Reviews

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Teatro Gran Rex

April 28, 2012


[Steinar Daler], [Ricardo Ferrara]

Review by Steinar Daler



Saturday night at Teatro Gran Rex was a night to remember for more than
one reason. The main reason could have been that I had a 1.st row ticket,
but much more important, it turned out to be an outstanding concert.
Definitely up one or two levels from the two solid concerts the previous
days. Why?

There was 7 new songs in the setlist that was not played any of the two
nights before, which of 4 was new for the tour. After Pill Box, I
immediately heard To Ramona was coming up. It?s such a nice song, and
tonight?s version was warm and tender. After two very well performed
?warhorses?; Beyond and Tangled, Bob started playing the piano and we all
recognized Summer Days. But I think it was something strange with Bob?s
rhythm (have you heard that before?) that the band could not follow, and
the version fell flat in my ears. But, it turned out that this was the
only bad performance tonight. All the  others were good or very, very good
- like the next song: Not Dark Yet. When Bob plays one of his real
masterpieces, and succeeds,  like he did in this beautiful version wwith
?coming from the heart? phrasing, it?s almost as you feel for crying and
smiling at the same time. Jolene followed - a new one for the tour, and
it?s a good song that makes your feet going. I needed that one after NDY.
And then, another new one for the tour; Hollis Brown. Very well performed
as well. Hard Raiin was good to night as well - very little staccato
singing, and when he did it, in suited in a way. A lot of the audience
seemed to love it. Then he played the 4.th new one for the tour; Hattie
Carroll. It?s a nice song,  but I have heard better versions. -Bob started
out wrong, and flubbed some of the lyrics. H61 rocking and rolling as
usual - a few people I talked to said; better than usual. Forgetful Heart
was beautiful and touching as all his versions the last two years. Another
surprise for me was Thunder On The Mountain. Of course it was no surprise
that he played that song in this part of the concert, but there was
something in his way og singing that lifted it up from most other versions
I have heard, I?m looking forward to hear it again when recordings from
the concert will  start to circulate. Ballad Of A Thin Man was of course
another very well performed version that it seems like the whole audience
appreciated. The normal ending with LARS, Watchtower and Blowin? In The
Wind. Both Watchtower and Blowin? was better than the two previous days
too. Bob was more ON. I hope he?ll be ON - after one days rest - on Monday
too.

Steinar Daler 

[TOP]

Review by Ricardo Ferrara



April 28.  It`s a little bit cold and it would be an ordinary Saturday night in 
Buenos Aires if it were not for the fact that Bob Dylan is in town and about to 
perform his third show in Argentina and the nineth from his South American
tour. It's been drizzle raining since early in the evening and I`m travelling by 
bus from Quilmes, the city where I live, 30 kilometres south from Buenos Aires.
I'm trying to be on time for the concert.  I'm very, very late.

