I thought that the rain would cool things down, but the music just got hotter 
the harder the rain came down. A good portion of Robert Plant's set was played 
during a rainstorm, but not a drop on us were sitting under the massive 
circular overhang. Robert Plants set was fantastic, the sound loud and the 
crowd enjoying themselves. The duo of him and Alison Krauss is truly something 
not to miss. His voice is still great, reaching each piercing high note with 
grace and without fault. She adds a folk element to the music that really 
allows this outfit to fit the vibe of the whole Outlaw Fest. 

On to Bob's set, promptly at 8:10 just like Jones Beach. He wore no hoodie 
when he walked on stage tonight, just a white button down with the buttons 
opened halfway down his chest. Highway 61 was a rollicking start, the crowd 
up and dancing for most of the song. I was surprised when a great number of 
audience members remained standing for Shooting Star, which was complete with 
a beautiful harmonica solo. Tonight's version outdid the Jones Beach rendition 
for me. The rest of the set unfolded as per usual for this tour so far, a 
rousing ride through a landscape of Dylan's many studio albums and classic 
American covers. Stella Blue again continues to shine and get better with each 
show. No harp tonight on Early Roman Kings, but he made up for it with a great 
solo on Under the Red Sky. His voice was loud, powerful, and clear tonight; 
the sound at PNC is great. Mickey Raphael joined in again on harp for Simple 
Twist, which is really the jewel in the crown of this entire setlist. I'd like 
to mention the crowd as a whole who were very receptive (at least in our 
section) to the entire show. Lots of dancing, lots of singing along, lots of 
happy faces. No hushed murmurs, no walking out early, no calls for "play 
something we know!" It's nice to see fans enjoying themselves and nice to see 
Bob play a few numbers that the crowd can shake their bones to. Thanks, as 
always, Bob. See you sometime soon... 

Dan D

After religiously checking this amazing website during tours for the past 6
or so years, I finally have a review to contribute for the second Dylan 
show I've been to. Me and two friends, both very surface level fans who 
were moreso there for Robert Plant, had lawn seats.  During the Plant/Krauss
set, it rained harder than I have ever experienced outdoors.  We only had 
one poncho to share amongst the three of us, so by the end of the storm we 
were drenched (which I used as an excuse to buy one of the infamous $45 
Tempest Tour 2012 shirts).

I will leave the review of the music/audio to more experienced ears, because 
what I wanted to focus on more was the vibe of what felt like a fairly 
Dylan-unfriendly crowd.  Highway 61 was a great opener, but as the slower 
songs started up you could feel the mood shift, with more people going to get 
drinks or talking with neighbors. I know Bob Dylan is the last person on earth 
to cater to expectations, but I was hoping for a more upbeat set to hold 
people's interests.  I had the feeling that people there to see Dylan were a 
heavy minority, and I can't imagine a plodding arrangement of Can't Wait will 
have done anything to make any new converts on this tour.  Some of the other 
arrangements were also a bit questionable with iffy execution, but on paper 
this is a great setlist for a 4k cap theater, maybe not so much a massive 
amphitheater for a normie audience.

All in all, however, I had a great time and my friend's both said his voice 
was shockingly good for a man of his age.  Hopefully the next time I see him 
will be in a more intimate setting surrounded by likeminded fans rather than 
a sea of Led Zeppelin and Willie Nelson t-shirts.

If someone had told me at my first Dylan show back in 1978 (when some were
already saying he was too old) that I'd still be seeing a vital and vibrant
Dylan show 46 years later, I would have thought they were crazy. Yet here
we are! How wonderfully insane is it that Bob keeps delivering the goods,
more than 60 years into his career ?.  This was definitely a further
evolution since the "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour, and the current setlist is
almost completely different material. For those following, he stuck to the
setlist of the past few days. It's an eclectic, idiosyncratic setlist, more
focused on shorter songs, with an undercurrent of 1950's pop sometimes
visible beneath a blues/rock veneer.  The band is somewhat changed
(different drummer, no Donnie Herron) and they gather 'round Bob and his
piano, picking up on his playing as well as his body language- it's very
much Bob's band. His skills as both bandleader and piano player continue to
develop and grow, and his piano solos were not just effective but rhythmic,
driving and creative. At one point during "Love Sick" I think one of the
guitar players got ahead of the beat, and Bob stuck out his arm, waving
where the 'one' was, getting everything back on track effortlessly.

