This was the first of two shows I could get to this time. I wasn’t
disappointed. His voice was - mostly - great and the piano was - mostly -
good. He looked great wobbling out from behind the piano. For me, all the
new songs were the highlights, in particular Black Rider, My Own Version
of You, Mother of Muses and Key West. The new songs make it a kind of
quiet, intense show. In comparison, the old songs were good, not great.
Some of them felt like a jam which was okay, but they seemed a bit scrappy
in places compared to the new ones. Every Grain of Sand was a good closer
and - although I love his harmonica - the quick burst at the very end -
and the lack of encore - was effective. I admit I would have been floored
to have got Desolation Row or Murder Most Foul in this show but there were
enough highlights to make it really enjoyable. And I was surprised by how
much I enjoyed That Old Black Magic… it had a very ‘Dylan’ vocal, as
much of the night did. 

London III.

After two days off. First day I didn't do much;
rest.Second day my friends from New Jersey USA, Jack Fate and Kim, invited
me to visit the cavalry museum and then I walked all by myself to Halcyon
Gallery to see the Bob Dylan paintings. 
I walked back home through Chinatown and Soho.Quiet and pleasant 
day with no show.London III.
There is a show tonight. 
The third in London.Jack Fate and Kim invite me in the
morning to visit the Kensington palace near by then the National
gallery.
Then off to the Palladium.
The BD bus is parked in front the
backstage door and " security Bob" is on duty. 
A lot of work for a retired
man :)I checked around. There is a garage behind the Palladium and I
believe this is where they'll drop Bob before the show. 
Masked and anonymous:)As I'm talking to my friend Julien , the sky 
explodes in storm and lightnings. It's pouring rain. :(
I take refuge in a cafe/pub but don't drink anything.
By 6pm and by a miracle the rain stops.
I need a ticket. I stand still with my sign among five or six scalpers. 
They're not aggressive, even friendly. But they buy and sell :( 
I need a free ticket. A gentleman talks to me. 
He says he needs his money back on a spare ticket
but if he finds nobody he will come back to me. "Promised".
Ok.20 minutes later...he hands me the Tix.
Woah!I immediately queue for security control.
I find myself on floor, row U, seat 39.Not too bad:):)
Show starts on time.Bob Britt is back. 
So the two lights on the piano.Bob starts with
a music intro on piano.
Then a strong "Watching the river flow".
His voice is clear and powerful.He stands most of the time behind the piano.
Wobbling center stage after "multitudes" "My own version of you" 
and "Key west".
The shirt is black with patches of colours.Hi will make three little mistakes
on lyrics "Key west" , I hear twice Budapest."Serve somebody" I hear twice
'they may call you Paul'. Of course those lyrics are not the original ones.
And "Every grain of sand'. He will mumble the first words.But do
a short solo harp final.
Well!That was a great performance.Just too much of loud piano as he 
mentioned few times Britt to be low on his guitar:(
But Bobby's piano is not the best of all :):)
"My own version of you" was my highlight.
As for the public?Nice reactions next to me. Not so much standing up. 
But there is not enough space to move between the seats.
I believe a lot of the fans tonight had been to the previous shows ...so no
extravaganza...just a new Mass.
I step out rapidly to find myself in the rain.The clouds are weeping.
Again Bob Russell will rescue me by calling UBER.
I crash on my bed....dry and safe!
Thank you all my good friends.
I had a wonderful day....See you tomorrow.Last of the London shows.

Shelter from the storm

On a day of almost biblical rainstorms in London it was even more
pleasurable to be entering the London Palladium to see the latest Bob
Dylan tour. Reading reviews on Boblinks had only heightened expectations
and I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed, far from it.  Others will
review the detail and fine nuances, but the key things for me were:- 1.
The popularity from the audience and quality of performance for all R&R
tracks 2. The over sound mix and clarity of Bob’s voice 3. The
restrained magnificence of the band

A well deserved standing ovation at the end before going back outside to
face rough and rowdy weather and more buckets of rain!

Thanks as ever to Bill for this site, and to Bob for his ongoing
inspiration 

Steve Haynes