Bob Dylan 980611 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Forum
Address: Julius Thomsens Plads1 / 1925 Frederiksberg C
Capacity: 5500
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 03:15:28 +0200 (METDST)
From: Mattias Davidsson (mattias@quark.lu.se)
To: karlerik@monet.no, billp61@earth.execpc.com
Subject: Review Copenhagen Concert
Hi!
First Question: When was it last that Bob played a 17 song show?
Second Question: Who can provide me with a copy of this show?
...I can't wait....I'd give anything to....
Well as you may undestand, the show was just brilliant. I sat on the 67'th
row at the "terasse", but using my binoculars I had the perfect place (no
chance to get a nice position when people later rushed the stage
though..), and I could follow Bob's grinning and playing with the people
in the front of the stage. The venue was a perfect concert venue, and the
show was sold out. Bob wore the dark grey pants with metal buttons, and
tonight he didn't sing about the man in the long black coat, he played/was
him. Well at least it reached down to his knees.
Beginning with watchtower in the "new" version, maybe not as solid as in
Malmoe, continuing with Tonight I'll be staying here with you the strenght
of the performances just accelerated to the wery end of the show.
Cold Irons bound - super solid, and tonights first surprise a wonderfull,
laid - back Shooting star. Silvio was the best version of it I've heard,
make of that what you want, followed by a Killer "To Ramona" in a
Countryish manner, the "tambourine-drum sound" like on
"lonesome Whistle Blows", Walsier than ever.
At this stage the crowd was pleased with what they heard to say the least.
The power of tonight Masters of war was unmistakable, and the first half
of Love - minus Zer0, was worth at least seven donoughts. Tangled was
solid and fast (will probably sound really nice on tape) and Bobs singin
was superb as during the whole show by the way.
The new songs take on new form and reveils new strenght and depth as they
are played live, Can't wait and To make you feel my love that followed
were examples of this.
Now Blind Willie entered the stage, taking it under total Control, before
going down Highway 61 in the last of the 13 song ordinary repertoar. Man
did it rock! The applause that followed were accompanied with stomping
feet bouncing of the "airborn" terrasse well suited for making niose. And
it sure did.
Don't think twice might even have been better than In Malmoe, and
the Harmonica solo, with the guitar put on the floor, was both long and
superb, recieving well diserved standing ovasions. Love sickwas premium
gasoline burning all the way through Rainy Day Women with Bob playful as
ever. Not even attempting to walk off the stage Blowing in the wind ended
this killer set and a great show.
At last I want to appologise to the Italian(?) guy sitting newt to me when
I refused to lend him my binoculars at the very end of the show. Since it
might (devilish thought..) be the last time I see Bob, and I put my
glasses away, I couldn't risk the last sight of him being a blurry spot in
the far distance. Maybe I know you...
If you stumble across this show, mail me I have plenty of stuff you'd
like ;-)
mattias@quark.lu.se
Marcus, have fun tomorrow night, and PS the singles are available in
Germany ;-)
/mattias davidsson, Lund
Date: 08 Jul 1998 23:44:00 +0100
From: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de (Carsten Wohlfeld)
Subject: June 11, 1998 - Copenhagen, Denmark - a review
Bob Dylan
Copenhagen, Denmark, June 11, 1998
Forum
A review by Carsten Wohlfeld
Okay, my last few reviews have been rather short, probably due to the fact
that I attended the shows on very short notice and had lots of other things
(travel arrangements, hotels and stuff) to worry about. Copenhagen was far
more relaxed and this also was the show, I had the highest expectations
for. I don't know why really, but Copenhagen and Montreux were the two most
exciting stops on the tour for me. I just love Copenhagen, a very beautiful
city, that's very lively, yet in a certain way very laidback as well.
You're surrounded by all these fascinating all buildings, you have
Christiania and all around nice people everywhere. Unfortunately, the Forum
was an ugly venue. An old indutrial complex kinda thing with bad acoustics
where almost all seats were baaad. Anyways, Billie Myers came out at
8.05pm, opening with the same set as in Stockholm and Gšteborg. She still
had trouble with the language, trouble getting through, ending with her
strange medley of "Space Oddity" and her own "Kiss The Rain". Oh well. Bob
took to the stage at 8.55pm, waering his worst outfit, including his white
shoes again.
