Little City Books celebrates Bob Dylan with concert in anticipation for new movie

If you’ve seen the trailer for the upcoming biopic “A Complete Unknown,” based on the life of Bob Dylan, then you just might have caught a glimpse of Hoboken’s Little City Books, only it wasn’t in its natural form.
The local bookstore was dressed up as a record store called the Music Inn for the new movie, set in the 1960’s during the early stages of Dylan’s career, particularly his controversial switch to electric instruments as a folk musician. Timothée Chalamet portrays Dylan in the film.
As the film’s release draws closer, set for Dec. 25, Little City Books is celebrating the occasion with a concert in honor of the film featuring local musicians who will each play a Bob Dylan song of their own choosing on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. It’s also more than fitting for a celebration of Bob Dylan’s music to take place in a bookstore, as Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016.
Little City’s owner, Kate Jacobs, has gathered about 30 musicians, some well-known such as Freedy Johnston. Jacobs herself is a singer/songwriter who has released several albums on Bar-None Records.
“The trailer for the new Dylan biopic prominently features our bookstore (disguised as a record store) so we decided to celebrate with a night of Dylan songs,” says Jacobs. “This show came together fast. It was really fun being involved in the movie and we can’t wait to see it.”
Other performers include Jacobs’ son Ed Horan, Bar-None’s owner and Hoboken indie-rock pioneer Glenn Morrow, Nate Perlmeter, Zeke Pujols, Kate Short, Andy Waldron Jim Testa, Karyn Kuhl, James Mastro, Elena Skye and Boo Reiners of The Demolition String Band, Dave Schramm, Tammy Faye Starlite, Keith Hartel, Deena Shoshkes and Jon Fried of The Cucumbers, Paul Moschella, and Mary Lee Kortes.
“Watching Hoboken storefronts transformed into the Greenwich Village of the early Sixties for this Dylan biopic seems to have inspired a bunch of us old-timers, who’ll be breaking out our favorite Dylan songs,” said Jersey Journal music columnist Testa who will be performing “When I Paint My Masterpiece.”
“No one’s seen the film yet, but you really don’t need an excuse to sing Bob Dylan songs, and given the all-star lineup, this night should be a blast,” he said.
The show has already sold out. Little City Books is located at 100 Bloomfield St., Hoboken.