Desire (Bob Dylan album) McGuinn, Joni Mitchell, and Joan Baez who not only contributed during Dylan's set, but also played mini-sets of their own. Bruce Springsteen was invited to perform, but declined when Dylan informed him that he could not use the E Street Band to back him. The fall of 1975 would ultimately produce a widely criticized film, "Renaldo and Clara", but the concerts themselves were well received. Often regarded as one of Dylan's finest series of shows, this first leg of the tour was eventually documented on "". On January 5, 1976, "Desire" was released, garnering a fair share of critical acclaim.
Renaldo and Clara featured in the film, which also includes clips of concert performances and footage of Rubin Carter, the subject of Dylan's song "Hurricane". The film also contains the last known footage of Phil Ochs, who is shown preparing to take the stage at Folk City in October 1975; he committed suicide six months later. The film also features an appearance from another ill-fated musician, David Blue, who gives some insight into the 1960s New York City folk music scene while playing an extended game of pinball. Upon its theatrical release in 1978, "Renaldo and Clara" received poor reviews, and, after opening