Bob Dylan 980609 in Stockholm, Sweden
Globe Arena
Capacity: 13,850
Reserved seating
Showtime: 7:30 PM
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 10:09:39 +0200
From: Eyolf Ostrem (Eyolf.Ostrem@musik.uu.se)
Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Stockholm june 9 1998 - review
At last! My first show in seven long years. Decent seats in row 17. Not
much to say about Billie Myers, the "special guest". Fairly tight sound, but
she seemed to be acting in a much too evident way. I usually can't stand
people who play air-guitar (or air-drums for that matter), and this was
no exception. The drummer was the only one who really was on stage, and
had a reason to be there. I'm not going to buy the record.
Then a long (slightly too long) break when nothing seemed to be
happening, except for a lady creating such a commotion that she was
escorted out of the audience and placed in one of the upper galleries
where she couldn't disturb anyone. Too bad for her, I guess, but good
for the rest of us. That's life.
Then, finally, His Bobness (or is it Bobliness?) enters. The first song
is
1. All Along The Watchtower
in the same new arrangment that has been used in the last few shows. I
really like it. It sounds like a mixture of the TOOM sound and Series of
dreams (the drums). Slow, but with a lot happening on the surface level,
so to speak. At the title phrase comes the first shivers of the evening.
Spooky.
2. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
Overall good - nothing special, really. "Thanks everybody" #1.
3. Cold Irons Bound
Introduced as "one of my newer ones". Rather shorter intro than on the
earlier shows I've heard. A magnificent rendition. I was struck by a lot
of things: How tight the band is, how good the song is and that Dylan
seems to have a lot of fun.
4. Every Grain of Sand
The first really pleasant surprise! I do miss the heavy 1995 version,
but this is the second best.
5. Silvio
No surprises here! Hard-driving rock'n'roll. And it *is* an amusing
song!
6. Desolation Row @
The @ should perhaps be replaced by a more appropriate sign - not much
of a change from the electric set, except that they play acoustic
guitars/bass. The presence of bass/drums also in the ac. set has the
effect that even potentially slow/quiet songs become uptempo rockers.
D-Row gets a fair treatment with some really delightful moments.
7. One Too Many Mornings @ (w/harp)
Surprise number two. This is the one song where it is most difficult not
to compare with 1966... I'm not much affected by this version. It merits
inclusion here for the short (but sweet) harp solo. Hand-held harp and
mike, which evidently created some trouble when it got stuck in the
shoulder strap of the guitar, but it all worked out fairly well. Nice to
hear the celestial instrument again anyway.
8. Tangled Up in Blue @
I was expecting Masters of War here, but they went straight to Tangled.
Not much to say about this one either - I'm beginning to like the new,
fast version.
9. To Make You Feel My Love
The only really quiet song of the evening.
10. Wheel's on Fire
Pleasant surprise number three! And a really pleasant one at that! I
really like this version, with Larry's low riffs and the slowly broken
dim-chords. Beautiful!
11. Highway 61 Revisited
OK.
12. Forever Young @
OK2.
13. Love Sick
Before the show started, the lady behind me had a discussion with her
partner about the new album ("What is it called? Time out...? Time out
of mind? Yes I think it is that?" "That first song is really marvellous"
etc.) I turned around after Forever Young to see her reaction, and the
look on her face when she heard the first chords and realised what was
coming up, that was worth at least a third of the ticket! It was a
welcome reminder that Dylan is enjoyed even by those who don't remember
the title of his latest album. Of course it was sung/played wonderfully.
14. Rainy Day Women #12&35
Lights on, people rushing to the stage. He really seemed to be enjoying
himself up there. Looong guitar solos. And he's actually getting better
at it, it seems. Lots of knee bending, splits, even a tad of a duck walk
at one point, small dance steps. It looks slightly awkward, of course,
but it feels good!
15. Blowin' in the Wind @
Crowd pleaser? I guess so.
And now off for Gothenburg.
