Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

I like Dylan, but more for his songwriting...and the first half of the album was letting me down...and then the first track on Side two kicked in and I remembered the story about this...looked it up and that whole acoustic/electric set controversy. I was all prepped with 2 stars but I am going 3.5 now after listening to the second half and a little bit of historical relevance affecting my wanton handing out of half stars.

more importantly culturally than it is great musically in my opinion. Much like the audience, I also prefer Dylan's folk stuff, but the rock isn't bad.

lazy

Disc 1: 2 Disc 2: 5

I've never been a huge fan of Dylan's voice, but this album is very compelling!

I really enjoyed listening to a young Bob Dylan sing live

es dylan, son clásicos, suena muy bien, se aprecia cada detalle a pesar de ser grabado en una presentación en vivo, gusta, falta apreciar mejor las letras. en ocasiones la harmónica cansa, dale tranqui Bob. no estoy de acuerdo con la crítica a la segunda parte del concierto, me gustó tanto como la primera, hace un buen trabajo

Anything by Bob Dylan live is gold

Jel ovo može biti loše? Ne može. Amen, gotova misa.

Electric side is 5*, acoustic not so much (but still good)

Spellbinding portrait of a transitional time.

You have to love yourself some Bob Dylan to really get into this whole album, but it's really lovely, showing off the two sides of Dylan at that pivotal moment in his career. Disk 1 is a really bare bones, slower paced recording that will probably try the patience of your casual listener. Disk 2 is much more to my taste, with Dylan supported by the excellent pre-Band Hawks. Just some really warm, rich performances that I could listen to for hours. Dylan is in excellent voice, singing some of the greatest songs of his career. Sound quality is mixed, with Dylan's vocal fading out quite a bit in "Ballad of a Thin Man," which is unfortunate. Not the album I would recommend as an intro to Dylan, but still pretty great. Fave Songs: Like a Rolling Stone, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues, One Too Many Mornings, I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met), Tell Me Momma, Just Like a Woman, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, Visions of Johanna

I'm trying to understand this album in the context of its time - Bob Dylan, folk singer extraordinaire goes electric and his audience goes bonkers. Calls of "Judas!" and heckling fill the air. Ok, but I don't get this, because he had already released his electric Highway 61 Revisited nearly a year earlier to rave reviews. Classics on that album (performed here) include Like a Rolling Stone and Ballad of a Thin Man, both of which were originally recorded electric. So, I can't help but wonder if the audience theatrics are just a whole bunch of pretentiousness. Either way, I found the acoustic side a little dull - I kept thinking, "this is a 3." His singing sounds like a parody of himself. The guitar lines are just the same chords over and over, with an occasional break to blow on the harmonica. Plus, for all the raving about his lyrics, sometimes they're pure cheese: See the primitive wallflower freeze When the jelly-faced women all sneeze Hear the one with the mustache say, “Jeeze I can’t find my knees” [insert eye-roll emoji] Now, I knew some of these acoustic tracks were pretty well-known songs and noticed that many of them were hits for others, so I went listening to other versions. I found in most cases I preferred the covers, such as the hit versions of It's All Over Now, Baby Blue by Them (i.e., Van Morrison) and Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds. Both covers led me to conclude that Dylan is an awesome songwriter who should leave the performing to others. Then I hit the electric set. Immediate thought - Dylan can actually sing. Yeah, he still has that weird twangy inflection, but he was belting it out over the band (or I guess, technically, over The Band). But another thing was that these songs had much more character than Dylan with just a guitar. Tell Me, Momma comes across like a slap to the pretentious audience members who only want to hear folk Bob. I Don't Believe You is the first one where I thought Dylan really sang well. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues and Leopard-Skin Pill-Box are both rockers with great guitar work (Robbie Robertson, presumably?). Ballad of a Thin Man and Like a Rolling Stone are both classics and both sound great here. So, the electric side brought me to a 4. I'm looking forward to hearing more - particularly Highway 61 Revisited (which I've listened to before, but never closely). This live album is probably more important as a historical recording, but it made me want to dig a lot deeper. I'm sure digging deeper will make me better appreciate the "back-story" of this apparently legendary concert.

This is just an hour and a half of pure Bob Dylan. It’s good if you like Bob Dylan, and probably pretty unbearable if you don’t (fortunately, I do). The first half of the album is slow Bob Dylan songs, and the second half is faster Bob Dylan songs. There isn’t much more to say than that. It’s a long Bob Dylan album. Favorite track: Tell Me, Momma

I enjoyed this album, as I’ve always been someone who appreciates Dylan. The Highway 61 / Blonde on Blonde time period has far and away been my favorite, and the tracks on this album did not disappoint. I liked how the first half was solo acoustic and the second was with his band. It’s quite interesting to me how negatively the “band” part of Dylan’s history was received at first. As far as “bootlegs” go, this was very well done.

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. It still stands that Bob Dylan is an excellent storyteller, and a fantastic songwriter, but his vocal tones are borderline unpleasant at times.

I enjoyed this quite a bit, I guess I'm a fan of the harmonica.

I'm a Dylan fan, but not a Dylan stan. He has some works I really like beyond just their reputation, but Petty has always been my Traveling Wilbury of choice. So I have heard this concert performance before once or twice, but it's not exactly what I'd call a fun time, it's honestly more of a history lesson. A history lesson with some incredible songs, including a couple of my favorite Dylan tracks, but I don't see much need to listen to this other than to understand this point in his career. As a historical artifact, it's terrific. As a recording of this particular setlist, it's still quite good, but I'd honestly take this out for something a little more daring instead. And I find both halves pretty equal. B

Not a fan of Bob Dylan's singing style with the constant upward inflections, but his songwriting is on point. The first half of this release, the acoustic half, also has a really intimate feeling that is very enjoyable. Dylan's singing style bothers me a lot here though. The second half, with The Hawks, is a masterful performance. Atmospheric, psychedelic, folky, and rockin'. Dylan's singing is a bit more restrained, which fits the music better and is far more enjoyable.

I was expecting too much from this release. It's nice since I already assumed that Bob Dylan is beyond my comprehension, so I can say that the album is not as remarkable as I thought. It's good, sure, but lower expectations could be a good approach to listen to it in 2022 when Bob Dylan is already a Nobel-prized author with so many expectations over his songs. The twist acoustic/electric between the two discs is something strong.

Oh cool! I've heard of this performance, when Dylan "went electric", but I didn't realize it was available to listen to. Yup - it's exactly as advertised. Dylan does his usual folk crooning on disc 1, and then invents folk rock on disc 2. I like em both! Hard to imagine people disliking the rock sound so much. I'm almost inclined to give it 5 stars for the historical importance, but gonna stick with 4 for the purely subjective listening experience. Fave track - "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" from disc 1, "Like a Rolling Stone" from disc 2...

Great songs, but I don't think I'll be re-listening this very often, so 4*.

a dandy

It is funny what they consider a bootleg, but this live concert was very well recorded and displayed a lot of Dylan's songs immediately following his shift to electric guitar. This milestone and its importance cannot be understated for its impact on music, and the music on this album serve as a prime example as to why Dylan is so highly regarded.

Flottur Dylan á flottu tímabili.

It's good if you can ignore the singing

Bob innit

Classic Bob Dylan some great live versions of classic songs

An incredibly performed show from a peak point in Bob Dylans career. Favorites: "Just Like a Woman", "Tell Me, Momma", "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"

Well now I don't know how to rate this album. I listened all the way through twice and was quite well taken with it the first time, ready for 5 stars. But after a second listen, I'm tired, ready for it to be over, at a low 3. I'm not sure what happened. I find I like it best when I can give all my attention to the lyrics. That makes it hard to get anything done while I'm listening. Second time through, I had to get some work done so maybe that's why it grated. I did really like the first side both times, all acoustic with just Dylan "singing." His voice is definitely a parody of itself and I can't call it "pretty" or even "good" but honestly I can't imagine these songs sounding any other way. This is poetry talk-sung to some simple, sweet melodies. His musicianship really shines on the harmonica --- chords and single tones with dynamics! Whoa. I started writing down all the lyrics I particularly liked but had to stop pretty quickly because I'd be quoting entire songs. I like the second side less with more musicians and more electricity. I see now from the album's Wikipedia page that the audience agreed with me: "The first half of the concert was greeted warmly by the audience, while the second half was highly criticized, with heckling going on before and after each song." It wasn't bad but I wasn't as charmed. I'll split the difference and give the whole thing a 4. I'm glad to have listened to it but I may not listen to the whole thing again.

