The original date for this event was Friday May 27 – three days after Dylan’s 80th birthday. But after contacting a few artists I had to put the brakes on. It was clear that nothing could come together until at the very least the late summer. Shane Murphy has wanted to do an outdoor show for awhile. With that in mind, Howard Bilerman, the famed drummer-producer and co-owner of the hotel2tango recording studio in mile end suggested that since it was the Dylan songbook we were saluting we could easily do eight hours – double the length of most of our mammoth shows, or, as I call them, one night music festivals. (Howard couldn’t make it this time around for a variety of reasons. He and his rotating band of indie stars and superstars were noticeably absent. We missed a chance to hear what no doubt would have been a ferocious version of a great overlooked Dylan song from the 1980s –‘The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar’. But our next tribute will be right up Howard’s alley.)
Summer came and went without a real opportunity (when Club Soda was finally able to open its’ doors for an event, capacity was limited to about 100 with no alcohol) but I kept reminding people who asked that we were going to have a show since “Dylan will still be 80 before the year is out.” After first looking at an early December date, Rubin Fogel suggested Saturday November 27.
In 2016 we staged a Dylan 75th Night to honor the late Andrew Besner, Lloyd Fischler’s best friend and the inspiration behind Billy Bob Productions. Andrew had passed away a year earlier. Lloyd helped set up a fund in Andrew’s honor at the Jewish General Hospital. One ticket shy of a sellout when the doors opened that night it was Rubin himself who bought the final one.
“What’s the charity this time?” Rubin asked after we agreed on a date.
“No charity,” I responded. “But our musicians need help.”
Billy Bob Productions is driven by local talent. The vast majority of our shows feature Montreal talent augmented by a headliner or two from Toronto, New York or Memphis. But nothing happens without local artists. And they always close the show, no matter who is on the bill.
To make a long story short I was in a personal funk post 9/11. I took solace in music clubs and pubs across the city. It put me in a more comfortable state. Most of that down time was spent in the music room upstairs at Hurley’s. Shane was there on a regular basis, among many others. And all it cost was a pint and/or some whiskey.
One night in particular always stands out. I was alone at the late Steve Early’s bar. And there were very few people in the room listening to Montreal vets L’il Buck (later Lazarus Moan). Steve was a warm but troubled soul. I don’t know what set him off but he suddenly bolted out from behind the bar and quickly walked around it and into the music room and ordered the band to go home.
After my mouth dropped I asked Steve what he was doing.
“I was listening. I like these guys. They’re really good.”
“Not tonight they aren’t,” said Steve. “They’re shite.”
As I watched them pack up their equipment while offering them nothing but a shrug, it hit me how much joy I had been getting from these nights out, listening to so many talented Montreal players. And I made a promise to myself that if I could ever repay them for helping me find some inner peace, I would.
That is the essence of Billy Bob Productions.
I’m not sure when our next event will be. But Lazarus Moan will be there.
Thank You:
Lloyd Fischler, Gary Silverman, Shane Murphy, Rob MacDonald, James Correa, Steve Traynor, Dave Surette, Leonard Yelle, Alex Robertson, Jay Farrar, Fred Mailhot, Rubin Fogel, Arlene Slavin, Marie-Eve Boucher, Roxane Perreault, Chantal Brunel, Yves Moquin, Dave Smith (Environnement Electronique), Colin Nix (Mirela’s/Magic Palace), Steve’s Music (especially Lenny Lanteigne), Ghislain Arsenault (Truck ‘N Roll), Morrie Baker (Burger Bar Crescent), Lorne Rubin (Paramount Financial Services), Dave Trentadue (Trentadue Entertainment), Bob Marier, Clarke Cafe, Stephen Brunt, Rob Braide, and everybody who purchased a ticket plus Johnny Hamilton (Keela’s), Bill Brownstein, Erik Leijon & Cult MTL, Mike Cohen, Chris Bury, Mathew Wood, Aaron Rand, Natasha Hall, Sarah Deshaies, Andrew Carter, Kelsey Brunette, Aislinn Beattie, Sam Roberts, Mark Lepage, Eva Blue, Cherise Barrie, Bob Dylan and Dylan fans everywhere.
