| Reviews Santa Cruz, California Civic Auditorium June 23, 2022 |
Review by Erik Nelson
,
Greetings from the People’s Republic of Santa Cruz! First show here
since March of 2000, at (I believe) the smallest venue he’s played in
quite a while, 2000 seats.
Great old WPA era Civic Center, reserved seats, packed, very appreciative
crowd, with no murmers of dissatisfaction about low light, loud music and
no “hits.” “A Friend Of The Devil” might have been TOO on the
nose for this crowd, but I am sure it would have been appreciated! Bet
some great tapes will emerge as Deadicated Tapers abide here, and security
was very loose.
Notes based on two shows I saw in last few weeks, and maybe 15 or so tapes
of shows from this tour that I have “collected” and obsessed over.
In comparison with the Oakland show I saw on June 9th, I’d say better
sound, tighter, and, dare I say, a more “professional" show, but
perhaps, Oakland has a touch more soul. But obviously, miles vary. A
one-two punch of “Masterpiece” and “Baby Tonight” surprised me,
but otherwise everything tonight seemed sharper, and dare I say it, a more
intimate performance than the one I saw a couple of weeks ago.
Dylan’s piano playing was a real highlight all night, with emphatic,
driving solos, especially at the end of “Jimmy Reed” — and it seemed
the band looked for directions in every note he pecked out.
Harmonica intro to “Masterpiece” — very rhythmic and something I
wish could have gone on forever.
Great new arrangement of “Baby Tonight” with a great gear shifting
slow blues rave up at the end.
“Key West” has mutated into some weird tropical fusion of
“Desolation Row” if Jimmy Buffett happened to live there, but it's
heading to a great place, though I am partial to many of the last few
months excursions and evolutions that this song has been through.
A beautifully SUNG night too — hitting and sustaining some amazing highs
during “Give Myself To You”, among others.
He was a bit wobbly during the letter perfect “Melancholy Mood” —
and a friend wondered if he had been sampling one of his whisky blends —
but I was reminded of 60 years ago, when his act was referred to as
“Chaplinesque.”
Big picture, he’s the master painter jazz blues king, improvising beat
poetry with subtle, wonderful phrasing and diction, where you feel like
you are witnessing a private rehearsal, but we are all his fellow
musicians.
The idea that he played with this kind of intensity in Santa Barbara last
night, and, did what I just saw him do here tonight is inspiring to say
the least.
If you haven’t seen a show yet, well, to coin a phrase, “Don’t you
dare miss it!”
Erik Nelson
https://tinyurl.com/2p82n686
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