I loved these two stories on the Philly concert for one. We were there for the Friday night show, which was one of my all time favorite Dylan performances. Such a gorgeous intimate room with great sound. We stayed in a hotel across the street and somehow we knew that the concert for one was going on. Watching the video, which I didn't know existed, reminded of a somewhat similar experience I once had. In 1993, I moved to Baltimore. In the fall of the following year, Dylan was scheduled to play the Warner Theater in DC—it was on Halloween. I didn't know many people in the area, so I think I ordered a ticket by phone. Not knowing the theater and parking etc, I drove down to DC late that afternoon. I picked up the ticket from the box office and could hear the sound check inside. The lady said don't go in there. Of course, I checked and the front door was open, so I went in. I walked into the theater and there was Dylan and band playing, No one else in the room. I stood in the back listening, expecting to be kicked out. Eventually, I figured if I was going to kicked out, I might as well be kicked out from the front of the theater. I walked down and sat in like the 4th row. There I was alone in the empty Warner Theater with Dylan and his band playing. I really tried to focus on how he was interacting with the band. He never said a word to them, introduced grooves and riffs on guitar, which the picked up on and followed. Once or twice he nodded to Tony Garnier to indicate to switch from acoustic to electric bass or vice versa. I was not as self conscious as Wikingsson. My most prominent thoughts were 1) was I going to get kicked on — no one ever came in during the sound check; 2) this was an opportunity for me to meet Dylan—I was completly frozen trying to think of what I would say to him. They finished playing and walked back stage and at that moment the entire usher staff starting filing in for a pre-show meeting. Still, no one seemed to notice me. I finally got up and left, went to bar, came back an got in line for the show. My seat was in the balcony, and the concert was good but anticlimactic after the up close soundcheck experience.
I LOVE this so much. I had never heard this story. It is surreal on so many levels like a weird dream sequence. I love all of your interviews but every serious Dylan fan could be carried away by the unlikely possibility that this could ever happen to them. I can’t stop thinking about it. Thanks so much for tracking him down and interviewing him!
Great article, Ray! And great idea to track this guy down! I actually went to the show that night in Philly, sat one row in front of where Fredrick sat. It was the concert that reignited my Dylan fandom.
What a wild and weird experience. Had no idea. And wonder how I’d handle it.
Long ago I found myself standing next to Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore at a Roy Harper performance, asked them to autograph my new Roy Harper CD and they obliged, surprised at first, but seemingly glad to share affection for Roy.
Great story! I found your respective recountings of your album signing experiences just as entertaining. It may be attributed to cultural difference, but if it had been me, I think I would have sat front row center and clapped more loudly. Really great post!
Absolutely bizarre and dreamlike. I had no idea of this event. I will wish it had been me for the rest of my life, though I would have struggled with silence versus applause to the point of not having a fingernail left to bite. Classic tale.
Marvelous post! Unique experience retold first hand. Thank you. Now Show it again💥🌹and again.. It was intens and great. Jeff Rosen shouldn’t have been there but Bob. I bet you…
he’d sign, getting yr idea. What a dream of a moment in your life Fredrick. A treasure.
Great interview, and the one with the director is fascinating, as well. I would have just been so self-conscious, like, “where do I look??” It would be so interesting to hear Dylan’s impressions, but I doubt that will ever happen -and maybe it’s really better that way.
What a wild, wild story - love it, thank you! Easy to imagine how that would be half beautiful dream, half nightmare - think I'd have shrunk to half my normal size with self-consciousness. But still a dream.
That is an incredible story. These kinds of stories is what makes this place great. If it had been me, I’d probably been very self conscious of being the only one there.
Thanks, Ray. Enjoyed this story a lot. I knew about this when it happened but didn't know any real details. What an interesting concept for a show. I think Fredrik handled it as well as anyone could have. I'm not sure if I could have enjoyed the experience due to the shear trepidation of such a moment. Good read.
Haha great story!.. I also liked that one of the Sinatra albums was 'Wee Small Hours' ...
