Early years of Dylan

The hand-picked band brings the legendary songs to life. 154827_01

By PETER DOUGLAS

AFTER sell-out shows throughout the Yarra Ranges, it’s now Upwey’s turn to enjoy all that is incredible about singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan.
The two-hour narrated rock ‘n’ roll show DYLANesque is set to rock the hills, while exploring the life and music of the renowned musician.
The show spans from Dylan’s early years through to his evolution as a world-renowned artist.
Musician Jeff Jenkins takes the lead role and said the show was way more than just playing some cool cover songs.
“We’re not a tribute band, it’s more a theatre show because between the songs, I tell the audience stories about Dylan and what was going on in the world when he wrote some of his most famous songs,” he said.
“And we love the fact that after each show, people come up to us and say ‘that was brilliant’ and ‘I had no idea that half those songs were ever written by Bob Dylan’.”
Many of the ‘I didn’t know that’ moments come from the great collaborations Dylan had with his peers over many decades.
The songs he penned were hits for everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Peter, Paul and Mary; and Manfred Mann.
Jenkins said the show features more than 30 of Dylan’s best-known hits, which receive great attention thanks to the talented musician and his line-up of hand-picked musicians.
The band comprises Kim Farrell, Mick Wenhuda, Andy King and Jim Moody.
“I’ve cherry-picked four talented musicians to form the band and together we do the great man justice,” he said.
“We’ve played nine shows already, including The Corner Hotel in Richmond, which is a coup for any musicians to play such hallowed ground.”
The next performance will be at Burrinja’s Black Box theatre in Upwey on Friday, 17 June.
For more details, visit dylanesque.com.au or for tickets, visit www.burrinja.org.au.