NEWBURYPORT – If you are a fan of Bob Dylan, you need to make plans Saturday to see Bill Kirchen and his all-star Texas band perform Dylan’s songs from his performances at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964 and 1965.
Kirchen will perform at the Belleville Roots Concert series held at the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St. at 8 p.m., April 12.
In 1964 and 1965, a young Kirchen made two pilgrimages from his home in Michigan to Rhode Island to attend the legendary Newport Folk Festival at the peak of its popularity. While there were great folk and blues artists performing at the festival, Dylan overshadowed.
Kirchen saw Dylan perform Mr. Tambourine Man in 1964 at the festival and a year later go electric when he announced he was abandoning protest folk music to create a sound that critics say altered rock music forever.
For Kirchen, it ruined him for normal work. He said, “My mind was blown.”
On Saturday, the veteran performer will do songs from his catalog, including the Commander Cody years.
Over the years, Kirchen’s shows always sprinkled in a Dylan song or two, revealing him as one of the finest interpreters of mid-1960’s electric Dylan. Now on tour with his Texas band, the resident of Austin will pay homage to Dylan. One set will be devoted to the best of the Commander Cody and solo years, while set two will be nothing but Dylan in Newport.
He will also share his memories of Dylan at Newport.
For tickets, schedule updates or to join the mailing list go to www.bellevilleroots.org. Tickets cost $40 for adults in advance; $45 for adults at the door; $10 for patrons ages 18 and under.
The Belleville Arts Foundation, the beneficiary of the concerts, has been awarded a $35,000 matching grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. This grant will fund a study to transform the Belleville Meetinghouse at 300 High Street into a financially and administratively self-sufficient community arts education center.
It will preserve the historic features of the building’s exterior and add modern amenities and comfortable interior spaces for students and adults to learn and perform. The mission of the BAF is to preserve, maintain and improve the Belleville Meetinghouse and use it as a civic hub and venue for arts education and performance.
The BAF is currently raising funds to support its mission. Donations to the BAF at this time will be worth double with the MCC grant award.
To make a donation, please please mail a check to the non-profit Belleville Arts Foundation, 300 High St., Newburyport.♦
