My Weblog: Bob and Joe have a birthday

by Kris Neri, at the Femmes Fatales

In May, each year, the most fun thing to do in the Sedona-Verde Valley, AZ area is to attend the annual Bob
Dylan’s Birthday Bash Concert, produced by my husband, Joe Neri.

It began twelve years ago at our former bookstore, The Well Red Coyote, in Sedona. Since Joe and Bob share the same birthday — May 24th — he came up with the idea of presenting a concert of Dylan songs on their shared birthday. Like most bookstores, The Well Red Coyote primarily offered author signings, but we also hosted live music events featuring local and traveling musicians. That first year it was a hastily tossed together event, with Joe inviting a few other musician friends to come together to sing Dylan songs. We ordered a half sheet cake that read, “Happy Birthday, Bob & Joe.” It really felt like some friends jamming together. The biggest surprise was that it proved to be more of a hit than expected, with people who attended continuing to talk about it for weeks afterward, and for those who missed it, always asking whether we would do it again.

Naturally, given how popular it was, when the next year rolled around, we planned to repeat it. That year, Joe probably put a little more thought into who would appear, but it was still very much just an informal affair. One harmonica player from out of town, who happened to be vacationing in Sedona at the time, Debra Windsong, heard about it and dropped by the bookstore to ask if she could appear. Joe was reluctant to allow a stranger whose work he was unfamiliar with appear, but in the end he relented. The biggest surprise that year was that Debra was outstanding. For several years after that, Debra always arranged to be in Sedona at the time of the Bob Dylan Birthday Bash Concert.

That year we ordered a full sheet cake with the same birthday message, and everyone there enjoyed a decent-sized piece.

In the third year, the biggest surprise was that so many people showed up that if the fire inspector had been one of them, we would
have been shut down for allowing the store to become too crowded. There wasn’t an extra inch anywhere. But the crowds seemed to make extra fun. It was definitely the thing to do that night.

We ordered the same full-sized sheet cake that year, but I worried how I would ever stretch it enough to feed everyone there. I remember being bent over the table where it rested for the longest time, cutting tiny inch-sized pieces. I don’t think everyone had a piece. I know I didn’t.

Fourth year, we knew we couldn’t contain it in the store anymore. That year we decided to move it to the new Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood, which is owned by grammy-nominated World musician, William Eaton, and his wife, Christie. The production became more formal that year — after all, they had a stage, a green room, and lighting — none of which we had in the bookstore. But it was still a fun gather of friends performing well-loved songs.

That year, instead of a birthday cake, we ordered cupcakes. Hundreds of them, because it was a sell-out.

Once he moved to Old Town Center for the Arts, Joe got the idea of including audience participation. The number before the intermission is usually “Desolation Row,” and audience members volunteer to each sing a verse. That’s a tough song to sing, but people beg to do it. Some actually do a great job, while you have to give others credit for giving it a great try.

In all the years since, the show has never failed to be a huge hit, always a sell-out, always commanding standing ovations at the end. The musicians love Bob Dylan’s Birthday Bash Concert because they don’t get to see each other normally, since they’re all always performing at the same times, but they do get to catch up each year. Over the years, there have been too many performers to list.

This year’s “Bob Bash” features Larry & Leslie Latour, Tyler Barrett, William Eaton, Tim Young, Gary Simpkins, and Mike McReynolds, all performing acoustically. Local poet, Gary Every, will speak about the Nobel Prize. And, of course, the popular Mystery Tramps, Joe’s the electric band of consisting of Gregg Gould, Erika Wsulkowski, Hutch Hutchinson, and Matt Fabritz, will rock the house.

If you’re in the Verde Valley, stop by on Saturday, May 20, at 7 pm. But make sure you pre-order your ticket because every seat will be taken. If you can’t be there, Google for Bob Dylan concerts in your area. Bob’s birthday is celebrated in musical tributes all over the world.

Have you ever attended one?

Comments

Wow! That sounds amazing! What an incredibly unique event, and you must work so hard-- I have never heard of it, but while. I heard Bob Dylan with John Baez many many years ago, and it was incredible.

Have fun!

Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | May 05, 2017 at 04:59 AM