4 Acts Who Stole the Show at Bob Dylan’s Famed 30th Anniversary Concert in 1992

On October 16, 1992, Bob Dylan, along with friends and admirers, assembled for a concert at Madison Square Garden. The occasion was the 30th anniversary of his recording career. A live album of the event appeared the following year.

There were some stellar performances that night. We delved through the aural evidence to find the four that went above and beyond.

“Just Like A Woman” by Richie Havens

The late, great Richie Havens had a knack for taking well-known songs and delivering transformative versions. His blindingly fast strumming on guitar and booming vocals made sure that just about any song he touched became his own. Havens had proven time and again throughout his career that he was one of the finest interpreters of Dylan’s music. On that night in 1992, he delivered a monumental reading of “Just Like A Woman”. You can hear the crowd audibly expressing their awe at times at Havens’ instrumental virtuosity. But what ultimately stands out is how Havens caresses the lyric, capturing the hurt beneath the narrator’s snarky façade.

“When The Ship Comes In” by The Clancy Brothers

It’s likely that many younger members in the crowd on that night in 1992 might not have known who the Clancy Brothers were. But those that had followed Bob Dylan since his scruffy, folky days certainly were aware of them. That’s when the Irish group enjoyed their greatest success with their spirited readings of all kinds of folk-based material. They ran in the same circles with Dylan when he came of age in the early 60s. The Clancy Brothers chose wisely for the anniversary concert with “When The Ship Comes In”, Dylan’s quasi-parable of righteous revenge. Noting at the start of the song that they’d be bringing an “Irish accent” to the performance, the group delivered a harmony-drenched version that highlighted the song’s populist themes.

“When I Paint My Masterpiece” by The Band

There’s no way any widespread celebration of Dylan’s career could have been complete without a performance by The Band. Of course, this version was missing key members Robbie Robertson (who never returned to the fold after The Last Waltz) and Richard Manuel (who died in 1986). With some new members helping to fill out their sound, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Garth Hudson brought the same charm to their live take that was found on their original version from the 1971 album Cahoots. Helm once more inhabited the character who was homesick for the US. Meanwhile, Danko added some lead vocals along with his inimitable harmonies. And Hudson conjured absolute magic from his accordion.

“License To Kill” by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

By the time that Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers showed up on the Madison Square Garden stage in 1992, their careers had already become intimately intertwined with Dylan’s own. They’d toured with him extensively. Meanwhile, Petty had written songs with Bob Dylan and joined him in the Traveling Wilburys. Perhaps that gave them an edge in finding a song a little off the beaten path. “License To Kill” didn’t receive too much attention after appearing on Dylan’s 1983 album Infidels. The Heartbreakers gave the quirky lyrics about the dangers of progress a rocking edge, even without juicing up the tempo. It made for one of the night’s most surprisingly powerful moments.

(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)