Indiana wants Bob – and he was blooming(ton) brilliant again!

More reviews and insights into Bob on his almost-never ending tour – but where’s the Press coverage?

We are reviewing the reviews as Dylan, at 80, gets ‘rough and rowdy’ on the road … but why are so few appearing in the traditional media?

There have been a few, of course, but generally its like local journalists and editors are treating Dylan’s new tour as a bit of a clod-hopping dinosaur outing or a day out from the rest home of elderly rockers!

So few newspapers seem to be interested in the fact that Ol’ Bob is once again working his magic across the world, singing – most say – better than ever, entertaining, chatting, inventing, stylising, reworking and setting new standards for himself and his audiences.

Confounding and wrecking expectations…

Here are some of the first audience recordings we’ve seen and heard that have survived the robots of internet control.

The first one is It Takes a Lot to Laugh – from Chicago and Every Grain from Cleveland… keep reading and scrolling, there are quite a few reviews now from each venue.

Should we used the videos?

Well, there is a dichotomy of attitude towards copyright and sharing on the internet in 2021 … the spiders might as well be from Mars and the robots wield a sword of control as draconian as Damocles.

It could be Bob’s people of course throwing a cloak over the stolen moments of his concerts – and quite right they should too.

But bootlegging has been a major part of Ol’ Bob’s career, it gave him an underground reputation, made people hungry for his work and helped us feel that we were part of something special.

And we were – we were a part of the confusing, passionate world of imagery, angst and fabulousness that Bob had created.

We felt closer to him because we’d become the elite, the fans who got the latest from his world first.

So, from being stuck inside a mobile with the Chicago blues again, we’re sharing this video.

Below are a selection of the first reviews as Bob Dylan hits the road again on his Never Ending Tour … if you’ve managed to see him over the last week or so, share your thoughts here.

Bloomington, Indiana, November 7, 2021

Luke M. Jacobus writes on Bill Pagel’s Bob Links:

“This was probably my ninth show in a 25 year period. The stage had a raised platform that was floor for the band. Think of a giant light box. The arrangement of musicians was closer together than I’ve seen in the past.

The show started at about 8:03pm and what followed was one of the most interactive Bob Dylan concerts I've seen.

He came out strong and seemed very energized. A slight stoop I noticed two
years ago was all but gone. He seemed proud to stand straight and tall,
even striking a number of Elvis-like poses and making moves evocative of
the King. At one point he ran quickly backwards about half the width of
the stage, a stunt people half his age would think twice about. Any rumors
of his demise are grossly exaggerated.

I counted four times between songs that he took time to thank the audience
and sometimes made other comments. I think it was after To Be Alone With
You, he heartily thanked us and said he about forgot the words to that
one. It struck me as a genuine confession.  
The performances were amazing. Words were clear and strong (except at the
start of a few verses). The sound mix and overall volume in the auditorium
was excellent, nearly ideal. Great, great care was given to the execution
of these songs, with extreme vocal control demonstrated.   His piano work mostly filled in gaps, sometimes quite effectively with only a single note played at important
junctures. Other times, some deft playing was high in the mix. He played
harmonica just a few times. The vocals were front and center, which gave
clear access to some deeply emotional performances.  

Most of the show, Bob Dylan was a shadow. You could not make out his face.
However, with I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You, this changed.
With this song, his face was illuminated, and it remained so, or at least
visible, during all the songs that followed.” 
  

John Haas writes:

“Bob Dylan's still on the road. Still heading to another joint.  And then another.  And eventually, one near you.  Amazing, isn't it?

And what a strange set-list it is!  The older songs are known to Bobists of
course--all the songs are known to Bobists--but they aren't his huge hits,
by any means.  One only released as a single.  One from the gospel period
(but yeah, he won a Grammy for it).  A couple country romps from '67 and
'69, one of those entirely--and I mean entirely!--rewritten (and each
"deep cuts" from their albums).  A song from Tempest, but none from TOOM,
L&T, the Oscar winner of yore, and nothing from H61R, FWBD, or most of his
back catalog in fact.  All of which is so, so great, I could hug him.  
It was all good.  All of it.  Bob's piano playing is outstanding at times,
especially False Prophet.  His singing kills it, as everyone says.  Could
hear every word. The songs I was expecting to just endure from R&RW
shined.  Those I expected to love--Key West, eg--I loved (thanks, Donnie,
for that accordion).  All the playing was stellar.

