Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan's Brandeis Set Captures His Rise
Coverage from Dylan Revisited, Cult Following, and others
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Latest Article
01/22
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Executive Summary
Bob Dylan's 1963 Brandeis concert resurfaced after decades, showing his shift from folk newcomer to breakout protest artist
- Bob Dylan performed at Brandeis University in May 1963 at the first annual folk festival
- A late spring snow forced the festival indoors to the gym hall
- The university audio setup recorded the set on a single tape recorder patched into the microphone
- The tape disappeared after the concert and later surfaced in Ralph Gleason's archive
- The recording was officially released in 2010 as Bob Dylan In Concert Brandeis University 1963
- The set includes early versions of Talkin John Birch Paranoid Blues, Masters of War, and Bob Dylan's Dream
- The performance is widely seen as a transitional moment before The Freewheelin Bob Dylan and wider fame
Quick Facts
- What: A lost live folk set later released officially
- Where: Brandeis University in Massachusetts
- Why: It captures Dylan before his breakthrough and wider fame
- Who: Bob Dylan and Brandeis Folk Festival organizers
- When: May 1963, released officially in 2010
Coverage Timeline: 1866 Days
Featured Article
In May 1963 at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, Bob Dylan performed a short concert that was taped, misplaced for decades, and officially released in 2010.
Additional Articles
⭐⭐⭐
Cult Following published on Feb 21, 2024 a review of Bob Dylan's 1963 Brandeis University live recordings in the United States.
⭐️⭐️
Dylan's 1963 Brandeis University performance at Brandeis University was recorded for a 2011 live album release.
In August 1963, Bob Dylan performed solo at the Pittsfield Boys Club in Massachusetts after Joan Baez introduced him.