I won't go song by song, but give a few highlights and thoughts- Shooting
Star was sweetly done, a rare song that's always passionately delivered.
"Lovesick" was spooky and effective. While "Little Queenie" was fun, Bob
really dug into "Mr. Blue" (which I hadn't realized I'd known, covered on a
David Bromberg album), using that high, sweet voice that could have arrived
from the early 60's. To be honest, "Early Roman Kings" was the one lowlight
for me, a bit of a bore that didn't rise above a blues sludge. On the other
hand, that almost solo-piano "Can't Wait", done in full rubato time (look
it up!) was a revelation and a master class in phrasing and piano playing
(with some intentional, I think, dissonances in there to spice things up)-
fully as dramatic as that 1978 "Tangled Up in Blue" (which criminally still
remains officially unreleased).  "Under the Red Sky" appeared in the set
just as the sunset behind the audience was framed by, yes, a red sky (how
does he do that?)- I forgot that pop hook quality that that song has, and
while not a major song, it's great fun. "Things have Changed" is a somewhat
bizarre arrangement, not sure it totally worked but it was a noble effort.
Then came the best cover of the evening, Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter's
"Stella Blue"- an intense slow burn that didn't let up, with Bob hitting
that sweet/sour melody oh-so-perfectly. I never thought that that song
would be a highlight of a Bob Dylan concert, but there it is. Fantastic!
"Thin Man" was well done, and it was great to hear a blast of that 1965 Bob
(which means its now a song that's 59 years old- has he ever done an
original that dates back almost 60 years from when it was performed?) (yes,
he did, say, "Girl from the North Country" in 2019, 56 years after it was
written-but he has not yet performed a song of his that was written 60
years before (anything from '64 and earlier would now qualify.. but I
digress) Anyway, to wrap this up, after a fine-but-nothing special "Soon
after midnight" we got a slightly rewritten "Simple Twist of Fate" (with
all those jokey "you should have caught me in '58, it wasn't too late," etc.
rhymes) with Mickey Raphael on a chromatic-sounding harmonica (different
style than Bob, and a welcome instrumental voice) and then a throwback to
the country-rock songs of the last tour with "I'll be your baby tonight".
One last thing- I very much enjoyed Robert Plant & Alison Krause-
don't miss them, it's beautiful, subtle, powerful and mystical. Sadly the
audience was many times too talkative and distracted for both Plant/Krause
and for Bob too, ah well.  But back to Bob- he's staying forever young!

This was show two of four for me on the Outlaw Tour (#87). My wife,
Jacqueline (show #23) and I, make the 1.5 hr. drive through pouring rain
to the venue. The PNC Banks Arts Center is a mostly artless, completely
soulless, corporate cesspool. Just another one of the cashless venues who
do nothing but take your cash. You can see the creeping of the cashless
society into everyday life... not for me pal. I'll stay away from as
many of these places as possible.  It has a circular amphitheater (it
looks nice) with a terrible layout. A semi-circular stage with ramps left
and right. Bad sight lines anywhere out of the center of the arena.
Parking lots too far from the venue, shuttle buses if you decide not to
show up early to tailgate party, stairs up a steep hill (I'm in shape,
no problem, but for the seniors?), then stairs down into the arena. After
the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss show (great again) I watched for nearly 20
minutes as people SLOWLY, SLOWLY, SLOWLY worked their way up the steep
arena steps to the bathroom/concession stands. I was not the least
surprised that when Bob came on stage 25 minutes later at approximately
8:10 that arena was 1/3 empty and the crowd was now SLOWLY making their
way back to their seats. What a disaster of an arrangement. They are
billed as one of the top 5 amphitheaters in America. I'd hate to see the
worst five.

Oh, and I wear a straw cowboy hat to all the Dylan shows (hence the
Dancing NYC cowboy thing). Every once in a while I am asked to remove my
hat, to which I say, I don't see it printed anywhere on my ticket that I
would need to remove an article of clothing to enter the venue. I usually
get a hassle, and I tell them they can pat it down, which they do, and all
is fine. But not last night. The valedictorian security guard wanted my
hat removed, and his reasoning was that I may have a knife in my hat! This
was after walking through a metal detector! I swear, they teach stupid in
this country now! It's sad to see that common sense is not so common
anymore. It gets worse, and sadly you get this at all corporate owned
entities nowadays... the girl serving me drinks asked for my ID. I'm
obviously old enough, but she's told to do it, and she said her boss is
anal about it. So, I ask her, "If your dad walked up and ordered a
drink, would you ID him?" She said yes, otherwise she would get fired.
Jeepers creepers folks! Have we all become good Germans? Just following
orders? Sad to see.

But I'm here for Bob... although of course the PNC Arts Center is set-up
so that everything is a long walk. So, after getting absolutely drenched
to the bone after walking from the Box Office to the arena (thanks honey
for the suggestion that since we are taking the shuttle bus, let's leave
our raincoats in the Jeep). We finally make it to our seats.

Bob was great once again. Got off to a slow start but knocked a few out of
the park. Same setlist as previous night. The downer was too many people
talking/walking/balking and stalking. Too much 'ambiance', which is
what I unfortunately expect at these types of shows. Oh well. Always a
great time at a Bob show and always happy to see him again.

Hard to find familiar Bobcats in a large venue on a rainy night. Saw
Armand from last year's Newark show. Met Al. And we met a nice couple
from Canada whose names escape me.

Off to Mansfiled, MA. for the next show... solo I go.
Don't you miss it!

The dancing cowboy from NYC.