Great concert.  Moody, intricate, precise, beautiful.”




     

CLEVELAND, OHIO, Nov 3, 2021

Timothy Burns wrote:

“The under the floor lighting was good, Bob and the band were better lit than the overly dark former time in Cleveland, especially in 2017. 

“If you saw Shadow Kingdom the sound and feel was quite like that obviously with the choices of the non-Rough and Rowdy Ways songs and the approach to the songs. I was completely fine with that, it was great.

What I did not expect was that I completely enjoyed the new songs more
than almost any of the other songs. Even though When I Paint My
Masterpiece was quite amazing.  

Dressed in all black, Bob would go back and forth at times singing with a
separate microphone in hand, then setting it down on the upright piano
(with a slight clunk which was awesome) 

My main takeaway was two-fold. Firstly, the band and the arrangements,
while similar at times to Shadow Kingdom, it allowed Bob himself to be the
most central at every moment for every song. I do not ever
recall where I left at the end with the feeling that this concert was 100%
about Bob and not somewhat about how great the band was.  

The second main takeaway was perhaps the best. I did not come in with
expectations of "How good are his vocals going to be?" Although I did
wonder if he would sound similar to Shadow Kingdom in which he sounded
absolutely amazing. Partway through song #1 (watching the river flow) I
detected (or I think I did) a noticeable  change in the audio mix where
they brought Bob's voice up and just be above everything else. The rest of
the concert had his voice amazingly loud and so clear.  

I cannot believe how good he sounded.”  

Billy Cardina:

Awesome show! Great sound and “Every Grain of Sand” a first for this
tour was amazing. Crowd was subdued and this was Bob’s first Ohio Show
since he played beautiful Akron in November 2019. Old songs integrated
well with Rough and a Rowdy Ways. LOVED Key West
God Bless Bob!
 

Preamble – followed by Milwaukee and Chicago reviews:

Bob Dylan stepped back onto the stage after two years of ‘incarceration’ and gave a Cheshire Cat-grinning, ear churning, heartbreakingly beautiful two hour performance down at the Riverside in Milwaukee…

Andrea and I were still on the road highway in Spain as O’ Bob took to the stage. It was 10am where we were in the blustery Autumn heat and 8pm in a Milwaukee chill as he walked out to meet his audience again.

He was dodging wires and speakers and posing hand on hip in his oversize David Byrne-style white jacket like a good’n.

Yep, he’s 80 and sometimes he can look doddery and as fragile as his famous wet-fish handshake … but he’s still going, still creating, still confounding, still writing, still rocking and still finding new ways to be Bob Dylan.

And this time he is the poet of Rough and Rowdy Ways.

And then there is of course his new voice. It’s new but it’s been everywhere, told a million stories and hung out so many brilliant lines to dry.

No, nobody can ever take that away from him … and in Milwaukee he made his voice famous again.

Next he joined the other legends in Chicago …

After we unpacked our dusty old car at the castle in Lorca where we were staying, I trawled around the net for reviews.

I didn’t find one dissenting voice… just fans who confirmed that Bob is back – looking a little bit older it has to be said – but performing brilliantly, singing like a dream and rocking the world’s expectations.

Let’s begin with Chicago as he finds his feet

On Bill Pagel’s Bob Links, Adam Selzer wrote:

 
CHICAGO:

“I’m amazed at how clear his vocals are; all traces of the wolfman growl
of a few years back are gone, except when he needs them. 

“I Contain Multitudes” was the highlight of the night for me. Instead
of spending most of it at the piano, consulting the lyric sheets, Bob was
center stage the whole song, clearly enjoying himself and really acting
the song out, prowling around at a crouch like a cartoon character.  

