richard
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Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden concert review
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Nov 22 02:38 UTC 2001 |
Monday night, I went to Madison Square Garden to see the man himself,
Bob Dylan, in concert. It was awesome. Bob was backed by a kick ass
four piece band, came on at 8 and left just before 10:45. No video
screens. No pyrotechnics. No special effects. So many times these
days live concerts use smoke and mirrors to hide the weaknesses of
the artists and their songs. It was refreshing to be at a concert
that was *just* about the music. A good ol'fashioned concert, the type
of which you dont often see these days.
Bob played a variety of old and new songs, including some from his
terrific new "Love and Theft" album. There were some great moments.
Such as Bob doing long harmonica solos during "Just like a Woman" and
"Don't Think Twice (Its alright), where Bob is playing harmonica and the
crowd is singing along. Bob's reworked some of his songs over the
years. "It Ain't Me Babe" was originally an angry song, but he now
sings it full of sadness and remorse. On the other hand, when he sang
"Tangled up in Blue", it was now angry and defiant, as if that song--
written about the breakup of his first marriage-- was about something
much more recent.
Other songs seemed really appropriate for the setting and the times we
are in-- particularly a beautiful "A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall" and
during the encore, Bob came out with the acoustic guitar and did "Blowin
in the Wind". Moments like those you really savor, particularly as
this was in new york, and he said "nobody has to ask me how I feel about
this town", as he noted most of the songs he played on the show were
written and recorded there. Then he did "Just like Tom Thumb's Blues",
and the crowd popped for the last line of the song, "I'm going back to
New York City, I do believe I've had enough"
There were other great moments, like at the end of the set (but before
encores) when he did "Rainy Day Women", which his band really got into,
and had the crowd chanting, "everybody must get stoned..."
Bob did a long encore set, featuring a beatiful "Forever Young", and a
great "Like a Rolling Stone". During that, Bob would sing the lyrics
and the crowd would join in as he did the famous chorus "How does it
feel..." Then he did a loud, extended version of "All Along the
Watchtower"
What is striking is at this show, where Dylan did some songs he wrote
forty years ago, is that the songs are as relevant today as when they
were written. That is the gift of a master songwriter. It also bears
mentioning that Dylan sang as many new songs as old, terrific new ones
like "Lonesome Day Blues" And he continually reworks his old ones, not
the words but the tone, the style. That is what makes Bob Dylan
continually relevant and cutting edge, whereas so many of his
contemporaries (those that are still performing) end up out on the
casino circuit as basically parodies of themselves.
It was also striking in that the night before I had watched some of the
Brittany Spears concert on HBO. Ninety minute show where she's offstage
half the time doing costume changes and killing time, and the other half
she's lip synching. Compare that with Dylan, a sixty year old man who
comes out with a four piece band, no opening act, and kicks butt for two
and a half hours, never leaving the stage or using visuals or special
effects of any kind. Also very little small talk with the audience,
just letting his music do the talking. Definetly a concert to be
remembered.
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