Reviews

Adelaide, Australia

Bonython Park

August 11, 2018


[Nick Miller], [Laurette Maillet], [Weston Rhyn]

Review by Nick Miller



Dylan's Never Ending Tour rolled into Adelaide on the second stop of his
nine concert 2018 Australian tour. 

Tonight's concert was in a large tent in Bonython Park - like being inside
a whale  -not often you see Bob in a tent but my second time after the
Byron Bay Blues Festival a few years ago. 

The set list remained as recent gigs but compared to 2014 the band seemed
re-invigorated with a real rock n roll circus feel to fit the venue.

Highlights for me included Duquesne Whistle, Honest with me, Early Roman
Kings, Desolation Row and a great Gotta Serve Somebody.

Bob got a well deserved standing ovation at the end. Preceding  the main
event was a nice set from Vance Joy sounding slightly Jake Bugg like and
looking like Bob from the last century. Prior to that we got to enjoy a
lengthy sound check with country and surf licks from the band along with
an extended Thunder on the Mountain.

A great night with more to come on this leg of the Never Ending Tour!

Don't you dare miss it!

Nick Miller 
Sydney

[TOP]

Review by Laurette Maillet



Adelaide 11th of August 2018. I've been in Australia for 2 months now and
2 weeks in Adelaide.  The sun is blasting in Europe but here it is winter
and the rainy season. Keeping warm and dry is my chalange. The first OZ
show was in Perth. The Perth of OZ. But I couldn't make it. This country
is a continent, all Europe in one huge territory and only 25 millions
people. The land is barren on most of the territories and though the
Aboriginal people have been living here for more than 60 000 years it
doesn’t fit the needs of the White Man. Taming the Nature is a constant
fight. Who gonna win at the end? Bobby and his Band are first announced in
the Botanic Garden. Trully I don't know where they were planning to plant
a tipi! They moved to Bonython Garden. More space for a circus. More wet
too! A huge tent on a swampy ground! There is an opening act ; Vance Joy.
Knowed to the locals. I was hoping for a warm homage to the Nobel price of
literature 2016, with all respect but... Mr. Joy is focusing on the empty
seats in the front of him.  I do believe the VIP folks didn't spend 500$
for Vance. I have the feeling he missed the point by talking too much. He
didn't win my consideration. By some miracles  I have 2 tickets but the
Good Samarithan who gave me the VIP made my night, my week and my month!
Thanks GS! The seats are tight, feel like flying low coast. But the view
on the stage is incredible.  Right in front the piano. 5th row back. The
stage is low. Noone in front of me , a lot behind! Of course I know by now
there will be no center stage for there is no more...Sinatra songs! For
good or for bad, only G. knows. But for me, simple mortal, it's for good.
Back to a Bob Dylan repertoire. 8 pm sharp. Stu is strumming his little
tune. George, wearing a hat, is taking his position. Nothing changed. I
see the Oscar,  the head....maybe the beads? Not sure! The stage is
heated. 1) Things have changed.  He must love that song. Me too. Though
it was not the opening in Seoul. The voice is loud and clear. Dressed in
BandW. No hat. A calvicy sometimes apparent. A dying of the hair. Slim and
elegant. The piano is turned sideway. My seat on the right gives me the
view of his weird way of sitting on the paino  bench, at the limit of
balance. He is wearing the same boots. Must love those boots! 2) It ain't
me Babe. Relatively new on the set and giving his point. "You just want a
lover and nothing more!" But. It ain't him! No change of the lyrics.  No
change of the melody. Yet! 3) Highway 61 A bit of scriptures' twist.
Unless H61 was near Jerusalem 3 000 years ago! It rocks the gigantic Tipi.
We should make the Sun dance, but no, it's not the goal. It's warming my
body. Here, you can stamp your feet as much as you can, all you'll get
are.....wet feet! 4) Simple twist of fate. And Yes! The harmonica is back.
All for the best. Timid applause from the crowd who doesn’t know how
lucky it is. No harmonica in Europe! Thanks Bobby! You heard my concern.
5)Duquesne whistle Perfectly executed but not so much enthusiastic.  Good
performance by the Band. Sweet swing! 6)I tight up my body. Focus hard.
"When I paint my Masterpiece" For me the first time live on that Tour.
Beautiful surprise. Great choice.  For me, the highlight of the night.
Today I feel the melody....tomorrow I'll focus on the lyrics. 7)Honest
with me Trully not my cup of tea. I can't be IN, neither musicaly, neither
wordly. Maybe someday!? 8)Trying to get to heaven The crowd is not
confused with Desolation  , they understand English. Not my cup of
coffee. Sad! It doesn't fit the Bobby on stage who looks young and fit.
And we all want to believe that HIS Heaven is far away! 9)Make you feel my
Love His Adel cover? Ah!Ah! Maybe she ruined that song for me. Can't feel
it. Though I did go to the ends of the world for him! Literally.  10) Pay
in blood He changed the melody. Too much slow. Not enough anger. Don't
like this one. 11)Tangled up in blue Same comments as above. 12)Early
Roman Kings. Yes! Waking up the crowd. A crazy Fan on my left rings a bell
when Bob spits out "My bell still rings" I've been told that that kind of
bell actually doesn't exactly rings! It depends on your point of view!
13)Desolation row The one that takes me in anothe dimension. Maybe he
didn't paint his masterpiece  (yet) But he certainly wrote it! For This
one only , he deserves the Noble. The public is not mistaken and this is a
crowd ovation. But as the security doesn't allow a standing crowd ,
everyone politely sits down. 14)Love sick I do karaoke on that one.
Swallowing every single word. 15)Don't think twice No, no, no. I hate when
he's trying to raze his voice at the end of each phrase. Doesn't work for
me.  I prefer his deep growling tone. 16)Thunder on the mountain.  Rapid
and well articulated.  Of course it's Georgie's moment of glory. Bravo
George Recelli!  17)Soon after midnight Sweet melody. I do Karaoke on
this one as well. 18)Gotta serve somebody (revisited, for the lyrics) By
now the hard core fans around me are on their feet. Security can't fight
10 enthusiastic and peaceful fellows! They let go and I enjoy a great
collaborative homage.  Bob hears us and slightly turn towards us. Oh!oh!
He looks happy. We try a stage rush but security is tough! And why? They
just disturb the Peacefull "Blowing in the wind" We refocuse on Ballad and
all ends well. What a day! What a night! Thanks folks. Thank you Bobby and
His Band. Good night. See you soon. 

