Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

The night Bob Dylan let his music do the talking at his ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ Aberdeen gig

Bob Dylan, who performed at the AECC in Aberdeen in 2000, loves the work of Robert Burns.
Bob Dylan, who performed at the AECC in Aberdeen in 2000, loves the work of Robert Burns.

If there were ever a gig that could truly be described as “once-in-a-lifetime” it was the night 20 years ago that Bob Dylan played Aberdeen for the first and, so far, only time.

On September 16 2000, the bona fide music legend took to the stage of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, ending a 40-year wait for his north-east fans to see the troubadour in person.

It was a concert that bosses at the AECC had fought tooth and nail to make a reality.

Folk legend Bob Dylan performed in Aberdeen in 2000.

In fact, when managing director of the AECC, Clarke Milloy, announced the date three months before, he said the centre was more than a little excited after a 12-year struggle to bring this star to the fans of the north-east.

And, according to reviews and fan reaction of the day, the hard work of the venue and the patience of Dylan devotees was worth it.

The gig saw a sell-out audience of 6,500 – teenagers mingling with grandparents – thrilled by Dylan’s set. Little wonder as it saw the relaxed – if not overly chatty – singer-songwriter performing a 19-song set of numbers that spanned his then 40-year-career.

From The Times They Are A-Changing to Things Have Changed (the song Dylan wrote for the film The Wonder Boys) the audience lapped it up.

It was an ever-shifting banquet of mood and rhythm, from ballads like Boots Of Spanish Leather to blistering blues numbers like Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat. All of it kept the audience rapt and shouting for more.

One fan, Douglas Forrest, from Huntly, was quoted by the P&J as saying: “It was a fantastic performance and everyone here tonight seemed to be impressed.”

Aberdeen fan Gavin Craig told the paper: “A top-class performance from the main man.

“He’s still out there doing his thing and he always puts a new twist on old songs.”

Bob Dylan.

Ken Dickson, from Perth, added his praise, saying: “He was in great voice and seemed to be really enjoying himself – definitely a night to remember.”

Meanwhile, IP Newton of Tillydrone proved himself to be a superfan by writing to the Evening Express a few days later to add his accolades.

”When he played Aberdeen for the first time … Bob Dylan showed us all why he is unparalleled in rock with a blistering, rip-roaring performance which left a packed arena screaming and stomping for more.

“A glance around the crowd at the AECC was proof of his wide-ranging popularity.

“There were the die-hard Dylanologists who follow him everywhere; teenagers who danced the night away; their parents and grandparents and the ageing hippies who have hung on his every word since the early 60s.

Bob Dylan in the 60s when he was a global phenomenon.

“He gave rock music a voice and here he was nearly four decades later rocking with the energy and passion of a man half his age.

“The crowd loved it and Dylan knew it. Come back again Bob, only this time, don’t leave it so long.”

Which was pretty good going for a man who was then almost in his 60s and had recently faced more than his fair share of heart problems.

It wasn’t just the fans who raved about the gig, 20 years ago.

P&J reviewer Nathaniel Anderson wrote:  “The Aberdeen concert proved that over a decade of constant performing which started with the Never Ending Tour, in 1988, had not diminished his energy or desire for live performance – he certainly looked to be enjoying the gig.”

Bob Dylan has stood the test of time.

And he added: “Now almost 60, the shakes and shifts of the great man as he stood almost to attention in his riverboat gambler suit during the lengthy ovation at the concert’s end, as if loosening the stiffness of tired limbs, were the only visible sign that he was feeling his years.”

Meanwhile, Evening Express reviewer Chris O’Reilly was equally enthusiastic.

“Dressed like a latter-day Hank Williams, Bob, cool as you like, meandered through the back pages of his 40-year career without breaking sweat, pausing only to introduce his side men and murmuring the occasional thank you.

Bob Dylan’s concert at the AECC in Aberdeen took place 20 years ago.

“A capacity crowd lapped it up as the old troubadour, switching between acoustic and electric guitars, took us all on a journey from the stark Desolation Row to the mighty Highway 61 Revisited.

“Recent heart surgery may have left him a little fragile, but this was a powerful show nonetheless.”


Still rolling after all these years

Dylan’s 2020 gig was part of what is dubbed The Never Ending Tour, so called because of his endless touring schedule that began on June 7 1988.

Bob Dylan performing with Mick Jagger in 1988.

Over the years various band members and musicians have come and gone, but Dylan has been a constant. His life on the road was only interrupted by his heart scare in 1997 and this year saw him cancel dates in the Japan and US due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His is an astonishing musical career, starting with his first album in 1962, of traditional folk songs. His breakthrough came the following year with The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, including Blowin’ In The Wind and A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall, the first of many tunes to become anthems for the civil rights and anti-war movements of the period.

Dylan as he was in 1965.

But 55 years ago he went down in cultural and social history when he played his first electrified performance at the Newport Folk Festival, breaking away from his acoustic roots. When he took to the stage and played Like A Rolling Stone with a Fender Stratocaster, he was booed and heckled and greeted with derision.

Many historians have argued the moment Dylan switched from folk to rock ‘n’ roll represents a bigger cultural transformation of the mid-60s Americas away from the more innocent days towards the decade’s more decadent and troubled end.

But by the time he reached Aberdeen, all was forgiven and Dylan had taken on the mantle of a legendary musician.

He is, of course, still building that legacy.

Bob Dylan released his latest album in June.

His 39th album Rough And Rowdy Ways, was released in June and went to the top of the chart after being greeted with critical praise, including calling it a “masterpiece”.

And, with Dylan still on his Never Ending Tour – hopefully resuming once Covid-19 is over – there is still a chance the plea in IP Newton’s letter of 20 years ago could be eventually answered.


The music stays the same…

Here’s what Bob Dylan played at that memorable gig at the AECC 20 years ago.

Bob Dylan performing at the AECC in 2000.

Hallelujah I’m Ready

The Times They Are A-Changin’

Desolation Row

Boots of Spanish Leather

Tangled Up in Blue

Searching for a Soldier’s Grave (The Anglin Twins (Jack and Jim) cover) (Acoustic)

Country Pie

Under the Red Sky

All Along the Watchtower

Not Dark Yet

Cold Irons Bound

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

Encore:

Things Have Changed

Like a Rolling Stone

Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

Highway 61 Revisited

Blowin’ in the Wind

Cat’s in the Well

Forever Young