The Bob Dylan Story at The Tunnels - Live Music Review

Posted on: 2018-04-18

Our rating:

A faithful, poetic plunge into the honest, sublime, thought-provoking world of a legend and the voice of a generation, The Bob Dylan Story was a fittingly deferential and compelling musical odyssey through the life of an artistic genius.


It might have been Friday 13th April but there was nothing but good times and great vibes at Bristol's The Tunnels when The Bob Dylan Story played there for a nostalgic, uplifting set of timeless tunes.


Reverence levels were high as Bill Lennon donned the wig and played the part of Dylan, and it was evident that he and his accompanying ensemble (bass, drums, electric guitar, backing vocals) had nothing but the utmost adoration and respect for their hero.  Dylan was unequivocally the soundtrack of 1960s America, writing and performing a catalogue of seminal, classic hits that changed the face of modern music and defined a generation.  

The Bob Dylan Story at The Tunnels in Bristol

His extraordinary gift for lyrics and melodies were infused with concerns and issues of the time - in fact, still just as apropos now as they were then - addressing themes such as civil rights, anti-war statements, folk protest songs, classic literature and culture, relationships and lost loves, and apocalyptic and religious imagery. Dylan was an extraordinary musician and poet who raised the art of songwriting to another, immensely affecting level; the man had something to say and he said it with beauty and eloquence. 

 

Powerful and moving, it's no wonder his music struck such a deep and potent chord with a generation which often felt on the cusp of society, disconnected and alienated from the world around them. Dylan's fanbase remains just as passionate and loyal now as it was then, with new audiences constantly discovering the importance and the efficacy of his music, while The Beatles and The Rollings Stones were at the time enthusiastic followers too. 

The Bob Dylan Story at The Tunnels in Bristol

His early electric guitars and instruments gradually shifted to blues-based rock and roll to produce hit after undeniable hit, and the show played - with musical craftsmanship, effortless precision and skill - Dylan's incalculably influential jukebox of songs. So Subterranean Homesick Blues rubbed shoulders with The Times Are A Changin', Blowing in the Wind and Like A Rolling Stone. And then there were the meticulous renditions of Mr Tambourine Man, Knocking on Heaven's Door, All Along the Watchtower, the charming whimsy of Mighty Quinn and the poignant love of I'll Be Your Baby Tonight. 

 

Framed within a story arc book-ended by JFK's inauguration and eventual assassination via way of Dylan's legendary musical odes - all peppered with illuminating stories and historical context of what inspired them, alongside haunting visuals - this was a first-rate celebration of an American icon. 

 

Performed by Dylan fans for Dylan fans, this was a set that inspired and evoked the creative spirit of the man, his intelligence, idealism, and his unrivalled force and power on the American music scene and the world which still resonates trenchantly to this day.  
A faithful, poetic plunge into the honest, sublime, thought-provoking world of a legend and the voice of a generation, The Bob Dylan Story was a fittingly deferential and compelling musical odyssey through the life of an artistic genius. 
 



Article by:

Jamie Caddick

Jamie is a writer, blogger, journalist, critic, film fan, soundtrack nerd and all-round Bristolian good egg.  He loves the music of Philip Glass, the art of Salvador Dali, the writings of Charles Bukowksi and Hunter S Thompson, the irreverence of Harry Hill, and the timeless, straw-chomping exuberance of The Wurzels.  You can sometimes find him railing against a surging tide of passing cyclists, or gorging himself senseless on the Oriental delights of a Cosmos all-you-can-eat buffet.