Review by Tom Burke
On the 90th anniversary of Black Tuesday, Bob Dylan and his band
returned a huge musical dividend to those fans who invested in a ticket
to last night’s show and concert at the Braden Auditorium on the
campus of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. All in the packed
house, judging from their enthusiastic response throughout the 19
song set, seemed to be getting their kicks as Dylan and his supporting
cast played as if they were hurdling full throttle down Route 66, The
Mother Road, which transverses this central Illinois city located midway
between Chicago and St Louis.
Standing center stage and playing guitar, Dylan opened the show with
a spirited Things Have Changed, followed without delay, by an insistent
and lovely It Ain’t Me Babe, the first of several songs that Bob performed
while sitting at the upright piano at stage left. Throughout the show
Dylan’s piano playing segued between the reflective on Simple Twist of
Fate, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Lenny Bruce, and Girl From the
North Country, to the absolute full blown barrelhouse juke joint boogie
woogie stylings on Thunder On The Mountain and Gotta Serve
Somebody. During the entire performance Dylan’s voice was strong and
his singing clear and expressive particularly on the numbers he delivered
from center stage mic in hand, including:Can’t Wait, Make You Feel My
Love, Early Roman Kings, and Not Dark Yet. Of particular enjoyment,
impact and effectiveness was Dylan’s extended and expressive
armonica playing on Simple Twist Of Fate, Masterpiece, and Ballad of
a Thin Man.
Dylan’s band is tremendous. Bob Britt’s guitar work adds depth and
richness to the band’s sound as well underscoring the blues leanings of
many of the arrangements. Matt Chamberlain’s drumming was front,
center, and assertive in last night’s mix. Donnie Herron’s fiddle playing is
more prominently featured than in the most recent prior tours. And, as
has been the case for many years now, Charlie Sexton’s barbed wire
lead guitar propelled the music forward while Tony Garnier’s bass
provided its rhythm and pulse.
Normal: another great show in this remarkable Fall 2019 tour.
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