Fact-Check: Bob Dylan’s Legendary 1965 Performance at Newport Folk Festival

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for A Complete Unknown.

Bob Dylan’s electric performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 is a pivotal moment in music history, stirring both acclaim and controversy. This fascinating chapter is brought to life in the new biopic, A Complete Unknown, which premiered on Christmas Day 2024. Starring Timothée Chalamet as the iconic songwriter, the film features a stellar cast including Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Dan Fogler, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, and Edward Norton as Pete Seeger. While it portrays Dylan’s rise to fame, the film takes creative liberties with certain historical details surrounding his life.

Directed by James Mangold, known for his work on Ford v. Ferrari and Logan, A Complete Unknown is already being hailed as one of the finest films of 2024. It has garnered a Rotten Tomatoes score of 79% and an impressive audience score of 95%. The film focuses on Dylan’s formative years in New York, illustrating his quest for identity and artistic expression, aided by the legendary folk artist Pete Seeger and his encounter with Woody Guthrie. The 1965 Newport Folk Festival serves as a significant turning point in Dylan’s career, marking his controversial switch from acoustic to electric music.

The Newport Folk Festival Crowd Really Did Boo Bob Dylan During His 1965 Performance

Some Fans Were Outraged by Dylan’s New Loud Electric Style

Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan recording music in A Complete Unknown

The scene depicted in A Complete Unknown accurately portrays the booing Dylan faced during his 1965 Newport Folk Festival set, which marked a significant departure from the acoustic roots of the festival. This backlash is often seen as a symbolic rejection of Dylan’s shift to electric sound, which many fans felt betrayed the festival’s traditional ethos. The film encapsulates the tension between the evolving musical landscape and the expectations of folk music purists, particularly as Pete Seeger attempted to advise Dylan prior to his performance.

Additionally, some accounts suggest that the booing was exacerbated by subpar sound quality, rendering Dylan’s amplified performance jarring compared to the preceding acts. Not everyone in attendance booed, however; many fans were excited by Dylan’s bold new direction. His set opened with “Maggie’s Farm” and “Like a Rolling Stone,” followed by an early version of “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry,” leading to a divided response as he exited the stage to a mix of cheers and jeers.

Pete Seeger Did Want to Cut the Sound to Bob Dylan’s Set

He Was Trying to Improve the Distorted Playback, Not Kill His Electric Sound

Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) holds an instrument as he smiles approvingly up at Bob Dylan.

The film sheds light on another aspect of the Newport performance: Pete Seeger’s controversial desire to cut Dylan’s sound. Contrary to popular belief, this urge stemmed not from a desire to stifle Dylan’s electric sound but from frustration over audio distortion. In a letter dated 1990, Seeger expressed regret over the incident, stating, “I was furious at the distorted sound – no one could understand the words of ‘Maggie’s Farm.’” Seeger’s intent was to enhance the quality of Dylan’s performance, not to dismiss it entirely.

Seeger elaborated in his letter: “I dashed over to the people controlling the PA system. ‘No, this is the way they want it,’ they said. I shouted, ‘if I had an axe, I’d cut the cable,’ which led to misconceptions about my stance.” Reflecting on this experience, Seeger acknowledged that he should have defended Dylan against the booing crowd, reminding them that artists like Howlin’ Wolf had ventured into electric music without condemnation. Seeger’s letters reveal a lingering regret for not standing up for Dylan during that pivotal moment.

Bob Dylan Played Two Non-Electric Songs As An Encore

“Mr. Tambourine Man”& “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”

In an effort to quell the tumultuous crowd after his charged electric set, Dylan returned to the stage with an acoustic guitar for an encore. He performed the beloved tracks “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” successfully uniting the audience in appreciation. Despite the warm reception, Dylan distanced himself from the Newport Folk Festival for decades, not returning to perform until 2002—an appearance marked by his playful disguise in a fake beard and wig.

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