For more than 25 years, recordings of this extraordinary performance have
circulated underground as a kind of Holy Grail for serious rock & roll collectors and Dylan enthusiasts alike. The
"Royal Albert Hall" Concert -- which Mojo magazine (August 1998) called "The Most Famous Bootleg Album Of
All Time" -- was actually recorded and performed on May 17, 1966, at Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England;
the mystery behind the 30-year misidentification has never been completely resolved. Throughout the years,
fans have clamored to replace worn-out vinyl and hissing popping CDs mixed from 3rd generation tapes. Now
for the first time, the complete concert, including the sublime acoustic opening set, is available in pristine
quality, freshly mixed and mastered from the original 3-track source tapes. None of these performances, with
the exception of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (which appears on Biograph) has been legitimately available
until now. This never-before-released complete concert recording (acoustic and electric sets) two-CD set
features extensive liner notes including an essay by Tony Glover and many mind-blowing, previously
unpublished photographs of Bob Dylan and The Hawks.