I wasn’t sure if I would be into this. Hearing this might be a bootleg tape gave me visions of terribly audio quality - and I struggle at times with Dylan's vocals. Fortunately the audio quality seemed good for something with "bootleg" in the title. Although on the first 3 songs I struggled Dylan’s delivery, I started to enjoy the album during “Visions of Johanna”. “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and “Desolation Row” was very good and where I started to relate more to the album. At the end of the first album I was still not sure how to rank this. I was not yet really enjoying the listen despite the brilliant songs and extremely talented performance. Was I going to have to give this 3 stars since I had no interest in adding it to my music collection? When the second disc in the set started with the band everything changed. The band helped click everything into place and I really started loving the music. They helped smooth over the parts of the vocals that I had found grating. The lyrics took on a new urgency. And everything became much more fun! I was hearing some of that heckling from the audience because Dylan had "sold out." I guess I am one of those unwashed masses that Dylan sold out for, because I really like him when he plugs in. I'm so glad he ignored the haters and expanded how he presented his music. I'm glad to have the opportunity to experience "pure" Dylan in disc one, but I'm not really interested in listening to it again. When Dylan started working with the band my appreciation of him moved from my head to my heart.

If we hadn't already given freewheelin' a 5 ....

lang, maar hij weet u toch maar te pakken heee

Oke Bob Dylan, je verdient men volledige aandacht voor die depressieve lyrics. Maar ik kan je die niet voor de volledige 1u5 geven 😟

Good album. Great history

Enjoyed! Will have to come back around to this again.

My wife and I had very different experiences with this album. I was never really a Dylan fan and had a hell of a time trying to decipher what he was saying, and for this reason didn't get as much out of this album (a problem exacerbated by the live recording). My wife, on the other hand, is a Dylan superfan and loved hearing the rawness and unpolished versions of yhe dongs that she knows all the lyrics to (which I understand is most of Dylan's allure). We split the difference in our rating.

Bob Dylan, más de 50 años componiendo. Una puta leyenda viva del folclore americano que aunque no sea mi música favorita, reconozco la enormidad del asunto.

Enjoyable Bob Dylan album.

Big fan of the fact that this was recorded at the Free Trade Hall in MCR and not the Albert Hall as stated in the title. Excellent album however some tracks don't really hit, for example track 1 didn't really do anything yet the ovation is huge, maybe blinded by the man.

A concert (and an album) of two halves. The first half, the extended acoustic set, is a fantastic collection of Dylan numbers brilliantly executed and is a really enjoyable listen. But it’s the second part of the set where it really catches fire and feels, quite literally, electric. Superb.

Es Dylan. La primera mitad del disco canta el solo y se me hace larguísima pero la segunda lo hace con banda y el conjunto gana bastante. Es bueno pero es Dylan.

This double disc was on constant rotation in Wheatfields. Almost makes me wish we didn't have access to all music ever made all the time anywhere. I miss forming those deep relationships with an album that's only possible when you're limited to an armrest full of CDs. These days my attention deficit disorder and Spotify isn't a recipe for repeat album listens, let alone playing one 100+ times. Pretty much every second of this is burned somewhere in my head, so it really stood out when Spotify trimmed off the breaks between songs (presumably because saving 5 seconds per song racks up more streams?). The legend of this album is Dylan going electric in front of a bunch of uptight British folk purists, so what's cut out - the crowd's response, Bob's reactions - is a big hole in the story. I know I sound like a music snob, but the big moment where someone yells "Judas!", Bob says "I don't believe you", turns to The Band, says "play fucking loud!" and bangs out Like A Rolling Stone, is great, and is gone. I suppose that doesn't matter for 1001 though. Disc 2 is a perfect 5/5 A+ for me. Snotty, sloppy, way too trebley, raucous (for 1966) Bob. Disc 1 is somewhere lower - it takes a rare patience to love a 9 minute Tambourine Man. A

The first seven songs are beautifully preformed, just a man his words, his guitar and his harmonica. But when the songs are electrified and played with accompaniment, the album just explodes out of the headphones. Tell Me Momma bangs so hard. I’d give this a 5, but I can’t bring myself to give a live performance/best of album a 5.

Man he’s got a lot of stamina with these long songs. Bob Dylan albums can be a little tough for me, but I liked this one more than I expected to. Had a good feel- need to revisit to appreciate the lyrics. The history of the bootlegging is cool.

It loses a star for the length and the amount of harmonica but overall fantastic. Comfortable. 8/10

7/10. Weird choice to put a vertically stretched picture of Mike from Stranger Things on the cover. Fairly enjoyable album, but didn't have much of the excitement that live albums often have, and Like a Rolling Stone and Desolation row were the only stand-out songs in my opinion.

Super good shit

why does it seem like he is whispering in my ear?

I like it a lot, I just don't know how often I'll come back to a 1.5 hour Bob Dylan album. 8

Classic Dylan

nice nice

Wordsmanship at its finest with a hint of folk rock

Very good live album, especially the second half

Git country

half-listened, distracting day

One of the best Live albums that I’ve heard. Actually enjoyable, and edited well.

Always think I'm gonna like Bob Dylan less than I end up. Desolation Row was especially great.

I've never listened to Bob Dylan seriously, and this showed that can be an experience. I'm not a native english speaker so maybe I lost a good part of the meaning of the songs, but I liked the mood.

Disc 1 was more enjoyable than disc 2.

Took me a while to get into it but I like it!

Need to simmer this down further

i fear this is too long, and i feel like i can't appreciate this unless like i'm a diehard bob dylan fan, since i don't really know what his songs are supposed to sound like, and i know he changes them up when playing. it's not bad but i just can't rate it highly either. at least the album gets significantly better on the b-side once there's more instruments than just the acoustic guitar and harmonica.

Pretty good concert. Hard Rain is significantly better, and this is furiously overrated, but it's still pretty good. See, people love this recording, and I simply can’t imagine why. Truly, it’s some of the best songs ever written, but… his voice. And see, I’m not one of those people who hates on Bob Dylan’s voice. I think he’s one of the greatest singers ever. But… he was stoned here. You can tell. He’s completely uninterested, listless, a non-presence. This makes the first side of the album complete dead weight, where even great songs are reduced to moments of annoyance. The second side is good. Probably the only reason this album has any stake as a good performance. That being said, Bob STILL sucks! His voice is STILL so whiny and annoying! The lyrics are still good but there are better versions elsewhere! This is boring! Go listen to Hard Rain! Rolling Thunder Revue! Something! Fuck you! 5.6/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: NO REASON: Bro’s stoned wtf he sounds so bad WHAT WOULD I REPLACE IT WITH: Hard Rain by Bob Dylan

Questionable addition to the list. There are lots of other albums that I would include before this.

3 stars out of respect for Bob Dylan but this ain't it. Too long and tedious

First disc is boring 1, 2nd disc is a great 4…

disc 1 was pretty meh, very classic laid back solo bob dylan (which unfortunately doesn't come to a lot) disc 2 picked up a lot more and was much better overall it was just enough to get it to a 3/5 in my opinion

No private session used for Spotify. The guy can't sing, but he can write great songs. The title of the album is "Royal Albert Hall" concert, but none of the songs were recorded there, it was all recorded at Free Trade Hall...what's up with that?

I'll take acoustic Bob every day. ;)

Veldig bra, men på ingen måte vits å ha på lista her.

