I just got word from my fellow blogger, Brooklyn Beat of Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn that he got tickets to see Dylan on August 12th.

I got tickets, too. It felt necessary, important, essential even though I’ve seen Dylan many times and his recent performances can be iffy.

I saw him with the Band in the 1970’s at Madison Square Garden,  saw him during his Gospel phase, I saw him at Radio City with GE Smith, I saw him with Tom Petty, I saw him with Joni Mitchell.

I also once saw him in Park Slope. He was standing on the corner of Lincoln Place and Eighth Avenue with an older photographer. There was a tiny crowd of people standing around him.

Would you believe, I asked him for an autograph and he obliged.

So, you see, I just had to get tickets. They were pricey but I felt possessed, driven, like I had to get tickets.

I think it was the Brooklyn angle. I mean, to hear Bob in Prospect Park—that sounds cool. I am also on a bit of a Dylan jag. We just watched both parts of No Direction Home and most of I’m Not There, which, surprisingly, I didn’t love: I wanted to and I loved parts of it. But overall, didn’t love it though I think I should rewatch it.

About the tickets: I may not be able to use them. But if Teen Spirit doesn’t want them I may offer them to OTBKB readers. I thought it was cool that Brooklyn Paper and later Brooklyn Vegan gave away the code.

Earlier this year, I think it was in an email to another blogger, I was
speculating on the hypothesis that wouldn’t it be so cool for Bob Dylan
to perform at the Brooklyn Academy of Music? I mean, he plays Sequim
Island, Albany, Dubuque, Lewiston, and all points in between on his
Endless Tour, so why not Brooklyn, USA ? Shortly afterward, BAM
announced that Paul Simon was appearing as a performer in residence, so
I thought, well that’s great, pretty close, (and it turned out Paul
still gives a great show) I guess we will have to be satisfied with
Bob’s usual appearances at his usual venues in Manhattan, NJ and on
Long Island, when he plays the City. Well surprise, surprise.

I
was getting ready to get my kids out of the house to school and myself
to work this morning when I heard on the NY1 morning wallpaper that Mr.
Dylan was appearing at the Prospect Park Bandshell for Celebrate
Brooklyn’s 30th anniversary of concerts. Dang, I thought, another great
event missed. I even missed out on an attempt to get Dylan tix in
Albany last year. On my way in, I thought, darn, what are the odds that
there would still be any tickets left ?

Well, never say never.
Bright and early, after dropping the kids off, and driving downtown
listening to Blind Willie McTell and stuff from Modern Times, with that
vague sense of impending disappointment, this intrepid blogger decided
to mosey on down to planet Dylan.

Sure enough, we made it in just under
the wire. And it is an outdoor show, without primo seats, and it may be
hot, or rainy, and Boomer uncomfortable, but come August 12, when Bob
Dylan and his current hot touring band hit the stage, the show will go
on and Mr and Mrs Brooklyn Beat will happily be in attendance…more to
come.

Illustration of Bob Dylan by the etchasketchist.