07/06/2007

Dylan sells out

Tuesday's show at Interlochen, that is

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

Special to the Record-Eagle
Bob Dylan performs at Interlochen Center for the Arts Tuesday.

INTERLOCHEN — The buzz behind this summer's Interlochen Arts Festival concert series is tangled up in Bob.

Bob Dylan, who plays at Kresge Auditorium on Tuesday, is one of the biggest names ever to perform at Interlochen Center for the Arts. It's one of two Michigan dates on his current tour, the other one being the next day at Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights.

"In early March or so, we had a couple acts falling through,” said Michael Albaugh, who was acting as interim director of presentations when the chance to book the iconic singer/songwriter came out of the blue.

"I was typing (e-mailing) up to one of the agents in New York and he said, 'I might be able to give you Dylan,'” Albaugh said. "We just pushed to get it through.”

Interlochen books a lot of popular artists from the past and present. This year it has performers who are in their prime like country singer Trace Adkins and rock group Guster, as well as acts like Peter Frampton and the Moody Blues. In past years, they've had legends like Willie Nelson, B.B. King and Ray Charles.

"But as far as legendary status, this is probably the biggest legendary artist we've had here,” Albaugh said.

Tickets sold out the day they went on sale.

Dylan, 66, can be expected to do a number of his classic tunes, and playlists from previous concert tours indicate he varies them from show to show. He's no nostalgia act, though.

The bard of rock and roll, who was beginning to transform music and the 1960s before the Beatles came to America, saw his 2006 album "Modern Times” debut at number one on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. It was his first album to do so in 30 years.

The CD has received favorable reviews and shows that Dylan, while widely listed as one of the leading musical influences of the 20th century, is still casting a critical eye on the 21st.

The opening act is Jimmie Vaughan, blues and rock guitar virtuoso and older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Dylan's representatives added Vaughan after the tickets were made. Vaughan will play at 7 p.m. rather than 8 p.m. as originally published. Dylan is still scheduled to play at 8 and do a full set.

"To me it's a complete bonus, because he (Vaughan) is a fantastic musician,” Albaugh said. "I think the fans are in for a real treat getting both of these guys.”