Bob Dylan the DJ set. That’s what the first side sounds like. Each acoustic song just kinda rolls into the next, and if you’re into the format and sound, it’s a pleasant experience. The second side is much more harsh and prototypical electric late 60’s rock. I didn’t like that one as much. I get that Bobby is one of the greatest songwriters of our time, but the guy in the crowd that calls him ‘Judas’ is a bit intensive. Artists switch genres and sounds all the time, why was he so bitter about Bobby doing the same? Front side is a 4/5, back side is a 2/5, let’s meet in the middle

okay

90 minutes of Bob Dylan :| I understand his influence and I think he is very important to popular music, but I just do not enjoy listening to his voice. Lyrics were good and sometimes quite charming. The recording quality was a bit all over the place.

idk i think i understand the appeal but. if you're just gonna run a big stream of complicated lyrics in front of me, i would like to be able to spend my effort trying to figure out what they mean instead of what the actual words being said are. the back half is both better and worse because there's more to listen to than just a little bit of basic guitar but also the additional instruments and iffy recording quality make it even harder to get the lyrics.

Fascinating to hear Dylan "go electric" and not a bad album over all.

Eres un poco chapas, Bob

Favourite Track(s):

Not a huge Dylan fan but this was nice

Overall it's fine. I can't call it back, because it's definitely not bad, but none of it stands out to me. A lot of it sounds same-y and I just can't get into it. The vocals are always a miss for me. Just not in love with this. I wish I liked it more, but just feeling meh about it.

Lots of conflicting thoughts on this. On one hand, It's good to really good and I really, really wish we had half stars because this is an easy 3.5. On the other hand, it's goddamn an hour and a half. That is too long. That is too much Bob Dylan. Disc 1 is, like, the perfect amount. The man is an excellent storyteller, but there isn't a ton of variety in his songs. Disc 1 is great. 7 Bob Dylan albums is too many Bob Dylan albums. He's great, I get it. I promise you that no one under the age of 75 either wants or needs to hear 7 Bob Dylan albums before they die. This isn't a huge problem in and of itself, but the closer to the end of this project I get, the more galling it is that certain artists have been left off this project entirely, while certain artists are massively overrepresented. Whether you like the music or not, there is no goddamned reason for there to be TWO Christina Aguilera albums, but not a single Tool album. TWO Paul Walker albums, but no MF DOOM albums. THREE Tim Buckley albums, but none from Deftones. I bitch about this all the time, so I won't go on, but the list of influential bands and albums that didn't make it while this project is crammed full of obscure 60s bullshit is staggering. Anyway, enough shouting into the void. At one point I was tempted to give this 4 stars but, man. 90 minutes is so many minutes and it just started to drone. Disc 1 was a borderline 4, Disc 2 is a definite 3.

I like Tell Me, Momma The first disc was a bit hard to get through. I prefered the 2nd disc

Btw everyone go listen to the Girl from the North Country original London soundtrack, such a banger, best versions of all the Dylan songs fr fr. So the first CD was verging on a 4 honestly, Desolation Row was very good live. Second cd hmm gets a bit shouty for me, I definitely prefer acoustic Dylan. I'd be shouting JUDAS (Manc pride!)

3,5

I’m sure I will listen to better from him

I think I enjoy Dylan songs more when someone else sings them

Bara fínt, eða eitthvað. Óþarfi að gefa þessu tvær því að þetta rann bara í gegn.

Good concert album but I just don’t particularly like them

A Dylan greatest hits. Not sure why this makes it on the list really.

I guess it was a big deal him playing electric guitar, but meh

second side is amazing and that saved this album for me

I still don’t get Bob Dylan. The first disc of this was bad. The second disc was fine (at best) and kept this from being a 2-star rating.

gotta admit, these live songs werent better than the studio versions, still good listen though, but it didnt do it for me

Good Dylan

This gets a bit long. Dylan's highs are very high, but there's a lot of not that on here.

I like Bob. Maybe a 90 minute live album was bit of a weird choice but I’m assuming there’ll be more to come.

Its Bob Dylan!!!

I was never a big fan of Dylan as a live performer, but someone recently directed me to The Bootleg Series 2-disc set of the Rolling Thunder Revue from 1975. At some point between 1966 and 1975 Dylan came into his own as a singer. He's no Roy Orbison, Marvin Gaye, Freddie Mercury, Jeff Buckley or anyone you’d call a great singer, but this collection of live performances completely changed my impression of him as a performer and especially as a vocalist. His singing draws you into every song, and he basically never fumbles or breaks the spell with a bad note. He leads the band with a clear, musical, and at best I would even say nimble style and doesn’t fall back on the mannered nasally sing-song style he had earlier in his career. And these recordings were drawn from just a few nights of performances, so not cherry-picked from thousands of mediocre or worse nights. On to the current selection from 1966, there’s plenty to like, especially in the first, acoustic set. “Visions of Johanna” stands out as a great performance. In the second, electric set he leans heavily on that vocal style that you would immediately think of if you wanted to impersonate Bob Dylan for a laugh, slurring and swooping around the notes with long exaggerated nasally whines. If you can look past the vocal style, the second set is an interesting look at a critical point in Dylan’s career. The band is good, and the songs are great. Not an essential listen but an important historic document. HOWEVER, the official release is not even an important historic document as almost all the audience response has been edited out. Essential listening: Interesting yes, essential no Desert Island Disc: No

Much prefer disc 2 to disc 1.

3 stars, more for the historical significance of Dylan goes electric than anything else. It's fine/good overall.

It's alright.

Dylan isn't someone I would choose to listen to on my own, but its ok.

I hadn't heard the electric guitar works of Dylan before and it's a good thing they decided to switch to that for the second half. One and a half hour of only the accoustic set would have become tedious. The songwriting is there as always, just like a woman made me pause for a while, so that's good. Serves as a good vertical slice of his works up to that point and the live energy gives the second half of the set a bit of spice. But your enjoyment of this album will likely depend on what you think of his vocals.

I'll get to it. Also weird this is Vol. 4 of a ove album series, like doesn't seem like an album-album.

Amazing songs and a great performance but it's better as a historical document than as an album.

Jeg vet ikke om folk er den sjangeren som gir mest mening som konsert-CD. Om jeg skal gå for et live-opptak over studioversjonen, så er det gjerne for energien og jam band impro. Dylan spiller låtene bra, for all del, men jeg kan ikke se for meg at jeg noensinne kommer til å velge disse versjonene av Visions of Joanna, Desolation Row, eller Just Like a Woman over studioversjonene...? Om jeg stod i publikum ville det vært noe annet. Får en del mer edge så fort de skrur på strømmen, men de beste låtene er likevel i første halvdel. Ballad of a Thin Man og Like a Rolling Stone er går hardt da.

It's bobbyyy, it's pretty goood. The story of it is pretty interesting too. I love his studio albums much more though. Not the biggest fan of live albums in general, so it would be a solid 3 for me.

Great “electric” album from his bobness

Some of this is great. Some is not.

3 out of 5. My seventh and maybe last album of Dylan's on this journey. I will say after listening so far that I prefer him backed with electric guitars than acoustic. The second half of this album had me hooked much more than the first and it even sounds like it might have been a little fun being there.

A better listen than some of the other Dylan albums on here, but overstays its welcome

On nuo sanoitukset aika mielettömiä! Livetaltiointi oli vähän tukkoinen, mutta kannatti kuunnella.

Ei ole koskaan tää Dylan oikein lähtenyt vaikka tässä toteutuu moni asia mistä tykkään. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

En ole ikinä ollut fani vaikka Dylanin merkittävyyden kyllä tunnistankin.

Has more value as a compilation of Bob Dylan's best early output than a demonstration of live prowess. Dylan plays it straight on all of these performances which, while not bad, really adds nothing to the studio versions. Diehards will possibly get something out of this, but I'm not sure what is in it for the rest of us.

Hated the first half. Enjoyed the second half.

It’s fine, but unnecessary. I’ve already heard a lot of these songs already on the Dylan studio albums I’ve gotten for this project, and hearing them live didn’t really illuminate them in a new way, so it just kinda felt like a repeat.

I love Dylan's music and I love Dylan's message, but I really hate his voice.

Enjoyed the acoustic/electric different sets. Most of The Band is playing on the electric set, and they sound great. Bob is still a little grating, but overall this was pretty good. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again

5/10 It's a decent live album. Not sure why it had to be included in the book but at least I enjoyed the second half with the band. Really surprised that the audience preferred the acoustic half.

