So I saw Bob Dylan last night

[davids]

As a rule I’m not an arena-concert-goer. But I figure this guy’s only got so many tours left in him, and given his recent run and his epic career, it seemed like a good bet to check him out. Plus, the last time in saw him (good lord, in 1981) he pretty much sucked. So he owed me. Not to get all dramatic or anything, but the debt is paid.

He played songs from his entire career, fifty years of unsurpassed songwriting. But there’s not a drop of nostalgia in his show, at least not for some younger version of himself. Instead he’s reaching for something that’s at once both more immediate and deeply rooted.

He reinvents his songs in exciting, surprising ways. This repurposing both forces you to listen anew (do you think you could hear anything fresh in “Like a Rolling Stone”? Last night I heard an aspect of sympathy toward “Miss Lonely” that hadn’t been apparent to me the first 158 times I listened to the song) and brings the songs together into a coherent esthetic. Putting “Summer Days” up against “Visions of Johanna” makes me hear the loneliness and longing that course through them both.

The musical esthetic brought to bear on each song converges on some kind of deeply old, ferociously vibrant Americana. Country blues? Yeah, but the visceral slam of “Thunder on the Mountain” or “All Along the Watchtower” ain’t nothing but rock and roll. His band is a small miracle, especially the drummer. Dylan played simple figures on the piano or harmonica while he croaked his magnificent lyrics (his phrasing as frustrating and captivating as ever despite his declining physical powers), and the rest of them followed with sublime power and subtlety.

Finally, look at this sequence from the middle to the end of the set: Trying to Get to Heaven – Summer Days – Visions of Johanna – Highway 61 Revisited - Forgetful Heart – Thunder on the Mountain – Ballad of a Thin Man – Like a Rolling Stone – All Along the Watchtower. Damn. That’s a hell of a run. And the man could have chosen a dozen other unique sets of songs and had the same impact.

[dhoff]

I haven't seen him the last few times he was in the area, but did so many times in the past, with so many others. It is great to hear the old man is still making new rules for himself.

[Matthew Strongin]

So wish I had been there. I generally stick to small venues, but that sounds awesome.

[holliscx]

I used to keep one of these in my car just so I could play along every time I listened to Dylan particularly Visions of Johanna. Boy did I get some funny looks on the interstate, but mostly laughs, smiles, and thumbs up.

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[doctor855]

One of the all time greats..think he is in Philly tonight.
I'll give you my Carrie Underwood concert rundown in two weeks.....If I don't find my cyanide pill first...the things we do for women.

[robin3mj]

Nice.
I've seen him 4-5 times (once w/ Paul Simon) and have yet to be disappointed.
The most recent was a good 3-4 years ago, so my thought has been that the days of his high energy shows are probably starting to be numbered.
That said, I heard the new album is pretty strong- probably will get it over the holidays.

Side note- you want to go see an old guy who is not slowing down much? Toots Hibbert. (I hear his latest tour is acoustic though, which could be cool)

[SteveP]

i love dylan.
wish i went to the show.

the guy is/was a songwriting mensch.

[bironi]

I like that he almost never does a song the same way, and he always finds great musicians.

[RIHans]

Good for you David.

Bob is a one of a kind. I've seen him a few times including the mystical Rolling Thunder Review.
Any fan of 20th century music needs to get a little Dylan in them.

[fmbp]

Really, really like Bob Dylan, although its been several years since I saw him.

Speaking of other legends, my wife and I saw BB King play in Cedar Rapids on Sunday night. Wish I could say that the performance was excellent, but it was really cool to see him up on the stage.

[Tom]

I think BB King is suffering from dementia. I won't go see him again, I went back after being profoundly disappointed once. He would play about three notes and then stop to tell a story which would loop around until it sort of ended in a blue pill joke or something. I don't believe he played an entire song the whole night. It got so bad somebody in the audience actually shouted "Shut up and play your guitar!" So I went the next time he was in town thinking he wouldn't do that twice. He didn't. He was worse.

The best show I saw last year was Peter Wolf at the Egg in Albany.

[YO!!!]

Two others, who rock on like Dylan.

Leonard Cohen & Buddy Guy

[Moke]

I do not know how a guy from Minnesota can be so hard to understand each year he gets older. I love his old stuff, but it doesn't even sound like he is speaking English when he sings any more. But yes if Bob is in town I will be there.

[chasea]

I think BB King is suffering from dementia. I won't go see him again, I went back after being profoundly disappointed once. He would play about three notes and then stop to tell a story which would loop around until it sort of ended in a blue pill joke or something. I don't believe he played an entire song the whole night. It got so bad somebody in the audience actually shouted "Shut up and play your guitar!" So I went the next time he was in town thinking he wouldn't do that twice. He didn't. He was worse.

The best show I saw last year was Peter Wolf at the Egg in Albany.

Cut BB some slack. He's got 16 kids to feed. Dude lives on a bus.

[maunahaole]

I do not know how a guy from Minnesota can be so hard to understand each year he gets older. I love his old stuff, but it doesn't even sound like he is speaking English when he sings any more. But yes if Bob is in town I will be there.

I think that Bob became unintelligible about 30 years ago.

[davids]

I think BB King is suffering from dementia. I won't go see him again, I went back after being profoundly disappointed once. He would play about three notes and then stop to tell a story which would loop around until it sort of ended in a blue pill joke or something. I don't believe he played an entire song the whole night. It got so bad somebody in the audience actually shouted "Shut up and play your guitar!" So I went the next time he was in town thinking he wouldn't do that twice. He didn't. He was worse.

I saw BB at the Newport Folk Festival back in the 90s - that's getting to be a long time ago, huh? He was great, in that smoove blooze way of his. Suave.

Two others, who rock on like Dylan.

Leonard Cohen & Buddy Guy

Next show I'm seeing is Mr. Cohen, mid-December. I can't wait.

This is reminding me of seeing Muddy Waters at a bar in Cleveland back around 1980. The guy never got off his stool, and rocked the house for a good 90 minutes. (The backing band was different, but this is pretty much the guy I remember:)

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So many rockers burn out when they're still young-ish (I don't think I'd go near my hero Lou Reed these days...) It's impressive to see the ones that not only survive but thrive.

[fmbp]

. . . He would play about three notes and then stop to tell a story which would loop around until it sort of ended in a blue pill joke or something. I don't believe he played an entire song the whole night. It got so bad somebody in the audience actually shouted "Shut up and play your guitar!" So I went the next time he was in town thinking he wouldn't do that twice. He didn't. He was worse.

This is pretty much how the show was the other night. On one hand, it was really neat to see a legend. On the other hand, though, it was somewhat disappointing. I commented to my wife as we left the theater that it would have been nice if he had played a song in its entirety.

[davids]

Woulda loved to hear this, so here it is:

[davids]

This is pretty much how good the show was, btw: