Musical Enthusiasms

Bob Dylan and the Band: The Last Waltz on CD and nearly complete

Brixton 29th March 1995

Just got back from an ace Dylan concert in Brixton.

Opening set by Elvis Costello, solo, was outstanding. Highlights for me were Indoor Fireworks and Tramp the Dirt Down (encore). He said nothing about Dylan but was in fine voice, somewhat under-appreciated by the audience who after all had come to see Bob.

Bob came on and opened with Down in the Flood. The vocal was hard to make out, partly because it was well down in the mix, partly because of his delivery. Sometimes he seemed almost to be mumbling; but his voice was all there since at other times it rang out sharp and clear. His voice seemed to get louder and stronger as the concert progressed, but it might just have been that I got more used to it. He seemed to be in a good mood and the audience was warm towards him.

At times he has a haunted, driven look, as if he just has to sing these songs, he can do no other. Other times he is playful and just enjoying himself. He constantly re-interprets his old songs; he did a stunning Tambourine Man that brought back to life what for me had become a tired song. TUIB was at breakneck speed, disappointing I thought, but others more than made up for it. I greatly enjoyed I Want You, and also liked the way he did Don't think Twice; he raised his eyebrows as he sang the line "...don't think twice it's alright", highlighting the question that gives the song its power: is it all right, or is it not?

He joked about Dignity being a new song "well, only 10 years old".

He was playing guitar for most but not all the numbers; without it he seemed hunched and less confident, as if there was a guitar-shaped hole in his posture.

Like a Rolling Stone was the final encore ... the audience sang along a little with "How does it feel", bizarre for a song which is about
isolation.

Brixton 30th March 1995

Well, I have to eat my words. This was even better than the previous night. EC was rather uncommunicative, maybe not quite as strong, but still excellent. Dylan's voice seemed stronger and there was more atmosphere somehow.

The I Shall be Released duet at the end was excellent fun, with EC and BD doing alternate phrases.

A very good concert, probably the best I've seen. Don't expect any more reports from me - I'm not going to any more on the current tour :-(((

Phoenix 14 July 1995

It's Friday, a disused airfield near Stratford on Avon (no, he didn't sing "Shakespeare's in the ally", and it's the Phoenix festival, open-air with camping and an impressive and diverse array of bands lined up. Arrived about 2pm, got my green wristband, threaded through security, peered anxiously at the sky. The weather was mercurial, by turns warm sunshine and angry grey drizzle. There was a nice relaxed atmosphere around the site, music everywhere, strange to walk around and hear bits and pieces of sundry simultaneous musical experiences bombarding the ear.

<time passes> and here we are in front of the main stage, maybe halfway between the stage and the soundboard. The Fall, interesting band, entertaining to see Mark Smith wandering around stage reading lyrics off scraps of paper. The crowd however were not fully engaged for the Fall, especially when it started raining. Nor were they for Van Morrison, although he did a good set, rather too mellow for my taste. The heavens approved, no rain during Van's set. There was real atmosphere for his encore, and superb vocal counterplay between Van and Brian Kennedy (BK is worth seeking out BTW, a great keening, soaring vocalist, very unusual voice, Irish as well).

Van is followed by Tricky, curious planning. Most of Van's crowd is
replaced another crowd of younger, more rebellious types. His sound is excellent, and I enjoy the contrasting voices and strange beat. Not for everyone though, and clearly Tricky felt it was hard to get through. "I've got news for you, Dylan's not coming and you're fucked. We're going to play twice as long." It started to rain again, lightly. The set finished. Dylan was next.

The field was filling up, there was real atmosphere building during the 5-10 minutes before Dylan appeared. Dylan wore shades and looked cool and in control. He opened with a thunderous Drifter's Escape, I must admit I didn't realise what it was until listening again later that evening. It functions in much the same way as Down in the Flood on earlier dates, although I don't personally think the song is quite so strong. Hard to hear the vocals, overpowering, but you know for sure the concert has started. It contrasts beautifully with I Want You that follows, a personal favourite. Vocals clear as glass. I want yoooo ... so baaad. Honey I want you.