I get the Dylan thing but, to be frank, this live performance makes me think about how overwrought his music can be. I wanted to change it halfway through. Three stars is the Hal effect of his other work.

This is a decent live album. It's a good selection of tracks, played well. It does lack the energy and verve you might expect from a live album. But it's alright

I find it kind of odd that a bootleg album is included on a list like this, I really thought they would go for more "formal" release. But I guess this is the truest, rawest document of Dylan in his 60s heyday. And, having now heard the live version of probably the single most relentlessly acclaimed artist of the past 75 years.... I have to admit about half of this album is actually pretty good. None of the good parts are in the first half though because that's just Bob Dylan, whose voice is completely shot after a long tour, a guitar strumming the same 4 chords, and a harmonica that never shuts up. If he didn't overblow the harmonica here and there I would dismiss it as a cure for insomnia; really nothing memorable for me here. The second half is a different beast altogether. If you ask me, the second half should have been the entire album and my perception of this album would improve about tenfold. Dylan is backed by a full band there, and his biggest weaknesses - the repetitive song structures and his marmite voice - are compensated by the band improvising all over them. It's definitely the best possible way to breathe life into these songs. It's an infectiously jovial half too, and all the memorable highlights are found here. Among them are "Tell Me, Momma" and "Ballad of a Thin Man." I'm told the version of that latter song is among the best ever by some. This double live album is really a tale of 2 Dylans, and whatever brilliance the listener finds really depends on what they were looking for going into it, which is something you could say about Dylan as a whole. I was just looking to enjoy it, and this album succeeded about half the time.

Live albums are a strange one - if you were there they could be imbued with their own special attachment, if not their engagement varies wildly. One thing that strikes me about this is the loud, possibly even rapturous applause, but the lack of whooping, shouting out etc. which perhaps is a sign o the times, but sounds slightly odd - particularly as THAT moment isn't on the recording - are there different versions of the album? Aside from that it's Dylan doing Dylan. While I would never expect a reproduction of a studio recording, when the songs are so familiar some of the phrasing, particularly on Mr Tambourine Man, sounds slightly odd. As a capture of something which was surely special at the time it does what you would hope for but as something I want to return to regularly I'm not convinced.

Mellow. Many songs sounded the same. DNF

Songwriting 10/10

I like the harmonica parts. Solid album can’t go too wrong with the big BD.

A live recording of Dylan at this time is a gem, even for those that prefer his studio work. As divisive today as he was then, you either hear genius here or you hear a sub par singer that is overhyped and revered for unknown reasons. This probably won't change your opinions on the artist one way or the other, but it's fun to hear the acoustic versions of some of the post-folk era that were captured on the first set.

The first (folksy) half was Bob Dylan at his most nasally. if you are on the fence with regards to Dylan's singing, this acoustic set will firmly plant you in the "total bullshit" camp. And this is coming from a massive Dylan fan. I wasn't the biggest fan of the first half, but to be honest i've never been convinced that Dylan live was anything special (outside of the Rolling thunder Review tour) second (rock) half was better, but i guess ive always preferred Dylan's post "Like a Rolling Stone" stuff. Middle of the road album from a generational talent.

Side one really just sounds like the same thing over and over again. Open chord strumming, harmonica, and some guy moaning for 9 minutes (way too long). I am not really a lyrics guy, I'm sure they are great if you can understand him, but for me, if the music sounds boring no amount of story telling is going to save it. Why is this album so long... I think I've had 1 album under 80 minutes this week... Disc 2 is a lot more interesting, but by that point I reached my limit that I can handle of Bob Dylan and just zoned out. Mid 3.

Letzter Song ist natürlich bekannt, aber es war schon stellenweise eine Zumutung. Erste Hälfte schöner Akustik Sound, zweite Hälfte blankes Chaos 3 Sterne

mag Bob Dylan und auch viele seiner Lieder. Bin aber kein Fan von Liveübertragungen, besonders solche alten. Aber gute Lieder sind natürlich einige dabei.

ho sentito circa 1/3 dell’album, bello ma probabilmente non l’ho approfondito abbastanza

Dylan has an iconic reputation but a double album does soften the impact. It's wild that the second half of this where the band joined him was controversial. Important legacy in music and an album worth hearing but I doubt I'd come back to it.

I was not in the mood for this. I felt trapped listening to this for most of Disc 1, but I was able to relax and sink into Mr. Tamborine Man. One Too Many Mornings was a good song. It's nice that this kind of stuff exists for the fans, but I don't see this as a required listen.

Às letras são ótimas, só precisa gostar da voz, o que não é meu caso.

Somehow everything I do not like

Het begin moet je je echt doorheen vechten. B side nog wel wat vette nummers.

Bob Dylan is a legendary songwriter and with this skill he has been very influential. He also has a very distinctive sound which I like for one song but not for a whole album. Therefore I give it 3 stars.

Bobby Dylan, de man die mij aan alles kan laten twijfelen, mijn muzieksmaak, mijn pretenties, mijn hele bestaan. Hij is zo fucking goed maar toch haat ik hem de helft van de tijd vanuit het diepst in mijn hart. Wanneer hij met die jankstem zingt terwijl hij zijn veel te langgerekte mondharmonica solo’s begint, wil ik mezelf steken met een stabilo. Dan komt hij weer met de meest poëtische teksten en blues rock melodieën en ben ik een sicke fanboy. Er zijn er weinig die me van 1 naar 5 sterren laten switchen binnen 3 minuten. Album > live compilatie. Disc 2 >> Disc 1. 3 sterren voelt goed.

Need to revisit to give a proper chance. It’s Bob, but which Bob.

I know he’s an icon but I can never get over the cadence of his vocals, but it was still cool to hear everyone having a good time in the background - additionally the choice to leave the post-show music playing for a few seconds after he finished his set was so cool Playlist add: "Visions of Johanna - Live at Free Trade Hall, Manchester, UK, May 17, 1966"

Bag of cats live

Starting the morning with some 1 hour of acoustic Bob Dylan and shrieking low quality audio harmonica wasn't a very pleasant way to start my workday. I've come to realize I don't really care for most of his earlier stuff, exceptions notwithstanding. The second side made up a lot for it, sounds so ahead of its time! Not something I'd listen to again probably, I don't think these renditions really offer a better version of the songs than the originals.

Don’t hate me… but I liked it. Gritty instruments, and a Dylan that still tried to sing. Call me crazy, but 3.4

bob dylan can't sing. no bone in his body is vocally inclined, stop acting like he can.

Everything about Bob Dylan, I think, is for fans strictly, not for the casual listener. Having said this, I liked better the second part, with a more raw feel and full sound, pure energy and a great concert.

oldie sound, calm

Every songs are so similar, kind of boring

It's great to hear Dylan in his prime with just an acoustic guitar, you can hear the beauty of his lyrics and songs. Its basically "Blonde on Blonde" live. And then side 2 the band comes in and wakes you up. Interesting choice to have a live album on this list since you could choose so many from him and his different eras, but I really enjoyed it. Got a little long and started to feel like one continuous song so I bumped it to a 3.

You’d probably have to be a big Dylan fan to truly love this album

The singer starts out playing solo acoustic songs which are okay, but the second part of the show with the loud electric band is much more exciting. I liked the rock music better, even if the whole album is average.

Outside his big hits, I am not a big Dylan fan, so I rate this lower then most probably do, especially his fans.

While I love some of his classics, desolation row and like a rolling stone are awesome, after an hour and a half the nasal crooning does get to me. Still enjoyed this though.

Ja Dylan is best tof maar deze liveplaat is toch geen absolute must listen denk ik zo.

I was hoping I could hear the dissent in the audience, but I didn't get that.

