October 10, 2018
Review by Barry McCollom
First visit to a new venue Toyota Music Factory. Overly Corporate branded with
tons of advertising on big screens everywhere but the sound was excellent and
seating had plenty of leg room. No need to squeeze around for late arrivals. The
guy sitting next to me was from Minnesota. One of his cousins played on some
of the Minneapolis versions on Blood On The Tracks. It is so easy to make friends
at a Dylan show! His wife was wearing a Beto O'Rourke T shirt. Beto is like RFK
running for Senate against Richard Nixon played by Ted Cruz. Here we are fifty
years after 1968 and the same players are on the scene in different disguises.
Lights dim suddenly. Gone was Stu Kimball's intro on acoustic... In fact Stu was
gone as well! Instead we had ruffles and flourishes similar to the shows that
began with the Aaron Copeland overtures. Things Have Changed had a bossa
nova type vibe to it. Through binoculars from just six rows away Bob DID look
old. Lots of wrinkles around squinting eyes. Crazy composer bed hair! As the
show went on he seemed to age backwards though. His face and eyes relaxing
although remaining very concentrated throughout every song. My first real thrill
was Cry Awhile. There was a real taught beat and bass line to which Bob told
his tale. Midway through he began to crash the piano keys furiously while
standing and leaning over the keyboard writhing like some Ray Charles or
Professor Longhair incarnation. It was awesome! Different lyrics to Masterpiece...
"the lions with that mean and hungry look in their eyes." But what punched my
ticket was the surprise midway through the show of the new version of Like A
Rolling Stone. Slowing softly down at the end of the verses. Lightly tickling the
ivories."Do you want to... make a... deal?" Everyone came to their feet at the
end! Truly cathartic! Several great harmonica solos sprinkled throughout. New
lyrics to Gotta Serve Somebody. 'You may be hallucinating..you may be seeing
ghosts! but you still gotta serve somebody!" Great version of Love Sick also with
new twists on the vocals. Finally closing with Thin Man. Ending with first soft
harmonica then building to a wailing crescendo.With harp to his mouth and his
hair in back lit halo the years melt away. He suddenly is Bobby! Again Forever
Young! "May God Bless and Keep You Always!"
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