By the way, why does Bob do such long instrumental workouts on his songs these days? Is it to save his voice do you think? Just an idea.

You guessed it .. All along the Watchtower. I can't get no relief. No-one knows what any of it is worth. Still a great song, though, still sung with conviction.

Next a surprise. "We carried you in our arms, on independence day." Tears of Rage was a delight. Real desperation in Bob's voice, "Why must I always be the thief?" I was in heaven, not so many of the crowd though who wanted to hear the likes of Maggies Farm, LARS, Blowing in the Wind etc. About this point I realised I was going to find this frustrating. Why does someone make the considerable effort to get to an open-air concert in the middle of the countryside, buy a ticket, park the car, walk miles, and then spend the entire Dylan set chatting to friends? What kind of love is this, that goes from bad to worse? Why not do that at home or in the pub? Well, to be fair, maybe they didn't like Bob Dylan. Maybe they came for Tricky, or Suede, or to find drugs or women. But I came for Bob. Oh well. Perhaps it adds a kind of poignancy.

Next is Silvio, great performance, really tight. Then the acoustic set ... and it is, Tangled up in Blue, one of the songs I'd been hoping for. I like it better than the electric version I heard in Brixton, but I'm not sure Bob has this song right at the moment, still seems a bit thrown away, too jaunty for a song about parting. Very enjoyable all the same. Mama you bin on my mind is great though, pace just right, attractive picking, vocal tender and slightly playful.

The next song was a highlight One too many mornings, sung with passion. It's a restless, hungry feeling ... restless is a great word to evoke Bob Dylan. Why does he tour all the time? Why still singing the old songs? Why is he willing to sing from the depth of his spirit to a crowd gossiping about Ethel and John and going to the cinema and what's on next week? Hmmmm. The only problem with this gorgeous acoustic sound is that it doesn't drown out the voices too well. The electric numbers are better for that .. and here we are, after band introductions (Bob's only words throughout the set), with Seeing the Real You. I don't regard this as one of Bob's great songs, but he almost won me over, he sung it brilliantly.

That was the end of the set. Much clapping and shouting. Behind and to the left, someone cries "Cmon Bob, do some of your old Bob. Enough of this crap" I wonder if he knew how old most of the songs were? Another voice, "Blowing in the wind." Well, Bob did what they wanted ... nearly. Rainy Day Women, and they loved it. OK, I enjoyed it too. I would not feel so all alone .. it is as if Bob decided, in closing, to give in for a moment and please the crowd. And as it happens, I have not heard Bob sing this before...

That was it, and the roadies were on to change the set for Suede before you could blink. It was kinda satisfying to see most people leaving ... nobody should follow Dylan. The sky agreed, and Suede opened to torrential rain. Me, I was alright, in the Carlsberg tent hearing the last 25 minutes of Brian Kennedy's solo set. Then it was a burger and out.

So there you have it, 10 songs, Bob in great form, but not the magic of Brixton (for me anyway). I particularly liked I want You, Tears of Rage, and One too many Mornings.

Liverpool 1996

Liverpool. Not been there before. The two cathedrals are fantastic. The RC one was built in the sixties to a breathtakingly effective modern design; however the construction was botched, the roof leaks, and they are desperate for money. The Anglican cathedral by contrast looks solid as a rock and claims to be the largest in Europe. Started at the turn of the century in what was then a prosperous city, it was more or less completed in the seventies, a monument to God and to the greatness of Liverpool.. I consider it rather blocky and ugly, from the outside at least, but even so it is a tremendous building and mightily impressive.

A city with a magnificent past and an uncertain future. So too Bob Dylan? Dubbed a dinosaur of rock by the UK media (reporting on the Hyde Park concert, big enough to be noticed), all the old cliches have been dutifully recycled by the press. He's a legend, he can't sing, he doesn't make hit records nor does he write songs any more. Well maybe. But he also wrote a song that begins, "Ain't it just like the night, to play tricks when you're trying to be so quiet" and which still knocks me sideways every time I hear it. And a few other songs besides.

