Review by Francis King
Where to begin? This was the best Bob Dylan concert I've seen in quite a
while. His voice sounds great, the band is spot on, the arrangements are
wonderful and the set list is terrific. I know that some complain that the set
list is "static," that he has been playing the same show every night since the
fall of 2013. That complaint is unfounded; the set list is only redundant if
you've gone to multiple shows during this time period, or if you've spent
excessive time listening to bootleg recordings on line (well, I'll admit to doing
that) and, therefore, have had your fill (well, I have not, but that's just me).
The fact of the matter is that this set list is fresh and new for another live
audience every night in the hundreds of cities Dylan has been bringing it to
all over the world. (Time for an official liv album, Bob!)
What made this show a bit better than the last one I saw in Boston last
November (same set list, except for the addition of "Autumn Leaves") was
the excellent sound quality at Nashville's TPAC. You could hear every note
and lyric clearly. To be sure, that was partially attributable to Bob's level of
engagement and his effort to enunciate, but I've noticed his improved
articulation the last few shows I've attended. The hall's acoustics certainly
helped.
Another thing about the set list: This 2013-2015 set list consists largely of
21st Century material (all very well performed) and a few great rearrangements
of old gems like "She Belongs to Me," "Tangled Up in Blue" and "Simple Twist
of Fate." This list is also markedly different from the lists he played at his shows
in 2011 and 2012. How many aging "rock stars" from the 20th Century are
going to give you that kind of variety, including a load of recently written, and
very good material? In the last year or so, I've seen Bob Seeger, Billy Joel and
James Taylor. All three put on terrific performances …. But, they all played
what were essentially greatest hits shows without much, if anything new,
and everything (including their vocals) sounded pretty much just like the
original recordings. That's all well and fine…. But, for me, Dylan's continuing
reinventions of his material are far more interesting and exciting to witness.
Another thing about the set list: By sticking with the same show every night
for quite a while now, Dylan and the band are bringing the audience an
extremely polished performance. Unlike some of his past shows, these shows
have Dylan remembering all his lyrics, never mumbling to cover a forgotten
word, and the band knows exactly what to do and when (in contrast to the
guesswork sometimes required in the past as Bob would improvise on stage
and his sidemen would have to try to follow his lead on the fly …. Sometimes,
to be sure, with great results, but other times, just sloppy sounding). This is
a very tight show in all respects.
It is just so great to see this man, at 74, so fully engaged with performing,
especially his more recent material, which is up there with the best songwriting
of his career. Again, I really wish he'd put out an official, sanctioned, properly
mixed live album!
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