I'll bring someone to life — use all of my powers... do it in the dark, in the wee small hours
I loved these two stories on the Philly concert for one. We were there for the Friday night show, which was one of my all time favorite Dylan performances. Such a gorgeous intimate room with great sound. We stayed in a hotel across the street and somehow we knew that the concert for one was going on. Watching the video, which I didn't know existed, reminded of a somewhat similar experience I once had. In 1993, I moved to Baltimore. In the fall of the following year, Dylan was scheduled to play the Warner Theater in DC—it was on Halloween. I didn't know many people in the area, so I think I ordered a ticket by phone. Not knowing the theater and parking etc, I drove down to DC late that afternoon. I picked up the ticket from the box office and could hear the sound check inside. The lady said don't go in there. Of course, I checked and the front door was open, so I went in. I walked into the theater and there was Dylan and band playing, No one else in the room. I stood in the back listening, expecting to be kicked out. Eventually, I figured if I was going to kicked out, I might as well be kicked out from the front of the theater. I walked down and sat in like the 4th row. There I was alone in the empty Warner Theater with Dylan and his band playing. I really tried to focus on how he was interacting with the band. He never said a word to them, introduced grooves and riffs on guitar, which the picked up on and followed. Once or twice he nodded to Tony Garnier to indicate to switch from acoustic to electric bass or vice versa. I was not as self conscious as Wikingsson. My most prominent thoughts were 1) was I going to get kicked on — no one ever came in during the sound check; 2) this was an opportunity for me to meet Dylan—I was completly frozen trying to think of what I would say to him. They finished playing and walked back stage and at that moment the entire usher staff starting filing in for a pre-show meeting. Still, no one seemed to notice me. I finally got up and left, went to bar, came back an got in line for the show. My seat was in the balcony, and the concert was good but anticlimactic after the up close soundcheck experience.
I LOVE this so much. I had never heard this story. It is surreal on so many levels like a weird dream sequence. I love all of your interviews but every serious Dylan fan could be carried away by the unlikely possibility that this could ever happen to them. I can’t stop thinking about it. Thanks so much for tracking him down and interviewing him!
Great article, Ray! And great idea to track this guy down! I actually went to the show that night in Philly, sat one row in front of where Fredrick sat. It was the concert that reignited my Dylan fandom.
What a wild and weird experience. Had no idea. And wonder how I’d handle it.
Long ago I found myself standing next to Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore at a Roy Harper performance, asked them to autograph my new Roy Harper CD and they obliged, surprised at first, but seemingly glad to share affection for Roy.
Great story! I found your respective recountings of your album signing experiences just as entertaining. It may be attributed to cultural difference, but if it had been me, I think I would have sat front row center and clapped more loudly. Really great post!
Absolutely bizarre and dreamlike. I had no idea of this event. I will wish it had been me for the rest of my life, though I would have struggled with silence versus applause to the point of not having a fingernail left to bite. Classic tale.
Love it. Highly entertaining. And chucking the Sinatra frisbees 🤣
This was so great. I've always wondered about that guy!
Marvelous post! Unique experience retold first hand. Thank you. Now Show it again💥🌹and again.. It was intens and great. Jeff Rosen shouldn’t have been there but Bob. I bet you…
he’d sign, getting yr idea. What a dream of a moment in your life Fredrick. A treasure.
Great interview, and the one with the director is fascinating, as well. I would have just been so self-conscious, like, “where do I look??” It would be so interesting to hear Dylan’s impressions, but I doubt that will ever happen -and maybe it’s really better that way.
What a wild, wild story - love it, thank you! Easy to imagine how that would be half beautiful dream, half nightmare - think I'd have shrunk to half my normal size with self-consciousness. But still a dream.
That is an incredible story. These kinds of stories is what makes this place great. If it had been me, I’d probably been very self conscious of being the only one there.
Great article. The YouTube video is great too. The fact he made Bob laugh is very cool. But damn…Sinatra albums..arghh.
Thanks, Ray. Enjoyed this story a lot. I knew about this when it happened but didn't know any real details. What an interesting concept for a show. I think Fredrik handled it as well as anyone could have. I'm not sure if I could have enjoyed the experience due to the shear trepidation of such a moment. Good read.
I remember seeing some of the video not long after the event and being amazed, but I didn't know anything of the back story. This was great.