--
Eyolf ¯strem
Rackarbergsg 30:410
S-752 32 Uppsala, Sweden
--------------------------------------------------------
E-post: Eyolf.Ostrem@musik.uu.se
http://hem.passagen.se/obrecht (Musicology)
http://hem.passagen.se/obrecht/backpages/ (Dylan)
http://hem.passagen.se/obrecht/sinenomine/ (Sine Nomine)
Subject: Stockholm 98-06-09, comments
From: Lennart Frimodig (lennart.frimodig@mailbox.swipnet.se)
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 20:29:54 +0200
This was my first time with Dylan live. Overall he seemed to like to be an
ordinary rock singer in the Elvis Presley tradition. Not much of a
folk-singer there. We had to wait for three songs, well into Cold Irons
Bound, before he and the band started making good rock music. The standards
are set by others.
All five musicians were very neat. But uncomfortable. Well-behaved
gentlemen. Everyone carefully checked their movements with Dylan. You don«t
fuck up. Everyones task is to get Dylan in the foreground. The star
position. And allright, he made the songs.
Guitarr-based rock, with steel. Unfortunately too much mainstream rock and
roll, not enough southern blues based rock. But sometimes, as in Tangeled up
in blue, Desolation Row and H61 and Love Sick, outstanding. That«s what rock
is all about. You and me and everyone. The common language, Van Morrison,
Neil Young, Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, Little Milton, John Fogerty, Lynyrd
Skynyrd. And so on.
The bodily movements were something to cry about, or blush about or tell
your children about, so they can understand how far out you have managed to
get. It is a crying shame and I think Dylan knows it. I hope he goes on with
this impossible ambition. It sure is pathetic. I get a feeling they wrap him
up in cotton. And somewhere inside he knows it.
After Blowing in the Wind it allmost looked as if he did not quite wanted to
leave. That he wanted to go on feeling the positive feelings from us in the
audience. The good vibrations. The rock star role is very attractive indeed!
On the personal plane. At the same time he looked completely lost. Often he
looks lost while the concert goes along. They close down the lights between
the songs so we can«t see how the reassamble. But sometimes they miss. Then
you uncover the secrets.
I am disappointed that he choosed not to do Highlands. But he is alive and
kicking. In the main. Born in -41 and still making music that counts, no
small achievment. He is an important part of my life in spite of his
religious deviations. And that he is no nice guy. Absolutely no friend of
mine.
Hope he comes back, with some new songs, and relaxation. Afterwards I
learned that one of my pupils, an economist frŒn Kosovo, also had been in
Globen and liked what he saw. We that have been influenced by Dylan in our
growing into adaulhood comes from all over the world. Of course he meant
different things to us. But still. I am completely sure that he does not
understand anything of what I have written. It is for you and me. The music
have a living of its own.
Lennart Frimodig
Uppsala
Sweden
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 15:25:41 +0300
From: Riitta Laitinen (riilai@utu.fi)
Subject: Stockholm concert comments
The news server is dead, for some days. I'm asking Karl Erik to send
this to the group. Sorry I can't comment on other people's reports,
can't seem to get them on Karl Erik's page either.
Hi,
Here's my report from Stockholm.
I arrived at the Globen arena to wait for an rmd-friend who, with the
help of another friend, got me my ticket, as well as got rid of some
tickets I could not use after all. Thanks to these people I got a seat
on the 10th row and got a great view to the stage.
I was very exited to see Dylan again, my last time was in Pori in 1996.
This was to be my ninth Dylan concert.
I can't say much of the support act, maybe she was good. I just looked
at my watch after every song to wonder how much longer they would play.
There should be no support acts at Dylan concerts, in my opinion. I
think that was the overall feeling in the arena and seems like Billie
Myers felt that. They only played for a half an hour. I thought, great,
now we can get to see Dylan by 8.30. He kept us waiting though till
about 8.50 or something. Maybe Billie Myers was supposed to play for an
hour and Dylan didn't arrive before just before nine o'clock. I think
that because the security guy at the upper left entrance was not letting
people out to the hallway for some five minutes, maybe Dylan was coming
in through there, and the set lists were taped to the floor at that time
too.
One of the high points of the show always is the moment when you see
Dylan walking from the shadows to the stage, just before the lights are
put on. And it's not just the feeling, oh, here he is now, it's that I
just love the way he walks!! I bet I could watch him walk around for two
hours. When I saw Hearts of Fire on video I actually replayed quite a
few times the scene where Dylan walks in to the place where Fiona is
with some important people or something...I can't really remember what
the scene was about, except for that Dylan walking thing... But there
was more to the concert than Dylan walking in and here are some comments
from me.
