On Nov. 21, Bob Dylan will get tangled up in Crimson — and now, Yale Blue, too.
A legendary folk singer, songwriter, poet and cultural icon, Dylan is scheduled to perform at Harvard University on the Sunday following the Harvard-Yale football game. Tickets for students at Yale and other area colleges go on sale today at noon and can be purchased online for a discounted rate of $35.
Justin Haan, director of the Harvard Concert Commission, said he received a signed contract from Dylan last Friday after about two months of planning and negotiation. The concert will be held at Harvard’s Gordon Indoor Track, a venue that seats about 4,000 people.
“It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime show because it’s only 4,000,” Haan, a Harvard senior, said. “That’s probably the smallest venue on the tour.”
Harvard reserved about 500 tickets for the general public at $50 each and they sold out in just 12 minutes, Haan said. Harvard undergraduates began buying tickets at a discounted rate of $25 each beginning this Tuesday, and Harvard graduate students, faculty and staff were able to purchase tickets for $40 each beginning Thursday.
Harvard representatives informed Yale College Council members of Dylan’s show in advance of the show’s full publicity campaign, since The Game the day before the concert is likely to attract a number of Yalies to Cambridge, Mass.
Haan said tickets are selling out rapidly and Yale students should purchase their tickets as soon as they go on sale. In an effort to increase the seating capacity of the venue, Haan is working with the Boston Inspectional Services and the Boston Fire Department.
“Even if tickets sell out, it’s very likely that more tickets will become available in the next few days,” Haan said.
YCC Vice President Chancellor Carlisle ’05 said he thinks the concert will generate interest among Yalies attending the game.
“I think Yale students who are spending the weekend at Harvard or live in the New England area will definitely consider it,” Carlisle said. “I don’t know if anyone will adjust their travel plans to go to a concert, but if it’s convenient it’s definitely worth looking into if you’re a Bob Dylan fan.”
Some Yale students said they would be willing to stay in Cambridge through Sunday to see Dylan perform while others expressed less enthusiasm about the show.
Christopher Wells ’06, a YCC member, said he is not sure if he’ll be able to attend the show but is hopeful he can work it into his travel plans.
“It’s a shame that it’s not earlier so that Yale students can hear one of the greatest performances ever,” Wells said.
Scott Woods ’06 said he is not an avid Dylan fan, but he might have considered going had he been aware of the concert sooner.
“It’s unfortunate that they didn’t announce it earlier,” Woods said.
Joe Chiu ’06 agreed with Woods. Chiu said he might have gone but is flying to Washington, D.C. before the concert begins.
“I would have gone even though I don’t know that much about him,” Chiu said.
The late announcement of the concert was not the only reason some students decided not to attend.
“The quality of Bob Dylan live has gone down lately,” Justin Goff ’06 said. “I love Bob Dylan, but he sounds like ass.”