November 20, 2011
Review by Mr Jinx
At the appointed hour Bob Dylan took the stage looking purposeful and
resplendent in white hat. The opener, Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat was a
blast. Bob stretched out the lines and fooled with the timing. The old
leg began to shake and twitch, Elvis style. It seemed we were in for
another lively ride . . . Highlights of this show came in the form of a
beautifully paced and sung Tryin’ To Get To Heaven, an inventive
Tangled Up In Blue and a searing Desolation Row. The only stumble of the
night, in my opinion, was the newly-arranged Blind Willie McTell which
somehow managed to lose much of its unique majesty in a cranky and
unsatisfying treatment. It is a measure of Dylan’s commitment to
change that he would tamper with the tune of such a revered classic when
he could simply have sung it straight and won the day. Perhaps this new
arrangement will have its moment but it was not an instant success. I
mentioned Tangled Up In Blue as a highlight. When Dylan is on the kind of
form we have witnessed on this tour he can make new even the most
well-worn of songs. Tangled tonight was utterly mesmerising. He added
‘lawyers’ to the ‘truck drivers’ wives’ line as if being a lawyer was
interchangeable with the profession of truck driver. Maybe it is. Both
are lines of work just like being a Columbia recording artist. The only
difference being that a truck driver invariably heads for the planned
destination! Desolation Row was the pinnacle of the show for me. Bob’s
voice – a husky bark until about a third of the way in – seemed to
warm and then come to the boil until he could call down all of the voices
and registers he needed to do justice to this mighty song. As is his
wont he found several new tunes in the lines and explored the song’s
layers and textures to the full. This was worth the price of admission
alone and must have made the worthy but pedestrian support act Mark
Knopfler feel like catching the bus home to Newcastle early. To be fair
to Knopfler there are few would live with Bob when he raises his game as
he did here. Ballad Of A Thin Man retained its jaw-dropping intensity.
Bob, standing with microphone in hand, alone centre stage, cut a demonic
figure during this declamation. Poor Mr Jones was bludgeoned to within
an inch of his life by the song’s close. The delay on the voice gave
the impression that we were in a dream - or perhaps, more accurately, a
nightmare. Even so, I did not want to wake up. It struck me just how
physical Bob’s performances have been on this tour. He is punctuating
his songs with movement in a way that he has not done for many years. If
I move as purposefully and with such ease at 70 I shall be astonished and
delighted. With the Eye of God backdrop peering down at us the show came
to a tumultuous close with Watchtower and Rolling Stone. As he had the
previous night Bob sang the latter beautifully and with great commitment.
He made me think anew about the lines of a song I have heard hundreds of
times before. He sounded both regal and emphatic. The lights came up
and the cheers rang out for the line-up. Then our man was gone again . . .
until tomorrow, the final night of this enthralling Hammersmith
residency. I’ll be there. I’m a truck driver, not a lawyer.
Mr Jinx
Review by Ian S. Blagbrough
What a difference a day makes. Maybe we had slept better, maybe they had.
This was a world away up in the excellent category after Saturday's good-very
good gig. The voice still holding up well, better than for a while, more humour
and rapport, general enjoyment on stage and even smiling (still, it is Children in
Need week and he has grown a beard for charity). Not only not one turkey in
the 14 strong set with no formal encore, but lots nailed and such general
enthusiasm (not many leaving - they left in droves from Cardiff and were most
vocal in their disgust outside that night). Two fainted, I think it was the banjo
playing. Tickets must surely sell for Monday, if you are there give cheer on my
behalf. It was indeed Pill-Box Hat and Summer days played loud, later on it was
one song to the tune of another as everything adopted the Summer days style
and rhythm. Sunday night was excellent.
Arrived at 6.25 pm, the 6 rows of Bob-cats were all down by the rail, just 3
more hours to wait. Took a position towards the back leaning with (equally)
oldies on a rail, the advantage of the rake being great sight-lines. The
Hammersmith hmv Apollo (underneath Junction 2 of the M4 motorway) with
its orange, brown, and grey walls is not a pretty place. There are two lit quarter
ice-cream cornets, about 12 feet tall stuck on the walls, not art, certainly not
art-deco, just naff. No charm and the sticky floor is not endearing, just tacky.
Mark Knopfler really is good, his set with a seven piece of not just talented, but
world class musicians, 1st flute and whistle and sackbut?, Andy Parson's twin
brother on 2nd flute and 1st violin, together with Captain Slow and Bill Oddie
guesting on organ. It was going to be all really similar for an hour, so little
variation, and then it totally changed with (Lonnie) Donegan's Gone (but then
"Donegan's gone" 12 times a verse - Bob Dylan it ain't). It must be really hard
for any Dylan supporting act. Let's say 1,000 more arrived between 8.30 and
9.00, so unlike those Italy (and elsewhere) reviews where fans of Mark came
and went, this London show was for (as Mr Mark said) Mr Bob. They played
75 mins and showed their clear electric folk talent. They can do it, if you really
like it, it is what you get, and you get it constantly. The clouds of nag champa
rolled in. By 9.05 the great all-seeing eye of Horus was on the red lit school
curtains, the crowd roared out its approval of the back history, and there he
was carrying a white broad brimmed hat and playing with his hair, this went on
often between songs. The band all in dark charcoal grey suits, ... CRA Bob
Dylan ...
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box hat, as throughout this tour, no regular opener to which
to tune-up, but setting the high standard. Mark Knopfler mooching around and
joining in the 12 bar blues. Great opener then to the centre stage for a guitar
duet of It's all over now. I used to care, but Things have changed. The first of
the What song is this? intros was Tryin' to get to heaven. Then Mark Knopfler
was gone. I do not want to be damning with faint praise, he did add, it was a
guitar-fest, you could hear him and tell that it was MK. Nailed Honest with me.
Nailed TUIB. Nailed Summer days. What song is this? Blind Willie McTell, the
extended 3 endings were a hoot, on stage smiling, the audience laughing and
then roaring our approval (perhaps you had to be there). H61 was ripped up,
fun extended ending; each number just getting better. Desolation row, lots of
verses, smiling and fun. Thunder on the Mountain. Do you know what's
happening Mr Jones? (Ballad of a thin man) with fun with the voice echo.
AATW, those perfunctory band intros, and the massive sing-along that is LARS
even without the white spotlights directly picking us out as happened often
enough. 10.40, we cheered a lot, but no BITW for us.
Final comments, the fair-ground organ playing was made to be appropriate. The
one-hand fey on hip, the other playing scales may grow on me, but it was
entertaining. Charlie and Stu shared leads. Charlie did not rip it up as much as I
would have liked/thought, he is on a short leash, Stu certainly dominated his two
leads. There was lots of smiling. I have come through the post-guitar period
when the piano/organ was set exactly at a right-angle to the stage, and with
the broad-brimmed hat pulled down we never saw his face once and certainly
never centre stage. I have come through that period when the microphone
was set ergonomically far too low so he bent down into it with never a glance
towards us. My thanks if you read this far. My thanks as ever to those who
write here, I enjoy your opinions. My especial thanks to Bill Pagel for all his work.
If you are there tonight, enjoy. Bob Dylan, front and centre guitar strapped back
on; Bob Dylan, front and centre just a microphone in his hand working the crowd;
Bob Dylan, front and centre, smiling. Wow! Things have changed. Enjoy!
Ian S. Blagbrough
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