Bob Dylan Forest Hills 2016 concert returns to scene of controversy

Photo: By FunkMonk (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It has just been announced that Bob Dylan will be performing at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, New York on Friday, July 8th 2016. The significance of this announcement is that Bob Dylan last performed at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens New York fifty one years ago. The concert that Bob Dylan performed at Forest Hills stadium took place on August 28th 1965. The gig at Forest Hills in 1965, was the first show Bob Dylan had performed after the famous Newport concert which stirred great controversy over his electric set. At Newport, Bob Dylan had been booed traumatically throughout his electric set which had followed his opening acoustic set. There has been much discussion over the years as to the reasons behind the booing. The most common analysis is that the folk music fans felt betrayed by the switch to electric instruments. Others argued that it was the terrible sound system that frustrated the fans. The legendary Al Kooper has stated that fans were upset simply because the set was too short.

When Bob Dylan performed at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens a month later, the boos continued during the electric set. Some would argue that the booing in Queens, New York was evidence that it was indeed the electric set that caused the boos in Newport. However, since the news had spread about Newport, the booing may have been caused by an anti-electric movement that was errantly fueled by a misunderstanding. The entire possible misconstruction of events that happened at Newport may have actually started a movement in itself with false origins. Then again, maybe the fans really did just hate the electric set, as that seems to be the most common analysis of Newport.

Regardless of the issues and reasons that plagued Bod Dylan’s electric experiment in 1965, the legendary artist will be returning to the scene of controversy in 2016. Opening the show will be the fabulous Mavis Staples. The brilliant former Stax Records recording artist and original member of the Staple Singers is currently celebrating the release of her new album, “Livin’ on a High Note.” Please check out the brilliant and very enjoyable article Brett Stewart wrote on Mavis Staple’s career and music as that is one you don’t want to miss.

The Best of Mavis Staples