That’s a lot of Bob. I’m sure it would have been a very unique and thing at the time. I respect the artistry, but I can appreciate Bob more in smaller doses, even more so in some of his collaborations. Probably could be a round up but it’s a solid 7/10 and not more so I’m rounding down due to length and annoyance. 3.5/5

Did I audibly groan when I saw a 1.5 hour Dylan album? Yes. Did the album displease me less than I thought? Yes. Did I chuckle to myself when the electric set started and I was like "ah, it's too loud!" Yes. This is a pretty neat musical artifact. Not sure I will revisit, but glad it exists. I could use less harmonica, though. 3.25/5

Great writing, hate his voice

I couldn't stop laughing at his enunciation at the start/end of each line

I'm a huge 60s-70s Dylan fan, so I was happy to see this album on my daily list. However, it feels like it drags for too long. The historical importance of this record does not fully justify its inclusion on this list. It was good, but not an essential album.

I wish i liked more of Dylan; I know he is a legend but after a few songs, I just can't

nick drake vibes

The second half was great! The first half was fine, and really enjoy a few of those songs but I’ve got a pretty low tolerance for harmonicas.

Поки це кращий досвід з Діланом. Навіть перша частина пройшла легше, ніж я думав. Але загальна думка все ще не змінилася.

In general, I don’t think live albums really have a place on this list, unless they are culturally relevant. First things first: if you don’t like Bob Dylan, you won’t like this. Even if you do like him, I’m not sure he’s a particularly strong live performer. And if you think he sounds bad on this album, well… just wait until you hear him today. So, it’s a live album that isn’t particularly good—why should it be on this list? I think it’s because this was a big deal when Dylan “went electric.” The fact that they had to edit out heckling and boos in the second part of the album tells you something. It marks a major shift in folk music culture -there’s a clear before and after Dylan’s electric era. So, enjoyment of the album: 2. Relevance to this list: 5.

canta como si estuviera resfriado te agarra deprimido y no la contas

Great recording

The audio was kinda bad. Kinda surprising considering it was a live recording from a concert in the 60s

Meh

Lots of good songs on here but I don’t like Bob Dylan’s voice very much. Some songs I didn’t mind it but for the most part I’d prefer covers from other artists

I know this record is a big deal, but have I told you yet how the harmonica blows? That's how real ear-piercing happens. Aside from that, Live 1966 is a fine double album from the guy who is either straining/pushing his vocals or is doing a Mr. Mumbling Man impression, even listening 60 years later. There are so many different aspects of Dylan I dislike when considered separately, and yet he's oddly compelling in aggregate. While I prefer it in smaller doses, there's a magic that's hard to deny.

*1966. *I dig Bob Dylan, but this is a lot of Dylan (90 minutes). *The harmonica is pretty harsh at times here, just because it's a live album. *Mr. Tamborine Man and Like a Rolling Stone are the only songs I know here. RATING - 6/10

disc 1: Not singing, big harmonica action (2/5) disc 2: Singing, actual melodic music (4/5)

Bob Dylan's concert on May 17th, 1966.

Judas guy needs his ears checked. The electric half of this album is way more compelling than the acoustic half.

A fine Bob Dylan album. I typically enjoy live albums more than most people, and I liked the acoustic and live sets, gave a bit of contrast.

Quite good.

Disc 1 great (if a lot of harmonica) most of disc 2 not my cuppa. But solid.

A game of two halves. A slow start saw Dylan bogged down by excessive harmonica that left the listener feeling, at times, like they were wading through treacle. After a half-time dressing down an electrified Dylan re-emerged for the second half and finally delivered on his promising potential.

Robin (Bob) Trevor Dylan was born in 1941 in Asbestos City, Michigan. His father, Alan, was a wooden spoon whittler, and his Mother, Karen, a homemaker and amateur magician. He had four (4) siblings none of whom liked him much. At the age of seven (7) his parents bought him a guitar as a bribe to try to stop his bedwetting. He took his first guitar lessons with Ms Nicespuds, a local eccentric operatic jazz folk visionary and cat lady. Bob was an enthusiastic musical student and loved to listen to the local radio stations, playing the old blues greats like Grits Magee, Ivor Biggun and Old ‘Deaf’ Tom Blackman. He played the local circuit where everyone said he had a bloody awful voice and sometimes smelt a bit musty. Unfazed, Bob became a professional misery and global megastar, famed for insightful political and cultural electric folk music, sung with a bloody awful voice. Honestly list, after whatever it is now, 5-6 Dylan albums, I have nothing sensible left to say.

An essential listen as a historical/ cultural artefact but I just didn’t find a lot of these versions/his delivery an enjoyable enough listen for a 4 or 5.

There are undeniably great songs here. I prefer folk Dylan, and this didn't change my mind. Side One - On the whole, I prefer the studio versions. There are some great moments (the harmonica on Mr Tambourine Man), but he sounds bored of singing the songs at times (also Mr Tambourine Man). Side Two - Again, great songs, but I don't think his rock arrangements are very interesting, and it drags. 6.7

I find the second half of the album significantly better than the first, but I must admit: I'm not the biggest fan of Bob Dylan's singing voice. ESPECIALLY in the first half where that's pretty much the only thing going on. Hopefully you and I can meet again on better terms, Mr. Dylan. But I don't think this was a great pick for my first Bob Dylan album.

I go back and forth on liking Bob Dylan and also back and forth on liking live albums. But in this instance, I like this for both reasons.

557/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Dommage c un album live...

The second half was way better than the first, and the harmonica was a little hard to listen to in some songs.

I love it when he sings, "How does it feeeeeeeel?"

This is a historic document, the point at which Dylan casts off the shackles. But I’ll be honest the first disc is pretty much what people who don’t like Dylan imagine Dylan sounds like. The words are perfect but it’s all a bit wheezy. The second disc is where it’s stronger for me. Squally and electric in more than one way

This reinforces that apart from a few hits I like electric Dylan more than acoustic Dylan. The second disc in particular was enjoyable, but I can't imagine myself coming back to it.

I understand the historic value here, but I don’t think this is Dylan‘s best work by any means.

This was really like two separate albums. The first disc was very spare and bare bones, and I had come to accept that Dylan's appeal was the poetry, never mind the music and vocals. The second disc was a sea change, with richer music, far more listenable and enjoyable. On its own, I might have given a 4, but the first disc is only for the true believers, so it's a 3.

it was good, but I’m sick of live albums being on here

= the Beatles Some of this is great. Some boring

Ok but I'm not sure that I needed more Dylan in my day.

Contrary to the audience, I preferred side 2 over side 1.

One can only take so much Dylan...and I think I've reached my limit.

Living legends are rare. I can imagine it was fantastic to attend this concert.

Am interesting historical document, sure. Doesn't make it a very enjoyable listen. The sound quality varies, the music is monotonous, even in the band section.

It was inevitable that I got another Bob Dylan album. I think Dylan's good, but not so awesome that he deserves 7 albums on this list. "Live 1966" is one of those live albums that sounded a bit better if you were there. The harmonica bits on it, as usual, annoy me. Sometimes, I wonder how the "Judas" guy is doing, if he's still alive. 3 stars for "Live 1966".

Él no me cae bien pero hay que admitir que es un gran album. Un poco largo tho

Maybe the ultimate game of two halves. Iconic event(s) in music history? Sure. Fun to listen to? Not entirely. I can see why Dylan would have been keen to stir things up and break away from the acoustic mould. Wouldn't be entirely surprised if we discovered the "Judas" incident was planned. All the same, this must have been an incredible few shows to witness.

boring as shit

För lång. Jag kan inte lyssna på BD utan att höra sången som om han gör parodi på sig själv. Det är överlag för likt, det är ingen stor variation. Och då är det ändå ett dibbelallbum. Det är förstås inte dåligt. Men när jag i mitt inre helst vill sluta lyssna och känner att jag skulle klara mig utan BD i största allmänhet kan det inte bli mer än 3.

För att ett livealbum ska förtjäna ett högt betyg på den här listan och i relation till vanliga album, så tycker jag att det måste vara en spelning där livekänslan verkligen tillför en ytterligare dimension. Så är inte fallet här, så kan inte bli mer än en trea även om många låtar är bra.

I don't think I've ever felt betrayed by an artist when they tried something new with their sound. Either I accepted it, or moved on. Reading about the pushback the Dylan recieved for going electric is crazy to me. The second part of this set where he brings in the rock aspect over the folk isn't jarring, it's just growing.

