‘But then the crowd began to stamp their feet and the house lights did dim’ (‘Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts’ Bob Dylan)
On Sat 8 March in Glasgow, thi wurd paid literary and musical tribute to Bob Dylan’s magnificent album ‘Blood on the Tracks’. The sold-out event took place at Stereo in Glasgow in front of a 250 strong crowd.
(Image by Alan McMunnigall)
First performer on stage was Rachel Gaughan, who immediately got everyone into the vibe of the evening. We had a ‘listening’ audience and you could hear every nuance of this fine acoustic performance.
(Image by Erin Beckett)
Next the literary aspects were emphasised with group readings of lyrics, and a piece of fiction by Calam Pengilly that was directly influenced by ‘You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go’.
Rachel Gaughan returned to close out the first half with a song written about, rather than by, Bob Dylan. What could it be?
After the break, in which people mingled and visited thi wurd’s stall – new limited-edition t-shirts were one talking point – it was time to get a drink from the bar and get ready for part two. We’re grateful to those who bought books, magazines, tote bags and t-shirts in support of indie-publishing.
(Image by The Phantom)
Kicking-off the second half, Francis Macdonald, of Teenage Fanclub, played stunning versions of two of the most melodic and lyrical songs on ‘Blood on the Tracks’. It was a performance that included the welcome addition of harmonica. Francis emphasised storytelling by recounting a Bob Dylan story of his own. This was a performance with a perfect arc.
(Image by Alan McMunnigall)
Next were Marigold, featuring the vocal talents of Lola Edgar and Lia Gerrard. Lately, it feels like Marigold have been akin to a resident band at wurd events. Again, we experienced the thrill of their sublime harmonies. After renditions of two ‘Blood on the Tracks’ numbers, the crowd were treated to a bonus song in the shape of ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right’.
(Image by Nick Dempsey)
Stevie Jackson of Belle and Sebastian closed out the main show. His set provided a powerful ending to the previous two-hours with some virtuoso guitar-playing, where he took the songs to some incredible places – at times it almost felt like jazz. It was the first time we’ve seen genuine audience participation at a wurd event. The version of ‘Buckets of Rain’ to end was a wonderful re-imagining that enhanced our appreciation of this composition.
(Image by Nick Dempsey)
The audience felt the depth, width and artfulness of the songs that Bob Dylan gave to the world in January 1975 and we witnessed the musicians, readers and audience experiencing the power of the words and music. It was a night about being inspired by great art, and the possibilities of creating new things.
Did it all end with a performance by Bob himself? Well, only those present can answer that question. And all this for just £10, surely a bargain. Let’s do it one more time.
(Image by Alan McMunnigall)
Massive thanks to our audience and to everyone involved in putting together the show. A big shout out to Nick Dempsey and Des O’Hare for filming the night.
We will present a brand new version of this show on Sat 31 May, 7pm at Glasgow University Union (32 University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LX). Our last night sold out well before the date, so get in early this time. For a very limited pre-sale, priority link, email: editor@thi-wurd.com
