Bob Dylan & The Band 1974 Live Tour : Sony CD Box & Third Man Vinyl Sets

[@danielcombs3207]

Seeing him on this tour was my first Dylan concert. I’d seen the Band in December 1969 and I was a huge fan. So when the tour was announced I immediately ordered tickets for the Charlotte N.C. show. A chance to see them together was really exciting for me and I wasn’t disappointed. The full show was amazing. Seeing each of them separately and finally together was one of my favorite concert experiences. Before the concert my friends and I were sitting outside the Coliseum waiting for the doors to open. We were sitting in a small terraced area when we heard a loud voice that sounded slightly familiar conversing about the upcoming concert with another person. I glanced over and it was Bill Graham deep in conversation. I was awestruck because he was a legend to me. It was a wonderful and memorable experience.

[@dmichaelelkins1]

I was a high school senior living in an Atlanta suburb when this tour was announced. I remember a full-page ad in the paper and you were required to send payment not knowing whether you would get your tickets through some sort of lottery system. A friend of mine who was also a big fan flew up from the Canal Zone for the show. I remember a shout out to Governor Jimmy Carter who was also in attendance and stories of Dylan visiting him in the Governor’s Mansion after the show. We were at the first of two shows at the Omni. I can’t believe that after all these years I now have a recording of that concert.

[@robertb653]

Got mine from pre-order on release day. I’ve been working through the shows. So far I’m not disappointed. I’ve been a Dylan fan since the beginning of his career. The first LP I bought was Dylan’s first album. I was 15 years old.

[@vandannadale2689]

Very much in agreement with you Mazzy about the entire set. It’s powerful and prime Bob/the Band. I would love a bootleg series Never-Ending-Tour highlights. I know it’s a tall order (just 36 years of material😲) but it would complete these live collections so wonderfully. Thanks for all you share! ✌🏼peace

[@charlieanderson8497]

Hard to believe this is 50 years old,

[@Brewin62]

I’m all in with the 1974 shows. Bob Dylan and the Band were always best when loose. Exhibit A: The Basement Tapes. Thanks for mentioning the 78’ tour. Great shows, particularly the Street Legal tunes Senor and Changing of the Guards. Not bothered in the least by audio quality differences in board versus multitrack sources. A good Dylan performance always satisfies.

[@sandyfader4649]

Just received mine yesterday from Amazon, am going to follow your advice on the random pulls, maybe one per day. Thanks for the video.

[@cchach]

Great review, would love to rap without about Dylan one day. My all time favorite solo artist as well. I’m in the same boat, once I get on a Dylan kick, it’s a few weeks of nothing else. The past 20+ years has been great with these collections and the bootleg series that have come out. The sound quality is pristine on these and way better than the boots I had over the years. That trademark sloppiness is what makes the relationship great from 65/66 to the Basement Tapes to this tour featured in the collection. I can never get enough Dylan. Nearly every fall we receive a gift that keeps giving.

[@johnfedko1579]

Still waiting on my Third Man vinyl !!! LOVE the CDs !!!! Incredible !!!!!!!

[@bluesdragon42]

Saw this show twice in Houston. It was the best! Taken all together, it was a memorable rock and roll adventure.✌🏼💙🤘🏽

[@davidatkinson-lifematters4826]

That photo from the back is bloody great. Album cover standard. No question.

[@williamcardina89]

BOB an artist like Picasso an artist for the ages! A National Treasure without question.

[@mazzysmusic]

@@williamcardina89 absolutely ✌🏼

[@merikblackmore]

Great pictures, thanks.

[@MikeTheGamerGuy]

This box has been a joy to listen through so far. Its hard to make progress though as I keep returning to the first few shows. Such great music and all wonderfully recorded for the most part. Occasionally some tape artifacts do distract but generally its veey nice.

[@samstjohn1994]

Just ordered mine, it took far too long to come back into stock! Great photos!

[@twofromthetrunk9932]

Excellent review. I think i pock and chose when it come to Dylan. My last cd purchase was the Fragments bootleg series, which i enjoyed. But thats about it. Enjoyed your video as always.

