Reviews

Most of all the Scandinavian fans following the 5 first concerts of this
tour agrees that this show was the best one. Even the newspaper-people
seem to go along, saying things like ?Dylan as sharp as a knife?, ?Real
magic? and so on. To me it`s always special to see him in Scandinavium in
Gothenburg, because that is where I first saw him when he played two
concerts there in July 1978. Oh, I was so much younger then, I`m older
than that now ? Dylan too, but even if there is a lot of things he can`t
do ? especially with his voice ? that he could back in `78, there is
certainly something he can do to day, that he could`nt do then. 

Six new songs for this tour, and six, as well as the others, really great
performances. I had front row tickets, and to see him really close up,
doing very nice versions of ?Just like a woman?, ?Cry a while?, ?Make you
feel my love? (YES! He still can sing), ?Love sick? and ?I don`t believe
you?, makes you understand what this is all about. And ?Desolation row?!
Maybe all the verses, even the one about fighting in the captain`s tower.
Just perfect ? maybe I even had to dry away a couple of tears. Can`t be
better!  Tonight I think he also managed to get through ?Don`t think
twice? without any up-singing. 

We all ? at least 30 Scandinavian fans and my friend Paul from San Diego,
were all smiles for hours after this concert as we all gathered in
restaurant ?Rekan? where Bob, his band and crew had an after concert party
back in 1978. Paul from San Diego who saw Bob for the first time in 1964
(see tickets for that show supplied by him in the Scrapbook), said that
this was almost a lifetime experience.  ?Such a night?!

Of all the concerts from the Neverending-tour that I have attended, only
the Beacon shows in New York this spring, and a couple of Californian
shows October 2001 and 2002 levels this one. And of course Shepherds bush
and Hammesmith November 2003 tops it.    

Steinar Daler

This is my first review of a Dylan concert (or any concert, for that
matter). 

It was my twentieth (20th) Dylangig, the first one being in Scandinavium,
Juli -78…And I have to say that I rank it among the top five or six. 
Maybe part of that is due to low expectations since my last two concerts,
Stockholm and Göteborg, October 2003, were sort of disappointing,
especially since they were my girlfriends first attendances, and I´d
really wanted them to be good for her. 

Living in the countryside, we have about 100 kilometres to travel (by car,
fortunately) and we also had to pick up my brother on the way…However we
checked in to the hostel in good time, and soon set out for drinks at a
bar near the venue, mingling with other Bobcats, one of many great
pleasures when you attend a Bobgig…

We had great seats on the floor, on seventeenth row, good view
(binoculars) and from were we sat, the sound seemed crisp and
clear…needless to say I really felt the buzz when that voice came on; “The
poet laureate etc…” and when Bob and the band kicked in with “Maggie´s
Farm”, I instantly knew that this was going to be something else; you
always CAN tell, can´t you? Following up with a “Tell Me That It Isn´t
True”, (second time for me) so beautiful that might even have topped May
14th 2000…MY GOD!!! What´s happening here???

This is already more than I could ever have hoped  for…crisp renditions of
“Baby Tonight”, “Lay Lady Lay” and “Stuck inside of Mobile…” followed, and
then, probably the best version of “Just Like A Woman” that I have ever
attended, great work from Donnie, magical singing from Bob and I turned to
my girlfriend and I saw that words were superfluous…

“Most Likely…” followed, with Donnie absolutely blowing my mind again,
“Cry A While”, and then His Bobness actually brought me to tears with a
breathtaking “To Make You Feel My Love” …I was ready for a stage rush, but
the guards (Damn them!) would have none of that!! Without competition the
best “Highway 61..” I´ve ever heard or seen; I mean; this band is on
fire!!! Stu and Denny trading licks, I just wished I´d been up there
close, with you Steinar….and then Love Sick, with that starry night
revealed, might´ve been the one song that lacked some Sexton/Cambell-
magic, but hey; I didn´t really mind…Those reviews from Stockholm really
made me believe that this man who launched a thousand tours, did´nt have
it in him anymore, I´m grateful now that I read them, ´cause the shock of
hearing that VOICE again, right up there among the stars, almost like in
2000, blew my mind…

I did´nt take notes, but let me just say that his harpsolos were super,
making those brief visits to center stage meaning so much more now, when
he doesn´t play the guitar. I can´t really recall what “I Don´t Believe
You” was like, but after that, I witnessed what might have been THE
perfect “Desolation Row”, with ALL the verses(?)…followed by a playful
“Summer Days”, then; the STARE!!! I was in heaven, and then he topped it
off with the ordinary encores of “Don´t Think Twice…” and “…Watchtower”
perfect ending to a perfect night. Thanks Bob, for bringing these great
moments for (in my case) four decades now, I´m just glad to be living in
the same century as you…

My girlfriend, and my brother, needless to say, were also in awe…and we´re
looking forward now to Brussels, November 1…

If your going there as well, or if you have any other kind of feedback
please E- mail me on:   
mikaeljokerman@yahoo.se

Mikael Peterson