But this is 1996, and Dylan is here at Empire theatre, a 2000-seater that looks like a theatre, not a gritty rock venue at all. Rejecting the punitively expensive hats and shirts, we make our way to the right hand side of the stalls, about 10 rows from the front. "Ladies and Gentleman, would you please welcome…." And there he is, Bob Dylan, looking by turns boyish and old, face just a little puffy, but belting out Leopard Skin\Pillbox hat. This is a personal favourite, and a great performance, helped by Al Kooper banging on the keyboard. The music is vital, pulsating, agressive, funny. The harmonica is whipped out at the first opportunity, and sounds wonderful, filling and echoing round the whole theatre. As the song closes we are ready for more.

"I should have left this town this morning" This is sung to the people of Liverpool on his second night at the venue. "Tonight I'll be staying here with you." We are enraptured. Dylan is on our side. Tenderly he woos us, organ burbling in the background.

But is really staying? "There must be some way outta here." It is a song about the artist, his frustrations and feelings. Businessmen drink his wine, plough the earth of his creativity and steal its goodness. They are happy to make money from him, but no-one understands his work, and the artist remains isolated and alone. Good song.

Liverpool accents call for "Like a Rolling Stone", but Bob is going to console us with a nursery rhyme. "There was an old man, and he lived in the moon." The man brings hope, promising a diamond, but departs as the river runs dry. Scary song, nice tune though.

Time to get serious. Tom Thumb is taken briskly. Organ is wonderful as the vocal becomes increasingly desperate, "… looks so fine at first, left looking just like a ghost." Music is full of pretty little runs and frills as if to lighten the impact. And no he's not staying - heading back to New York City apparently.

I know Silvio is meant to be good these days but I still find it a bit of a thrash. I think he does it as a way of relaxing, after the intensity of Tom Thumb. "I've seen better days, but who has not?" - during this song I believe it.

Mr Tambourine Man is well done but lacks the emotion that the song sometimes carries, Brixton in March last year for example. I appreciate, though, the colourful variation he puts into his singing, and the bouncy playfulness of the accompaniment too. Crowd tries to sing along a bit, fails as usual. It's a good crowd, warm and enthusiastic, a bit noisy but for good reasons.

John Brown is more interesting. Vastly better than the Unplugged effort, dramatic and full of conviction. Then a gentle Ramona followed by lots of twiddling.

Ballad of a Thin Man - not one of my favourites recently but this is better than I was expecting, thanks to a robust accompaniment and extra colour added by Al Kooper. But Bob is playing with us. The vocal is lilting rather than snarling. Preparation for….

When I paint my Masterpiece. Now this is really good. It is like a good-humoured I Shall be Released. Note that the masterpiece has not been painted yet, it was not painted in the sixties, not the seventies, nor in the Born Again period, it is still awaited. A delight.

Band intros and then Seven Days. Now, I was foolish enough to buy an album by Rob Stoner, some years ago, solely to obtain what was then the only available version of this song. However I never liked it much. The lyric reminds me of "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes," a detestable schoolchildren's song. When I here, "All I gotta do is survive," I mentally add, "until the end of this song." So there it is, I will leave an appreciation of the finer qualities of this number to others. I will also politely skip over Alabama Getaway. Bob is saving his energies for something special.

And here it is. Dylan is able to take an old worn-out song and breathe incredible new energy into it. This is an example. What could be worse than yet another It Ain't me Babe? But what could be better? It is immaculate. The crowd starts to sing along with the chorus but Dylan soon shakes them off. He'll sing this on his own thanks.

