Dylan Cover #748 Dolbro Dan - "The Ballad of Hollis Brown" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Dolbro Dan doing "The Ballad of Hollis Brown"

Thoughts on Dylan Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
One of the most bleak and powerful songs of Dylan's strongest period, "The Ballad of Hollis Brown" is like the mentioned shotgun blast and story told to the listener; fierce.  Instantly a kinship is felt with the central character and as the situation becomes more direr, horrific and finally (somehow) hope creeps in.  The last lines are some of Dylan's best as the murder happens and yet optimism or at least irony flows through via "There's Seven New People Born"...The wheel keeps on a'spinnin'.    

Cover:


Thoughts of Cover Artist:
This is our first time hearing Dolbro Dan who is an alternative folk singer/songwriter from Northern Ireland

Thoughts on Cover:

An acoustic, straight ahead cover that keeps the ominous feeling and bleakness of the original. A well done cover. 

Dylan Cover #746 Eric Sheppard "Spanish Harlem Incident" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Eric Sheppard of the Dylan tune "Spanish Harlem Incident"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
Easily one of my favorite early songs of Dylan's career, I love the sing-song playing of this tune and it's hints of his musical repertoire opening up.  "OnTheCliffsOfYourWildCatCharmsI'mRiding" combined is such a sweet phrase and how he strung it out it is fantastic.  You can see a young Bob becoming infatuated with a woman he saw, being inspired to write a tune that is filled with primal lust and sexiness.  A song I have always wanted to learn to play and cover...but that is for another post...    

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is the first time we are checking out Eric Sheppard. He is a Cincinnati, OH based singer/songwriter.

Thoughts on Cover:

A fun straight-ahead, acoustic cover which proves that Sheppard is an excellent vocalist and interpreter of Dylan's tunes. 

Full Show Friday: Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged 1996

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Alice in Chains!

Some months our Full Show Friday's will have a special focus on specific artists, years, venues, tv shows, festivals or some combo of it all. 

This months Full Show Friday Series focuses on concerts from MTV's Unplugged Series.

Dylan Cover #745 J.D. Delves "One More Cup of Coffee" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by J.D. Delves playing "One More Cup of Coffee"

Full Show Friday: Shakira - MTV Unplugged 1999

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Shakira!

Some months our Full Show Friday's will have a special focus on specific artists, years, venues, tv shows, festivals or some combo of it all. 

This months Full Show Friday Series focuses on concerts from MTV's Unplugged Series.

Dylan Cover #744 Jason Herr "Buckets of Rain" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Jason Herr playing "Buckets of Rain"

Thoughts on Original:
From our first take on a cover of this tune:
Dylan's mid-career masterpiece closes out with this song and to me it always seemed tacked on whimsically.  After going through a ton of raw emotion with "Idiot Wind" and other tunes, Blood on the Tracks finishes with this ditty.  Honestly, never one of my favorites, it acted more as a palate cleanser but a sweet one at that. 

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is the first time we are hearing Jason Herr who is a Cary, IL based musician.

Thoughts on Cover:

A perfectly played live acoustic cover. Straight ahead and lovely on this Monday. 

Full Show Friday: Live - MTV Unplugged 1995

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Live!

Some months our Full Show Friday's will have a special focus on specific artists, years, venues, tv shows, festivals or some combo of it all. 

This months Full Show Friday Series focuses on concerts from MTV's Unplugged Series.

Dylan Cover #743 Virgil Kinsley "Highway 61" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Virgil Kinsley playing "Highway 61 Revisited"

Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:

A great blues rock number that has a touch of silly from Bob with the "Siren Whistle". The original version of this tune found on the album of the same name strikes me as a bit of a put on. Bob obviously loves the historic feel and the bizarre middle American heritage but the lyrics and whistle soften the blow. The track gets increasingly better in the live versions where Dylan's backers can rev up the honky-tonk and boogie down south as the group did for us up in Saratoga back in 2000. 