Just not a big fan of dylan. Still, some nice songs

ok cool

It's a fine live performance. Disc 2 is much more worthy of being recorded for this format than disc 1, but either way for recorded material I don't much care for putting live shows in the same conversation as studio recordings. If I'm being forced to then these songs are just fine in comparison. Would have been elevated a lot to have experienced it with the audience. Similar (in an opposite way) to how studio recordings don't do much for an audience in front of an empty stage. I don't love the free time signature during much of what disc 1 has to offer, it's makes it very hard to feel the groove. The backbone of the percussion on disc 2 with the full band recordings make the performance so much more enjoyable. The mix is good for what it is as well. Ultimately it is largely well performed and sounds good 2.8/5

tweede helft was beter dan eerste... blijft wel overeind

I think the album is more historical significant than an amazing live album.

not really my thing but enjoyed a couple of these! such clean recording for a live album. but also they all sound pretty much the same to me lol. but yeah, i can appreciate it

Overall: 6/10 This is honestly a pretty good recording for a bootleg. Dylan's voice is out of this world on this thing, and I really enjoyed hearing the stripped down versions of rock songs and vice versa. It'd probably get a higher rating from me if it wasn't a live album honestly. Fav Song: Mr. Tambourine Man

Like it 3/5

just lowkey boring

Liked the acoustic half. Loved the electric half. One of my favourite moments of any documentary is watching everyone come out of Sheffield town hall complaining about how shit Bob Dylan is live. What a guy.

Pivotal years for Dylan as he goes electric. That being said this bootlegger went on a tad too long and I really don’t think he sounded his best. It was an average listen

Loved the artifacts and true live experience (been a while since we have had a non-Jonny Cash live album). The music is great period My main knock is that Dylan’s music requires so much attention and this is so long. I dont know when Id ever intentionally put this on for myself… maybe never?

The electric side rules

Not my favorite Dylan album. The guitars were too upfront and loud for his voice and the Dylan accent at the end of each phrase wore on me a bit.

A good live album. Actually recorded at the Free Trade Hall Manchester. Historicly interesting.

Could not hear the heckling, kind of a letdown

I know he's a legend, and this is peak Dylan, great production value, but all I ever hear when I listen to him is caterwauling

I don’t Bob Dylan but I can get tired of him quickly. This was a lot of Bob Dylan and it did eventually get grating. Everything else was solid, especially when the band kicks in.

In so far as Bob Dylan albums, this was one. The production quality was great. His performance was good. The idea of one man on the stage with his guitar and a vision of how he saw the world was intriguing . Overall, I don’t have much opinion on this album. It is mellow, meditative, just there. Hearing him live does give me perspective on what it must’ve been like back in the 1960s when America was completely falling apart and he offered a voice of reason to the madness. Overall, it’s a good album, but I’m not sure it offered me anything that I hadn’t already heard from Bob Dylan before.

If I had been at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester for this show, instead of yelling "Judas!" during the electric set, I would've yelled, "FINALLY!" Because the electric stuff is so much more interesting to me—but that's still not saying much, because Dylan's music doesn't do a whole lot for me in general. (The Band does a LOT of heavy lifting, as far as I'm concerned.) That said, this is an important document of music history, and I appreciate it even if it's not my thing.

This has been a lot of Bob Dylan on this list and I assume that won't be changing. I just feel like Springsteen gives you everything Dylan does but with better singing, better songs, and a better band, but I do realize Springsteen wasn't around in 1966. An interesting historical album though.

I’m as big of a Dylan fan as they come but I’m not sure this belongs on the list. It’s good and historically important but I’d prefer another studio album.

Hey Mr Harmonica Man, stop playing songs for me.

This was much more audible and understandable than I thought it was going to be. I liked it, but I don't know if there's a little bit of bias because I liked the movie so much. Something so peaceful about his music... The harmonica can be a little bit grating after a while though, which would take me out of the peace.

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background While an important document for understanding Dylan's career trajectory, I'd be hard pressed to call this an album you must hear before you die. Additional bummer that the version I've heard on streaming services cut out the Bob Dylan / audience interplay....what's the point of this recording without it? Highly recommend tracking down the CD if this interests you.

Musically a 4, vocal an -1 Electric Set > Acoustic Set.

Didn’t much care for Bob Dylan back in the day but he’s grown on me over time. The songs on this album are all well known and some are classics. The problem I have with it is that the album lives up to its name and like a bootleg from these times it cannot escape from the poor source used to record the gig. For me to enjoy an album one of the main things is that it should have exceptional sound quality. So despite liking the songs this album is spoilt by poor audio quality. For quite a few reasons the album is a significant release and I’m glad it was ‘recorded’ for posterity but as an album to sit and listen to it really is hard work on the ears. 3/5 15/12/25

I don't listen to much Bob Dylan but I like his songwriting and I know how hugely influential he was in the US. 1966 was probably my favourite Dylan era. He went more electric which I liked. However I am not a fan of his nasal voice, and it's distracting a bit. Overall it's good and an important piece of history.

Always found his vocals very odd. Was alright as an album

Only for the Bob Dylan completist. This is Bob. It’s a good show. Is this the best way to listen to this music? Probably not.

This is my third Bob Dylan album of this challenge so far and it’s a bit of a weird one – it was released after all of his other Book Albums, but was recorded a month before Blonde on Blonde came out (despite featuring live versions of several songs from that LP) and it wasn’t actually recorded at the Royal Albert Hall as the title implies. That said, I honestly don’t have a ton to say about Live 1966. It’s a decent live album and I like how much its sound shifts from disc to disc, but I wouldn’t exactly call it “essential listening.” I guess it’s also cool to hear Bob doing his thing in a live setting and coming across pretty much identical to the way he sounds in his studio recordings (not that I found that particularly surprising). Despite the occasionally awkward cuts and mixing on the second disc, listening to him perform with the Hawks actually has me quite excited to eventually hear a full-on rock album from him (assuming such a thing exists)! Bob Dylan’s voice over rowdy electric instruments just tickles my brain in a completely new way. Highlights: Fourth Time Around, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue, Mr. Tambourine Man, Tell Me Momma, I Don’t Believe You, Baby Let Me Follow You Down, Ballad of a Thin Man

что-то как-то совсем не интересно....

I realize Dylan is an important figure in music history. I just think that on a list where some important genres and artists are massively under represented, we probably don't need a Bob Dylan bootleg. This is interesting from a historical standpoint and is overall a fine performance, but Bob Dylans folk to rock evolution is already represented by albums of his on this list. At least I got to annoy my wife with my Dylan impression all day.

The album offers both some of the thrills and the challenges of a live recording. As for the thrills, it’s the closest we’ll ever get to being there—at the point when Dylan enraged some parts of the folk community by electrifying. How silly that controversy seems now. In fact, the electrified offerings here are far more listenable, if only because they deterred Dylan from leaning so hard on the dang harmonica. Put down the harmonica, Bob!

A kind of weird album to listen to. Feel like it has more value as a snapshot of an important moment in music history rather than something to actually listen to on its own merit. There are plenty of classic songs on the setlist here, but some of them sound a fair bit off from their respective studio versions. Like a Rolling Stone, in particular, sounds like someone doing a wacky Dylan impression rather than the man himself. That's what happens with live albums though, and it's why I generally don't care for them. Favourite tracks: It's All Over Now Baby Blue, Mr. Tambourine Man, Baby Let Me Follow You Down

I'm not a folk guy in general and I'm not a Dylan guy in specific. The acoustic set (Disc 1) did very little for me. "Visions of Johanna" is a lovely song. The rest of it, while it had that grating Dylan-nasal sound, was fine. It wasn't *good* but I could deal with it. The electric set, however, was really damn good! I credit The Band with this as much as Dylan. He can write a good song, sung in his imitable and irritating manner. That alone doesn't do much for me. In a live, freewheeling environment, with Robbie Robertson going off and singing backup though? That bops. Wouldn't have thought it, but it does. Highlights: "Visions of Johanna" (when grading on a curve); "Tell Me, Momma"; "Leopard-Skin-Pill-Box-Hat"; "One Too Many Mornings". "Like a Rolling Stone" seems overwrought here, but I can't decide whether I really liked it or not.

