Happy Bobfest!
On 10/16/92 I was fortunate to have seats in the 6th row on the floor at Madison Sq. Garden for the 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration of Bob Dylan, or "Bobfest" as it was dubbed by Neil Young. The lineup of artists paying tribute to Dylan was amazing, and included: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Tom Petty, The Band, John Cougar Mellancamp, Stevie Wonder, Lou Reed, Willie Nelson, Johnny Winter, Richie Havens, Ronnie Wood, Chrissie Hynde, Roger (Jim) McGuinn, and the man himself, Bob Dylan. I had been listening to "Ten" for a while and really loved this new band Pearl Jam, so one of the highlights of the show for me was the acoustic version of "Masters of War," performed by Eddie and Mike.
When the show was over I headed to the nearest exit, which happened to be right next to the stage. There had been guards posted here earlier but no one was there now, so I figured it would be okay to exit through these doors. I had no idea that these were the stairs that led from backstage. When I opened the door I ran into Eddie and Mike walking down the stairs! I was stunned!
They nodded to me and I just stood there with my mouth open! They were talking about the after party they were heading to at Tommy Makem's Irish Pavilion. I was dying to follow them, but I had a babysitter waiting back home and it was already past midnight. Man, I've been kicking myself over that missed opportunity for more than 20 years! 
But today isn't only the anniversary of the show, and the day I met Eddie and Mike. It's also the anniversary of the day they met Neil Young. There's some great fly on the wall video on YouTube of the Bobfest rehearsal. Eddie and Mike look like kids in a candy shop watching these legends perform.
If you want to waste some time, here are links to a long version and a shorter version with some of the highlights noted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AdQ7OiXFcs
(behind Tom Petty; stands up around 25:00; 41:00 Mike shaking Neil's hand; 42:00 Eddie & Mike w/Tom; 50:00 watching Neil; 54:00 very cute Eddie w/GE Smith)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG2u6hYlRoo
(0:43 Mike shaking hands w/Neil; 2:18 Ed and Mike w/Tom Petty; 5:37 Ed w/Roger McGuinn)
When the show was over I headed to the nearest exit, which happened to be right next to the stage. There had been guards posted here earlier but no one was there now, so I figured it would be okay to exit through these doors. I had no idea that these were the stairs that led from backstage. When I opened the door I ran into Eddie and Mike walking down the stairs! I was stunned!
They nodded to me and I just stood there with my mouth open! They were talking about the after party they were heading to at Tommy Makem's Irish Pavilion. I was dying to follow them, but I had a babysitter waiting back home and it was already past midnight. Man, I've been kicking myself over that missed opportunity for more than 20 years! But today isn't only the anniversary of the show, and the day I met Eddie and Mike. It's also the anniversary of the day they met Neil Young. There's some great fly on the wall video on YouTube of the Bobfest rehearsal. Eddie and Mike look like kids in a candy shop watching these legends perform.
If you want to waste some time, here are links to a long version and a shorter version with some of the highlights noted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AdQ7OiXFcs
(behind Tom Petty; stands up around 25:00; 41:00 Mike shaking Neil's hand; 42:00 Eddie & Mike w/Tom; 50:00 watching Neil; 54:00 very cute Eddie w/GE Smith)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG2u6hYlRoo
(0:43 Mike shaking hands w/Neil; 2:18 Ed and Mike w/Tom Petty; 5:37 Ed w/Roger McGuinn)
I escaped it...a life wasted...I'm never going back again
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