The Bob Dylan Show Goes LBC!
Hey Soul Mates,
dig that crazy rhythm? It's the Bob Dylan Show. Tonight's tour stop at Long Beach was hellacious! We had a fantastic time in the standing room/general admission floor area. I knew the last time I saw Dylan that it would actually be fun to dance at his show. There wasn't always room for cutting a rug, but there was plenty to shuffle and vigorously clap hands.
The Arena in Long Beach reminds me of the old Jacksonville VMC where I used to go to concerts in highschool. Capacity around 5000 on a good night. On top of an ice rink (though we didn't have that in Jax). Real Mom 'n Pop. Just a more relaxed ambiance than usual at an L.A. show. When tickets went on sale, I snatched some up. How often does any major act play a small venue with GA standing for the floor? Let alone THE major act of our lifetimes.
Dylan smiled throughout; playing organ and blues harp. It was a different experience this time, being less than 30 feet from him. Seeing him really move and sweat. Selling the performance. His band was cracking, too. I know he's said he wanted to be in Little Richard's band. Well, Bob was giving the audience quite a lot tonight. He was definitely feeling it.
So many favorite moments. But the one performance that moved me to tears was the sublime reading of Hattie Carroll. The arrangement was exquisite, great interplay between the guitarists and a crushing story-song. I've got a soft spot for Highway 61 Revisited and most folks sang along with Just Like A Woman. Even the teenage girls in the audience. Those were a few highlights, the songs that is.
The selections from Dylan's new LP Modern Times (currently my favorite album of 2006) were played with gusto and met with appreciative applause. Gotta love an audience that's done its homework. The tender When The Deal Goes Down and the raucous Rollin' & Tumblin' were even more fun live than on record. There was a knowing whoop from the crowd (including yours truly) for the line "I'm in a cowboy band," from Nettie Moore. Dylan acknowledged it with a grin. His back-up crew nodded and smiled. That's joy.
The crowd was quite varied. Truly fans of all ages. The openers, Kings Of Leon certainly helped bring in a younger demographic. KOL was much better, more polished than the last time I saw them in '03 opening for the Strokes. Their set was tighter and rocked harder than previously. They also seemed more comfortable performing for Dylan's crowd than the Strokes' crowd, oddly enough. But kudos to them.
Here's what the Bob Dylan Show consisted of:
Cat's In The Well
She Belongs To Me
Lonesome Day Blues
Just Like A Woman
Highway 61 Revisited
When The Deal Goes Down
Tangled Up In Blue
Ballad Of Hollis Brown
Rollin' And Tumblin'
The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Watching The River Flow
Nettie Moore
Summer Days
Encore:
Thunder On The Mountain
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
[Set list from Expecting Rain]
I must say that looking at last night's setlist from his show at the Forum, we got the plum batch. For my taste anyway. Considering how large Dylan's canon is, it's amazed me both times, that I've gotten to hear what I wanted! Lucky me.
Have a great Sunday everyone. Go Browns.
Love, Power, Peace
dig that crazy rhythm? It's the Bob Dylan Show. Tonight's tour stop at Long Beach was hellacious! We had a fantastic time in the standing room/general admission floor area. I knew the last time I saw Dylan that it would actually be fun to dance at his show. There wasn't always room for cutting a rug, but there was plenty to shuffle and vigorously clap hands.
The Arena in Long Beach reminds me of the old Jacksonville VMC where I used to go to concerts in highschool. Capacity around 5000 on a good night. On top of an ice rink (though we didn't have that in Jax). Real Mom 'n Pop. Just a more relaxed ambiance than usual at an L.A. show. When tickets went on sale, I snatched some up. How often does any major act play a small venue with GA standing for the floor? Let alone THE major act of our lifetimes.
Dylan smiled throughout; playing organ and blues harp. It was a different experience this time, being less than 30 feet from him. Seeing him really move and sweat. Selling the performance. His band was cracking, too. I know he's said he wanted to be in Little Richard's band. Well, Bob was giving the audience quite a lot tonight. He was definitely feeling it.
So many favorite moments. But the one performance that moved me to tears was the sublime reading of Hattie Carroll. The arrangement was exquisite, great interplay between the guitarists and a crushing story-song. I've got a soft spot for Highway 61 Revisited and most folks sang along with Just Like A Woman. Even the teenage girls in the audience. Those were a few highlights, the songs that is.
The selections from Dylan's new LP Modern Times (currently my favorite album of 2006) were played with gusto and met with appreciative applause. Gotta love an audience that's done its homework. The tender When The Deal Goes Down and the raucous Rollin' & Tumblin' were even more fun live than on record. There was a knowing whoop from the crowd (including yours truly) for the line "I'm in a cowboy band," from Nettie Moore. Dylan acknowledged it with a grin. His back-up crew nodded and smiled. That's joy.
The crowd was quite varied. Truly fans of all ages. The openers, Kings Of Leon certainly helped bring in a younger demographic. KOL was much better, more polished than the last time I saw them in '03 opening for the Strokes. Their set was tighter and rocked harder than previously. They also seemed more comfortable performing for Dylan's crowd than the Strokes' crowd, oddly enough. But kudos to them.
Here's what the Bob Dylan Show consisted of:
Cat's In The Well
She Belongs To Me
Lonesome Day Blues
Just Like A Woman
Highway 61 Revisited
When The Deal Goes Down
Tangled Up In Blue
Ballad Of Hollis Brown
Rollin' And Tumblin'
The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Watching The River Flow
Nettie Moore
Summer Days
Encore:
Thunder On The Mountain
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
[Set list from Expecting Rain]
I must say that looking at last night's setlist from his show at the Forum, we got the plum batch. For my taste anyway. Considering how large Dylan's canon is, it's amazed me both times, that I've gotten to hear what I wanted! Lucky me.
Have a great Sunday everyone. Go Browns.
Love, Power, Peace
posted by Norman K at 12:06 AM
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