It was fun to hear different versions than I'm used to but I got overwhelmed by indulgent harmonica solos by Disc 2.

Beefy album, way too much Dylan for me. I enjoyed this one for the most part. Nobody is droppin' bars quite like Bob Dylan. The two disks really felt like I was listening to 2 really long songs. The harmonica almost got me to rage quit in the first half ngl. It definitely was a better live album experience than the James Brown album be I still think I would preferred something else.

I can’t keep living a lie. I have to admit it… I do not care for Bob Dylan’s voice. The iconic harmonica, the guitar, the whole band, all of it is amazing. As far as the live setting goes, it appears to have the sauce. I’m sure it would’ve been an amazing concert to witness. The only problem is that I just can’t listen to his voice for more than 2 or 3 songs before needing a break. I wish that I could hack it, because his influence speaks for itself. 2.5-3

I’m usually lukewarm about Bob Dylan, but moments in this one brightened my perspective. This was my introduction to the richness of Desolation Row, I liked the harmonica solos, and appreciated the double feature of acoustic + electric sets. And you know, the departure from the acoustic sound was jarring for me too, a person in 2025 listening on AirPods while doing chores. That unfiltered, storytelling quality of the first half was special. Second half was grittier and more diverse, but sounded kinda messy and the lyrical content could get lost. #freekeith?

hmmmm einehalb stund bob dylan nimmt mich denn sehr wunder wie s zweite set isch ich weiss me lost de bob dylan nöd weg sinere stimm aber für mich bringt sie eifach wenig emotione übere? jz sinds na brav am klatsche tuter lisple? oder isch das weg de uufnahm? muss "leider" sege, dassmer d lieder mite band schochli besser gfallet (au wenns chli weniger speziell isch?) ja guet blues isch halt schwierig zum nöd gern haa aber es passt nöd so ganz zu ihm? hmm okay chegge scho, wennd wetsch de bob dylan gseh, erhoffschder vlt nöd ganz das? hends d buu-ruef eifach ussegschnitte?? das isch mega lame, das hett ich glaub fast s spannendste gfunde hahahaha ballad of a thin man very cool

Bob Dylan isn’t really the type of artist for whom live albums really get the point across.

I'm not sure how to evaluate a live album. The setlist? The vibes? This is some vintage Dylan. Just the man and his guitar. My aunts and uncles like to opine about how boring Dylan is live, having seen him a few times around LA in the 70s and 80s. I guess it's the die-hard folkheads, the ones that would later start frothing and rending their clothes if he dared to plug in an instrument, that hang on two hours of poetry and acousic strumming. The set starts soft with She Belngs to Me, Fourth Time Around, and Visions of Johanna. All songs I've never really listened to, but that seem to be melancholies about the women in his life. Visions is quite long and meandering. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue shines a little more, with those dripping harmonica rejoinders. About halfway through Desolation Row I'd probably be going for another tall beer. They were probably like 75 cents. By Mr. Tambourine Man, current me would probably have gotten my fix and left to go see the Stones. But if I was a 1966 folker? Maybe it's a transcendent 5/5 set?

The first half is boring to me. I get that Bob Dylan is like the greatest song writer ever, but the instrumentals and vocals leave a lot to be desired. That harmonica too… the second half picks up a lot with the rest of the band but I still really just don’t like Bob’s voice. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat is a banger though.

Eh.

Disc 1: I very much respect his contribution to folk music, but I have a hard time getting past Dylan's vocal style. Even beyond that, this particular album strikes me as fairly dull, although I'm sure I'm missing much of the allure by not paying attention to the lyrics. The harmonica parts are hit-and-miss. Disc 2: I didn't love it, but this was at least interesting. Kinda has the feel of an early jam band.

Ég varð fyrir vonbrigðum. Platan hefur væntanlega sagnfræðilegt gildi um það þegar Dylan fór í rafmagnið, en það er búið að gera margar myndir og þætti um það. Órafmagnaði hlutinn fannst mér beinlínis leiðinlegur. Svo augljóst að hann nennti ekki þessu acoustic dæmi og eyðilagði hreinlega góð lög. Rafmagnaði hlutinn hressari og nokkur frábær Dylan lög, en inn á milli bara boring.

GOOD - 7

Un set de canciones que explican maravillosamente la controversia del cambio de genero de Dylan, dándole al público lo que quiere al principio con canciones cálidas, sentidas, muy metido en el folk, y un silencio no tan obvio pero más incomodo con el cambio de album. Las versiones de este live no son mis favoritas, y me parece que todas las canciones duran 2m mas de lo que deberian. Me gusto mas la parte de rock pero las canciones me sonaban un poco iguales entre ellas. De tooooodo lo que tiene Dylan, el esencial no creo que sea un live, ya que sus canciones no se lucen igual. Si lo puso por la polaridad de géneros ahí si que lo entendería. Favs: It's All Over Now Baby Blue, Mr Tambourine Man, One Too Many Mornings, Ballad of a Thin Man, Like a Rolling Stone

Most of you don't know the value of waking up and getting ready in the morning to a Bob Dylan album and it shows That being said there isn't too much value in it

Not bad for Bob Dylan. Not exactly good, though.

My first thought was, "really?". He has enough albums on here already, it's got half his greatest hits and it's live. I saw him live 40 yrs later and couldn't wait for the show to end. He turned "All Along The Watchtower" into a garbled mess that I didn't recognize until 4 minutes in. He made a few songs into show tunes complete with top hat. I've never seen a crowd stream for the exits and I've been to 300+ concerts. My Bob Live experience was a poor one so I go into this with low expectations. 15 Dylan songs back to back, that's a lot of Bob. He was much folkier at this point in his career. Disc One is a slog and all sounds the same. The energy was not in the room. Disc Two was built to shock an audience of folksters, he plugged in and they didn't know what hit 'em! It's like he went electric just to shock them awake. Again, all the songs sound the same on side two. Two different shows, two sounds, neither compelling. I got my harmonica fix for the next 5 years! This album made the list because he's a great writer of songs, not for the actual performance which is uniform and without any highs. I wouldn't have been sure when one song ended and the next began if it weren't for the clapping in between. This rendition of "Mr. Tamborine Man", which I've known since I was a child, brought back memories of my horrible concert experience since the melody wasn't on point and wandered. The one highlight was the guitar work on "One Too Many Mornings". I did appreciate the final track, "Like A Rolling Stone", it had the energy the rest of the show lacked. BORING, slow, more boring and lacking any real wow moments. I don't think I could handle a show this mellow, I envision everyone was seated, wearing a dark suit, horn rimmed glasses and fedoras...clapping politely.

I like folk and the others influences this album’s got, but I hadn’t such a special connection with record 1, except for Mr Tambourine Man. It’s quite a monotonous style to me. By the other hand, in record 2 I TRULLY felt myself with Tell Me Momma, and all the consequent songs. I believe listening to it again will make me enjoy and understand it a lot more, even the parts I didn’t connect too well with. It’s more like from the effect of being not exposed to the artist enough, Bob Dylan is not in my main listenings haha Nice experience to start. But not the best.

Don't really like live albums but it was a good listen

While I enjoy the songs in general, not really an album I enjoy listening to all the way through. More enjoyable mixed in with other stuff.

Music historians love to talk about three big events that melted people’s minds: Elvis Presley gyrating his hips on The Milton Berle Show in 1956, The Beatles playing The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and Bob Dylan plugging in an electric guitar in 1965. Oh, and Woodstock in 1969, I guess, but there seems to be considerably less hand-wringing about that. Like his shows from this time, this record is split into two sections: Disc 1: classic Bob sitting on a chair playing guitar and harmonica, and Disc 2: Electric Bobaloo. I think it’s important to note that electric instruments didn’t just change the musical delivery, they completely changed the sound. Disc 2 is very much a blues/folk rock record, and it’s understandable that people who like Chair Bob would resist Electric Bob. My hot take is that Electric Bob is the better Bob; all that extra noise really helps mask his objectively-not-great singing voice and adds some much needed flair. Again, plenty of people didn’t want that, and they showed up to the concerts to boo and cry about it. I’ve never really been a Dylan fan (of any era), and I can’t listen to Bob without hearing Dana Carvey’s SNL impression. But I actually enjoyed Electric Bobaloo, and the back-end of Disc 1 (from “Desolation Row” on).

