BOB DYLAN : BALLAD OF A BLUE POET

  1. Group announcement

  2. Are You ready for the country (Neil Young)

  3. ain't that a lot of love (Levon Helm & Rick Danko)

  4. looking for a Love (Neil Young)

  5. loving you is sweeter than ever (Rick Danko)

  6. i want you (Bob Dylan)

  7. the weight (Levon Helm & Rick Danko)

  8. helpless (Neil young)

  9. knockin' on heaven's door (Neil Young & Bob Dylan)

  10. will the circle be unbroken (Levon Helm, Rick Danko & Garth Hudson)

Label : American Concert Series

Time : 33:35

Venue : SNACK Benefit, San Francisco, California, USA

Date : March 23, 1975

Quality : Soundboard Recording (B+)

Review : Only two Dylan songs on this bootleg and you can hardly hear Bob singing. The sound quality varies. The vocals are sometimes upfront. In most of the songs the microphone isn't working properly.

Review (AllMusic) : Famed concert promoter Bill Graham founded S.N.A.C.K. (Students Need Athletics, Culture and Kicks) to benefit San Francisco's after-school programs, organizing an all-star benefit concert at Golden Gate Park on March 23, 1975. But despite the staggering talent assembled - including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and members of the Band (Levon Helm, Rick Dancko and Garth Hudson) - the bootleg S.N.A.C.K. benefit release Ballad of a Blue Poet proves a disappointment: although Dylan is the nominal headliner, he's barely discernible throughout much of the disc thanks to audio problems plaguing radio station KIOI's simulcast (the set's source material), and the overall mix is muddy throughout. Still, as something of a small-scale dry run for the Band's farewell gig The Last Waltz, this is an undeniably exciting if somewhat ramshackle performance highlighted by covers ranging from Stevie Wonder to the Carter Family's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" The generosity of spirit that inspired Graham to organize the show extends to the performers themselves, who channel their mutual respect and admiration into each note.

Review (Bob's Boots) : There have been several releases of this venue. Even though it was a broadcast event, live on KIOI-FM radio, Dylan's part is not audible in most cases. There is no better tape in existence. The reason is that this is not a fault of the recording, but actual problems at the show due to a faulty mic and bad mic placement. It is an interesting piece for historical value. Just don't expect to get a Dylan rush. His vocals are barely heard, if at all. The rest of the mix is sad. It's as if there were no soundman. No problem ever gets fixed throughout the entire show. This is a copy of Prophet & Clown.