Reviews Memphis, Tennessee Orpheum Theatre April 9, 2022 |
Review by Jim Maynard
It was great to see Dylan again at the Orpheum in Memphis, always a great
venue. Nearly sold out, very receptive crowd as usual in Memphis. The
setlist was the same as expected. Start a little rough in Watching the
River Flow, couldn’t hear Bob, as others have complained about his mic
being too low in the sound mix. Things got better as Bob warmed up to the
mic. Great song to open with in Memhis on Beale Street by the Mississippi
River. Bob’s voice got stronger on You Go Your Way..
The harp intro to When I Paint My Masterpiece was a masterful performance
and the song was an early highlight, recognizable to everyone.
This tour is all about Rough and Rowdy Ways, and songs on thar album were
well received and performed. I expect most of the audience never heard
the album but seemed to like what they heard. Bob put heart and soul into
them, and got a standing ovation after almost ever one of them!
Highlights from RARW were I Contain Multitudes, Black Rider, Crossing the
Rubicon, Mother of Muses. Weakest was Key West, which drgagged too long.
Melancholy Mood was unrecognizable and shouldhave been replaced by a
number of Dyalan’s better songs .
The “classics” To Be Along With You, Tonight I’ll
be Staying Here With You, were ok, but seemed like throw aways in between
the RARW songs. The highlight swere Gotta Serve Simebody which was
transformed into a hard rocking gospel romp. and the magnificent closing
with Ever Grain of Sand, one of Bob’s true masterpieces, and his swan
song for the evening.
Goodbye Jimmy Reed was a little rushed before the band introduction, and
could have heen a highlight if Bob had not rushed the lyrics.
As always the time flew by too fast. Hope it’s not the last time to see
Bob in Memphis, but “time is an ocean and it ends at the shore.”
Review by Laurette Maillet
Memphis Tennessee April 9th.
Corky will drive the few hours from Meridian to Memphis. We booked a
hotel by the airport but decided first to go to Graceland again . Both of
us had been there , long time ago.
Things have changed!
This is a truly commercial business. It takes forever to enter inside
Graceland, the home of Presley.
But anyway we had a good time.
We have lunch in a great Mexican restaurant before getting ready
for the show.
The Orpheum theater is again a beautiful theater. Capacity 2900.
Corky bought me a ticket, so I am free.
Stefanie is searching for one so I help her for a while. She says a Fan
was looking for ... Me and left an envelope. It's a ... Birthday card :)
We all seat on the balcony, up under the roof.
The public is a lot younger and more sympathetic than the Meridian
one.
8.00pm the show starts with a big applause.
Time to adjust the song for the two first songs and all will be alright.
Bob is wearing the tie/scarf he was wearing last night.
Corky is sited next to me and folks around are Fans. They know
what will be the setlist.
So except some people going to the restroom, all is well.
While Bob is singing "I've made up my mind to give myself to you"
a Fan screams "we love you Bob" and Bob laughs in the mic.
Fans abviously know the new album as they clap at the beginning
of each song from "Rough and rowdy ways".
Bob presents the Band and murmurs something that makes Donnie
laugh.
I sell some prints after the show. I start to be popular :)
That was a good show and a great day.
It's a lot easier with...a little help from my friends.
Next Little Rock and all by myself.
Review by Tom Burke
Before a near full house at The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis Saturday
night, Bob Dylan delivered a satisfying show which was enthusiastically
received by those in attendance.
Pressing on, despite the grind of the schedule, Dylan was able to soldier
through the familiar setlist, overcoming technical glitches (on the first
song in particular-Watching the River Flow, and to a lesser extent the
second song-Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I'll Go Mine)) a mix that
left Dylan's voice barely audible, lost in the band's music, and Dylan's
voice, resulting in subdued vocals, perhaps reflecting the wear and tear
of performing on three consecutive nights.
Having been to two shows in the fall 2021 leg of the Rough and Rowdy
Ways Tour, I was struck by a couple of changes in Dylan's physical
performance this Spring night in Memphis: first, on False Prophet, gone
was the animated emphatic Dylan singing center stage with the hand
mic, and second, Dylan did not vacate the piano at any time during his
performance, save to take a couple of well received bows at three evenly
spaced intervals during the 17 song set.
An early, and unexpected highlight, was a strong and extended introductory
harp solo by Dylan on When I Paint My Masterpiece. Key West (Philosopher
Pirate) was delivered at a deliberate pace and with a wistful tone/mood, that
I found very effective. I was pleased that Crossing the Rubicon was added to
the setlist for this leg of the tour. The up tempo, guitar driven version of
Gotta Serve Somebody injected a shot of old fashioned rhythm and blues
into the set which seemed particularly appropriate given the venue, and
although Bob Britt and Doug Lancio are not Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, they
let it rip and sounded great!
Following Goodbye Jimmy Reed, Dylan introduced the band and gave a
shout out to Memphis and American music legend Sam Phillips.
The night ended with the beautiful Every Grain of Sand eliciting a loud
roar, and an extended standing ovation from the appreciative Orpheum
audience.
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page by Bill Pagel
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