June 28, 2016
Review by Greg Wallace
The Fraze is the friendliest venue I've ever been to and it was a lovely
evening so I walked up without a ticket and bought one on the way in for a
small discount to the door price. The interweb only had 2 expensive
reserved seats available (sold out!) and I wasn't going to pay $90 to hear
roughly the same set I witnessed about a year ago. So I was on the lawn
with the hoi polloi but I also knew the Fraze had a grandstand at the back
so I could sit without bringing a blanket or chair.
The ageless Mavis sang the hits (her own and some 60's rock tunes) during
her warmup set and name checked a local eatery and her late Pops. One of
her backing musicians was a pretty fine Roebuck mimic, too. She finished
before sunset. After an intro I don't think I'd heard before, Dylan
launched into a spirited Things Have Changed. A day off does everybody
good. It seemed like a mixed crowd of Dylan fanatics and museum visitors,
one of whom sat near me and asked what he was playing and then dutifully
wrote down the song titles. This seemed peculiar to me. Perhaps it was
for a continuing education class. Or Homeland Security.
I can't imagine what the museum crew made of the show which featured two
or three "hits." All the recent Dylan originals in the set were performed
relatively well, although I thought the elocution was lacking a bit on the
Tempest tunes. Ole Bob is now including several pop standards in his set
and an Irving Berlin tune was debuted. Bob's "How Deep is the Ocean?"
wasn't Dinah Washington but it only took a few bars to catch on and I
hadn't recalled him singing it before. Thus far the standards Dylan is
singing are songs that Sinatra sang at some point, and the only dubious
performance was "The Night We Called it a Day." That's a song that others
have also failed to put across, probably best left to Sinatra. My note
taking friend asked if Rod Stewart had ever sung it and I had to profess
ignorance. Quite a few attendees left late in the performance, probably
in bafflement, although I didn't ask any of them. The sound was very good
with pedal steel well to the fore. Knowing what to expect going in I
enjoyed the performance. The artist is definitely putting out.
Review by Laurette Maillet
From Nashville I had booked a trip to Pittsburgh, back home.
Destiny often plays some trick;
The trip has 3 layovers of 1 hour each. Thanks for going Greyhound and
wasting a lot of time. First stop is Louisville. Right on time. Except
that the time in Louisville is not the time in Nashville. It is one hour
ahead. Thanks for going Greyhound and having a bad assistance. I miss my
bus. "The next bus is in 7 hours" says the Information Lady , who seems
tired to be alive. Or just tired to work? She probably believes she works
too much for not enough money and puts all the blame on me. " you missed
your bus, it's your fault" she growls, as all the Greyhound employees.
They growl or they shout. It must be that all the Greyhound patrons are
deaf! "Thank you" say I, with a big smile. 7 hours to kill downtown
Louisville. Not the most beautiful city ever. I find an Internet
connection and rethink my plan ; after all I could make it to Kettering
and Toledo. I buy 2 bus tickets on line and print them at the nearby
library. Kettering is the suburbs of Dayton. Downtown Dayton is dead and
not inspiring but thanks to the municipality they have great public
transportation. I reach easily the Faze Pavillion in Kettering . To my
surprise I know the place, I've been here before and of course for a Bob
Dylan show. History repeats itself and I take a nap on the grass in a
prosperous neighbour. Nothing like downtown Dayton. Around 3.30 p.m. I
wake up to see that the black buses are already parked in front of me. A
short sound check from the Band , followed by a short sound check from
Mavis. I didn't hear Bobby's voice as usual but Mavis is present. Time to
snooze again. At 6 p.m. the crowd piles up in front of the gates, loaded
with lawn chairs and blankets. I will call that Tour the "Picnic Tour". I
get a lawn ticket and take my place on a wet grass. After all the blankets
are useful. Mavis speaks more and more, and sing less and less. She's
funny! The Boys are all in black, so is Bob, not even the white straps on
his pants. White hat though. It is hard to distinguish the members of the
Band from far after sun down! The sound is again metalic; the piano has a
high spitch sound. A little bit too loud? Or is it my tired spirit today?
I have seen some folks seated outside the venue. At least they were able
to hear for free. The setlist starts the same. But the 4th is " The night
we call it a day". I heard it before and it's not my favourite. During the
introduction of "Melancholy mood" the white hat disappeared. Where is Bob?
He trotts to the mike right on time for the first lyrics "melancoly mood
forever haunts me ...". At least he didn't change this beautiful one. A
little mistake on "Duquesne whistle". He has difficulty memorising this
one? And then....the Band put together a tune I never heard. Oh!oh! I wake
up from my torpor, pay attention to the lyrics. I can hear " And if I
ever lost you, how much would I cry? How deep is the ocean? How high is
the sky? The words are clearly articulated but definitively not a song for
Bob. He's struggling in the high notes. Good try though, courageous! Then
back to the normal set. My mind drifts away. I have no place to stay after
the show, the temperature is dramatically dropping and I fear a cold night
out under the sky and the starts. The show might have been as good as
Nashville but for me it is not the best. The public is quiet. Except few
girls dancing here and there, the ambiance is cold as the weather. "Love
sick" wakes up the left over of the audiance: a lot packed up the chairs
and the blankets already. I move slowly away. After all I have no where to
go. I am glad I was here to witness that little surprise. Thank you Bobby!
Good night and safe travel!
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