Going Electric

Presented by Bob Dylan Center founding members Bob and Debbie Russell, the exhibit offered an immersive, multimedia exploration of one of the most transformative years in Dylan’s career and the cultural upheaval that followed.

The exhibit traced the lead-up to Dylan’s infamous “going electric” set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival — one of the most controversial and influential moments in the history of popular music. Through never-before-seen original manuscripts, film footage and rare artifacts from the Bob Dylan Archive as well as numerous loans from private collectors, “Going Electric” placed visitors at the heart of Dylan’s evolution from acoustic folk hero to trailblazing rock ’n’ roll icon.

The exhibit culminated with Dylan’s controversial July 25, 1965, performance at the Newport Folk Festival. The center’s Darby Family Screening Room was transformed into an immersive multimedia experience that transported visitors to the center of the storm, as Dylan shocked the thousands of folk-music devotees in attendance by moving from acoustic to electric performances. Never-before-seen interview footage with key attendees, including Joan Baez, Joe Boyd, John Cohen, Al Kooper, Bruce Langhorne, Maria Muldaur and Pete Seeger, revealed the truths behind the myths of that cataclysmic day.

The exhibit also explored Dylan’s musical roots in ’50s rock ’n’ roll and R&B, and the ways in which early influences such as Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Little Richard shaped the artist’s sonic experimentation long before Newport. In addition, the exhibit examined the ripple effect that Dylan’s plugged-in set had on legions of contemporary artists — including The Beatles and The Byrds and their folk-rock peers — and those who followed in his wake.

“Going Electric: Bob Dylan ’65” challenged decades of mythmaking and celebrates Dylan’s enduring legacy as a visionary who redefined the possibilities of popular music.