Reviews

Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide Entertainment Centre

April 19, 2011


[Darren M.], [Ian Fry], [Paul H.], [Dennis Linard]

Review by Darren M.



No going through the motions like in Perth the other night - if Bob can top this
show on the rest of the tour I will be suprised

Strong opening on "Gotta Change" promised a good show. "Senor" was beyond belief
- front and centre with harp, strong vocals, arm waving - you know the stuff.
"I'll be your Baby" and "Simple Twist" featured some beautiful guitar by Bob. I
haven't seen him play this well in years - he seemed really comfortable and
happy. The end of "Simple Twist" still seems to be unresolved with the band just
looking at each other not knowing quite what to do. 

He nailed "Hard Rain" and "Highwater" and just when you thought it couldn't get
any better  he threw out "Trying to get to heaven" - it really was something
else.

"Tangled" was slightly faster than Perth and faultless. Even I was impressed by
HW61 (so sick of it) - the band just pounded it out before launching into a
perfect "Thin Man". Charlie was let loose on "Rolling Stone" and Tony played
this Rickenbacker bass that really punched through

As in Perth we only received a "Thank You friends" before the band
introductions. The "Dylan Eye" backdrop only appeared for the encore and there
is still no sign of the video projection - maybe in Melbourne.

All in all a spectacular show

For those who care - Bob had on his blue and white polka dot shirt and Charlie
didn't wear a hat. 

[TOP]

Review by Ian Fry



B.B King & character full Band was support. Fine vocals but guitar well past
prime. 85 years old - could you expect more? Got a poignant standing ovation for
his history and aura.

To Bob...

1. A motoring 'Gonna Change'. 'The sun is shining' - rasp glorious vocals
2. A delicious 'Senor'. 'This place don't make sense to me no more!' - great
vocals! 3. Light 'n bright 'Baby Tonight' 4. A chugging 'Beyond Here'. What a
deliverin' band! 5. Highly charged 'Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum'. Bob in fine
voice! 6. Exquisite, languorous rendition of 'Simple Twist Of Fate'. A
highlight! 7. A charged 'Levee' - Bob rasp barking the lyrics 8. Excellent 'Hard
Rain' to mid song swap to a (what sounds to me) fairground rhythm - why not! 9.
'High Water' - a highlight. Raucous vocals - cool! 10. Folksy 'Trying To Get',
raspiest song of the night 11. Swinging 'n rockin' 'Jolene' 12. Tight 'n
wonderful 'TANGLED UP In Blue' - superb! A highlight! 13. A charged jammin'
'Highway 61' - phew! 14. Glorious 'Ballad of a Thin Man' - great clarity to the
vocals... 'DO 'YA MISTER JONES!' Encore: 15. Sparkling 'n sparking 'Like A
Rolling Stone' 16. Chugging 'n wonderful 'Watchtower'

'Thankyou friends - I want to introduce the band right now'...'Charlie Sexton
playing on the electric GEETAR' Bob pronounces GEETAR like no one else!

17. Heartfelt 'n playful 'Forever Young' - sweet, poignant, beautiful

Post song the band assembles and stand together in the glow of response...

So, lots of highlights, not least (for me), being up close for the first 6 songs
and encores. Bob dancin' the whole time, me too! - in spirit and glee!

Now, how do I get one of those stand next to the stage possies next time he
comes?  

[TOP]

Review by Paul H.



A very solid performance from Bob and from the band.  The voice was strong 
from the opening line of "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking "; no warm-up 
song this time.

Bob's guitar was commendable - very little of the same-notes repetition 
evident during his previous visit to our shores.

Wincing up into the overhead lighting, he really worked the harp all night.  
Made "Tangled Up in Blue" very special.

As always he's reworking songs like crazy and most came off very well.  
"Senor"  sounded like he really wanted to overturn those tables; "Trying to 
Get to 
Heaven" and especially "Hard Rain" were highlights.

The new theme for many deliveries appears to be something between a 
military march and a carnival organ tune.  He kept Tony on his toes and 
for the most part it worked except for an occasional "are we there yet?" 
ending.

Charlie is being given some stage room and more solo time this time around 
(thanks Bob) and he makes the most of it.  Almost as many guitars as solos.  
What was that metallic telecaster-body thing?

No surprise to find "Like a Rolling Stone" and "All Along the Watchtower" in 
the encore and Bob maintained the strong delivery.  The show ended with 
a wonderful version of "Forever Young" with Bob moving back to the stage 
mic for one more harp solo.

The stand-and-stare acknowledgement to the clearly appreciative audience 
and it was over.

The only detraction from a wonderful night was the stage-rushers from the 
back of the room that the auditorium management had clearly no intention 
of trying to curtail, even from the moment the lights dimmed.  Which meant 
that the front row had to stand and peer around heads, then the second etc.  
Still, the performance of Bob and his troupe was such that even these 
inconsiderate pseudo-fans could not spoil the night for the rest of us.

Can't wait for Byron Bay.

Paul H

[TOP]

Review by Dennis Linard



Well, what can I say? Personally, I am sick and tired of the cliche that
follows any discussion about Bob that "He can't sing". Too late to
convince me. This man is a collossus. This performance was tremendous.

Dare I ask how many artists would risk BB King as a support act? BB still
has that rich voice but BB can barely play the guitar without making a
mistake. Still, he is a living legend and I was pleased to be in his
presence again. Even got myself a BB King badge. He throws stuff to the
audience, which half the time doesn't even reach over the barrier. He is
85. His band is hot. Bob has the courage to have such a hot act play
before him. Does anyone ever mention Bob's courage?

I won't go through each song but there was a moment during Senor that I
thought to myself there was absolutely nothing in this world I would
rather be doing. Senor was at its apocalyptic best. My friend Andrew
appeared to be so satisfied at that moment that even death wouldn't have
spoilt his day. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, High Water and, would you
believe, Tangled Up in Blue were magnificent. I've heard Tangled Up in
Blue so often I care not to hear it live again, yet, Bob's done it again.
How can he keep astonishing me like that?

I was there with my 19 year old son too, at his 3rd Bob Dylan concert
(previously Adelaide 2003, 2007). I feel I have succeeded as a father. And
at 2 of those concerts he's played Forever Young. Seems like a hell of a
coincidence.

On the down side, Jolene and All Along the Watchtower seemed laboured. We
thought afterwards that there must have been a moment when Bob thought to
himself "this isn't working" but just like his solo performance with a
broken string during Hard Rain at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre in
Adelaide on 15 February 1986, Bob doesn't give up that easily.

As a comment on the venue, before Bob when we were sitting in the second
row, right in the centre and the people in the front row were standing
against the barrier and we overhear the security guys tell them to sit
down until Bob comes on then they can stand. We felt aggrieved. With
second row seats, if we stayed in our seats we would have been without a
view. We had no choice. We jumped over the seats and stood at the barrier
and promptly copped the abuse of the justifiably annoyed people in the
seats behind us. This abuse didn't let up. I hadn't been accused of being
a "selfish prick" before. I didn't like it much. We had no choice. The
organisers need to think things through, but given this sort of rubbish
has been happening there for 20 years (the 1995 REM concert comes to mind.
Boy, they employ some dumb people there), I doubt anything is ever going
to change at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Still, better Bob there
than nowhere.

As an aside, I was to travel to Byron Bay for Bob's first show there, but
alas, bad news has kept me grounded.

Dennis Linard

[TOP]

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