Bob Dylan 980819 in Melbourne, Australia

Subject: " ...and he LOOKED at me!"
From: Patricia Jungwirth (tricia.j@aardvark.apana.org.au)
Date: 19 Aug 1998 10:16:41 -0700

My ears are ringing, my feet are so tired, my brain is so wired... so many
hours standing around waiting, waiting... well, after all that the Mercury
Lounge show was the kind of experience for which words are totally inadequate.

First things first... Bob looked transplendent in his grey silk suit with
black velvet collar, buttons and piping, black "croc" boots, white satin
shirt and diamante-studded bow tie, no hat (praise be). He looks as fit as a
mallee bull, to coin a phrase. Very thin, very wild, very mercurial. Barely
a foot between the stage and the front barrier, raised so that we were
almost on a level with the performers. No craning of necks needed here! It
was so close, so intimate we were all laughing out loud with the unexpected
pleasure of it. I truly never expected to see Bob Dylan in a club as tiny as
this! If you've read the setlist I won't need to emphasise how generous he
was with us - 21 songs, over 2 hours! Superlative singing, dazzling
footwork, an intensity and commitment to the songs which was a joy to
behold. Too many highlights to even think about right now. The best Roving
Gambler ever. Tangled Up In Blue a riot of guitar swagger. Shelter and Big
Girl Now articulated with utmost care, very intense. Highway 61 rocked like
it should. Forever Young sung with a graciousness, a humility that was very
moving, like a special gift. All the TOOM songs were superb, of course.
Biggest surprise for me was 'Dark As A Dungeon', performed with love and
care, a very strong arrangement. Something went a little awry on Tough Mama,
which I imagine is a very tough song to get right. A few endings seemed to
lose the plot a bit. A little lyric fumble in Tambourine Man, but hey, I'm
not about to quibble with any of these trivial details.  Four TOOM songs,
three BOTT songs, two from Planet Waves, four covers... SIX encores! what a
list! What a show! What a man! Not a cue sheet in sight, by the way. Barely
a word between songs. No band intros. No harmonica. But this show rocked and
burned and swung like no other Dylan show I've seen. Like I said, a gift, a
very special gift. And he looked at me! Well, he looked at all of us, having
fun with his little games. We were privileged to be there! Thanks, Bob! See
you Friday...


Tricia



Subject: Melbourne Club Show
From: Moe Magid 
Date: 19 Aug 1998 17:35:08 -0700

>>> 21 songs!  2hours, 10 minutes

So, Peter (& DLuth & TJ????),  I know appearances are deceiving but
was this the show of the Decade??? With setlists like that it may have been
worth the 6 year wait, eh???  Off the top of my head, the 21 songs seems
like the most songs performed at one show since '86, discounting, of
course, Toad's Place 1990.  Is the 130 minute show the longest since
the almost 150 minute Marseille or Toulouse '93 shows??  Please, do
tell us all about it. Details, details............

Moe



Subject: Mercury Lounge, Melbourne - some thoughts
From: Daniel Luth (dluth@unforgettable.com)
Date: 19 Aug 1998 21:16:40 -0700

Oh my God.
This was a wild show. Mercurial. Last night all my preconceptions of Dylan
were twisted around, swallowed up and spat out. He played the most
inventive, high-energy show that I have witnessed anywhere, by any artist.
I've listened to a few tapes of his shows over the years, but nothing
prepared me for seeing him and band tear into song after song, finding still
new ways to express songs, going off on wild quadruple guitar solos  (2
guitars, mandolin and double-bass), Dylan spitting out words like they were
bits of sandpaper, the band tight as a drum but unhindered by anything that
had gone before them.

The build-up was weird. Just people standing around, some drinking, some
gazing towards the stage with anticipation. You could have been at any club
in the world, just people there to see a rock band.
Then they came out, a little before 9PM - those familiar words: "Good
evening Ladies and Gentleman, would you please welcome Columbia recording
artist, Bob Dylan." No mucking about - just picked up their instruments and
launched into a rollicking Leopardskin Pill Box Hat. The crowd was going
nuts - no-one could quite believe that this was IT. This was a really strong
start to the show - the energy levels were amazingly high. Just raw, bluesy,
dirty rock and roll.
After the first two notes of the next song, I was in ecstasy - Pretty
Peggy-O - yes! What a song, what a performance. The crowd had calmed down
for this one - hanging on to Dylan's every word. His voice was very clear on
this song - the sound of the whole band was magnificent. It received an
enthusiastic round of appluase as it concluded.
Then the funkadelic Can't Wait fired up. There was an almost Calypso feel to
it, with Dylan's voice cutting through the jumping rhythms like a
buzz-saw.....'the aaaiiiirrrrr byyrrnsssszz". Very strong vocal delivery on
this one, Dylan bending his words impossibly around the music. If this show
is a warm-up, I'm thinking, what on earth do we have in store for us for the
rest of the tour?