“When I Paint My Masterpiece,” the first surprise of the night, was bouncy and
loose.  

“Bob tried to do “Black Rider” from center as well, but forgot a couple
of lines in the first verse and moved back to piano for most of it. The
flub seemed to cost him some confidence, though the rest of the lines were
well delivered. This show really does sleep with life and death in the same bed.”  
 
 Mark S wrote:

 “I saw Bob Dylan in 2021 and it was like seeing your grandpa, who you love very much, walking a tight rope. It was captivating, I was rooting for him, and it was extremely entertaining to see him succeed.!

 

Bob Shiel:

“Bob Dylan came to Chicago tonight, perfectly timing his customary 
week-within-Halloween appearance in the Windy City, historically one of 
his most visited venues in his illustrious career as a live performer. But this 
wasn't any ole Bob Dylan show.  

This tour is all about Rough and Rowdy Ways.  Although all these songs 
sound good live, I Contain Multitudes and Key West stand out as stellar 
melodic arrangements with mesmerizing lyrics, which Bob is delivering quite 
intelligibly. I saw no evidence of the lyric or sheet music reliance reported 
in Milwaukee on night 1 of the tour.   
The overall sound of the band is similar to that fantastic Fall 2019 tour, 
and new drummer Charlie Drayton almost imperceptibly follows Bob and
the rest of the band, allowing Bob, at 80, to not have to strain to be 
heard over the other 5 members of the band.  

The magic of Bob's veteran multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron was 
evident on When I Paint My Masterpiece when his fiddle played off Bob's 
piano beautifully. Bob Britt is back. As for the new guitarist, Doug Flavio, who is technically 
filling the legendary shoes of Charlie Sexton, although that ain't happening, 
one gets the feeling he will play a more and more prominent role as his
first tour progresses.  

After introducing the band, something he hasn't done for what seems like 
forever, Bob said something like, "We love Chicago, just like you do." Well, 
the feeling goes for you, too, Bob. We really do love you and wish you all 
health and happiness in this world so lucky to still have you in its midst.” 

 

FROM MILWAUKEE:

Isabel Infantes said: “There’s no doubt that Tuesday show at Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater was the start of something very new, very different, and very bold.”

Tom Wilmeth, on the same site, said: “Nobody seemed happier about things than Bob himself, with facial expressions that were frequently joyous. Dylan was in good voice, and the sound mix was excellent – both Dylan’s lyrics and his piano were

clearly heard.  
 
“The night began with “Watching the River Flow,” a minor radio hit in
1971.  Maybe Bob was using this number to tell us what he had been doing
during his time off – nothing.  “Most Likely You Go Your Way and
I’ll Go Mine” followed.   . 

 “Bob interspersed tunes recognizable to even casual
fans. He played “Simple Twist of Fate” and “I’ll Be Your Baby
Tonight,” as well as a rocking version of “Gotta Serve Somebody.” 
Dylan touched on his later catalog with “Early Roman Kings” and
“Soon After Midnight,”
“When Bob made his way from piano to center stage – he looked fragile, and at times unsteady on his feet but we still have Bob with us; let’s enjoy him today. 
We may not see him tomorrow”

Don Romundson wrote: “The show at the Riverside was unbelievable. It was clear from the start that this was going to be a very
special show.  In fact, Bob did a sort of a bow to the crowd, in Bob's own
way, after each song, an acknowledgment if you will, his stand at center
stage gazing out, very appreciative of the crowd...”

Adam Selzer had this to say: “Bob seemed a bit nervous as he began “I Contain Multitudes”. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him look nervous before. But the performance was solid, and on “False Prophet” he was grinning, pointing, and seeming as though he was having a blast. Like he couldn’t wait for us to hear what line he’d sing next.”

Me, well I’m just glad to say that we’ve not seen the last of Bob’s winks and feints and his stunning panache. And the old man is back again, taking all the indefinable qualities that make him the true genius of this and the last century around the world again.

Good on ya Bob!

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