Review by Sergi Fabregat
Beautiful, heartfelt, funny, smile/awe inducing show in a curious venue
by a highway to which is not easy to walk to even if your hotel is just
two doors down, 10 minute stroll.
It's incredible to think that merely 10 days ago the concerts felt so
differently as how they feel now. The energy into the songs has already
changed, it's impossible to know for sure if this path is a planned one
or if the progression takes place depending on how the wind blows. In
Louisville, maybe the cold there took control of the songs, it was a
fragmented, dark approach in some cases; a good example could be that
the first shows looked at the "early days are gone" with sorrow, while
now they do it with hope, even eagerness I'd say! Last night Bob
exhuded determination and full focus when he sang: "I lit the torch,
I looked to the East!".
I will mini-detour to illustrate the feeling: in Benniboy's 1996
recent comp 'All I Got to Do is Survive', there's a version of 'To
Ramona' from Spartanburg. At the end, it's mindblowing how Bob
completely changes the tone, pitch and inner energy of his voice when
he sings: "Everything passes, everything changes, do what you think
you should do!". It's beautiful because it's so, so encouraging, so
hopeful. This is how the current shows are feeling now, they propel
you forward, we're being passed along the cup night after night.
A show with, surely, many highlights, lots of smiling from Bob, not
much interaction, he and the band seemed really locked into it and
letting the songs do the talking. At the end of 'Key West', a curious
instrumental slow outro was played, and I decided that I wanted to
record the view in my mind after such a song, and it felt so right,
go me really emotional just looking at Bob, letting all the legendary
stuff but specially the nowadays stuff over me.
Oh, he was REALLY dancing while on piano during a slow burning,
business meant, unmerciful 'Jimmy Reed', crazy to think that he's
most likely the one still having the most fun.
Maybe the most WTF moment of the night was when in 'To Be Alone With
You' they played the long instrumental bridge, then the start-stop
bass driven thing (many people doing the right wohoos at the right
time!) and then an INCREDIBLE second instrumental bridge that just
kept rising and rising. The thing that words can tell, you had to be
there or listen to it was how Big Bang, right on the f***ing spot
Bob came in with the "I'm collecting my thoughts in a pattern" line.
It was pioneer stuff, he eclipsed the sun for real.
'Jambalaya' was hahahaha for mainly two reasons: I thought he was
singing most of the song in French, which HE KIND OF DID, and my
mum knew the song, she helped me to forward Bill the setlist! :lol:
It was amazing, as was 'Big River', again infused with the water
of life.
As I said, many many highlights of a beautiful front row show, but
I will end with a selfish note: he did an specific looking up,
opening his eyes a lot, also his mouth, during the show. I kind of
think it was in 'Key West' but if anyone noticed too, can you tell
me please? Bob has his expressions, but this one was truly
something, he seemed so emotionally invested. Difficult to pin, I
know, I also post it so I won't forget the image and if recording
surfaces I'll try to connect again both sources.
A couple of things that have come into mind during the day:
The intro song change. Last Fall it was Stravinski's 'Rite of
Spring' but this Spring it has changed, it's a beutiful melody.
I "Shazamed" the intro music a few weeks ago based on
the recording of a Florida show. It should be
"La Mer, CD111. l. De l'aube à midi sur la mer" from Claude Debussi
(Lucerne Festival Orchestra)
The curtain was up for the second show in a row, showing the back
wall, lighted up with a purplish light. A couple of ladders there
and what I really loved: a bunch of stage spotlights, in vertical
position, in the middle of the wall, that resembled roman
amphorae. Given how much Roman themes populate the current
setlist, I found it a really fitting detail.
The "cock" verse in 'Black Rider' was sung in what I'd say was
the most comical way I've seen Bob attack it. He really seemed
to realize that it's a super funny line, and maybe I was
gesturing a bit during that part because he seemed to look at
my zone when singing it, which added an extra fun to the whole
moment.
The harp during 'Grain of Sand' sounded off as soon that Bob
blew into it, it sounded really loud and a bit distorted in
the mix. He stopped after a few notes and gave a couple of looks
at the sound guy, even started to turn it into a piano solo,
but he kept trying. At one point, the harp started to sound
right, and then Bob gave his all, producing these sounds that
transport you to the beginning of it all, giving the night
such a beau ending.
I've wanted also to mention this for the last few shows, but I
think I haven't: there are moments during the concert in which
I forgot the dimension of the figure that is on stage, and
also I manage to get off myself any thoughts that get in the
way of the day and I find myself at the core of the song,
devoid of anything external to it. It is an incredible feeling,
it's as if I was sucked into the energy of what is happening in
the most present moment and I feel some kind of high
enlightenment, a revelation so to speak. Last night it
happened during the end of 'My Own Version of You' and also at
the end of 'Mother of Muses'. I don't know what to make of it
but I'm in awe that these things still happen in 2024.
Behind the piano the whole night, I'd say that he didn't
leave the piano for the whole concert, though this Spring
he's standing a lot more than in Fall 2023.
One last thing: pay attention at how Bob sings the "Like
Ginsberg, Corso..." part in Lafayette, it is mindblowing.
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