Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Vol. 4, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert 1966

The most famous bootleg in rock history, with the possible exception of Dylan's own Basement Tapes, finally made its official appearance 32 years after the event and nearly 30 years after it started circulating underground. Although often identified as a Royal Albert Hall show, this May 17, 1966 concert, in which Dylan played electric material in front of a British audience, was actually recorded in Manchester (hence the unwieldy title with quotes around "Royal Albert Hall"). Even those who've owned this recording for many years should be tempted by this official package, as it has been expanded to include the eight electric rock songs from the original bootleg but also the seven solo acoustic performances that comprised the first half of the show. It's all in great fidelity. More importantly, the electric half in particular is an important document of rock history. It captures the point at which Dylan was at his most controversial and hard rocking as he blazes through mid-'60s classics such as "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Ballad of a Thin Man." On top of everything else, there's a 56-page booklet with a fine essay by Dylan's friend Tony Glover. Transferred from the half-inch analog mix-down masters and cut on Classic's "all tube" cutting system by Bernie Grundman.