The Adelaide Fringe attracts a diverse range of artists, including a fair share of cover bands. DYLANesque is a 'tribute show' with a difference. Much like John Waters popularised the John Lennon story some years ago with Through A Glass Onion, Jeff Jenkins brings to life the history of Bob Dylan in this 90-minute show of music and stories.
The Spiegeltent is a fabulous venue for this kind of show, but Jenkins deserves a medal (the Nobel prize perhaps?) for being scheduled up against the Adelaide 500 car race, which was taking place a few hundred metres away. The sound of a million buzzing bees and helicopters whirring overhead didn't dull the mood and thankfully these intrusions were only audible in between some songs, as Jenkins narrated the story of Dylan's life, from a struggling couch-surfer with ten dollars in his pockets right up to his time as one of Traveling Wilburys (when he surely had a whole lot more money to his name).
Appearing first with just an acoustic guitar, Jenkins started where most stories start - at the beginning - with Dylan's breakthrough hits Blowin' In The Wind and The Times They Are A-Changin'. As pleasant as these were, things became meatier with It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, when the singer was joined by a full band of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. If anybody called out "Judas" it was only in jest.
Highlights of the show were All Along The Watchtower - a nod to the Hendrix version - as well as penultimate song Hurricane, thanks to some near-perfect fiddle work by the bass player. It was also great to hear Jenkins impersonate George Harrison in the lead-up to the most recent song in the show, 1988's Handle With Care from the classic Traveling Wilburys Vol 1 album.
A brief encore break of about five seconds saw the band 'return' for a finale of A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall and a well-deserved standing ovation from the captive audience.
The oft-damning reviews of Bob Dylan have always been a deterrence to see the real deal live. But seeing an accomplished and passionate group of musicians perform faithful renditions of his most memorable hits in such an intimate venue (and with the backstories thrown in), must surely be the next best thing.