It's telling how many of the reviews here bemoan that the version they listened to edited out the 'Judas' moment, or describe this as a 'document' - this is one of those situations where cultural significance overwhelms the actual artefact itself. But this is about albums. I was a little apprehensive about listening to this one - an hour and a half of Bob Dylan live? Thankfully it's less gruelling than I expected. The sound quality is surprisingly good for a start. The lyrics, obviously, are the main draw - although they do verge into what feels a little like self-parody in places (like Desolation Row), and it's unclear if there's always a coherent thought behind them, but that's part of the fun. The music? Not so much. That 'voice like sand and glue' gets a little tiring to listen to, the music can be samey, and the harmonica is just ridiculous in places. Part two livens things up with the controversial band, but is somehow less than the sum of it's parts. The musicians are clearly on fire, but there's not much to distinguish one song from the next and a little more light and shade would be nice. An interesting listen, but not one I'm likely to repeat.

Can Bob Dylan leave me alone for one second

The first half was classic Bob Dylan (that I would not really consider pleasant to listen!) I did enjoy the second half much more as it included electric guitar and blues vibes.

Enjoyed the acoustic side more than the electric.

I feel like the electric side has way more energy than the acoustic side.

It's two Bob Dyland sounds, acoustic with a bit of harmonica, and the second half is backed with his band the Hawks. I wasn't expecting them to be so good, granted the only other Dylan record I've listened to is The Free Wheelin' Bob Dylan which felt like a dramatization of the first half of this concert. The Hawks feel ahead of the time, but a bit behind modern day, so today in 2025 it's listenable, it's impressive, but the entire effort only really stands out because of Bob Dylan's penmanship. I think this is a good record for those who are already fans. Otherwise, so many stretched out tracks kind of gnaw at me. It feels bad to ask an acknowledged genius to hurry tf up, but it's the feeling I got. 2.8/5

This is one of the most frustrating Dylan albums I’ve heard. Normally I’m quite tolerant of his unconventional vocals. They usually work. But for some reason, I found them exceptionally grating in this performance. 2.5* rounding up because he’s still Dylan.

I was at a wrestling show years ago where the bad guy wrestlers were giving everyone the middle finger as was the style. And my non-wrestling fan friend was there too and pointed out how silly it was for grown men to do that, and I’ve never been able to look at them doing it the same. I feel like A Complete Unknown acted as my friend here, pointing out it’s quite a silly voice and persona and as such I found this album hard to take seriously.

3.5 enjoyable, but if you listen to Dylan early in the morning you would swear he placed the bagpipes.

This was the 4th or 5th Dylan album I've been served up. It was easily the best of the lot. The second part, with the band, was so much better than anything else of his I've had to listen to. I'm still a long way from being a Dylan worshipper, but I was expecting to hate his music and I've not had that feeling at all.

Interesting to learn why this was referred to as the "Royal Albert Hall" concert. Slightly too long, and we always have our thoughts about life albums, but we enjoyed this regardless.

Not really my vibe

Someone must be listening. Just a couple days ago I predicted there’d be a Dylan album on this list that wouldn’t deserve a 5-star rating, and here it is! Okay so all the songs are great, obviously. I actually love the way he sings on the acoustic half, and I like his harmonica playing better when live than on the albums. The electric portion is dynamic and energetic. But based on this one taste, I prefer studio Dylan over live Dylan. I judge the studio albums primarily on the strength of the songs, lyrics, tracklisting, etc. I can’t do the same for live albums since these are just different performances of songs that exist on the albums. That leaves me to judge this album only on the strength of the performance, set list, energy, recording. And those things are all pretty good. It’s fun to hear the history of this moment. But this does not, and maybe cannot, bowl me over the way one of his studio albums can.

Fine. Pretty emotional, but I've never been keen on his vocals

I hadn't heard a lot of these songs, and some of the ones I did know where reiminagined in this performance, so it makes for a unique listen. I'm not always a fan of live albums for the most part, but this is a solid performance, right at the beginning of Dylan's electric period. Apparently there was heckling going on here, though they must have edited that out, because I didn't hear it. The beginning acoustic part definitely sounds more intimite. Not sure this is as important an album as the Newport folk festival performance but I guess that one wasn't released as an album. 3/5

For a song about a man with a tambourine, there's an awful lot of harmonica.

A really good live album that features acoustic and electric Dylan, side-by-side. Some of the tracks (eg, Visions of Johanna) are amazing. On other tracks (eg, Mr Tambourine Man), Dylan’s lyrical delivery is like every parody of his delivery. He is certainly a lyrical and musical savant, and he gives a great performance here; but he also displays his main weakness— he really has no idea where to put the emPHAsis on his lyrics. Recalls the scene from the documentary about the making of “We are the World,” in which Stevie Wonder shows a confused Bib Dylan how Bob Dylan woukd sing his assigned lyric. This is a provisional 3; could be a four on another listen, if I decide the gems here outweigh Dylan’s awkwardness vocally.

Tuo Bob Dylanin laulutyyli on kyllä niin erikoinen miten se vääntää tuota melodiaa. Ja ohan se hyvä soittaa tuota huuliharppuakin. Alkukeikan Bob veti yksin, toisella puolella bändi tuli mukaan. Hyvä, sillä jos koko levy olisi ollut täysin akustinen niin se olisi käynyt aika pitkästyttäväksi. Parhaat: Just Like a Woman, Mr. Tambourine Man, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues

Funny voice on this guy. I completely don’t know him, by the way

The second half of the concert was way better than the first half. Bob Dylan is a great songwriter but he needs a full band like The Hawks (The Band) to accompany him.

3 stars I generally don’t like live albums. And this is a bootleg to boot! But the recording was better than I had anticipated. I can see why people like this so much, but to me it is long and not really what I would want to listen to in hearing Dylan. It’s a nice document of the time, but i wouldn’t consider it a top album.

-i’m afraid i’ll just never really be able to get too into Bob Dylan. none of his work is “bad” but it just does nothing for me. very light 3 stars honestly -apparently the second half had the audience jeering and heckling? that would have been interesting to hear. although i actually liked the second half better, it kinda made the album for me -Favorites are I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) and Baby, Let Me Follow You Down

Sure. Bob Dylan. Live. At Royal Albert. Meh. Next.

I love Dyland but I'm not sure this really needed to be on the list. He's not bad as a live performer but his genius is mainly in his writing. I suppose it's interesting in terms of the history of his style as he switches to a full rock band halfway through the set, but as a live album I don't think it adds much to the recordings.

Second half is much better, 6/10

Dated.

Bob doesn't play gigs like this anymore.

Disc two is much more interesting and fun. Really like Baby Let me follow you down.

Version on Spotify didn’t include play it fuckin loud -_- still great live album! But missing some of the boos and jeers that I’ve heard make this one so famous

Pretty good - definitely picked up in the second half

The background about this album is fascinating, so it was good to listen through knowing the controversies and the way the audience reacted. It's a sort of window into mid-60s culture and the changes happening at that time. As to the sound itself, it's all solid early Dylan. The acoustic set is pleading and folky, while the electric set is raucous. I do think I would've been better served listening to the album in pieces rather than straight through, as at some point I got a bit tired of it.

It's Bob Dylan, so of course it's good. Some tracks have a great live composition, but if this is the most essential Bob Dylan live performance then I'm disappointed.

Love the 2nd disk, the more folk is not my thing

6/10 Bob Dylan sang some songs. Good for him 7-24-2025

Fairly pedestrian folk performance, livens up considerably on the second disc 😉

Apparently this is one of the most bootlegged performances of all time, and is considered wildly influential. I respect it for its place in history, and even enjoy some of the cuts on here, but I'd be lying if I said I was over the moon for it. Maybe I'm just not a big enough Dylan fan to love it that way.

Bra, inte så spännande dylan-låtar