Tune In, Turn On
With Doug Deutsch
You’ve heard that old expression, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” When your dad is the living legend that is Mr. Tambourine Man, the great Bob Dylan, it’s not hard to see why his offspring would be involved in music in one form or another.
Of the famed folksinger’s six children, however, only one – Jakob Dylan – has chosen the long road of becoming a musician, which he has now done for more than three decades, fronting his roots-rock band, The Wallflowers, who perform in Atlantic City at Hard Rock Casino’s Sound Waves Theater on Saturday, April 5.
“When I was a kid, he (his father Bob Dylan) was a god to me for all the right reasons,” Jakob Dylan told The New York Times in an interview some years back. “He never missed a Little League game I had. He collected every home run ball I ever hit. And he’s still affectionate to me.”
The younger Dylan (probably wisely) never pursued baseball as a career, instead opting to become a musician like his dad, leading one media outlet to label Dylan and The Wallflowers “one of rock’s most dynamic and purposeful bands – a unit dedicated to and continually honing a sound that meshes timeless songwriting and storytelling with a hard-hitting and decidedly modern musical attack.”
Dylan has also tried his hand at acting, appearing in “The Guardian,” “American Wedding,” and “The King of Staten Island.”
Dylan, 55, formed The Wallflowers in 1989 (he’s the band’s lead singer, guitarist and primary songwriter). The group found chart success with 1995’s catchy pop-rocker, “One Headlight.” The group’s most recent release is 2021’s “Exit Wounds.”
“I don’t know a bigger rush than working on a new song, no matter what it takes to get it done,” the younger Dylan told The Big Takeover magazine. “New material is for me and for those who do care.”
While Hard Rock attendees can expect a rousing 90-plus-minute show of upbeat Americana-flavored roots-rock from The Wallflowers’ vast songbook, don’t count on hearing him and the band perform any of his famous dad’s songs – not only have they never performed together, surprisingly, they’ve never collaborated on a song, either.
The Wallflowers perform at Sound Waves Theatre, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 1000 Boardwalk, 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5. Tickets start at $59. Info: casino.hardrock.com/atlantic-city.
Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival Returns April 11-13: Now in its 60th year, the ambitious, multi-day/evening festival assembles a few dozen original bands and solo artists from multiple genres, primarily from the Tri-State area. The three-day event, at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, features many area musicians who are very familiar to area music fans including Patty Blee, dogbeach, Jersey Calling, Destinee Monroe, The Azures, Amy Elizabeth, Malcolm Tent, Black Rose Rebellion, Catch Me If You Can and The Blues Reincarnation Project, to name but a few.
Festival organizer Jerry Ryan’s event supports Elephants For Autism, which “enriches the lives of local children and young adults with autism through free community programs.”
Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival takes place Friday through Sunday, April 11-13, at the recently renovated Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, 133 S. Tennessee Ave. in AC’s still-developing Orange Loop, with two stages (indoor and outdoor). Tickets are $15 per day, or $30 for a three-day pass. Come out and support a good cause, and tell ’em Tune In Turn On sent you!
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug also hàs experience writing for the one time shore-based weekly publication, Whoot! He also was a team member with Chip Braymes Advertising. Doug loves bicycling and aspires to bring the Blues to Atlantic City. He can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/dougdeutschpublicity.
