Bob Dylan - Bob Links - Review - 06/02/98

Review

June 2, 1998

Leipzig, Germany
Messehalle



Thanks to Carsten Wohlfeld for the following review:

I have to admit that I was happy to see Nürnberg's somewhat disappointing,
cause to me it was quite clear that it could only get better in Leipzig and
indeed it did! After taking the nighttrain to the former East Germany
(still hate it, so still so run down, it probably my least favourite place
on earth and if it wasn't for Bob I would come here for a million bucks,
but anyways), I spent most of the day sightseeing before meeting up with
Christian and Tom to drive to the venue at around 4pm. The Messehalle is a
huge and ugly place and unforunately the promoters hadn't sold enough
tickets so they had up chairs in order to make it look better. But even
before the show started the lush security allowed a stage rush, so we go to
see Bob up-close anyways... THe show started at around 8.10pm with...

	Maggie's Farm

Much better version than saturday's, probably they had a proper soundcheck
this time. Bob's vocal delivery was okay, but not great yet, Larry played a
few riffs I hadn't heard before (don't knowifthey wreactually new or just
higher in the mix) and Bucky managed not to break a string. All band
members looked pretty happy throughout the evening, except for Bucky, who
seemed to be a bit tired.

	If Not For You

A nice surprise, even though the version was a bit rushed and sounded a bit
too hard and egy. I have to say that I liked the JJ/Winston version better
I last got to hear about three years ago. Bob was starting to feel really
great though and but a lot into the vocal delivery.

	Cold Irons Bound

Way above average version, mostly due to Bob's inspired singing. But: I'd
rather like to hear "Can't Wait" in this slot any day still.

	Shelter From The Storm

"She Belongs To Me" was on the cuesheet as an alternate, but Bob decided to
do this one, hard to spot from just the intro. Yet another different
arrangement and probably the best I've heared yet. Nice phrasing too, as
Bob raised his voice at the end of every line and didn't lower it, was you
might have expected him to do. Bob played all the solos on this one himself
too.

	Silvio

Still smoking although saturday's version rocked even more.

	A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (acoustic)

Great surprise, beautifully performed, especially since everybody was
expecting another cover version. Stephen Scobie thinks that he played his
as way of a political comment - it certainly wasn't because of the
weather... I guess Stephen was right, cause the unplayed alternative in
this - unusual slot - was "Masters Of War". Larry joined Bob for the
chorus, Bucky didn't at first, cause he was standing playing his mandolin
(in other words: he wasn't sitting at his pedal-steel where his mike was),
but after Larry had some trouble following Bob, Larry went back for the
subsequent chorusses to sit down and sing along. Weird.

	One Too Many Mornings (acoustic)

Seems to be one of his favourite songs lately, and he always gets it right.
As an extra bonus we got some harp playing at the end (seemed as if he
couldn't stop ...made Larry laugh) and he seemed even more animated during
that, holding the guitar with his right amd, playing the harp with his left
and still finding time to point at people - Elvis-style. Amazing! I don't
think that anybody had seen Bob as animanted as tonight in at least 20
years: He was constanly moving around/walking/dancing on stage and pulling
faces more than ever. For most of the show he was actually laughing, not
only grinning occasionally. He had so much fun, sometimes I though: 'Hey,
this isn't the same guy I saw in America a few months ago'. Maybe it was
due to the fact that the biggest German music TV channel called him a
'grumpy old man' after Rock Am Ring?

	Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic)

Great version of this song, yes really. Not much more comment needed, I
guess, a huge crowdpleaser that Bob enjoyed *alot*, so I don't think
there's a chance for all the people hoping to see "Tangled"'s retirement
rather sooner than later.   

	This Wheel's On Fire

Nice new arrangement, beautifully done with Bob mssing a line or two
causehe had to laugh out of loud (dunnowhy). Bigsmiles from Larry and Tony
for that. "Wheel" wasn't on the cuesheet at all, "Mobile" and "Watchtower"
went unplayed instead.

	Make You Feel My Love

In the new organ-free version that is way better than both the album
version and the kitsch organ version from New London. Somebody said after
the show that he's trying to convi´ce us that this is really a good song
and so he slowly tries to improve the arrangement. My opinion? Not great
yet, but it's getting there. On the cuesheet were "Not Dark Yet" and
"Released", no "Feel My Love" at all. Band intros followed quickly.

