Brent Mason’s celebration of Bob Dylan has become an annual event, growing larger with each new year.
Matt Carter
It all started as a one-off event twelve years ago. And it’s just kept growing.
“On what was then Bob’s 69th birthday, I decided to hold a party here in Saint John with some of my musical friends,” said Saint John musician Brent Mason, one of the city’s best known, actively performing songwriters. “It turned out to be an epic night and there was a demand for another show.”
And the demand carried. Year after year, Mason would invite friends and musical colleagues to join him for an evening of Dylan’s songs, usually at a small venue near the city’s uptown core.
After a decade of annual performances, the event had reached a point where a larger stage was required. In 2021, Brent Mason’s Bob Dylan Birthday Bash moved to the Imperial Theatre, the province’s largest soft-seater venue. The event returns to the Imperial on May 7 with an additional performance in Fredericton at The Playhouse on Dylan’s birthday, May 24.
Last year’s show included performances from Sadie, Montgomery Street Band, Grant Heckman, Colin Fowlie, Jessica Rhaye & the Ramshackle Parade and Mason himself. This year’s shows will also see members of The Hypochondriacs adding to the show’s growing momentum.
“It’s a great joy to see people coming out to celebrate the incomparable catalogue of Dylan through the interpretations of some of New Brunswick’s finest,” said Mason. “As a kid growing up in Belleisle Creek, I could never have imagined my love for Dylan’s music would manifest itself in this way. It’s a special night!”
Upcoming Performances:
Brent Mason’s Bob Dylan Birthday Bash | May 7 | Imperial Theatre | 7:30 p.m. | Buy Tickets
Brent Mason’s Bob Dylan Birthday Bash | May 24 | Fredericton Playhouse | 7:30 p.m. | Buy Tickets
