Bob Dylan's 1976 Rolling Thunder Revue to be released in a 39-disc Box Set

Music enthusiasts are buzzing with the announcement of an expansive box set chronicling Bob Dylan's legendary 1976 Rolling Thunder Revue tour. This monumental 39-disc collection, titled The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings, promises an immersive journey into a pivotal, yet largely unreleased, chapter of Dylan's illustrious career. Slated for a November 9 release, the set includes an astonishing 371 never-before-heard tracks, alongside a richly detailed booklet featuring new insights from veteran Rolling Stone contributor Mikal Gilmore. This release is a treasure trove for fans, unveiling a wealth of live performances that have remained in the vaults for decades.

The 1976 leg of the Rolling Thunder Revue was a vibrant and star-studded affair, with Bob Dylan traversing the American landscape alongside musical luminaries like Joan Baez, guitarists Mick Ronson and T-Bone Burnett, and violinist Scarlet Rivera. Unlike its more intimate 1975 predecessor, which focused on smaller East Coast venues and was documented for Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara and later Martin Scorsese's pseudo-documentary, the 1976 tour embraced larger venues and a broader geographical reach. This phase of the tour was also partially captured for the NBC television special Hard Rain, and a companion live album, though much of the recorded material has remained uncirculated until now. The release of this box set stems from a European copyright quirk, which dictates that recordings not released within fifty years of their creation enter the public domain, a factor that has previously led Dylan's label to issue limited-run, 'copyright protection' packages.

Fans have eagerly awaited a comprehensive collection of these 1976 performances, as previously only a handful of tracks from Hard Rain and one song from the Bootleg Series offered a glimpse into this era. The new box set offers an unprecedented opportunity to experience the raw energy and musical diversity of the tour. One notable omission from this extensive collection is the final stop in Salt Lake City on May 25, 1976. This particular concert has attained near-mythical status among Dylan aficionados, primarily due to its rumored inclusion of the sole live performance of "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" from Blood on the Tracks, as well as the tour's only rendition of "Gates of Eden." Unfortunately, recording equipment was reportedly sent home after the Fort Collins TV taping, leaving this much-sought-after performance uncaptured and likely lost to time. Despite the absence of this 'holy grail' recording, the sheer volume and rarity of the tracks in The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings will undoubtedly provide Dylan's devoted fanbase with a wealth of material to explore and appreciate for years to come.

The new compilation provides an unparalleled deep dive into the creative ferment of Bob Dylan's 1976 Rolling Thunder Revue. With hundreds of previously unheard recordings, it stands as a testament to the spontaneous and electrifying nature of that tour, offering a fresh perspective on Dylan's artistry and the collaborative spirit of his fellow musicians during this fascinating period.