Now those who attend Dylan concerts in recent years know that after the singing bit, in a typical song, comes a noodly instrumental bit. It can be pleasant, it can be boring, it can be filler. I was impressed throughout this concert at how much effort the band made to make these interludes varied and entertaining. But on this occasion it was more than entertaining. Bob picked up his harmonica, and after a soft build-up he just wailed. No tape or hi-fi can capture that sound. It screamed, echoed, bittersweet, piercing, beautiful. Spontaneous applause, but still there was more. Any review of this song should review it as two songs, the harmonica has its own voice and sang with its own heart. Wonderful.

That was it. Partytime with RDW and he was gone. To see a performer of this stature, in a venue so small, from just 10 rows back, is a privilege.

Bob Dylan and the Band: The Last Waltz on CD and nearly complete

Wembley 5 October 1997

Wembley Arena, who needs it? Big hangar, no redeeming features. Plus my wife was taken ill and we had to rush to the doctor a few hours before the show, not an ideal start. (Sorry folks, that was why I mised the pub etc).

There was a bonus performer before the announced showtime of 8pm, we listened to one song then I must admit we went out for a beer. We were back in good time though for Ani de Franco who was excellent. Apart from Do-re-mi that is.
Good voice, good songs, good sound, good delivery.

Can anyone recommend one or two of her CDs to buy?

But on to the main event. Bob came on to a warm welcome from a full house. As the band crashed into Absolutely Sweet Marie one thing was immediately obvious. From where I was standing the sound was appalling. If I bought a hi-fi which made a noise like that it would be back at Dixons the next morning. There were two problems to my non-scientific ears. One was some horrible resonance at the lower end which was muddy and almost painful. The other was that Bob's voice could hardly be heard. It was almost as if someone has decided, "his voice is shot to pieces, let's mix it way down low." But that voice was what I came to hear.

I felt Senor would have been pretty good if I'd been able to hear it properly. Ditto Tough Mama although I don't like the song a great deal, it stops and starts too much. It all felt low-intensity which is a shame because it is those dark intense moments which I like best. So we got the throwaways - Nowhere, Sylvio, then a frankly poor acoustic set with Mornings, Tangled and Rank Strangers.

At Phoenix in 1995 I nearly cried listening to One Too Many Mornings. The man's whole life was pouring out before me. Wembley 1997 he just sort-of got through it, probably as depressed by the horrible Wembley non-atmosphere as I was.

Rank Strangers was, well, a novelty but hardly a highlight. Then back to electric and Mobile, except he couldn't be bothered to enunciate Mo-bile and sang "mole". Down a long dark hole is where I would put this particular rendition.

Could there be redemption? Things looked up with Blind Willie. It is just a wonderful song and I was glad to be there, hearing it live, even through the worst the sounddesk could muster. It was followed by a strong H61, Bob had drawn inspiration from the blind bard.

Then to the encores, a loud LARS, an OK Think Twice, and then the real highlight. By this time I had moved to just in front of the mixing desk and the sound was a little better. Love Sick was fantastic. I closed my eyes and was walking those dark streets, enjoying the masterful ambivalence of love sick - sick of love. The sound was flowing in great waves. Worth it after all.

RDW and out. Not a great evening, and sadly my Dylan experiences over the last few years have been going in the wrong direction. Brixton 95 was breathtakingly good. Liverpool 96 was special. Wembley 97 was poor, partly the sound, partly the environment, partly Bob who looked tired. He's all there though.

Bob Dylan and the Band: The Last Waltz on CD and nearly complete

Sheffield 22 Sept 2000

At any particular concert there seem to be songs that are "core" and others that are more incidental. For instance, Tambourine Man at Brixton 95 was intense and passionate; here it was merely enjoyable. Love Sick at Wembley 97 was tumultuous; here it was merely good. For Sheffield 2000, Not Dark Yet was at the centre. Other highlights for me were It's alright ma, All Along the Watchtower (Bob's wall of sound version and always deeply spiritual), and Forever Young which is increasingly poignant as Bob gets older; I felt he was singing it for all of us.

A few other random thoughts: I've heard Tangled many times in concert, but somehow it never comes close to the power of the BOTT version or outtake. Country Pie was fantastic fun. Blowing in the Wind was great except for the all-together-now choruses which were too singalong for my taste.

