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Dylan follows Slow Train, with four remarkable performances which alone justify the price of admission. Dylan and backing singer Clydie King duet on Richard Hollar’s mournful Abraham, Martin and John, and Dallas Holm’s defiant Rise Again. Dylan then launches into a charmingly awkward introduction of a new composition, Let’s Keep It Between Us, a swampy come-on which inexplicably remains unreleased. Dylan introduces the next song — another duet with Clydie King of the traditional Mary From The Wild Moor — with a tart reference to critics and fans who had spent the previous year urging Dylan to sing his old songs. Together these four performances capture the tremendous range of influences which utterly defy categorization and illuminate the multiple dimensions of Dylan’s own work.

Other highlights include a crystalline version of Senor, a charming cover of Shel Silverstein’s A Couple More Years, and, as an encore, a spine-chilling, totally anachronistic Blowing In The Wind, with Dylan howling the words against an anthemic beat and majestic three-part harmony from his backing singers. Dylan extends the encore with another unreleased composition, City of Gold. Dylan, alone with an acoustic guitar, returns for a second encore, playing It’s All Over Now Baby Blue. Not taking the hint, the audience demands and receives a third encore, It’s Alright Ma, again played alone with his acoustic guitar.

Considering the size of the venues and the brevity of this tour, fewer than 40,000 souls in total heard these concerts. Thanks to a brave and enterprising taper, risking both equipment and a hard-won ticket, this performance has been preserved for posterity and your enjoyment. Carpe Diem.