[TOP]

Review by Weston Rhyn



My first Bob Dylan concert was in Adelaide many years ago when Bob Dylan
and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers played Memorial Drive.  Too this day I
believe Gillian Armstrong filmed the wrong performance for “ Hard to
Handle”.

This time round it was Bob and his Band in the heated and seated Grand
Marquee. At the last minute my son decided he would like to come along and
check out his Bobness. He is more a Gojira type person but likes some Bob.
 Found a couple of tickets online next to each other, gave away my
original ticket to some dude and we entered the Marquee. What a
brilliantly unique venue, sound was great, Bob and the Band , really great
.. Bob’s voice rang true and clear and he worked really hard on the keys
and the harp. Charlie Sexton, centre stage, This guy can play. But having
said that, this whole band are just so darned good. My son said he was
impressed but it took him a while to recognise some of the new
arrangements to the songs. I was happy to hear all Bob songs and the fact
that he doesn’t need to sing Frank Sinatra crooners to get that sorta feel
and emotion. There where so many great moments . The show was 2 hours but
now it takes the time to savor those moments and then new one’s come to
mind. It was “ Desolation Row” when I tilted my head back, shut my eyes
and I was away. Those are the moments ........ Be nice to think Gillian
Armstrong was there filming this unique experience

[TOP]

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