bootleg series, volume 4, the “royal albert hall concerts”

Debuting for audiences during a free concert given at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall as part of his World Tour on this day in 1966 standards like “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Mister Tambourine Man,” the sublime, defining performance circulating as bootleg copies (misidentified in popular memories as the title venue) for over three decades before being remastered and released as a double, live album in 1998. While audiences responded warmly to the first half of the concert of Bob Dylan (previously) performing on stage alone a wholly acoustic set, the second part accompanied by his band the Hawks with electric guitars drew hecklers—though criticism has softened since and the whole experience is counted as a classic.