By: David Schultz


Like any artist who’s been active since the Sixties, Dylan has a sizable back catalog and a fan base eager to relive bygone days with trips down memory lane. What sets Dylan apart is the historical significance of many of his prior efforts; “Blowin’ In The Wind,” “Hurricane,” “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” “A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall” and dozens of others resonate with a poetic radicalism and eloquent defiance that remains emblematic of a generation yet transcends the decades. That sense of importance, while not entirely lost on the inscrutable icon, seems to hold entirely none of his interest. On the second night of the run, “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again,” “Highway 61 Revisited” and “Ballad Of A Thin Man” retained fleeting references to their familiar versions; Dylan going beyond a tweak or two and simply just crafting new arrangements in line with the tone and style he currently fancies. As Dylan’s vocal delivery leaves much to be desired in the way of intelligibility, his version of “Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)” needed time to develop before it became clear what he was singing.

Inconsequentially, the border town feel of Together Through Life material didn’t quite translate on to the stage. However, Charlie Sexton’s guitar work provided more than an adequate substitute. Along with Larry Campbell, Sexton helped engineer Dylan’s renaissance as a potent live performer in the late Nineties and his return has energized Dylan. With Sexton back in the fold, Dylan has a potent foil to play off on. Dylan doesn’t parry or joust with Sexton as much as he steps back to allow the guitarist to interject a bluesy riff or a unique interpretation. Known for his tightfisted control of his stage, Dylan hasn’t quite given Sexton free reign but he seems to have more freedom to move around the kingdom.

Where Dylan could once enlighten and enliven a crowd with a guitar, arthritis has left him with the ability to comfortably play only a song or two each night. Early in the show, Dylan played electric guitar on “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “Man In The Long Black Coat” but for the most part remained primarily behind his keyboards or stood center stage at the mic, looking slightly awkward without an instrument. The changes brought on by age or temperament are all now part of the show. Much of the excitement comes from being in the same room as Dylan and marveling at his acumen and longevity. His voice may be buried in the mix yet the music is vibrant and remarkably effective. Disdainful as he may be of the burden of pleasing a crowd, he continues to do so. His traditional encores of “Like A Rolling Stone” and “All Along The Watchtower” no longer retain their acerbic political bite, yet they remain timeless and ultimately still as relevant as the man who sings the songs.

Labels: Bob Dylan