	Highway 61 Revisited

Cooking beyond believe. Bob had great funplaying it, visibly enjoying
thefact that he audience was into it quite a bit, too! Instead of just
leaving straight after the song he stayed for a minute or so to take a bow
and enjoying the audience going nuts.

	(encore)
	It Ain't Me Babe (acoustic)

The unlikely alternate on the cuesheet was "Love Minus Zero", but the fact
that Bob played yet another cool harp solo at the end saved this one for
me.

	Love Sick

Tom was afraid that he'd skip "Love Sick" and would do "Rainy Day" straight
away, but luckily for us, he did play another "TooM" song. I've heard
better versions of this song already, but this was pretty cool still.

	Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35

Same as it ever was. Bob took a bow again and then they were gone. The
guitar roadie had put all the guitars away during this song as usualand
after a few seconds Tony's roadie came out, unplugging his bass, turning of
the amps, taking away Bucky's madolin. The lights comeon, music is played
over the PA. People: Still nuts, just won't leave. After about a minute,
the lights go down again, the roadies quickly pu the instruments in place
again (Tony had to play his electric bass, while the others picked up the
acoustic guitars). Then they really started yet another song! Hard to tell
what it would be really, the intro sounded like "Boots", "Don't THink
Twice" and a couple of others all rolled into one, but it actually was:

	Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic)

He didn't play all verses and it ended with a rather rapidly, but it was a
great singalong and a very nice bonus nevertheless.

After the show we had a few beers and *everybody* thought it was a
staggeringly good show, that lasted about 105 minutes. Not one real
lowpoint, especially since Bob was so great to watch. The only question
that remains: Can he go on on such a high level or can he even top this?
Maybe we'll get the answer already tonight in Berlin. See y'all there.

--
carsten wohlfeld
"the light at the end of the tunnel is a train" (unwound)

************************************************************************

Thanks to Frank Reinel for the following review:

The concert took place in an old rundown area, where in former times
the exposition of Leipzig took place. This has been removed to an outer
part of the city.
When I was arriving together with a friend around 5.30 pm at the entrance
the usual crowd of people had gathered, who I'd seen so many times at Bob
concerts. We all wondered when they would let us in. At 7.00 pm the doors
were opened, by only 4 security guys. They couldn't handle the crowd which
rushed in towards the stage. My ticket and my bag wasn't even looked at.
We found the hall filled with seats - so they told us all to sit down
which we did for quite a while, til Bob came out shortly after 8.00 pm.
He was all dressed in black and looked a little bit tired. During the
first part of the show he made little gymnastics between the songs, to
warm up I guess. He opened with Maggies Farm. Hadn't seen Bucky playing
the Acoustic yet.Then a rare  If Not For You followed. Cold Irons Bound
was great. By reaching the Shelter from the Storm he seemed to be warmed
up actually. The solos  he did where really intensive and he did his
little dances while he played them. Silvio in the usual style.
The the acoustic part of the show. He really seemed to be into it now. 
Hard Rain a bit laid back. A fine harmonica solo during the end of One Too
Many Mornings - and a really enthuastic version of Tangled. Now he even
smiled at the firstz rows. And I noticed a little kid there about the age
of 9 or so, to whom he did his eye - focusing - stuff.
It seemed that he enjoyed himself, as much as we did the songs.
The second electric part started with Wheel's on Fire and was followed by
Make you Feel My Love. The phrasing of the words was wonderful. He went
through each line of the song.
A real ass kicking version of Highway 61 closed the normal set.
After a real short break Bob came out again and started his set
of 5 encores!
He started with Don't Think Twice. Then Lovesick, with it's atmospheric
steel guitar intro.
It Aint Me Babe, with some fine licks from Larry, then Rainy Day Women -
and the lights went on. The Audience was cheering and stomping. The
roadies were ready to put the guitars away. But the light went out again.
A beautiful version of Blowing In The Wind closed the concert. Now - not
counting the day Sinatra died, when had this last happened, that Bob
played 5 encores and 1 song after Rainy Day Women?
Okay that was my first review ever. I'm heading for Berlin now and I'm 
hoping finally to hear Dylan play Blind Willie Mc Tell.
But the Setlist was a real good and enjoyable one I'd say.
Bye to you all - and go to catch every Dylan show you can afford, it's
worth it.

Frank            


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