Friday's performance was one of the best I've seen, but I always have the same 
feelings with  his shows because every Dylan concert is different and unique, 
always changing and shining anew, so, on Saturday night Bob was ready to do it
again.  The same rocking guitar chords for the introduction and the same opener,
a perfect "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat".  The venue was sold out again.  Dylan 
seems even more relaxed than the night before...for the second song he takes
his electric guitar and delivers "To Ramona" which makes its first appearance on
this tour, Martha, an argentinian super fan of Dylan, recently posted in her 
Facebook a significant line from this song "...there´s no one to beat you, no one 
to defeat you except the thoughts of yourself feeling bad" and I reminded again 
how real and true these words are and for me it was like he was singing it 
specially to her. Very emotional moment...Then comes "Beyong Here Lies 
Nothing", placed again as the third song in the set list, its strenght breaks 
barriers, with its solid playing and nurture us with some kind of habanera rythm,
and Bob's guitar playing is as sharp as the edge of a knife..."Tangled up In Blue"
is delivered, with the first and brilliant Bob's harmonica solo that produces the 
first roar of the crowd...I love that song and when I was on the road following 
this tour I liked to listen to that lines that goes "I don`t know what they do with 
their lives, but me I`m still on the road" on my cd player, ...then "Summer Days" 
reappears...it's a  rendition full of energy, like the one in the record and very 
similar to it and an enjoyable song indeed,  ...Then the second surprise of the 
night "Not Dark Yet", played for the second time on this tour, the first one was 
sung in Sao Paulo on April 21, intense and touching singing, it`s like a prayer, 
"Bob you taught me how to live in this world full of lies and everytime I hear from 
you I can't help but smile", I said once and I was waiting for this one, especially 
this one, so , thank you Bobby ..."Jolene" makes its first 2012 tour appearance,
here Bob s singing is pure rock, the best rock singing I`ve ever heard.  Once 
again he "plays" with his band and stops it and makes it start again a couple of 
times...afterwards? ..Well, well, well, what a nice surprise, the banjo sounds and 
I have three options to think about, but none of them takes place, magnificent, 
outstanding "Ballad Of Hollis Brown", with (for me) a new arrangement,  superb, 
the very highlight of the night, I'm sure of that..and this song starts to make the 
show turn different from the previous one, because of the strong social comments
in it's lyrics, the injustice in this world full of lies that Bob`again sings and reminds 
us...after this one "A Hard's Rain Gonna fall" takes its place, with Bob's singing it 
as good as the previous night, that's to say as good as always ..In Brazilia, Brazil I 
thought I heard him singing "I've been in the front rows of a Bob Dylan Crowd" 
but no, allthough he is gemini, he didn't was in the first rows, he was up on
stage, thankfully.

Yesterday Eduardo Bueno wrote a review in which he asked himself how Bob 
could change his mood from one song to another, how can he do it, it's like 
being two persons almost at the same time, It`s a mistery to me too, maybe it's 
because of his histrionism, or maybe because of his zodiac sign, Gemini....
 
"The Lonesome death of Hattie Carrol" definetely defined the show...Again a song 
of social compromise, one of my favourites songs also making its first appearance 
on  this tour, new and rich arrangements, it's like a new song, only the chorus
remains equal, my friend Nahuel was seeing the show far from where I was, and 
he said that at that moment he would have wished to be near me, in order that
I could telll him the name of this song...again, Bob is bringing new life to this lyrics 
by changing the melody of the verses and singing it differently ...On "Highway 61"
in the first line the "no" from "God says No" is incredible good, the entonation of 
the dialogue between Abraham and God is always different in the shows, in this 
one he could get it perfectly.   Now, hey man, "Forgetful Heart" really shocking, 
he doesn't put a mask here, instead, he takes it off, is the real Dylan, just a man
singing to his forgetful Heart.  Nobody is in the theatre now, he is alone and in
front of him is his forgetful heart, I was touched so deeply by this performance
that I was moved beyond words, this song alone is worth the entire show, and 
the fiddle brings the exact colour for this incredible performance.  It finishes and 
the audience clap in silence, such a moving moment that I think nobody could say
 just one word.
  
"Thunder On The Mountain", the beggining of the end, enjoyable rythm balancing 
the mood of the previous song, afterwards, another ballad, the ballad of the Thin 
Man this time, Todd Haynes and Claire Blanchett made a good job in that film, but 
not as good as Bob acting this one, after all, he is the writer and owner of the 
song.  Brilliant performance again and pleases the audience a lot...now, yes Bob, 
we are ready for "Like A Rolling Stone", the third verse is missing on the last shows 
of this tour. The audience is pleased again but is a very quiet audience.  After this
song Bob introduces  his band to the audience, a good job boys, now it's time for 
the bow before leaving the stage and then comes  the crowd ovation, they ask 
for one more...Bob comes back again and sings "Blowing In The Wind".  He blows 
his harmonica looking towards the audience...then the final bow with Bob looking 
so young, indeed he is..

I won't be late tonight. Tonight is the last one of Bob s four shows in 
Buenos Aires, I won't dare to be late, sure, I won't miss it. . 

Ricardo Ferrara
rick2001ar@yahoo.com.ar 

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