The L.A. Tradition Is May 29-31 on YouTube.
Aimee Mann, Ryan Hedgecock, Romain Fruge, and Van Morrison’s daughter, Shana are among special guests this year.
Dylanfest is virtual this year. From Friday, May 29 to Sunday May 31 on YouTube. Links are below.
It’s a beloved L.A. musical tradition, which is now 29 years old. For all of those years, it’s a delightful all-day, outdoor exultant celebration of Bob Dylan and his songs. Hosted lovingly by Andy Hill & Renee Safier and their band Hard Rain – a big band of all stellar musicians – it features their inspired renditions of Dylan songs, as well as featuring performances by a great gathering of invited artists, all serious Dylan devotees, who play solo or with Hard Rain. It would go for eight hours, from noon and long past sunset. And they never repeat one song.
This year, coming as it does in this long season of lockdown, Dylanfest is going to be virtual. Instead of allowing this crisis to derail their Dylan train, Andy & Renee have come up with a great alternative, a three-night festival featuring many special artists, as well as the usual gang.
Videos by American Songwriter
Here’s Andy and Renee this year’s first-ever Virtual Dylanfest.
ANDY HILL: Dylanfest 1991 celebrated both the future Nobel Laureate’s 50th birthday, and his huge, astonishing catalog of material. Now, here on the eve of the 30th annual, we’re now all older than he was then!
The theme was based on the description of a party in New York City related by Cameron Crowe in the liner notes to Dylan’s five-album retrospective Biograph. Instead of a New York City apartment though, a small, smoky dive bar in Hermosa Beach was filled to the brim with patrons dressed as characters from Bob Dylan songs. The band played four hours of live Dylan music.
Over the years the show doubled in length, moved from backyards to restaurant patios to school playgrounds and eventually to the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, where each year it attracts over 700 lovers of live Bob Dylan music.
It also features a multitude of guest artists, no break in the music, and no repeated songs.
But because of COVID-19, Dylanfest 30 is postponed until Sept. 26th. Given the possibility of another cancelation, we are producing it online. The show will include Andy and Renee in the studio playing music live and facilitating about forty artists who have made videos performing Dylan songs. Our band Hard Rain will also be featured with the band playing together remotely.
The bill will include some musicians previously unable to perform at Dylanfest because of proximity or schedule. Here is a list of the performers:
Aimee Mann, Al Diesen, Andy Hill, Bellylove, Bob Malone, Brax Cutchin, Craig Christy, Daniel Leanse , Dave Batti, Dave Crossland, Dave Leahy , Dave Tokaji, Davey Allen, Edo Tancredi, Evyn Charles, Fuzzy Thurston, Homer T, James Lee Stanley, Jamie Daniels, Jay Constable , Jeff Dellisanti, Joe Caccavo, Joel Rafael , John Hoke, Karen Nash, Kelly Fitzgerald, Kirk Makin, Leah West, Luis Oliart, Manda Mosher , Marty Rifkin, Mike & Flynn Tanner, Nate Lapointe, Patti Orbeck, Renee Safier, Russ Weiner, Romain Fruge, Ryan Hedgecock, Shana Morrison, Steve Craig , Steve Rankin, Susie Glaze, Terry Buck , Wade Preston and Paul Zollo.
Contributing artists hail from Canada, Italy and several states in the U.S. Notable additions are Aimee Mann (Til Tuesday), Ryan Hedgecock (Lone Justice), and Romain Fruge (The Full Monty-Broadway), and Van Morrison’s daughter, Shana. We have also added South Bay favorites Kelly Fitzgerald (Eden) and Wade Preston (Billy Joel).
Watch Virtual Dylanfest Weekend May 29-31st on YouTube
Click on the links now and “Set a Reminder”!
Links to see Dylanfest. Click on them now to set a reminder.
Night #1.
Friday, May 29th, 5-8pm PT
Night # 2.
Saturday, May 30th, 5-8pm PT.
Night # 3.
Sunday, May 31st, 5-8 PT.
RENEE SAFIER: These players, along with our returning artists, have done a great job with their songs, and we are excited to share them with our audience. The potential for Dylanfest to go global is a reality though the Livestream. Viewers will be able to hang out and chat with each other during the shows as well, so there will be a feeling of camaraderie among the audience. The shows will also be archived on Youtube, so anyone can view the concerts afterwards.
ANDY HILL: Like all our shows since the pandemic hit, Virtual Dylanfest will be free. The audience has the opportunity to tip us for the music. It’s the generosity of those in a position to share which has kept us afloat.
Andy & Renee have been donating a portion of their tips to L.A.’s Midnight Mission.
For the Dylanfest broadcast, Feeding America has been added as a second charity.
Watch Virtual Dylanfest Weekend May 29-31st on YouTube
Links to see Dylanfest.
Click on them now to set a reminder.
Night #1.
Friday, May 29th, 5-8pm PT
Night # 2.
Saturday, May 30th, 5-8pm PT.
Night # 3.
Sunday, May 31st, 5-8 PT.
