Mark Bennett Shares Backstory on the Bob Dylan Review Reunion Concert... Plus update on other DDF Happenings

I liked Batman even before I learned he was a Dylan fan.

The opening reception for our art show was again a very special time, with Dylan music provided by Tom O'Keefe and Friends.  After the 5-7 reception at Zeitgeist we all moved to the next block over and spent the rest of the evening at Carmody's Pub singing and performing Dylan songs, open jam style. The back was packed, with guitar pickers and jugband players. Special thanks to Leslie Black for assembling the songbooks and chord arrangements so we could be (mostly) on the same page. 

Tonight there will be more music at Sir Ben's with Greg Tiburzi and friends. Wednesday is our poetry night, followed by still more music. Thursday Joan Osborne will be performing an evening of Dylan covers to kick off three evenings of Dylan-themed music at Sacred Heart, with Friday being our ever popular Singer/Songwriter contest and Saturday the Bob Dylan Revue.

In between there will be other events including the "cutting of the cake" on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., in the front yard of the Central Hillside home where the infant Robert Zimmerman once lived.

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Mark Bennett helped assemble the reunion concert of May 25th at Sacred Heart Music Center at 7 PM.

EN: What's the backstory on this concert for those who weren't there in the beginning.

Bob Dylan Review Poster Shot from back in the day.

Mark Bennett: Back in 1993, inspired by the Columbia 30th anniversary Concert for Bob Bob Dylan, myself and co-worker Paul Larson decided to put together a band and perform a night of Dylan music. So on May 14th, 1993 the Bob Dylan Review played its first show at RT Quinlan's in Duluth. Over the next 10 years each May we would do the same.

Venues, formats and band members would change. All were local musicians who for the love of Dylan music made our shows very special. I thank them all. 

Fast forward to 2019. I was approached by the Duluth Dylan Fest to reunite The Bob Dylan Review for this years Dylan Fest. The timing seemed right. I was so pleased that 8 original members from the first years are on board for 2019. Paul Larson on Guitar and vocals, Todd Larson on drums, Tom Bard on keyboards, Steve Johnson on violin, mandolin, vocals, David Slattery on pedal steel, Gail Bennett vocals, Sue Spencer vocals, Brian Wells on bass and myself on guitar. It has been 17 years since our last show. So excited for May 25th at Sacred Heart.

EN: How did you come to be a fan of Dylan's music. 

MB: I first connected with Dylan at age 12. (1973)It was from an album my brother had got that Christmas.(greatest hits vol.1). It was very new to me, this folk thing. Then the following year I bought Blood on the Tracks. The very broad strokes to some of the lyrics (some lines that could point you somewhere you would not of dreamed of) pulled me in for good. His music has continued to do this all my life. Always searching, no direction home.

EN: Do you have any favorite albums or songs?

MB: Oh Mercy, Free wheeling, Hard Rain, Tempest

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Related Links
Details about Tomorrow Night's Poetry Event
Full Duluth Dylan Fest Schedule
Tickets for Joan Osborne
Tickets for Rolling Thunder Revue 
Enter to Win a One-of-a-Kind Dylan-Themed T-Shirt Quilt