Review

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls Stadium
August 22, 2002


[Kathleen]

Review by Kathleen



In Sioux Falls, I had an extremely pleasant five hour
wait at the gate with a pretty small group (hello to
Deb and the self reflection national forest guy, plus
the nice kids from Minnesota) which culminated in a
late (almost 5 p.m.) sound check.  I always like the
sound checks because of the clarity of the mix, the
crispness of the vocals, and the uncluttered sound–
all here at this sound check.

Even though there was a little bobble with the other
gate being opened before ours, all the people I waited
with got in the front right on the fence, most of us
in front of Larry. (This being the second night in a
row I was there, I really began to appreciate that
part of the stage over where I usually am near Bob and
Charlie.  It gives a nice window of all five of the
guys often, and with Charlie constantly looking at Bob
and Bob looking at Larry a lot, a good view of all of
their  guitars with a long oblique look down the neck
of Dylan's guitar when he isn't turned toward Larry,
sweet.) 

As soon as we got in our positions, we where
admonished not to "even try to jump up on the stage or
you will be thrown out" by a very nice and inquisitive
female security guard who wondered where we were from
and why we follow Dylan, etc.  Even though we assured
her that we were a peaceful lot and that we would not
cause any trouble, she was still a little wary for
awhile.  Apparently at a Foreigner concert and
festival a few weeks prior, the smaller stage was
rushed during Loverboy ("they really should have been
the main act on the main stage"), which was a huge
headache and breach for the security force at this
venue.

The security force did not have anything to worry
about with this crowd, to me a repeat of the
self-responsible each aware that other people besides
themselves exist group in Omaha. (not commonplace in
the world at large or especially in the front at rock
concerts, in my experience.)   No one pushed in on
each other, we had room to dance, and there was a very
nice vibe up front.  I think once the band came out
they felt it, encouraged it, and participated in it
(not that they had much crowd interaction), and it
seemed like a pretty relaxed let it all hang out show
for them. Definitely that way musically.

I'm just going to hit a few high (and slightly low)
lights of the songs since these seem to be generally
be covered by other reviewers who have better memories
than I could possible hope to have in my front of the
stage ecstatic vibrating Vulcan mind meld with the
band and my neighbors bliss.


To Ramona-nearly unrecognizable, even if you know all
the words.

It's Alright, Ma– great word-spitting by Dylan.

Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum– since this is a hot one on
the CD the crowd was thrilled, but even with Tony and
George on (they are never off a beat) and with Bob's
vocals which were an interesting interpretation of the
himself  with variations in his vocal delivery, this
went a little astray in that, Charlie and Bob's eye
contact never did get them on quite the same groove
and tract.  Not too bad, but it was a little blip in
the flow.

Watching The River Flow–Ahhh, that bluesy feel on max.
 Tight song.  Glad that we got this in one of the wild
card slots.

Mississippi–I'd hoped for this one (and Tears of Rage
which I never did get except in the Southampton sound
check), Larry played a melodic lead, I believe on a
tele which he seemed to be using more than last year. 
Sigh, grin.  Dylan spit out the line about sleeping in
Rosie's bed and the girlie's right in front of him
went  pretty wild (from the buzz in line waiting, I
think my Southampton assessment of Dylan seems to be
the going thing with a decent portion of the female
part of the audience, younger especially, so there was
some non-music-related swooning along with the other
each night.)

High Water– This was rockin and the band took some
risks without mishap.  I don't mind the lack of banjo.

Mama, You Been On My Mind–this was beautiful, Bob
whispered a lot of the words and I was so enraptured I
forgot is was a ballad and I wasn't dancing (=happy). 
I can't really convey in words how light and pretty
this was whooshing around in the air molecules around
and above the stage, but is was angelic.

Summer Days–this started out on track and then seemed
to have the same problem as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle
Dum.

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35–A motivating version.  Bob
played some new licks and there was a little wandering
around by all.  Larry's steel again understated, but
still the thread weaving this tune together.

 Like A Rolling Stone–Okay, here is yet another area
where Tony was worth his weight in gold, rescuing all
three guitar players from their respective places in
the oceans of their consciousness at the end or the
song when some extemporaneous instrumental noodling
went astray. This was in no way intolerable, it was
actually fascinating, but they just didn't seem to
have a groove together and could have been gone for
good had Tony not laid down progressively louder and
louder power chords.  (basically supplying not only
the anchor, but the life jackets, oars and rafts.)

Knockin' On Heaven's Door– Pretty standard.  Charlie
sounded good on this particular one.

All Along The Watchtower– In contrast to his usual
guttural murmuring delivery in the chorus
(ahhhlonguhwashturh), we had some clear enunciating
"All-a-long-the-watch-tow-wer. 


My rating for the show:  A+ for the crowd behavior
(and only one camera confiscated near the front) and
enthusiasm, especially for the encores.  B+ for the
music. (I just can't take too many points off for
their getting to be standard set list, or their
rambling, since they were having fun and trying
besides the fact that no other band in the world could
be on the road almost continuously putting on this
quality of a performance as a group and as individuals
with this great of song-writing and arranging, and of
course, no one else has the Bob factor.)


>From Kath with some help from Drew who didn't have the
problem of being so close to the stage that his mind
blew obliterating his memory circuits 

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