I wanted to relate a story to you all about a Dylan walkout I experienced in '98. Now apart from anyone who was at Newport on the 25th July 1965,( and I still can't seem to find the truth on that one) or Manchester on May 17, 1966 for the JUDAS!!(fan), PLAY CENSORED LOUD!! (DYLAN to his band) thing, who else has experienced a Dylan walk-out. I didn't notice it happen in Brisbane in '78, but in '98 when I was up in Townsville for a few years for work reasons I attended a concert. Now they are a bit behind in some areas up there but 30years behind!!!! We got seated (I even had to drive through unseasonal floodwaters to get to town, but nothin' could stop me!!)
Anyway this group of people came in. They kinda looked like pseudo Old Hippes (you know the one's I mean). Well Bob came out in this funky dark suit and that shirt with kinda polka dots and plugged in to his amp. I can't remember which song, mighta been "Things Have Changed", and I was in Heaven. But these people gave a little Boo got up and walked out!! I mean where had they been for the last thirty years?? Come on now, we all love the early stuff (like we do with Arlo too) but everyone has to move on and grow. I mean like Joan sings on 'Diamonds and Rust' in 'Winds of the Old Days', "the sixties are over so leave him alone".

By the way, if they'd stayed they would't have missed out on the acoustic set ("Blowin' in the Wind" etc.) at the end would they!!

Dylan came here in '80 for shows on 3 consecutive nights at the old Stanley Theatre. He hadn't been here since '66. I had never seen him before & got tickets for the 3rd night.

This was when he entered his "religious" phase & wasn't playing any of his other stuff any more. On the 1st night, people were booing & walking out. They did so on the 2nd night, too, tho' not as many. By the 3rd night, the only people there were the ones who knew what they'd be getting, so there were no incidents. That's why I chose to go on the 3rd night.

It was a good show, too. I woulda loved to hear the old stuff, but you get what you get. People in hell want ice water, too, but they can't get any.