Last weekend I went to one of Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles. I wrote a gushing, and entirely sincere, review of the event for the FT. I suggested "The best show in America" as the title for the article but my editor, I think, deemed this a little over the top. If she had come along I think she might have agreed with me.
[Incidentally,
the second picture was miscaptioned. That's Teresa Williams not Amy
Helm--to be fixed shortly on the website. Thanks to Dennis and Mari,
and to Michael, Michael, and Stacy for a great weekend.]
Excellent article and great review that makes me wish I lived closer to New York.
I have to correct one point, though. It is famously said that Dylan's early electronic appearances were booed. I can't speak for all of the concerts, but I saw him in Chicago at the Arie Crown Theater in late 1965. The show went as you said, with the acoustic first part and then the band joining him on the second part, but I don't recall any booing. If there was any, it must have been only scattered. My friends and I who attended thought it was exciting to see the new direction.
Oh, and I think a reviewer in San Francisco said that Leonard Cohen's current tour is the best current show in America. I can't judge, but we were fortunate to see that in Chicago earlier this year and he was great, as were the musicians with him.
This drummer can't thank you enough for that piece. There's nobody else like Levon Helm.