April 27, 2018
Review by Neil
What a difference a year makes, as Dinah Washington once nearly sang.
The final night of the 2018 European tour in Verona provided a shocking
departure from the last time I saw Dylan, during his May 2017 UK tour. The
arrangement of almost every song has been significantly re-tooled; in fact
Dylan has wielded the monkey wrench to such an extent that some of these
feel like completely different songs. I find it astounding that so deep
into his career Bob can still so comprehensively challenge his audience.
As the spectacle unfolded under a very warm Veronese sky it almost felt
like an anti-concert: uncle Bob, like some fiercely independent waiter,
here to take away the original songs from the audience's table as much as
to deliver the new versions. Despite being the end of the tour, his voice
was in fine condition, capable of nuances and hairpin turns which up to a
up to a few years ago seemed to have been lost. Sitting in the middle of
row 3 dead centre on the floor, I was afforded good visibility, not least
because there was a gap of at least 50 feet from the front row to the
relatively high stage, the stage configuration bemusingly providing a pit
for a non-existent orchestra. The band had that end of tour tightness,
even with the new arrangements, which was a joy to listen to. Even after
all these years I still look to Tony Garnier's facial expressions of
understated delight to confirm what my ears are telling me, the band and
Bob are pulling off everything which they are attempting.
When this date was announced as the Tour closer, I knew I had to be here,
and I'm so glad I was. After a lifetime of being immersed in Bob Dylan's
art, tonight confirmed that I still don't really know him.
Neil
Review by Claudio Manara
This night should soon be chronicled onto a record! I finally realized that,
unlike the typical expectations of setlist variations, digging deeply into each
song of this unchanged list, the band is performing a unique art in progress.
Now I can say that I really love this bunch of songs even the unlovable
Things have changed finally recognized as a surrender to the world of
disappointment, it was enriched with a bumping rhythm with stop and go
to stress the last verses. Don’t think twice has a distinct piano work in the
intro. Hiway61 just perfectly sung in loud and clear voice. Simple twist of
fate still has some changing in words like the parallel story Tangled up in
blue that was transformed in an obscure blues like a swing between two
notes, a door that opens and closes and cancels any way of chorus.. The
gems are: trying to get to Heaven - huge melody and emotionally sung,
pay in blood - more straight and naked, thunder on the mountain,
definitely renewed in twist, desolation row is a syncopated story with
musical improvisations. The traditional songs (melancholy mood-come
rain or come shine-autumn leaves) create an intensity, a suspension
break in the act. The show is now perfect! This needs to be in a record!
As I walk the street to my room I watched the band black bus running
on the speedway out of Verona, it was written ‘beat the street’
...indeed this band knows how to beat it!!
Claudio Manara
Click Here to return to the Main Page |
page by Bill Pagel
billp61@execpc.com
Current Tour Guide |
Older Tour Guides |
Bob Links Page |
Songs Performed |
Set Lists by Date |
Set Lists by Location |
Cue Sheets |