Bob Dylan to play at IU Nov. 2

Performing in Bloomington, Ind., will be an opportunity for legendary pop, folk and rock legend Bob Dylan to reinvent himself yet again. Dylan has performed and evolved his music for almost five decades.

The Golden Globe- and Grammy winning-artist will perform Nov. 2 at the IU Auditorium as part of his 2009 fall tour. Dylan has performed 100 shows a year for the past 15 years, according to a Jam Productions press release. 

Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said Dylan will bring a new level of fame to IU. He said Dylan gives equal weight to both lyrics and music and that he recreates his lyrics in a way that is virtually unmatched in American music.

Dylan performed at Assembly Hall in October 2007 with about 7,900 fans in attendance.

“He brings his iconic presence to the stage,” Booher said. “He surrounds himself with highly talented musicians.”

Booher also said the career Dylan has sustained is incredible.

“He is one of the most famous and beloved performers at the Auditorium,” Booher said.
Dylan’s career took off in the 1960s, and he is known for his lyrics infused with political, philosophical and social visions.

He has released 54 albums, including a variety of compilations, studio albums and live discs.  

His most recent album, “Together Through Life,” received a four-star review by Rolling Stone and The New York Times and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 list within its first week of release.

Dylan will also release a holiday album, “Christmas In The Heart,” on Oct. 13. The proceeds from the album will benefit the organization Feeding America.

Vice President for Jam Productions Don Sullivan said Dylan always presents a familiar but different sound for all of his performances.

“To me, it sounds more blues-based then ever,” Sullivan said. “He’s one of the greatest poets of all time.”

Sullivan said because Dylan’s music is a mix of musical sounds, and because he has won awards from different genres, this gives the listener a chance to hear different things at each of Dylan’s performances.

“It’s completely different when you have four hundred songs. It keeps things pretty fresh,” Sullivan said. “It’s gonna be a good show – a little bit more intimate.”

IU professor of music Glenn Gass said Dylan changed everything about popular music.

“He redefined rules of what songs he could play,” said Gass, who teaches courses specializing in the history of rock ’n’ roll. “He’s constantly shedding his skin. He’s still making great records, and they’re always intelligent. It’s so deep you can scuba dive in it.”

Gass said Dylan is one-of-a-kind because he has written unique songs about the human condition and the world. Gass called Dylan the “standard” and said students should definitely attend the upcoming performance.

“They’ll gain a whole new insight into themselves and how you want to look at the world,” Gass said. “You can do nothing short to change your life, and there’s not many artists you can say that about.”