Review

Ottawa, Ontario

Canadian Tire Centre

June 29, 2017


[Daniele]

Review by Daniele



I knew this show could not match the show I saw at the Beacon Theatre in
New York city November 29, 2014, (The beacon has the best sound I have
ever heard live plus Roberto was on that night and the set list was
perfect), but I was still excited since this was my first show since his
nobel prize for literature win. Not happy that there are now VIP packages
being sold for Bob Dylan shows and the waiting to buy tickets worked out
since the VIP tickets didn't sell well and 5th row became available 3
weeks before the show. Seeing concerts these days is getting expensive, at
least seeing Bob is still affordable. I drove 2 hours from Montreal to
make this show, knowing the audience would be very tame and lame. Like the
no cell phone ban as Jimmy Fallon mentioned. The Canadian Tire Centre
security warned us no cell phones at 8:00 and the best part about the ban
is seeing middle aged men trying to sneak a pic or video for a few seconds
before quickly putting it away as if they are cheating on a test in school
and old professor Roberto is going to catch them in the act. Ottawa has
very boring people so this was good so I can just focus on the show.
Roberto came on and I got chills for we lost many greats in recent years
and decades, losing Leonard Cohen recently was one of the big shocks,
Jimmy Lafave just this past May was very sad as well, so seeing Bob come
on was extra special to see him at 76, may it continue. He started with
"Things have changed" and boy they have, Presidents, Prime Ministers, may
come and go, but the more things change the more strange this world goes.
I guess that's why the next song was Don't think twice it's alright was
next, for even partners are starting to get strange as well. Highway 61
was smoking as it should, the band and Bob are just too cool.  Now it was
time for the american standards and Roberto is now Perfetto for these old
tunes made popular by the original blue eyes, Francesco Frankie Sinatra. I
know Roberto has some Italian blood in him. Since Bob has done the
Christmas songs and standards his next album should be Italian songs,
 both Italian American and the some classics from the old bel paese. He
did the Dean Martin's "Return to me" for the Sopranos sound track so why
not a full album of those too. For sure some Lucio Dalla would be a nice.
Summer days was very nice,  think Chuck Berry with Fiddle. Wish "Love
Sick" was next instead of "Make you feel my love" for feeling Love Sick is
better than making one feel it. Two Standards next and loving it, Bob is
always teaching us, unlike some of his peers like the uncool and
unknowledgeable Roger Waters. Pay in Blood with it's spitfire lyrics and
you have to love the line about the politican pumping out the his piss.
Very cool song. Once upon a time could have been written by Bob. Tangled
is always blue like the new lyrics too. Early Roman Kings made you think
Bob and his band are just cool, each one of them are cool, maybe not
Donnie so much with the way he looks but he sure does play cool. 
Desolation row was good to hear the nobel prize winner sing one of the
songs that perhaps helped him win it 50 years later. Soon after Midnight
and Old black magic were a reminder when music once sounded like magic.
Too bad music will never sound like magic again. And next the moment I
have been waiting for, maybe the one Dylan song where I believe it was
written just for me, "Long and Wasted Years". This song I just can't get
enough of, I really think the lyrics are about me, the only way this song
could get better is the way they did it on some of the recordings in 2013.
This may go down as my all time favorite Dylan song. Autumn leaves will be
around shortly, Blowing in the Wind will always still blow and harder and
Mr.Jones is always around the corner. No need to say anything Bob, I know
it wouldn't change anything even if you do, that the people who love you
will still love you and the people that don't will still not, no point in
talking when you know black is still black and white is still white and
grey will always be grey and the musicians names are still the same, oh
those musicians are so good. All have a thousand and more shows under
their belt, one close to 3000.  I quickly left this in the middle of
nowhere arena but not as quickly as Bob for I caught up to his buses on
the 417 East, the only time I will pass Bob. I hope I can take other quick
road trips like this and especially to see him in Montreal but not at the
Bell Centre and with evenko selling the tickets please. More on that with
my Montreal review. Roberto if you do the Italian album don't forget the
song by Nesli "La fine", for your version will bring another layer to it.

Alla prossima Roberto.

Daniele

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