Hammerstein Night One
Peter Stone Brown
and inside. Of course there were the typical hassles that come with
any standup general admission show such as the 7 foot human wall in the
grey Springsteen shirt with a 7 on the back who wouldn't let people who
he could easily see over stand in front of him, but so it goes.
However then I happened to meet a couple of very nice guys, one named
Israel and I'm not sure if I got the other one's name and they invited
us to come and stand with them.
The Waifs came on around 8 pm and delivered their usual excellent set
and they know just how to keep it short and sweet but interestining at
the same time.
Bob Dylan and his band took the stage around 9:15, Dylan wearing a dark
red almost maroon western suit and started into the current version of
"Silvio." "I Don't Believe You" was an okay surprise, but then
"Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum" followed and it seemed like it was going
to be a typical show with the new "It Ain't Me Babe" following that. I
was spending a lot of time trying to find a clear line of vision but
then the curtain with the Egyptian eye lifted and someone walked on
stage though it was hard to tell who. There was a guitar player
standing in Tommy's space, but I couldn't make out at first who it was.
"Things Have Changed" started and this guitar player tore into it in
such a way that the song was lifted energy-wise 100 percent. At the
end of the song there were shouts of Nils and I managed to get a better
view and sure enough it was Nils Lofgren and they went into "Watching
The River Flow." Nils was starting to move out of the corner next to
Dylan and doing his Nils thing of moving around and interact with the
other musicians and then he started to play his Strat directly to
Dylan.
Meanwhile Dylan's singing was getting clearer and clearer and this low
gruff voice he's been using wasn't nearly as much in evidence as it was
at Holmdel. They then went into "Love Sick" and there was no doubt
that Lofgren was pretty much blowing both Larry and Freddie away and I
think they're both fine guitarists. But this was excitement and it
became quite obvious how much this band has been in sleep mode since
Charlie Sexton departed.
A rather supersonic "Highway 61" came next and the songs are getting
extended because of Lofgren and it's clear Dylan is having a blast and
not caring whether the songs are ending right or not because the music
is so happening.
"Make You Feel My Love" came next and was followed by one of the
craziest "Drifter's Escapes" ever. At the end they just kept
alternating solos and Nils just wouldn't stop. Bob went for the harp,
wrong one, he cracked up and got the right one, and then Nils just kept
going and going and would not stop and finally the song ended in a way
that wasn't typical and Dylan just exploded into hysterical laughter.
Then the band started to play "Bye and Bye" and then stopped. Instead
they played "Moonlight" and all three guitar players are alternating
solos and Dylan is really singing it and taking chances. In fact it
may have been the best live version of "Moonlight" ever.
This was followed by a re-energized "Honest With Me" and then "Baby
Blue" with Larry on steel and Nils singing on the end of the chorus
right at Dylan.
Then "Summer Days" with Nils sitting on the drum riser with his strat
on his lap and playing slide.
This was a show where the setlist didn't matter, the songs didn't
matter. It was all about the performance. Lofgren was beyond
phenomenal, but his presence reminded the band what it was all about
and most important of all he inspired Dylan to give what was quite
possibly his best performance this year.
Zoe
"Peter Stone Brown" <ps...@yahoo.com> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:f0815a6e.03081...@posting.google.com...
Ok, good review.
So, what are the songs you most like playing yourself, Peter?
--
Ciao
Beppe
don freeman
> became quite obvious how much this band has been in sleep mode since
> Charlie Sexton departed.
Wait a minute. Wasn't everyone saying how good the band was this tour?
That's Bob Dylan for you, constantly flouting the line between genius and
bum.
Delia
"don freeman" <dfr...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:3F3A968E...@shaw.ca...
I saw two California shows. The first, Paso Robles, kind of fell flat. The
second, Costa Mesa, was very good and had that old Dylan magic. But to my
mind, it did not reach the heights of the Wiltern or San Diego shows of
2002.
--
Delia
>
Footy
the show was good for you NY shows. Here's hoping Nils replaces Freddy.
--
Footy
furl...@hotmail.com
"May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sunshine warm your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand."
http://www.geocities.com/furlongn/Boots.html
"don freeman" <dfr...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:3F3A968E...@shaw.ca...
Kyle Pucciarello
> Here's hoping Nils replaces Freddy.
----------------------------------
Favorite Boss Quote: "Oooh....socks and underwear!!"
Tricia J
Nils Lofgren sounds like a tonic for sure. I miss Charlie and I think
Dylan does, too.
On 13 Aug 2003 10:45:37 -0700, ps...@yahoo.com (Peter Stone Brown)
wrote:
Ian Lockyer
"Kyle Pucciarello" <gojo...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030813200838...@mb-m07.aol.com...
> He's kind of busy right now with another job....
And here's hoping he will be for a very long time yet!
Tumulty
>I miss Charlie and I think Dylan does, too.
Does Laurence miss him? Larry, do you miss Charles?
Can't you get him back for us?
T.
lawrence morrissey
Jim Morrison
lawrence morrissey wrote:
>charlie is quite a taaaaalennnnntttt what happened to him
>
The endless tour is an endless rotation as well.
Jim
Tricia J
I think he does. He has that wistful little smile, but underneath he's
hurting.