A History Of Early Bob Dylan: A Musical Journey With Adelaide’s Own Minstrel ~ Adelaide Fringe 2024 Review

[Music/Folk – SA, WORLD PREMIERE] Imperial Measures Distilling, Sat 24 Feb, 2024. There’s a lot to like about Cal Williams Jr's A History Of Early Bob Dylan but it wasn’t without a few hiccups. The venue was declared ‘dry’ after the local council failed to get their licensing approval through on time. But it didn’t seem to worry the gathered Dylan diehards too much. Williams was treated to a warm ovation as he wandered in, minstrel like, among the crowd and launched into a predictable set of some early classics  - The Times They Are A Changing, Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright, and Song To Woody - Dylans’ nod to America’s father of folk, Woody Guthrie. A brief intro to some various picking styles was an indicator that Williams was about to ramp up the level of the music. As he hinted, much of Dylan’s early material was pretty straightforward and almost demand alternative arrangements to make them sound more interesting. Williams does this with some gorgeous picking - picking that simultaneously delivered catchy rhythms and delicate internal melodies alongside the tunes we all know. The longer the show went the better the guitar playing became, except for perhaps the excursion into electric guitar for Blowing In The Wind. That seemed to fall pretty flat with the audience. Just like it did when Dylan made that same choice to go electric all those decades ago! Williams’ vocals have a pleasant plaintive tone, and the harmonica was serviceable but it’s his artistry on guitar that’s the highlight. I’d go and listen to Cal Williams Jr play anything, and for me the fact that Dylan's songs were the vehicle for his playing here was incidental. But I had the feeling that the majority of the crowd were definitely there to relish these Dylan classics played live one more time. 4 stars Michael Coghlan A History Of Early Bob Dylan continues at Imperial Measures Distilling, Thebarton, from 7pm until Sat 16 Mar [Saturday Only]. Book at FringeTIX and adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #ClotheslineMag #ADLfringe