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| Bob Dylan at the 2011 Byron Bay Bluesfest |
”But Dylan’s Not Dead” ”Oh ... Isn’t He?”
about seeing Bob Dylan play at the Byron Bay Bluesfest this year,
and all of the weird synchronicities that followed within the next day, or two.
Well, last Friday was the start of some more "coincidences" involving Bob and Byron.
Friday morning and I was off to the Byron Bay Writers Festival for two days, staying overnight in Byron, so I wouldn't have to make the trip again the next day as well.
Since I was traveling alone, I could please myself as to what I was going to play all the way to Byron Bay.
And I already knew what that was going to be, my favourite road-tripping CD ... my Willie Nelson CD, with such favs as
On the Road Again and Blue Skies.
Only one problem was that I was starting to run late for making it to Byron for the first talk I wanted to hear, and I couldn't find my Willie if my life depended on it;-)
So I thought what's my next choice?
And since I was already holding Bob Dylan's
and all of the weird synchronicities that followed within the next day, or two.
Well, last Friday was the start of some more "coincidences" involving Bob and Byron.
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| The Dylan CD I took to play on the drive to Byron |
Since I was traveling alone, I could please myself as to what I was going to play all the way to Byron Bay.
And I already knew what that was going to be, my favourite road-tripping CD ... my Willie Nelson CD, with such favs as
On the Road Again and Blue Skies.
Only one problem was that I was starting to run late for making it to Byron for the first talk I wanted to hear, and I couldn't find my Willie if my life depended on it;-)
So I thought what's my next choice?
And since I was already holding Bob Dylan's
The Essential Bob Dylan in my hand after pulling it out while looking for Willie, I thought why not?
After all he was the reason I went down to Bluesfest this year, and I've only played disc 1 a few times since I bought it last month and it will give me a chance to play to all the way through, a few times over.
So I popped disc 1 in and played it over and over on the way down, because all my favourite Dylan songs are on that disc and I couldn't really flip the CD out and put disc two in safely while driving on a curvy freeway at 110 km/ph .
As I approached the Byron turnoff though, the traffic had ground to a halt, and so I put in disc 2 and left it in until I got back to Brisbane the next night.
Saturday morning at the Writers festival I wanted to see the talk,
After all he was the reason I went down to Bluesfest this year, and I've only played disc 1 a few times since I bought it last month and it will give me a chance to play to all the way through, a few times over.
So I popped disc 1 in and played it over and over on the way down, because all my favourite Dylan songs are on that disc and I couldn't really flip the CD out and put disc two in safely while driving on a curvy freeway at 110 km/ph .
As I approached the Byron turnoff though, the traffic had ground to a halt, and so I put in disc 2 and left it in until I got back to Brisbane the next night.
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Gillian Armstrong (centre) and Paul Cox |
"If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words", given by Gillian Armstrong and Paul Cox, and even though it was in a big tent, seats were hard to find, because the people who saw the talk before just weren't leaving in big enough numbers, and people were streaming in.
It was like a massive game of musical chairs, so I grabbed the first one I could find and sat down, thankful to have a seat.
When I had settled in and had taken my phone out of my backpack, I looked up and saw a familiar face ... Steve Bisley the actor from the Mad Max movies (not that I had ever met him before. I just recognized him from the movie).
It was like a massive game of musical chairs, so I grabbed the first one I could find and sat down, thankful to have a seat.
When I had settled in and had taken my phone out of my backpack, I looked up and saw a familiar face ... Steve Bisley the actor from the Mad Max movies (not that I had ever met him before. I just recognized him from the movie).
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| Steve Bisley |
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| Steve Bisley and Mel Gibson in Mad Max ... or The Road Warrior, whatever. |
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| What was the name of one of the producers? BYRON Kennedy!? |
So, I snapped a sneaky picture of him with my phone camera.
He's looking across at a fan who was taking to him about Bob Dylan and how she saw him in Sydney, but didn't get to see him up here in Byron Bay.
She was telling him how Dylan had the screens turned off on the sides of the stage and that if you weren't in a good position up front you couldn't see him, or so she was told, she said.
I thought here's a que if I ever heard one, so I lent across and showed them all the picture, which you see up the top of the post, with the side screens turned off at the sides of the stage.
They then asked what he was like, so I showed them the 50 second video I had recorded of him on my phone as well, which I had still on my phone.
We had a pretty good ol' chat among ourselves, reminiscing about the 70's music scene and the kind lady in front of me asked for my address so she could send me a burned copy of one of Dylan's early albums ... never got it though.
Then at the end of the day after snapping what looks like an Egyptian flying disc I headed back to Brisbane into that sunset above.
I was listening to the Byron Bay radio station, but as I hit the border the signal wasn't so good, so I tried to press the the radio buttons, but hit the CD play button.
Then advanced the CD about four songs along accidentally into some songs I would normally skip, as they tend to put me to sleep.