Congratulations to all concerned for the sound, possibly the best I've heard (I was on the floor quite near the front which helped). And Bob's voice sounded great, powerful, tender, funny, surprising, everything it should be. Overall I enjoyed it far more than Sheffield 98 (interesting to note that Bob alone filled the place, whereas Bob&Van only managed 2/3 or so).

Portsmouth here we come...

PS I went to Portsmouth but didn't review it, maybe when I get a quiet moment!

Bob Dylan and the Band: The Last Waltz on CD and nearly complete

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Bournemouth 5 May 2002.

The International Centre is modern and soulless, we arrive just on showtime. The venue is playing incongruous light classical music, then we get "good evening ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome columbia broadcasting artist Bob Dylan.". On he comes with white hat and kicks off with an acoustic number "Wait for the Light to shine". "Pull yourself together and keep waiting for the sign" he sings; we will, Bob, we will. It's a low-key opener that characterises the first half of the concert, somewhat subdued, although the audience is Bob-hungry, almost reverential. (I still miss the 95 opener, Down in the Flood). Number 2 If not for you. passes pleasantly but it's low-intensity, lots of twiddles. Then "they're selling postcards of the hanging", It's a bouncy version, Bob bunches up each phrase, sings it quickly, then pauses, the effect is almost upbeat and distinctly strange. "you would not think to look at him, he was famous long ago, for playing electric violin on desolation row" - this section (Bob's reflection on going electric?) is sung in a staccato monotone if such thing is possible, quite effective. At this point things are warming up nicely. Next the harp comes out for the intro to Mama you bin on my mind, not really a favourite of mine although I love to hear the harp. His singing is incredibly difficult to follow, especially when the words get a bit confused "even though my thoughts are hazy an yabba yabba might
be narrow . ey you bin don botha me, nor bring me down in sorrow." It twiddles on and it's not bad, but I'm sorry he picked this one here, if instead he had gone into something with a bit more punch or power the place would have rocked, instead it was a dampener.

Now we go electric for Absolutely Sweet Marie, I really enjoy this. No six white horses. Again the words get a bit chewed-up: "ehhhhroad gate, you know I just can't jump it . I ee 'ere, beating on my trumpet." Still, bright and enjoyable. Into Floater, lots of words sung fast, nicely done but again we have what I would call a flow problem, it is just too low-key. Then one of the more curious moments in the concert, a brisk lolloping Subterranean Homesick Blues. I'm not sure why it sounds so odd, I think it is partly because the vocals are well down in the mix and it is extraordinarily difficult to make them out, so the verbal gymnastics which drive the song don't have a chance to make an impact. I've not heard this live before though, so I'm glad to be here.

Cry a while is next, and it's excellent. "I'm keeping a low profile." and although I really enjoy this one, it's apparent that Bob has chosen a risky setlist, here we are at song 8 and there's been\nothing to set the place on fire. The problem is compounded by the next number, acoustic, Boots of Spanish leather, again the lines are sung really fast so that Bob gets through the words much quicker than the tune allows for, then stops for the tune to catch up, or at least that's how it sounds. Hard Rain follows, and this is excellent, sung with conviction. The words are easier to follow, nice delicate drumwork picking out some of the words, "thunder", "one hundred drummers", etc. In the middle of the last verse a feedback problem develops. Bob cannot sing near the mike without horrible effects, so he starts to sing off mike. The crowd pick up the words instead with touching warmth, totally supportive. Loud cheers at the end, a special moment. It has to be said though that the song itself was badly spoilt. Don't think twice is next, a favourite of mine (is it alright or isn't it?), but it is still all a bit subdued for my liking. The profile is getting so low that Bob is at risk of vanishing, which is what my friend does now, heading for the bar.

