Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series has long been the standard for how legendary artists manage their discographies. It serves as a platform for revealing previously hidden material, providing long-time fans with deeper insights into those significant recording sessions.
The latest installment is filled with noteworthy content. ‘Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963’ is set to release on October 31st and traces Dylan’s journey from his early days in a high school rock ‘n’ roll band to his development as a folk artist in Greenwich Village, culminating in his rise to fame.
Its release is timely, paralleling the narrative of the recent biopic A Complete Unknown, and includes some intriguing recordings.
One disc in the forthcoming box set highlights Bob Dylan’s performance at Carnegie Hall in New York on October 26th, 1963. The 19-song set list has appeared in different formats before, including a six-track EP in 2005 and a limited 10-song European vinyl edition in 2013.
In fact, the Bootleg Series began with a look at this concert, as four previously unreleased songs appeared on the very first box set edition.
It is essential to revisit the significance of this performance and the excitement surrounding the release of the full concert. Dylan had climbed the ranks through various clubs and performed in the smaller upper room of Carnegie Hall, above what is now Weill Recital Hall. Promoted by Izzy Young, this performance is believed to be his first engagement outside the closely-knit Greenwich Village community, with tickets priced at $2.
The show on October 26th, 1963 marked Bob Dylan’s move into the main auditorium—an extraordinary achievement for any artist, especially for a 22-year-old solo performer.
This transition highlighted his growing significance and paved the way for Bob Dylan—and, by extension, the folk revival—to become a mainstream sensation. Tickets were sold for between $2.00 to $3.50, with purchases made via check along with a self-addressed envelope for ticket returns—one archival ticket reportedly sold for $750.00 in January 2003.
The 19-song set encapsulates a pivotal moment in Bob Dylan's career, prominently featuring tracks from the acclaimed ‘Freewheelin’ album and songs from the yet-to-be-released ‘The Times They A-Changin’ album.
Some material would take years to surface. A popular live number, ‘Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues,’ was never formally released in the studio, partly to avoid upsetting the Right-Wing group referenced in the title.
Dominated by original compositions, the concert showcases Dylan’s evolving talents, driven by his personal aspirations—the set concludes with ‘When The Ship Comes In,’ conveying a message of resilience.
For the first time, the recording of Dylan at Carnegie Hall brings together an incredible snapshot, offering significant insight.
“In recounting that time and those places, this collection is but a fragment,” notes historian and author Sean Wilentz in his 125-page liner notes. “Nevertheless, as an auditory record of an artist finding himself—or in Dylan’s case, his initial of many artistic identities—the collection strives to merge time and space, not as a nostalgic reflection but as a living link between past and present, the old and the new, which are never as separate as we might believe.”
‘Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963’ will be available on October 31st.
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Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series has established a standard for how legendary artists manage their discographies. It serves as a space for unveiling hidden materials and