“Rolling Thunder: The Fifth Annual Bob Dylan Birthday
Celebration” is set for Thursday, May 27, at 6 p.m. in “The Sanctuary” at Old
Chapel at Union College.
The evening is open to the public and free. (A suggested
$5 donation will go to the Chris Ryan Scholarship Fund.)
In the fall of 1975, Dylan donned a gray felt hat and hit
the New England road with a wild and woolly cast of
characters the likes of which the rock world had never seen. Allen Ginsberg
stroked his beard and chanted at Kerouac's grave. Joan Baez donned a wedding
gown that fit her “like a snake.'' Roger McGuinn kept his attaché case phone close,
just in case he got shot. And pickers and hangers-on like Ramblin' Jack
Elliott, T Bone Burnett, Ronnie Blakely, Mick Ronson and Joni Mitchell made the
scene as surreal as they could on a nightly basis. Through it all, the thunder
never stopped. As playwright and tour scribe Sam Shepard put it, “Dylan's
cowboy boot heel drove a hole through the floor …”
“The Sanctuary gang can't hope to re-create the visionary
madness that was Rolling Thunder, but they will try,” said Dale Metzger,
organizer of the event.
The contemporary cast includes emcee Michael Eck, Los
Ramblers, The Rumdummies, Bryan Thomas, Greg Haymes, Mitch Elrod, Albie, Tom
Raider, Chris Busone, Zimmerbeat, Mario Sevayega, Roadside Blues Band, Carl
Smith, Dana Monteith's Iowa 80, Joe Pasko, Jason
Martin and others.
The evening starts with a barbecue outside of Old Chapel.
A pub menu and beverages will be available. And cake, naturally, will be served
to all who sing a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday” to Bob, celebrating his
63rd birthday on May 24.
Old Chapel is located near the center of the Union campus,
accessible from the Union Street
entrance.
For more information contact Dale Metzger at 388-6124
(dalemetz99@aol.com) or
Tyson Fricker at 432-6634 (mandhand@aol.com)