CLUB SODA Saturday November 27, 2021
Billy Bob Productions Presents Bob Dylan’s 80th Birthday Bash to support Montreal musicians
Set List
- Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Recording) Bob Dylan – Blonde on Blonde 1966
- Ballad of a Thin Man – The Moonshiners (Rob MacDonald – guitar, Alec McElcheran – bass & vocals, Dan Legault – drums, Bob Stagg – keys) – Highway 61 Revisited 1965
- The Times They Are A-Changin’ – TJ Plenty (solo electric guitar) – The Times They Are A-Changin’ 1964
- Queen Jane Approximately – TJ Plenty & The Moonshiners – Highway 61 Revisited
- Blowin’ in the Wind – Sara Phillips & The Moonshiners – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan 1963
- Make You Feel My Love – Sara Phillips & The Moonshiners – Time Out Of Mind – 1997
- Never Let Me Go – James Correa & Jasmine Bleile w/The Moonshiners – Original recording by Johnny Ace (written by Joseph Scott) 1954; Performed by Dylan & Joan Baez during the first leg of the Rolling Thunder Review Oct-Dec 1975 (Incl at Montreal Forum Dec 4/75)
- Going, Going, Gone – Jasmine Bleile & The Moonshiners – Planet Waves (w/The Band) 1974
- Tangled Up In Blue – The Moonshiners – Blood on the Tracks 1975
- Tombstone Blues – Alice Slick & The Moonshiners – Highway 61 Revisited
- Maggie’s Farm – Jason Rockman & The Moonshiners – Bringing it all Back Home 1965 (Rage Against The Machine – Renegade 2000)
- Absolutely Sweet Marie – The Sunset Drip (Mike Mosquitolini – vocals & bass, Brandon Gear – vocals & guitar, Anthony Valmora – drums) – Blonde on Blonde (Jason & The Scorchers – Fervor EP 1983)
- Don’ Think Twice, It’s Alright – Sam Roberts (video) – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
- Wallflower – The Slowinks (Felicity Hamer – vocals, Martin Tremblay – lead guitar, Olivier Pepin – rhythm guitar, Mathieu Deschenaux – upright bass) – The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 (Originally recorded 1971)
- You’re No Good – The Slowinks – Bob Dylan (debut album) 1962
- Not Dark Yet – Durham County Poets (Kevin Harvey- vocals, Patrick Whyte – electric guitar, Carl Rufh – upright bass) & The Moonshiners – Time Out of Mind
- Everything is Broken – Durham County Poets & The Moonshiners – No Mercy 1989
- Abandoned Love – Jesse Stone Creatchman (vocals, acoustic guitar & harmonica) & Joel Zifkin (electric violin) w/ The Moonshiners – Biograph (box set) 1985 (studio outtake originally recorded 1975)
- Isis – Jesse Stone Creatchman (vocals & harmonica) & Joel Zifkin w/ The Moonshiners – Desire 1976
- One More Cup of Coffee – Bobby Dove (vocals & acoustic guitar) & Joel Zifkin (electric violin) w/ The Moonshiners – Desire 1976
- Shelter From The Storm – Bobby Dove (vocals & electric guitar) & Joel Zifkin w/ The Moonshiners – Blood on the Tracks 1975
- Hurricane – Annakin Slayd (vocals) & The Stalwarts (Kevin Jardine – guitar, Ted Georgaros – drums, Alex Georgaros – bass) w/ Jasmine Bleile – backup vocals – Desire 1976
- The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll – Chaim Tannenbaum – vocals & acoustic guitar & Joel Zifkin – electric violin – The Times They Are A-Changin’ 1964
- One Too Many Mornings – Chaim Tannenbaum & Joel Zifkin – The Times They Are A-Changin’
- Gotta Serve Somebody – Bilal Butt – vocals & The Moonshiners (Alec McElecheran backup vocals) with Felicity Hamer & Jasmine Bleile – backup vocals – Slow Train Coming 1979
- I’m Pressing On – Bilal Butt & The Moonshiners w/ Felicity Hamer & Jasmine Bleile – Saved 1980
- Senor – Rob Lutes – vocals & acoustic guitar & The Moonshiners – Street Legal 1978
- A Simple Twist of Fate – Rob Lutes & The Moonshiners – Blood on the Tracks
- Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – L’il Andy (vocals & electric guitar) & The Moonshiners – Bringing It All Back Home 1965
- Blind Willie McTell – L’il Andy & The Moonshiners – The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961 – 1991 (Originally recorded 1983)
- Forever Young – Dawn Tyler Watson & The Moonshiners (Alec McElcheran backup vocals) – Planet Waves (w/ The Band) 1974
- Silvio – Dawn Tyler Watson – vocals & acoustic guitar & The Moonshiners w/ Jesse Stone Creatchman (acoustic guitar/backup vocals) – Down in the Groove 1988 (co-written w/Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter)
- Highway 61 Revisited > Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Shane Murphy (vocals & electric guitar), Avi Ludmer (bass) Tony Lombardi (drums) Bob Stagg (keys) – Highway 61 Revisited > Blonde on Blonde
- Rollin’ & Tumblin’ – Shane Murphy (electric slide) & Ludmer/Lombardi/ – Modern Times 2006
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Shane Murphy & Ludmer/Lombardi w/ Felicity Hamer & Jasmine Bleile & Alec McElcheran (backup vocals) – Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (soundtrack) 1973
- Like A Rolling Stone – Shane Murphy & Ludmer/Lombardi w/Bob Stagg (keys) & Felicity Hamer & Jasmine Bleile (backup vocals) – Highway 61 Revisited
- All Along The Watchtower – Shane Murphy – vocals and electric guitar w/ The Moonshiners (Rob MacDonald – electric guiatr solo) & Tom Shemer – electric guitar solo
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue – The Damn Truth (Leela Baum – vocals & acoustic guitar, Tom Shemer – electric guitar, PY Lettelier – bass, Dave Traina – drums) – Bringing It All Back Home 1965
- She Belongs To Me – The Damn Truth – Bringing It All Back Home 1965
- Chimes of Freedom – The Moonshiners w/ Kevin Harvey (1st verse), Chaim Tannenbaum (2nd verse), Felicity Hamer (3rd Verse), Jasmine Bleile (4th verse), Rob Lutes (5th verse), Leela Baum (final verse) & Joel Zifkin – electric violin – Another Side of Bob Dylan 1964
- Mr. Tambourine Man – Bob Dylan – Live at 1964 Newport Folk Festival (video)
Photo Gallery
