Say you're an avid Bob Dylan fan who comes upon a cardboard cutout illustration of your folk idol at a concert one night. If you're like the Instagram user behind Flat Bobby, you photograph that Bob Dylan cutout on a cultural tour of the key places that led to Dylan's massively successful career.
The Instagram project has traveled surprisingly far to capture Flat Bobby in his natural habitat, including the Newport Folk Festival where Dylan first went electric in 1965 and the site of his first New York City apartment.
My first apt in #NYC - a cold water flat two floors above Bruno's Spaghetti Shop, which was a good red sauce joint. Now it's just saucy. #bobdylan #greenwichvillage #positivelyfourthstreet #80sdylan A photo posted by Bob Dylan 80s (@flatbobby) on Jun 6, 2014 at 10:49am PDT
The creator of the popular Instagram account, who identified himself only as "FB," tells Mashable that he snagged the cardboard cutout in March from a record release show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg for Bob Dylan in the 80s, a tribute album that covers the folk singer's best songs of that decade. Bands on the record feature the likes of Deer Tick, Reggie Watts and Built to Spill, and sales from the album benefit Pencils of Promise, a nonprofit that helps build schools around the world.
FB spotted Flat Bobby after the show, and convinced the artist who designed it to let him take it home. What started as a few snaps of Flat Bobby at bars around New York City has turned into a longer project with more than 2,000 followers on Instagram.
"The whole thing is an absurd and ridiculous bit of whimsy, but it’s gotten such a good response from people for that reason -– and because so many people love Dylan," FB said. "And hopefully, Flatbobby will help sell a few more Dylan in the 80s records, which benefits a good cause. And maybe it will help people rediscover some great Dylan songs that they had passed over."
Today in 1961 - went to this newsstand on W. 4th St. to buy copies of the NY Times, which had a Robert Shelton review of my opening act at Gerdes Folk City. The rest is history. #bobdylan #greenwichvillage #sheridansquare #80sdylan @80sdylan A photo posted by Bob Dylan 80s (@flatbobby) on Sep 9, 2014 at 4:24pm PDT
Where the band became The Band. And timeless. #bigpink #woodstock #bobdylan #80sdylan @80sdylan #levonhelm #theband A photo posted by Bob Dylan 80s (@flatbobby) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:55am PDT
Used to check out guitars here and #records too, when I lived next door. It opened in '58 - glad it's still around. #bobdylan #80sdylan @80sdylan #vinylcollector #greenwichvillage #positivelyfourthstreet #vinyljunkie #musicinn A photo posted by Bob Dylan 80s (@flatbobby) on Jun 6, 2014 at 12:18pm PDT
Played #letterman many times - gonna miss him. But #colbert was an inspired choice. Tonight #thestrypes from IRE are playing. They remind me of the early #rollingstones. #bobdylan @joshmcclorey A photo posted by Bob Dylan 80s (@flatbobby) on Apr 4, 2014 at 6:41pm PDT
Going down to old Woodstock, as Van the Man would say. Lord don't it get you. #woodstock #bobdylan #levonhelm #vanmorrison @80sdylan #80sdylan A photo posted by Bob Dylan 80s (@flatbobby) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:08am PDT