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SCHENECTADY – Legendary singer and songwriter Bob Dylan announced his return to Schenectady Monday at Proctors.
He’s set to play here Oct. 30 – tickets go on sale Friday.
But Dylan, now 82, has played Schenectady before. In January 1962, the still-up-and-coming folk singer played a much less formal affair, at a Schenectady coffee house. (The photo includes the identifier “New Face on Circuit.”)
He appeared at Schenectady’s San Remo Coffee House over three days, Jan. 12-14, 1962.
Then just 20, Dylan appeared at the coffee house, then located at 314 Front St., in Schenectady. That address today, just down from Rivers Casino, appears to coincide with a vacant lot.
But Dylan’s performance was notable enough to garner a preview in that day’s Gazette. The preview is reproduced below, along with a paragraph referencing his appearance the previous summer, July 7, 1961, at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs.
Dylan to Sing Folk Numbers At San Remo
Jan. 12, 1962 – Gazette
Bob Dylan, 20-year-old folksong stylist, will appear at the San Remo Coffee House, 314 Front street, tonight through Sunday night.
A NEW FACE on the folk music circuit, Dylan has appeared at Manhattan’s Gerdes Folk City, Gaslight Cafe and Bitter End Cafe and at Cafe Lena, Saratoga Springs.
Dylan also has given concerts at several eastern colleges and has sung over the radio with Oscar Brand and Cynthia Gooding.
This young folksinger plays the guitar, harmonica and piano. A prolific composer, he sings his varied repertoire in a voice which recaptures the rude beauty of a southern field band musing in melody on his front porch.
Dylan will perform nightly at the coffee house beginning at 10 p.m.
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Diversified Music and Theater Are Available
July 7, 1961 – Gazette
THERE’S EXCITEMENT at the Caffe Lena, 45 Phila street, Saratoga Springs, tonight and tomorrow night in the form of Bob Dylan, a young guitar-playing folksinger. A veteran of the Gaslight and the Cock ‘n Bull in New York city and the Club 47 in Cambridge, Mass., Bob is stopping over on his trip to the Ash Grove in California.
More: Bob Dylan to play Schenectady’s Proctors in October, 8/21/23
Categories: Entertainment, Life and Arts, News, Schenectady, Schenectady County
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The quote should read, “…southern field hand,” not “southern field band.” Makes a big difference.