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I was there
One voice beyond the new curtains
by Alex Broadhunter


A small booklet was published in Sofia in 1984 - part of the series Poets with Guitars, and this was for Bob Dylan. Accompanied by a poster, a small plate - on one side "The answer is Blowing the Wind" and the other "That's better."

For all of us he was musician and poet, legend overseas, beyond the Iron Curtain, in practice beyond
all. He was from somewhere beyond. So beyond that, not imagined that anything can happen physically
close to us. Now, today, to third in June 2010 in a hall of the NPC, which is well known to us where they
were Joseph Kobzon and Alla Pugachova, Party Congress, and many other conferences, concerts are
the largest. Nothing suggests that. There are no traffic jams in Sofia, no closed streets and evacuated
neighbourhoods (as / rather as it should be / in AC / DC).

Concert was about the largest that changes and contribute most to positive changes in the world (not
only in music). He said the most important things and make the most important messages - Bob Dylan
would have delivered a two-hour concert. A few days ago was the age of 69 years, God give him health.

I saw the first trucks, lined up behind the car park with inscriptions "Rock'n Roll Trucking", sleeping in
cabins with hundreds of horsepowers, which had to bring equipment to the next city for the next concert
in the neighbouring country.

I saw what usually happens - crowds of people at different ages and occupations. Outsiders, people
from the status quo politicians and businessmen, those who hide in holes and behind the desks, those
with money and those without any money, people who should be ashamed of their money and others
who earned them honestly.

I saw a mother who had led two young twins about 2 years of concerts. They wanted the toilet and she
led them, then back again in the hall.

I saw a policeman who asked how was the concert and said it was working, so I was unable to go.

I saw an American who ten years ago was the show for 60 years of Dylan in Maine, U.S.. He said he was
a great concert involved are Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel and others. The man talked about the
experience, not reading, not a movie, but for life. The difference was primary and existential.

I saw another American who sold after the concert posters of Bob Dylan. "Bobso, Ten" - shouting and
deal with great enthusiasm and artistry. Sell what they could. From time to time add "crisis Price - Fife -
but this was exceptional.

I saw and heard the concert. Major ideas were there, they were in the minds of thousands who were in
the hall. Voice of Bob Dylan, became more acute and More "nigger" over time. When he was 20, said
that singing with the voice of 80-year old negro that was true then, but still perceived as a metaphor.
Now it was the truth. As is usually done at concerts, and here he experimented with different
arrangements of popular songs. And the boy who talked with said, but with me it was as of "Blowin 'in
the Wind" at the beginning I could not discern the song. And in "Hard rains" took me fifteen seconds to
warm up. This naturally difficult for an enthusiastic audience to sing with him, was part of that strange
Bob Dylan, that his side does not fit the rules of show business.

I saw many people who were perhaps the real audience. They were outside, they were in the hallways
and listen to music that make their way through closed doors. Occasionally miss some guards outside
or inside and then one of the doors are opened. Then inside the sound genuine and almost arrived in
the hall. These were moments of joy - until they reached the true unadulterated voice of Bob Dylan.

I saw them drinking beer outside the fence and sat inside the hall - the beer was a dollar, but ticket - per
cent. No way - it was just possible choice. Drinking, and possibly with every breath of the poem and the
atmosphere of a big concert.

I saw others who came to the room pretty well warmed up it started to rain and no words, but I had a
Bob Dylan T-shirts and everything, as is "protocol". They were as on solid years and had the money to
afford all that - heating with quality alcohol and concert tickets. These facts makes them happy.

I saw in the dark guys with guitars who also hope to see between them is Bob Dylan, but were expelled
by the guards could be because then not be flashed. Perhaps lost hope.

I saw the other, unshaven and dirty, all followed by some dirty benches in the park or grass. They drank
their own drinking unclear what. They knew very well what a concert, but were also aware that you will
never reach the hall. And some just do not want to be there - the experiences music in their own way
and thought that the room is full of snobs, who do not want to have anything to do or be in a common
space. For them to applaud a song like "Masters of War" was all pornography and clapping was some
kind of perversion.

I saw these old hippies doomed, doomed to eternal spirit of the sixties and poverty. The rebellious
standing in the corner of cities and societies. A distaste for establishment. Maybe they were from
people who "have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide." But they often had to hide
themselves. If one of them tried to leave the hall, was stopped at the first entrance, where all were
missed, whether a ticket or not. For them there was closed, and they hoped to another. What hope - it
was closed deep in their souls, locked with ten padlocks and no one had access to it, even themselves.
Reached them know it's there. They remembered times tear skirts, cutting jeans and stamps on the
thighs of girls when they were short skirts. Witnessed the arrests because of an interest in music or
book. One time ago told me how he slaps eaten by militiamen, that it was quite make him angry. Then
when I talk with him, 15 years later, perhaps because alcohol drunk, he could not talk about it calmly and
did press tears in his eyes and anger it clamp on throat. He experience the incident when police entered
the restaurant, stood them against a wall and beaten them with slaps. Because they are dressed as
hippies and listen to the Beatles. So it was. I was with my guitar and I sang "A Day in the Life" and other
works. They were ecstatic.

I saw the crickets, they joined in the Bob Dylan of the first rows of the hall - and they knew, what it is to
cricket during the winter, they knew it all history.

I saw other people who knew the story was clear and it does not make them especially happy. Knowing
I mean.

I saw many people enjoying themselves, were just another entertainment. And this concert was different
- there was something much more than mere entertainment. Tonight Mr. Robert Zimmerman, among
others, gave a lecture. We all had a lot to learn, and had to listen and to lead notes.

I saw a street musician - a few times it flashed around the room. He walked in with his guitar case and
amplifier packaged in a wheelchair. Somewhere in a subway today was probably sung the songs of
Dylan, hoping to raise money for a ticket maybe for bread. This is hardly rendered fully. But he knew the
songs. That it was enough.

I saw one boy and two girls - they stood in the darkness between cars on the rear exit of the NDK.
Radiated intelligence. They are talking back and long waiting at the exit to get an autograph from Bob
Dylan and if you can talk with him. You might look for some pretty naive, but we believe that can happen.
When Bob Dylan sang "The answer lies with the wind", the boy and two girls were about minus 20 years
- a very long project of their parents. Now they were read and heard all of Bob Dylan, the boy knew
everything about history Hurricane. This was the favourite song of a girl and it spoke with regret that was
not included in the concert. About an hour before midnight, the entrance took some people - it was the
one who waited and Boyko. It turned out that one of us four would wish for an autograph from him. We
just change few words with one of the guards, a police officer - one who regretted that failed to go to a
concert.

I saw hidden in the dark boy and two girls. They left after it became clear that the wait would much
sense. Sorry, not exchanged certain latitude - because few people who believe in certain values must
be kept for each other, otherwise will be lost in the darkness. Not in that of the night, and another, larger
darkness. So it would be better if send mail and read it. While we talked in the dark and chill in the June
of Sofia, the boy said he was the largest that has ever done a concert here. Yeah, it talked with my words.
What you hear, do not belong to this or that style does not sound like something else, like somebody
else. It was just Bob Dylan - one voice beyond the new curtains.
 

Some time ago, sometime before we were born, says the 20-year Dylan sings with the voice of 80 year old black man. Now we can definitely say that control of the situation and sounds like a 160 year old black man. Do you know what that sound, perhaps not. This is, as we hear now. Bob stays like that dignified jazz singer who sings as talking and talking as singing, as if singing to himself. And you have to listen. The messages are there and have to perceive.

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