I)
31	Plymouth, Massachusetts	War Memorial Auditorium	MA, PA(I)

November

1	North Dartmouth, Massachusetts	South Eastern Massachusetts University	-
2	Lowell, Massachusetts	Technical University	-
4	Providence, Rhode Island	Civic Center – Afternoon	MA
4	Providence, Rhode Island	Civic Center – Evening	SA
6	Springfield, Massachusetts	Civic Center – Afternoon	SA
6	Springfield, Massachusetts	Civic Center – Evening	MA(I)
8	Burlington, Vermont	Patrick Gymnasium, University Of Vermont	MA(I)
9	Durham, New Hampshire	University Of New Hampshire	MA(I)
11	Waterbury, Connecticut	Palace Theater	SA, PA(I)
13	New Haven, Connecticut	Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Afternoon	MA
13	New Haven, Connecticut	Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Evening	MA
15	Niagara Falls, New York	Convention Center – Afternoon	-
15	Niagara Falls, New York	Convention Center – Evening	SA
17	Rochester, New York	War Memorial Coliseum – Afternoon	MA
17	Rochester, New York	War Memorial Coliseum – Evening	MA
19	Worcester, Massachusetts	Memorial Auditorium	MA
20	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Harvard Square Theater	SA
21	Boston, Massachusetts	Boston Music Hall – Afternoon	MA
21	Boston, Massachusetts	Boston Music Hall – Evening	SA, PA(I)
22	Waltham, Massachusetts	Shapiro Gymnasium, Brandeis University	MA
24	Hartford, Connecticut	Civic Center Arena	MA
26	Augusta, Maine	Civic Center	SA
27	Bangor, Maine	Municipal Auditorium	MA
29	Quebec City, Quebec, Canada	Le Colisée de Québec	MA(I)

December

1	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Maple Leaf Gardens	SA
2	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Maple Leaf Gardens	SA
4	Montreal, Quebec, Canada	Forum de Montreal	MA
7	Clinton, New Jersey	Correctional Institution for Women	PA(I)
8	New York City, New York	Madison Square Garden	MA

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MA mono audience recording

SA stereo audience recording

- no recording

I incomplete recording

5.5 The songs

S = acoustic solo, AB = duet with Joan Baez, backed by Guam

5.5.1 In order played

		Oct								November
		30	31	1	2	4	4	6	6		8	9	11	13	13	15	15	17	17
When I Paint My Masterpiece		1	1	1		1	1	1	1		1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
It Ain't Me, Babe		2	2	2	1	2	2	2	2		2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall		3	3	3	2	4	3		3		3	3	3		3
Romance In Durango		4	4	4	3	3	4	4	4		4	4	4	4	4	4	5	5	5
Isis		5	5	5	4	5	5	5	5		5	5	5	5	5	5	6	6	6
The Times They Are A-Changin'	AB	6	6	6			6		6					6		6			7
Never Let Me Go	AB	7	7	7		7	7	8	9			9	9	8	9	8	9	10	11
The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll	AB	8
I Shall Be Released	AB	9	9	9	8	9	9	9	10		9	10	10	10	10	10	11	11	12
Mr. Tambourine Man	S	10
Oh, Sister		11	12	12	11	11	11	11			11	12	12	12	13	12	14	13	14
Hurricane		12	11	11	10	12	12	12	12		12	13	13	13	14	13	15	14	15
One More Cup Of Coffee		13	13	13	12	13	13	13	13		13	14	14	14	15	14	16	15	16
Sara		14	14	14	13	14	14	14	14		14	15	15	15	16	15	17	16	17
Just Like A Woman		15	15	15	14	15	15	15	15		15	16	16	16	17	16	18	17	18
Mama, You Been On My Mind	AB		8	8													10	8	9
I Don't Believe You	S		10	10				10							11
This Land Is Your Land			16	16	16	17	17	17	17		17	18	18	18	19	18	20	19	20
Unknown Song 1	AB				5						6
Unknown Song 2	AB				6						7
Unknown Song 3	AB				7						8
Unknown Song 4	S				9
Knockin' On Heaven's Door					15	16	16	16	16		16	17	17	17	18		19	18	19
Blowin' In The Wind	AB					6						6	6		6		7	7
The Water Is Wide	AB					8		6	7			7	7		7	7
With God On Our Side	S					10
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine	AB						8	7	8			8	8	9	8	9	8	9
It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)	S						10
The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll								3						3		3	4	3	3
Unknown Song	S								11
Simple Twist Of Fate	S										10	11	11		12	11		12
Dark As A Dungeon	AB													7					10
Tangled Up In Blue	S													11			13		13
Like A Rolling Stone																17
It Takes A Lot To Laugh																	3	4