The song I had accidentally advanced the CD to was Not Dark Yet.
I was going to turn it off and put a Gold Coast radio station on, but I heard the lyrics, "It's getting dark, but it's not dark yet".
And since it was getting dark, but it was not dark yet, I thought I'd leave it run.
It was followed by Things Have Changed, and I thought to myself, "yes they have".
He's looking across at a fan who was taking to him about Bob Dylan and how she saw him in Sydney, but didn't get to see him up here in Byron Bay.
She was telling him how Dylan had the screens turned off on the sides of the stage and that if you weren't in a good position up front you couldn't see him, or so she was told, she said.
I thought here's a que if I ever heard one, so I lent across and showed them all the picture, which you see up the top of the post, with the side screens turned off at the sides of the stage.
They then asked what he was like, so I showed them the 50 second video I had recorded of him on my phone as well, which I had still on my phone.
We had a pretty good ol' chat among ourselves, reminiscing about the 70's music scene and the kind lady in front of me asked for my address so she could send me a burned copy of one of Dylan's early albums ... never got it though.
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| An Egyptian flying disc, orb, or trick of the sun??? |
I was listening to the Byron Bay radio station, but as I hit the border the signal wasn't so good, so I tried to press the the radio buttons, but hit the CD play button.
Then advanced the CD about four songs along accidentally into some songs I would normally skip, as they tend to put me to sleep.
The song I had accidentally advanced the CD to was Not Dark Yet.
I was going to turn it off and put a Gold Coast radio station on, but I heard the lyrics, "It's getting dark, but it's not dark yet".
And since it was getting dark, but it was not dark yet, I thought I'd leave it run.
It was followed by Things Have Changed, and I thought to myself, "yes they have".
I could certainly feel it after this magical two day break;-)
Lovely post Darren and all about my hero and yours apparently! The Essential Dylan is my constant companion too. Dylan is like the bible to me. I'm not soppy over it all and I don't compare him to J or anything, but somehow he's always there for me in all of life's many changes.
ReplyDelete'Things have changed' came out round about the time I left the U.K. for a new life in America and it said it all, just right. It was as if he wrote that song for me.
He has the ability to write songs that mean something to whoever hears them and that's what I love about his work.
Long live Bob!
Your pictures of the festival showed me how well organised it was, very tidy and sophisticated and just a wonderful event. I bet you're glad you went!
Thank you for your comment on my Blog re the riots. I don't want another week like that one, ever. Thankfully it didn't affect my town, which is only 31 miles from London but it was a dreadful time, it really was.
I know what you mean about Dylan,he certainly is like some kind of modern day prophet.
ReplyDeleteHe is a favourite of mine,along with my all time favourites,John Lennon,Bruce Springsteen, Sting,Willie Nelson and the Pink Floyd boys...among others.
I like musicians that hold up a mirror to life and show you the way.
Just like I like movie director's and actors who do the same thing with their craft like Kubrick,Stone,Weir,Costner,Nolan,
Gibson(not the J movie he made,though...and I'm not saying that because I'm Jewish by blood.-)
,apparently Steve Bisley and Mel Gibson are best mates.I didn't know that until I got home from the Writer's Festival,but it stands to reason after seeing them in the Mad Max films together.
The funny thing about Dylan's
"Not Dark Yet" is that I never paid much attention to it before,until driving home into the sunset,feeling this was a major turning point in my life,these last two days
(even without Redfield showing up...what a synchronicity filled 2 days it turned out to be anyway.-)
certainly have changed my direction in life,which is what I was thinking when the next song "Things Have Changed" came on.And I think they have,in a good way,that is.
It's funny you mentioned the J thing,because my big resolution after the festival was to really get into Jung and study his psychology and books.
Seeing pictures of the riots broke my heart,especially seeing pictures of Tottenham burning.Whilst I've never been to England,I am a Tottenhan Hotspur fan and have friends in London (mainly Arsenal fans...but I won't hold that against them.-),so it was a little distressing seeing that happening.Funnily enough I am a Cronulla Sharks Rugby League supporter and you probably remember the big riots a few years back in Oz were on Cronulla beach...I just hope Mel doesn't think I'm to blame for all these riots happening .-)
I'm glad to hear you are safe,though.
There are a lot more posts coming on the Writer's Festival...the one's already up are just the tip of the iceberg,so to write.-)
Cheers / Daz
I love music synchronicities and that this one gave you the opportunity to chat with a movie star is bonus! Great story. What type of stuff do you write?
ReplyDeleteApart from this blog...nothing.
ReplyDeleteI'm an avid reader though,and I love attending Writer's festivals and chatting to like minded souls that seem to be walking the same synchromistic path as I seem to be.
I just like keeping track of the puzzle pieces by using this blog to share my experiences with others who may find this stuff relevant to their lives as well.
There will be some interesting posts coming up from the Writer's Festival when I get them organized.Stay tuned.