[@bobm5242]

Great video! Couldn't wait for SONY to get their act together so I ordered mine form Japan & got it a few days after the release date. Have listened to all in order & I'm now in the random show phase of listening. Always preferred the earlier shows, but listening all in order in this quality you do get a feel for the excitement building for the finalizes in LA!! Great tour, great boxset, but I wish there was a way to get some of band performances on there too. Especially the first show where Dylan played with them for a few songs.

[@fatblokeinlycra]

You did well to get tickets online in 1974 Mazzy! I got the TMR vinyl version and it sounds great.

[@jerrychetty2524]

Mazzy was a time traveller in 1974 to get online tickets

[@kingelvis1956]

I caught that too. Funny!

[@mazzysmusic]

@@jerrychetty2524 mail 😵‍💫😎🤠

[@EdwinWickham]

I was at the evening show at Oakland Arena. The highest and furthest row back. 😮At least it was in the middle 👌. I vaguely remember it. Weed does that.😁 Thanks for the review 👏👏👏👍

[@sjbang5764]

I almost order this every day. Then I tell myself, you don't really need the same songs played several times live. I know they vary slightly; I mean I've seen Mr. Dylan when a very well-known song was unrecognizable because of the way he changed it up. Which is much like a jazz artist in a way, a sort of improvisation, at least that's how pianist Jamie Saft framed his interpretation of Dylan's songs. But I digress, I've got to decide soon, before it goes out of print and are $400.00 or higher on Discogs. Perhaps your review pushes me over the good edge. As always, thanks for your thoughts, Mazzy.

[@TRamone01]

Preaching to the choir Mazzy. Got them all except the Third Man Vinyl. Thanks for the video and your thoughts.

[@karstenpost1477]

Very listenable review that let my appetite for this multidisc box set grow. Maybe I’ll order it for christmas and than enjoy one CD a day😊👍🏻

[@mazzysmusic]

🤠✌🏼

[@michaellaverty1844]

My brother and I, my wife, her uncle and another woman scored tickets for the DC show. I borrowed my friend’s beater van. Driving up from Richmond we stopped at Quantico to fuel up . When I started the van to continue on the van threw a rod! We would have hitched the rest of the way except for the 2 women that came with us wanted to sell the ticket and catch a bus back home. After some discussion we sold to ticket to some Marines and rode the Greyhound back home. Such a bummer.😮

[@casablanca2745]

Bought in while in high school when it came out on 8 track. A month later my Dad’s Buick Special was broken into and my Dylan/Band tape was stolen along with my player, Craig speakers and other 8 track tapes. Sucked to be me at the time

[@SpuzzyLargo]

I was at the Seattle show. I remember that Danko broke two bass strings during that concert.

[@jimmccloskey4254]

An interesting side challenge: How many Dylan albums and the total number of LPs/CDs do you have? 250, 500, 1000? It would be fun to hear your discovery and where the music stands by itself or if it is from the same record, period, or tour (like the unreal number of Grateful Dead releases and material).

[@birdy1numnum]

*Folk music legend Bob Dylan.*

[@teckertime]

Not a BIG Dylan guy, but those CD box sets look amazing!

[@Ad.Dd.James.]

This set is awesome. The live shows are rough, fast paced performances that have showcased Bob as the legendary character that he has become. The only problem I have with this boxset is that it's a very small physical package. Definitely room for improvement by adding a hardcover booklet etc, more sturdier box. These copyright dump boxsets need to be marketed and presented as collectors items.

[@brettthompson2743]

Elizabeth Nelson is The Paranoid Style, great music writer and one of the best music Tweeters on the planet. Also check out her music.

[@michaelpdawson]

I haven't even gotten halfway through it yet. I do really miss having the Band's sets, and I've had a little trouble with a couple of discs not wanting to play on different players. Can't complain too much about a 27-CD set at such an incredibly low price.

