Bob Dylan has long been fascinated by Scottish culture. The songwriter has continually expressed admiration for Robert Burns, citing his song ‘A Red, Red Rose’ as a formative influence. His 1997 song ‘Highlands’ praised the country’s natural beauty – perhaps a factor in the American legend investing in a Speyside hotel. The songwriter’s relationship with Glasgow got off to a rocky start, however – a show in 1966 was beset by protests, confrontation, and an act of vandalism.
The backdrop is Bob Dylan’s conversion from folkie to rock star, injecting some electricity into his work. As the biopic A Complete Unknown makes clear, the conversion was met by opposition in some quarters – not least those in the UK.
The songwriter’s famous show at Manchester’s Albert Hall in May 1966 has gone down in legend, with the cry of “Judas!” being caught on tape. Later released as part of the Bootleg Series, Dylan said of the call: “Judas, the most hated name in human history! If you think you’ve been called a bad name, try to work your way out from under that. Yeah, and for what? For playing an electric guitar?”
The day after his trip to Manchester, Bob Dylan appeared in Glasgow for his first ever show in the city.
The concert took place on May 18th, 1966 the Odeon Cinema on Renfield Street, with Bob Dylan playing all acoustic in the first half, before welcoming onstage The Hawks – later renamed The Band – in the second half.
While the acoustic section was greeted peacefully, the appearance of a rock ‘n’ roll group brought forth condemnation from some areas of the venue. Glasgow’s Young Socialists group made their opinion clear, loudly protesting the electrified music.
Responding to continual chants of “we want Dylan,” the music legend quipped back: “Dylan got sick backstage. I’m here to take his place”.
Years later fan Frank Carolan – who had been in the audience – told The Scotsman: “I just couldn’t get my head around the booing. Here was one of the most amazing songwriters ever on stage and trying to take his music into a new vein. His expansion of the music was to me total eye opener. Bob wasn’t content unless he was trying new things.”
Fellow fan Sadie Lawn commented: “There was nearly bloodshed when the electric guitars started. People were walking out and shouting about him being a sell-out and things like ‘you’ll never be a Woody Guthrie’, but it soon calmed down into a fantastic concert.”
The reference to Woody Guthrie is curiously ironic – the only time Woody Guthrie set foot on the British Isles was a short stint in Glasgow as a seaman during the Second World War.
Here’s the full set list:
Acoustic
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
Desolation Row
Just Like a Woman
Mr Tambourine Man
Electric
Tell Me, Momma
I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Met)
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
One Too Many Mornings
Ballad of a Thin Man
Like a Rolling Stone
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As GlasgowWorld points out, the problems didn’t end with the crowd. During their short stay in Glasgow, Dylan’s crew suffered a vandalised tour bus with some equipment being stolen.
Staying in the North British Hotel adjacent Queen Street Station, Dylan and his entourage ordered food to their room. On its arrival, the waiter – seemingly a disgruntled folkie – branded him “a f*****g traitor to folk music”, sparking a confrontation with Dylan’s security man Tom Keylock.
In spite of it all, the music won out – Bob Dylan sat down in the hotel room to jam with The Hawks / Band member Robbie Robertson, and someone left the tape rolling. Revisit that curio below –
The following day Bob Dylan travelled to Edinburgh to continue the tour, but he didn’t seem to let the ruptures of his 196 tour spoil his impression of Glasgow. The songwriter has returned numerous times, with one notable show coming in 2004 – opting to play the intimate (by his standards) Barrowland Ballroom venue, the rapport between the usually taciturn songwriter and passionate Glasgow crowd brought forth a quite scintillating performance.
Revisit that show below.