WARWICK — Bob Dylan may have some locals to thank if his ears were burning for a good two hours this past Saturday afternoon.
Seventeen area musicians took to the al fresco stage behind the Historical Society to pay musical tribute to Dylan for his 80th birthday, which fell on May 24. “Dylanfest,” as the event was called, drew a few dozen audience members.
Each act — in the form of solo musicians, duos and other combos — took its turn performing its own renditions of Dylan songs. The concert culminated in the whole group’s huddling onstage to perform “Chimes of Freedom” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”
Warwick musician Jim McRae had assembled the roster and organized the program sponsored by Wooden Fender, a project of the Warwick Arts Council.
Performers included Jenny Burtis, John Fortune, Matt Hickler, Michael Humphries, Sam Kitfield-Vernon, Jan Norris, Terry and Ann Reed, Geoff Rice, Peter Sargent, Phil Simon, SpaceBar (Jim Bennett, Angela Haynes, Michael Italia, Jim McRae, Ivan Ussach) and Andrew Vernon.