Don't think twice...

A brand new multimedia show celebrating the life and music of rock legend and Nobel-prize winner Bob Dylan is rolling into town later this month.
The Bob Dylan Story is being presented at Preston's Charter TheatreThe Bob Dylan Story is being presented at Preston's Charter Theatre
The Bob Dylan Story is being presented at Preston's Charter Theatre

It is over half a century since a young upstart calling himself Bob Dylan arrived on the global music stage with a bang; and who would have guessed the massive impact he would continue to make long into the following century.

Songs like Blowin’ In The Wind and The Times They Are A-Changin’ quickly established him as the most revered protest singer of his generation, before his legendary Newport Folk Festival appearance in 1965 signalled a completely new direction, spawning classics such as Like A Rolling Stone and Subterranean Homesick Blues.

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A softer side emerged towards the end of the decade with the release of timeless love songs Lay Lady Lay and I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.

And all the while, artists were queueing up for a slice of the Dylan pie – notable hits include Mr Tambourine Man by The Byrds, The Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann, Hendrix’s classic All Along The Watchtower and Clapton’s version of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.

As recently as 2010, Adele’s smash hit version of Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love only served to underline the man’s enduring appeal.

These songs and many more Dylan classics are performed exactly the way you remember them in a new multi-media show The Bob Dylan Story, produced by 4th Street Entertainment, appearing at Preston’s Charter Theatre on Sunday, July 30.

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With footage and images evoking the era of civil rights protests and the Vietnam War, and a story arc starting with JFK’s inauguration and returning almost full circle to his assassination, the show is firmly planted in Dylan’s golden age of the 1960s, a decade where anything seemed possible, complete with a fantastic five-piece band.

“We wanted to give Dylan’s many fans the opportunity to hear the songs as they remember them, all in one sitting,” explains Bill Lennon, who plays the main man in the show. “And although many of Dylan’s songs were hits for other artists, we remain true to the original versions.

“We do about 25 songs in the show and they’re all a joy to perform in their own way, but I guess my favourites would be either Quinn The Eskimo, which was of course a massive hit for Manfred Mann, or Rainy Day Women Nos. 12&35, simply because the band just have so much fun with them, as do the audience!

“We hope people leave with a nostalgia-infused warmth, a renewed appreciation of Dylan’s music, and an eagerness to tell their friends what a great time they had. We are confident the show will have people digging out their old vinyl to sustain the nostalgia just that little bit longer,” added Bill, whose other credits include James Taylor in You’ve Got A Friend and Keith Richards in The Counterfeit Stones.

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* The show is at Preston’s Charter Theatre on Sunday, July 30 at 7.30pm. Call the box office on 01772 80 44 44 or book online at www.prestonguildhall.co.uk

COMP: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS

The Bob Dylan Story is a stunning theatrical tribute to one of the greatest figures in modern music and culture and we have a pair of tickets for the must-see show at Preston's Charter Theatre on Sunday, July 30 to give away. For your chance to win, just answer this simple question:

Which folk-rock group had a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic with the Bob Dylan song Mr Tambourine Man?

Please email your answer, along with your name, email address and mobile number – putting ‘Bob Dylan’ in the subject field – to [email protected] by noon on Tuesday, July 18.

Editor’s decision is final. Usual LP rules apply

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