- By Casey Martin
- Entertainment
Print 
A very special Bob Dylan Birthday Salute Celebration concert will be livestreamd by The State Theatre of Ithaca and DSP Shows. The free, online event will feature performances by over a dozen different artists and will stream at 8:00 PM on Sunday, May 24th, simultaneously on The State Theatre of Ithaca's Facebook page as well as their YouTube channel.
Born May 24th 1941, Bob Dylan signed his first recording contract in 1961, and emerged as one of the most original and influential voices in the history of American popular music. The legendary singer-songwriter has received Grammy, Academy and Golden Globe awards, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Prize for Literature. Since the late 1980s, Bob Dylan has toured consistently, playing over 3000 concerts during the last 20 years. His influence on contemporary culture is profound, and he is the object of a steady stream of literary and musical analysis.
Sunday's Livestream Celebration will feature cover performances from a wide range of both Central New York and nationally acclaimed artists. As a venue that hosts over 85 performances a year, The State Theatre of Ithaca, with assistance from their Exclusive Talent Buyer, DSP Shows, has lined up distinguished artists such as Joan Baez, Sam Harris (X Ambassadors), Billy Strings, Sarah Jarosz, Eilen Jewell, Aoife O'Donovan w/ Eric and Colin Jacobsen, Chris Smither, Tommy Siegel (Jukebox The Ghost), Steve Forbert, Miss Tess & Thomas Bryan Eaton (Miss Tess & The Talkbacks), Maddy Walsh & Mike Suave (Maddy Walsh & The Blindspots), Joe Crookston, and Jim Miller (Western Centuries).
Dan Smalls, who played a significant role in organizing the John Prine Livestream tribute for The State Theatre earlier this month, explains "The feeling two weeks ago when the John Prine Livestream Tribute show aired was the closest I have felt to doing my usual job in a long time. Being able to bring national acts to join our best local talent was a great success and the benefits to The State Theatre and the rest of the community were apparent. In these challenging times, we all need this kind of engagement and coming together. This next installment will be a similar mix of the best local and international talent celebrating a true icon… who coincidentally played Ithaca this past fall."
State Theatre of Ithaca Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that, in addition to ticket sales, also relies on annual contributions from the community to continue operations.
Executive Director Doug Levine explains, "Like all other entertainment facilities, The State Theatre of Ithaca was one of the first businesses to close and will likely remain one of the last ones to re-open due to COVID-19. In these new times, while our doors remain closed, we need to get creative as we remain at the heart of Central New York's performing arts scene and beyond. It is still in everyone's best interest to stay physically apart during this health crisis. These LiveStream events offer a wonderful way to keep us all beautifully connected through the power of music."
Levine continues, "I am beyond excited to celebrate the music of Bob Dylan this weekend with this LiveStream show! When it comes to musical icons, it's hard to argue that Bob Dylan doesn't belong at the top of that list. Nothing touches pull at my heartstrings the way Bob Dylan's lyrics can. We have been working diligently to put this celebration together and I can't wait to share it with everyone!"
The Bob Dylan Birthday Salute: A Livestream Celebration will be streaming live for FREE on the State Theatre of Ithaca's Facebook page as well as their YouTube channel starting at 8:00 PM EST this Sunday, May 24th.
All proceeds from the State Theatre of Ithaca's LIVE stream events help support the participating local and national touring artists that have lost their income and livelihood due to COVID-19. Contributions also cover all production expenses and help sustain the not-for-profit State Theatre of Ithaca.
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