[@michaelb.9548]

I’ve also got all the stuff there. The new 1974 box set is great listening to as I’ve never liked Before The Flood. The early shows are great. Third Man was fun but Sony should’ve released a 2CD/2LP as always for everyone that’s not a hard core fan like us. Nothing beats the 1966 box set though. Not even the 1975 box set. In 2026 I hope to get a RTR 1976 release as well.

[@Thejazzfan66]

I was looking through some of my CD’s, and I discovered that I have a copy of Before the Flood….trouble is, I don’t remember buying it…..LOL

[@jameswilson7084]

Considering performance and sound quality, my favorites are Disc 17 NYC MSG Jan. 30 and Discs 26 & 27 Inglewood The Forum Feb. 14 (evening). But, a case could be made for some of the earlier discs, like CD 1, CD 3 and CD 5. It's too bad The Band's solo sets weren't included, but I'm sure that has to do with record company legalities.

[@markgaines6904]

Bravo! Great overview of the Dylan 74 set. I attended the Sportatorium show in Fl ( evening show) and was blown away. Dylan had some protesters outside complaining about being a Zionist which was stupid in my opinion. My set arrives today and I will take each show as a Wack-o-mole event. No doubt every Dylan performance is unique and should be experienced as such.

[@mazzysmusic]

It’s was very special in 74. Fifty years 😵‍💫

[@MartinFGayford]

I agree the cover of the Third Man set leaves a lot to be desired but the back cover and insides are beautiful, as is the ‘tour programme’. And I’m one of those that thinks this should have been a general release; the selections are really good and not everyone has the willpower for 26 hours of Bob!

[@colourlessbluethings]

It's unfortunate that the actual box is lower quality than the '66 tour and Rolling Thunder sets but you can't complain about the music. I've been really enjoying this.

[@colourlessbluethings]

Your photos are fantastic, by the way, Mazzy.

[@apvalenti]

Actually, you can no longer get the Dylan Vault package from Third Man Records. You had to subscribe to the Vault by July 31st. Now you can only get Iggy Pop's Raw Power. Not quite the equivalent!

[@thePinkandtheBlues]

How's the pressing on the vinyl release? Third Man's pressing plant leaves a lot to be desired.

[@mazzysmusic]

@@thePinkandtheBlues mine is good. I’ve heard some have issues

[@ediblehorse]

I also have both sets. Third Man...I dunno. Art is horrible. For $75, put it in a box. The 45 is pointless... Love the CD set. Thank you Mazzy

[@jaxnider]

Agreed, the Vault packaging is terrible, the green vinyl is horrendous but the MUSIC is fabulous. I received mine 2½ weeks ago. Always loved “Before the Flood”, especially because of “You Go Your Way & I’ll go MI-I-INE!”

[@mazzysmusic]

Such bad design and green vinyl ???? Yeah the music is great though but come on !!!!!!!

[@kke644]

I like sloppy too - the best Stones stuff sounds like it could fall apart at any moment.

[@mazzysmusic]

Yup🤠

[@jackfalco5351]

Dylan hated this tour. He called it overblown and mindless . See interview with Cameron Crowe.I saw one of the shows. I thought it was pretty bad.

[@lyndonheiss5812]

Mazzy made a comment earlier in the clip, pondering about the Band's catalog. I'm with Mazzy. UMG owns Capitol's catalog. Why is there no interest in releasing their 'back pages'?

[@candelise]

Hey, wait a minute...You bought your tickets ONLINE in 1974????

[@mazzysmusic]

@@candelise no by mail

[@candelise]

@@mazzysmusic Thank you.By the way, did you enjoy the Last Waltz show and did you like the box set?

[@glenmoon]

Amazing how a Jewish kid from Minnesota named Robert Zimmerman made it so big

[@mazzysmusic]

🤠✌🏼😎

[@birdy1numnum]

Why? He has to be from somewhere and does his Judaism have any significance?

[@rocky-o]

i have to say, before the flood has always been my least favorite live dylan..i do like budokan, but my favorite is hard rain..but any dylan is still good dylan..peace from the grand cooley dam to the capital..rocky