Bob Dylan Re-Opens Famous Theatre
The town of Port Chester, N.Y., located 35 miles north of New York City, may seem like an unusual place for a famous rock venue, but the Capitol Theatre boasts a history few stadiums can match. The long-dormant theater re-opened last night (Sept. 4) with a performance by Bob Dylan.
Dylan’s 17-song set consisted of a mixture of classics (‘Like a Rolling Stone,’ ‘Tangled up in Blue,’ ‘All Along the Watchtower’), highlights from his recent string of strong albums (”Things Have Changed,’ ‘Thunder on the Mountain’) and a few ’60s obscurities (‘Love Minus Zero/No Limit,’ ‘Visions of Johanna’). He encored with ‘Blowin’ in the Wind.’
Built in 1926, Capitol Theatre had experienced brief revivals since it was first shut down in 1976. In recent years, it had been used primarily as a catering hall. However, owner Peter Shapiro spent millions to renovate the building with the purpose of bringing live music back inside its walls. The theater’s schedule for the fall boasts an impressive and diverse array of artists, with acts ranging from Blondie to Al Green to Lyle Lovett to the Roots to Regina Spektor.
Originally intended for vaudeville and movies, the 1,835-seat Capitol Theatre converted to rock in 1960. The Grateful Dead played some of their most famous shows inside its walls between 1970 and 1971, and it has housed shows by names like the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and David Bowie.