Tony Garnier the bass player for the group lead things on a thumping rollick in the encore and the band all hopped on board as Dylan sang about God/Abraham. It was the last rocker the group played that night pulling out a ton of 6-string energy. (They would go on to finish with the crowd singing along to "Blowing in the Wind").

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:

This is our first time hearing Virgil Kinsley who is a musician with a special focus on Bob, so this may not be the last time he shows up in this series.... 

Thoughts on Cover:

A sped up number that finds Kinsley delivering the solo upbeat blues with ease. Most surprising is the use of the Siren Whistle, I am not sure any of our other covers of this tune deployed it? A fun cover with the original whistle sound added for extra spice. 

 

Live Review: Phish - July 2026 MSG "Phish In Five"

Phish

July 2026 MSG

"Phish In Five"

The Vermont jamband kings Phish made a special extended stop on 2026's summer tour at their home away from home, Madison Square Garden, offering up special shows dedicated to their past. The five shows, July 22, 24, 25, 27, and 29 were the band's 92nd, 93rd, 94th, 95th and 96th times playing "The World's Most Famous Arena". 

In Phish's fun loving manner, they took the opportunity to play special shows with songs written on or before those years. The 7/22 show was dedicated to the band's 1992 self and so on. The combination of Phish playing as locked in as they have in years, with a focus on their early songs, was just too good to miss, so RtBE saddled up for all of them. 

Each night we will discuss pluses and minuses, but overall this run was a very special, high quality offering from the band that will be held on par with the group's historic Baker's Dozen run nine years ago. There were very few negatives as each night was unique, energetic and worth attending as Phish continues to deliver in leaps and bounds for their fans. 

Dylan Cover #742 The Album Show "Everything is Broken" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by The Album Show playing "Everything is Broken"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:

If Bob wasn't the Bard "Everything Is Broken" would just be another tossed off song. However, is anything with Dylan just simply tossed off? Well..yeah...this song certainly feels tossed off to me...sorry. Oh Mercy is a hell of an album, one of Dylan's classics, and this song is fine, it just can't even stand close to any of his all-time gems, not remotely close. One of the reasons I started this cover series was to show how amazing The Bard's songs are in just about anyone's hands, but if the original of this tune was written by Joe Schmo would people think it was great, or is it just the Dylan name that gives it clout?  

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

This is the first time RtBE has come across The Album Show who are Sydney, Australia based tribute act.  

Thoughts on Cover:

A bluesy grooving cover of the tune, that sticks pretty close to the original. A fun spin. 

Dylan Cover #741 Heinz Notter "With God On Our Side" Live

 In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Heinz Notter playing "With God On Our Side"

Thoughts on Original
From the first time we talked about a cover of this tune:
Perhaps the most poignant and lasting song Dylan has written and that speaks volumes. Lyrically it is perfect; using history, the warping of religion and politics to get across the point that man will rationalize anything, even war. Only played live 30 times since it's debut at Dylan's historic Town Hall show the song has added weight and meaning when it is played.

Morality and War, Religion and Righteousness, all just words when it comes down to it, hold life inside those letters. Musically stark Dylan uses his impressive lyrics to express the confusion perfectly. Should be mandatory listing in every history classroom.

Cover:

Full Show Friday: Joan As Policewoman - Live at Paradisio Amsterdam 2006

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Joan As Policewoman!

Back to 2006 today for Joan As Policewoman in Amsterdam.

Live Review: Jack White - 7/19/26 The Capitol Theatre Port Chester, NY

Jack White

7/19/26 The Capitol Theatre 

Port Chester, NY

The ripping Jack White tour rolls on as he traverses the north east this week. Having caught him just over a week ago in Brooklyn, the same high powered energy graced the smaller stage of The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester this Sunday night. Riding high on the back of back of his recent release, Frozen Charlotte, White and crew mixed ecstatic hire wire electro rock and roll with down and dirty blues.   