All Along The Watchtower
Another very flat version, making the audience staying in their seats till
"Tangled". I really liked the Miami Beach version, the dramatic drum-part,
the repeated lines, everything. Most of that is gone now, leaving a very
unconvincing mixture of the old and new arrangement. Bob seemed to be very
unsure whether to repeat the beginning of the lines to make the sog more
dramatic or just make looooong breaks between basically every word, thus
making the once most rocking song in his set sound deadly slow and boring.
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
was "Tonight...". Solid performance on auto-pilot. He does this song far
too often for my liking. At least it sounds very 60-ish and most people
seemed to recognize it straight away.
Cold Irons Bound
For some reason Bob decided not to sing into the microphone for large parts
of this song. Other than than yet another solid renditions without major
high- or lowpoints.
Shooting Star
A very pleasant surprise, even though I would've liked "Ring Them Bells"
better :-) A very stripped-down arrangement with Bucky playing what
appeared to be the lead. I liked it a lot, even though (or maybe because)
it didn't sound anything like the "Unplugged" version or the arrangement
I'd heard in Dortmund in 1995.
Silvio
Rocked (again). It had a different ending, slower, without the usual
jam-o-rama. A little too improvised maybe.
To Ramona (acoustic)
Another semi-surprise ("Boots" went unplayed), done in the usual italian
jingle-jangle-waltz way. I neither like the song nor the arrangement very
much, but at least it was something different. Most people in the crowd
seemed to enjoy it.
Masters Of War (acoustic)
Stellar performance, probably the best singing all night. This version
seemed to feature all the good bits from previous renditions rolled into
one. So much better than almost every 1995/96 version!
Love Mins Zero/No Limit (acoustic)
Josh thought this was one of the highlights, I think he messed up the last
verse, at least it didn't sound very convincing to me. the audience loved
every second of it though.
Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic)
Fastest version I ever heard. Even Bob seemed to surprised at the pace
Larry started it with. As a consequence Bob couldn't do his usual soloing
and put in a funny Keith Richards riff-solo-kinda-thing. Didn't feature the
"lucky just to be employed" lie either, but yet another new line that was
different to Stockholm as well.
Can't Wait
After the stage-rush had happened Bob finally woke up. Great singing and
very powerful playing on this, probably my favourite live version of a
"TOOM" song. Maybe the highlight of the whole show and the very first
version in Europe as well.
Make You Feel My Love
is rapidly becoming a regular song, still nice to hear cause the current
arrangement is sweet and short. Larry then grabbed the Bouzouki nd it was
time for...YAY...:
Blind Willie McTell
Larry had some trouble with his instrument and missed a few bars here and
there, but Bob's very gentle and passionate singing made up for it. It's
just such an amazing song and to hear and see Bob sing it from a third row
spot in a city I like as much as Copenhagen was definitely special.
Highway 61 Revisited
Followed the band intros as usual. Tony, who seemed to have tons of fun all
night screamed "YAY" very loudly when Bob introduced Bucky. Dunno why.
Later during the song he went over to Larry and Bob doing the same again,
this time screaming into Larry's face. A very funny sight. "Highway" rocked
as usual, band and audience enjoying it to the max. It featured what
probably was the hottest ever solo I've seen Larry play.
(encores)
Don't Think Twice It's Allright (acoustic)
The usual crowd-pleaser. An okay-version that featured Bob's only albeit
rather uninspired harmonica solo of the night.
Love Sick
Even more casual than the nights before, but treated with grace, not as
rushed as it often is. I think it's a bad song for this slot, cause it's
not started by the whole band but Bucky alone, who seemed to always start
it too early while the others still grab the electric guitars again. The
again, that's just my opinion.
Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35
Larry on electric guitar, as Josh later pointed out to Christine on the
phone. What a shocker!
Blowing In The Wind (acoustic)
They didn't even leave the stage after "Rainy Day". As soon as it was over,
Bob turned to Tony and said "another one". The slowest and also nicest
version yet, every verse done very carefully. It actually can sound okay.
What a nice surprise...
For a second it seemed as if he would come back, but then again, he aleady
had given us 17 songs and a very good show indeed. Not as great as Leipzig
and Rostock, but it certainly came much closer than the two swedish shows.
It's been the longest show so far as well, clocking in at just under 110
mins. I crtainly was very happy that I'd had the chance to see the show.
Looking forward to Hamburg on friday. Review to follow. Thanks for your
time!
carsten wohlfeld
--
"I can't go with you on a rock-climbing weekend. what if something's on tv
and it's never shown again?" (smudge)