A wrong decision I think, especially as Bob and the band swing into a cracking Summer Days, the band is great on this one. This is actually the point at which it all came together for me. We move into Not Dark Yet, which is dusky, sonorous, full of shadows. Tentative harp. "I've still got the scarrssssszzz that the sun won't healll". It's lengthy, but could go on all night and not drag. Then\the band power into a thunderous, muscular Drifter's Escape. Words a bit mixed up (ten times worse twice over), but no matter. A touch of harp to close. Leopard skin maintains the tempo, hilarious song, great performance. Band intros, Big cheer for Tony Garnier.

Encore begins with Not Fade Away, fun but odd. The band all join in on the vocals. Then Like a Rolling Stone. Now, this to me is the quintessential Bob Dylan song. It is about her; it is about Bob; it is about us. It touches on the isolation inherent in being a human person. It is a good but not great performance, audience claps along which rather misses the point I feel. Gets even better with Forever Young, a delight. Feels like Bob's wish for us, his audience. And may you stay forever young Bob, as you will though songs that never die.

After this, Honest with me is a tricky transition but the performance is on fire. Along with Summer Days, Cry a while and Floater, this has been a real showcase for Love and Theft, at the risk of leaving behind those who only know the oldies (although the L&T songs almost sound like oldies already). Blowing in the Wind, band joins in with the chorus, a great song of course but doesn't quite work for me tonight, it comes over as a bit ponderous. The bonus Highway 61 is much better though, driving bass, a breakneck journey down highway sixxxxteeeeeeone-ah.

So there it is (and well done if you read this far). A great second half, my first Desolation Row, fantastic Not Dark Yet, good stuff from Love and Theft. Went out for a pint with my friend, met a Van Morrison fan who declared the concert "crap", but it wasn't, it was Bob and I admire him enormously for still experimenting with the songs, even though the experiments not infrequently fail. Ok, it wasn't Brixton 95 or Liverpool 96, to mention a couple of personal favourites, but it is distinctive 2002 Bob, a fine band, and a great night out. Roll on Birmingham (my other concert of this UK tour).

Bob Dylan and the Band: The Last Waltz on CD and nearly complete

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Birmingham 10 May 2002

OK, it is a soulless venue but good seats and excellent sound made up for it.

Maggie's Farm - good opener, a bit ragged

Big Girl Now - gorgeous, complete with cook

It's alright ma - excellent, clear vocals, effective sparse arrangement

Tomorrow is a long time - I thought this was totally wonderful. I've always loved the song, and it was unexpected. Sung with great emotion, band giving delicate backing vocals. Bob must know about the endless highway if anyone does.

Just like Tom Thumb - another favourite of mine. A bit rough but still great. I felt he was unintentionally gruff in places, but thank you Bob for getting through and bringing us this music.

Tweedledum - not bad, sing-song Bob but fun, drives along nicely.

Moonlight - delicate, light, pleasant.

Cry a while - well placed, brings in some muscle after two light numbers

4th Time Around - loved this, never thought I'd hear it live. A funny, sexy song.

Masters of War - this was a highlight. He means it. Slow build up to an intense "I just want you to know I can see through your masks" except it didn't sound like masks, breath? brains?

Tangled - well it is a fantastic song, but never really does it for me live. Dylan must think it works because he does it so often. It was after this I think that someone shouted "say something" - funny! Bob didn't though!

Summer Days - plenty been said about this already, very enjoyable.

Sugar Baby - this was outstanding. I Bob lifted his game for this one. Line about bootleggers sung pointedly!

Wicked Messenger - I may be in a minority here, but I don't go for this metalled up version, any more than for the similar Drifter's.

RDW - OK but bit less rollicking than it could be maybe. Harmonica, always great to hear.

Encore:

Love sick - Everything gets back on track with this one. Pounding beat, sung with conviction.

Like a Rolling Stone - Seemed to be going through the motions just a bit, sorry Bob, it is maybe your greatest song, but some performances are better than others!

Forever young - this was fine, although I preferred the Bournemouth performance, perhaps just because I heard it first!

Honest with me - Bob gets back into gear, strong performance.

Blowing in the Wind - Fitting close. I missed the extra encore, but at the same time this is probably a better one to end with.