Watchtower was good, but even with the new arrangement it seemed just so
terribly familiar. I've never felt like that before when I've heard the
song. But that was just one thought, I enjoyed the song anyway, and was
especially happy too see that the show started so strongly. It promised
a good show.
One high point of the show for me was definitely Tonight I'll be Staying
Here with You. It sent shivers down my spine. Dylan's voice and phrasing
were brilliant!!!!!! And I got to see first of those quitar hero poses
everybody has been writing about. He certaintly got me grinning from ear
to ear. He is soo cute!!
Cold Irons Bound was good and rocking but sort of more forgettable then
Tonight or the following Every Grain of Sand which was simply perfect. I
don't know what else to say about it. It just was perfect!
Silvio was Silvio and Desolation Row was great though not especially a
high point of the concert for me. One too Many Mornings was, being one
of my favourite songs. And the harp solo was great. I'm not one of the
people who start clapping and shouting every time Dylan takes a hold of
the harmonica. Usually it's all the same for me if he plays it or not.
This solo was great though. It seemed like he directed the solo for
someone in the first row, but I'm not sure. Dylan extended the solo once
by gesturing to Kemper not to go into the final of the song yet.
Tangled up in Blue is a weird song because I, among many others, never
seem to get enough of it. And I liked the arrangement too.
Make You Feel My Love too was great. It seemed like everyone in the
audience recognized it right away and showed their appreciation of Dylan
doing the song. I bought the Billy Joel single when it came out and was
at first dissapointed at Dylan's version on Time Out of Mind. Listenign
to Billy Joel's version I had pictured in my mind how Dylan would sing
the song. Time Out of Mind version was not like that, hence the
dissapointment. Well, this concert version was more like what I expected
to hear. More heartfelt and intense. It's just so amazing how anyone can
sing so beautifully.
This Wheel's on Fire was nice to hear. I'm not *too* familiar with the
song and it is always a pleasure to hear something you don't knowso
throroughly. Makes for another kind of appreciation of Dylan's
performance. (For some reason I've never listened to Basement Tapes as
much as I have all the other records, I know everything else by heart,
wonder why, hmm...) Actually it would be quite nice to hear a Dylan
concert where he would do only songs you've never heard before. It
certaintly would give some perspective.
Highway 61 was the same as before. Rocking. At the end it seemed like
Dylan cut Campbell's guitar solo short by gesturing Kemper to go into
the final. Campbell handed his guitar to a road crew person after the
song and they shared a laughter, obviously connected to the äincidentä.
Campbell's short solo did sound quite different from the sound of the
rest of show, maybe that's why Dylan stopped him short.
Encore songs all got an enthusiastic response. Now people were standing
and I had lost my great view. Can't complain though. (At one point I
wished that the crowd would be more enthusiastic but I can't be one to
complain about that because I, myself, am the type that just sits and
stares, transfixed.) I liked Lovesick more than Forever Young. Rainy Day
Women is such a joy to watch, Dylan jamming away and eying the audience.
I must have stood on my toes for over five minutes continuously to be
able to see Dylan's enjoying the final jam and the audience. It was
great!
Ending with Blowing in the Wind was ok, though I would have rather heard
something else.
Somewhere around the middle of the show an older bold guy moved to the
front and started dancing. Security told him to go back to his place and
he duly climbed over a couple of rows of people to get back to his
place. This got an amused laughter of Dylan and Garnier. Dylan
introduced the band a one point. No big speeches. Just a bit of a joke
about giving a hand to Campbell and then muttering amusedly that he
don't actually need a hand....
And by the way, I love the way they use the lights at the show!
I really enjoyed the show enourmously. Dylan's singing seemed to be even
stronger than in 1995 and 1996. So wonderful. And it was such fun
watching him enjoy himself and his guitar playing. Posing, dancing...
Such fun. Every song had it's high points during the middle and final
jams when Dylan and the band were just having fun.