Live Review: Bob Dylan - 7/21/26 Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, NY

Hey all, got a review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here.

It is of Bob Dylan's recent show at Forest Hills Stadium, 7/21/26.

Live Review: Jack White - 7/11/26 Brooklyn Paramount NYC

Jack White

Live 7-11-26 Brooklyn Paramount

Brooklyn NY

On a gorgeous Saturday summer evening, Jack White pulled into the elegant Brooklyn Paramount to kick off the first show of his two night stand. Jack is currently touring on the back of his excellent new album, Frozen Charlotte and is clicking with his now solidified backing band. 

Dylan Cover #740 Jo Karamazov "Like A Rolling Stone" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artists, Jo Karamazov performing a live cover of "Like A Rolling Stone" 

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover:
The song that launched a true revolution, with an opening snare drum like a dead man's last pistol shot baby. "Like A Rolling Stone" is mega in all fashions, Dylan is accusatory, mad, feed up, zoned out, poetic, rambling and always moving with he sound as the track is large and in charge even today. One of the Bard's top 3 songs any which way you break them down, Like A Rolling Stone has been covered by a ton of people and it (usually) always kicks ass. 

Cover:

Live Review: Spoon, Ratboys, Bodega 7/8/26 @ SummerStage Rumsey's Playfield NYC

Hey all, got a review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here.

It is of the Spoon, Ratboys, Bodega live show in Central Park last week. 

Dylan Cover #739 Isto "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Isto playing "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" 

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:

Arriving just after "Idiot Wind" the breezy "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" acts as a breather on Blood on the Tracks, but on it's own it is a gorgeous little number. A poetic love song that feels fresh every time it slips into the ear as the protagonist is in a world of bliss and doesn't want it to end, but knows it always will. Miles away from "Idiot Wind", but just as vital, showing off Dylan's easy charm and flowing word play/vocal style, I mean how cool is the "I’ll look for you in old Honolulu San Francisco or Ashtabula" run through?   

Cover:

Dylan Cover #738 Robert Verderese "Heart of Mine" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Robert Verderese playing "Heart of Mine"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
Shot of Love found Dylan beginning to get back to more secular music after his gospel phase and "Heart of Mine" is an odd song that is cliché as hell but also loose and spastic Dylan. The fact that this version was released on Shot of Love is why the Bootleg series exists and the reason fans can become frustrated with his albums, as he himself stated: 

In an interview taken in 1984, Dylan admitted that "Heart of Mine" was "done a bunch of different ways ... but I chose for some reason a particularly funky version of that—and it's really scattered. It's not as good as some of the other versions, but I chose it because Ringo and Ronnie Wood played on it, and we did it in like ten minutes." 

Being that Dylan himself couldn't decide on how the song should actually be constructed, it makes it ripe for other artists to interpret, that is if they can get past the cheesy, "don't do the crime if you can't do the time" line...

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is our first time hearing Robert Verderese, but it might not be the last as his youtube page has a bunch of Bob covers. 

Thoughts on Cover: 

Really strong cover, fast, upbeat strumming and excellent singing from Verderese. A cool, quick, crisp cover for this Monday. 

Dylan Cover #737 John Wise "Scarlet Town" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by John Wise playing "Scarlet Town"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
While RtBE aren't huge fans of Tempest and "Scarlet Town" is dull on the album, repeating the musical phrases over and over again, it doesn't mean it is all bad, this is Bob Dylan after all. Bob and the band have revived the track somewhat on stage, injecting the song with life and have delivered some great live versions since it's release. This evolution also makes it ripe for artists to put their own stamp on the longer blues based tune with cryptic lyrics and a slow beat.  

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is RtBE's first time hearing John Wise who posted a few covers like this on Youtube 10 years ago. 

Thoughts on Cover:

A dark, solo piano take that adds more stark bleakness to the original.