Wanted to share this with you as I have so much enjoyed all the reports
from the concerts that people have written to rmd. Thanks everybody.
Keep on writing.
Riitta
riilai@utu.fi
P.S. Was there an extra verse in Silvio, or did I hear it wrong? Or is
it something that has been there for longer but I haven't noticed it
reported? (...or I think it was Silvio I heard it in, maybe,
probably...)
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 03:16:31 +0200
From: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de
Subject: June 9, 1998 - Stockholm, Sweden - a review
Bob Dylan
Stockholm, Sweden, June 9,1998
Globen
A review by Carsten Wohlfeld
Truth is I lied. I never intended to attend the scandinavian shows and had
only planned to rejoin the tour in Copenhagen on thursday. But then of
course came the Rostock show and suddenly I realized: the "don't you dare
miss it" thing on the posters is no joke! Fortunately for me the two
festivals in Malmö and Oslo had been okay, but not great.
Now I consider myself to be smarter than Bob and Tony? Why you ask? Here's
the answer: I concluded my last review by saying that they better not play
"Every Grain Of Sand" 'til Copenhagen, so I'd be able to hear it. Somehow
they must've found out and thought: "Okay, just to freak him out, we'll do
it in Stockholm... that's a trainride that's 17 fucking hours long (even
longer than it took him to get to Miami Beach!) and he won't travel that
far and leave his cozy home just for another show." Well, I was indeed
stupid enough to do the trip and unfortunately I didn't have a chance to
check out the beautiful city of Stockholm at all, but I got to hear "Every
Grain..." so I'm definitely not complaining. Billie Myers opened with a
7-song set that was a mixture of Whintey Houston, Spice Girls and Skunk
Anansie.. Due to problems with the cuesheet the show started 20 mins late,
at 8.50pm.
All Along The Watchtower
Not a very convoncing version that sounded more like the under-rehearsed
Miami rendition than the superb Rostock one.
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
Solid performance of this song which I consider to be one of the weaker #2
alternates. The people in the huge Icehockey Arena all stayed in their
seats, which didn't improve the performances at all.
Cold Irons Bound
First stellar vocal performance of the night, even though the bad
acoustics of the venue were a real letdown throughout the night.
Every Grain Of Sand
Started with the usual looooong instrumental intro, followed my very
emotional vocals, delivered very softly. Some minor lyric fuckups I think,
but alltogether every bit as good as I had hoped for. Thanks, Bob!
Silvio
Great rocker, perfect for a huge venue like this. No major surprises.
Desolation Row (acoustic)
Got the biggest cheer of the night and sounded like an electric song
played acoustically. We even got the "Nero's Neptun" verse which was
pretty special indeed. One of the night's highlights.
One Too Many Mornings (acoustic)
One of this current favourites I guess, cause he's doing it rather often,
but always very passionate. Also featured the best harp solo I heard him
do in quite a while, with long breaks, slowing building up.
Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic)
The usual crowd-pleaser, this time without the "lucky just to be employed"
line but something else that rhymed with "wasting your time away". Very
fast version, almost rushed.
Make You Feel My Love
Still a bad song that his given a very careful treatment. Sounds better
than it actually is, if you know what I mean. Band intros followed early
on in the set.
This Wheel's On Fire
Always great to hear, if only for Bucky's and Larry's backing vocals.
Highway 61 Revisted
was "Highway". Rocked the place and made way for the encores.
(encores)
Forever Young
Beautiful vocal delivery, fit in perfectly with all the passionate songs
Bob had been doing all night.
Love Sick
The vocal delivery is somewhat different on this one now, it sounds more
casual and laidback compared to late '97 versions. Different, but not
better or worse.
Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35
was still there and had a nice Country-edge to it tonight, cause Bucky got
an extra pedal steel solo.
Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic)
Crowd-pleasing as usual, a bit rushed, but still better than Leipzig or
Berlin. A number of people (the more cusual fans) were already on their
way to their cars.
I soon followed to catch the nightrain to Gšteborg. Expect another review
of that show soon. Thanks for reading and thanks also to Chritian Z. for
letting me use his account.
carsten wohlfeld
--
"it's irrelevant, I'm an elephant, she's a mouse" (smudge)