By now my jaw had resumed its normal position, after having dropped after
the first bar of Leopardskin. It was to plummet to the floor again as
Shelter began. If any performance was to rival Roseland 1994, this was it.
This was my thought during the song - hopefully a recording will surface
which will validate this. Dylan really put everything into his singing on
this one..absolutely inspiring. And the band just weaved their notes around
it all. When it finished I was so awe-struck I could hardly breathe.
They didn't let up. Next was Tough Mama. I was really happy to see its
return to the set list. This lacked some of the passionate delivery I've
heard in some versions, where his voice goes really high in parts, but was
still a very solid performance.
Just a side-comment: by this time Dylan had blown his nose a couple of times
into a hanky, and an enormous drip had gathered on the end of his nose -
when he faced a certain direction, the backlight caught it and (I know this
sounds ridiculous) I thought I could notice a prism-like rainbow appear! I
think I was hallucinating, but whatever, his cold certainly didn't hinder
his voice at all - as nasally brilliant as I've heard it.
The mid-70s rolled on with Big Girl - a really soulful, reflective
performance. Great slide-guitar. Next up the introduction to Cold Irons
Bound - about 30 seconds of spooky slide and bass before the drums and
guitars kicked in. It was like Lanois was in the room. This song really
pumped up the crowd. I just couldn't believe it - this was a new song and
Dylan was here and now and ripping into it like they were the last word he
would sing "...like the universe has swallowed me whole...". Really intense
song, they pack a lot into it. Vicious, scary guitar in the middle bit,
unrelenting bass and drums. - then "the winds in Chicago" bit, and the words
just peppering the audience. Thankfully the tension was relieved a little
after this song as the band swapped around their instruments for the
acoustic section. It was perfectly timed because Cold Irons Bound had been
so powerful that some sort of release was needed and the sweet dandified
musings of Cocaine was perfect. The tempo of this song was a lot quicker
than the version on the Love Sick single.

Next came the absoulte highlight of the gig for me. Mr. Tambourine Man. This
was just a pure celebration. Almost anthemic. I just loved the tempo, the
feel of the whole song. Everytime Dylan sang "Hey Mr. Tambourine Man!" it
just sent shivers up the spine. He didn't quite shout it, but I guess he
sang it with great gusto. In Australian football parlance, it was like Gary
Ablett taking a screamer over the pack every time he sang that line, such
was the adrenalin rush. I have heard a lot of live versions of this song but
I have never heard it as uplifting as this. The band supported Dylan
perfectly, again weaving in and out and around the song. The mandolin
playing was superb.
The tone changed drastically with the next song. A biting, imposing Masters
of War. Dylans voice was a snaky, silky smooth sneer. The mandolin again was
prominent, this time a harbinger of doom. Another cut off the Love Sick
singles - Roving Gambler - was next. Again, like Cocaine, this was a faster
version, thought the difference wasn't has drastic as it was with Cociane.
Great little countrified version. I even heard the odd "Ya-hoooo!" from the
audience which was funny. Dylan really looked like an old wild west  roving
gambler with his grey suit and sparkly silver bow tie. The acoustic section
continued with Tangled Up In Blue, a crowd favourite. Nothing too much out
of the ordinary here, but the playing was exemplary. It was like all four
guitars were one instrument, but all playing different things. I really
liked the higher pitched guitar at the start and then how the drums kicked
in after the first verse. And still the acoustic guitars stayed. 

This time I wasn't sure what Dylan had plucked out of his repertoire - 
it sounded like an old mining song, with the chorus:
"Oh it's dark as a dungeon and it's damp as the dew,
where the danger is double and the pleasures are few,
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
Lord it's dark as a dungeon way down in the mine."
I had heard the melody somewhere before, but wasn't sure of the song until I
saw the Peter Gilmer's set list later: Dark as a Dungeon. This was a real
treat - one of Dylan's best covers (and fourth of the night). I hope he
repeats this one at the Melbourne Park shows. Acoustic guitars still out.
This must be one of the longest "acoustic" sets he's done for ages. This
time a beautiful Forever Young. Pretty much a straight version, with Dylan
really stretching out some of the words..."Foooreveeeeeerr Young!"...Great
guitar work again at the end. Finally the acoustic guitars were put down
after an incredible seven songs. For sheer variety and intensity of
performance you could not beat this.

And then, an absolutely wild Highway 61. This has never been one of my
favourite live songs, though I love the original. But this was just amazing.
Incendiary, I think would be the word. Over seven minutes long and one of
the most incredible guitar concoctions imaginable at the end. I'd heard
about the faces Dylan pulls, but it was so funny to see them (at 15 paces
too!) He would pick out someone in the audience and open his mouth like a
goldfish, then shake his head from side to side. Then he'd pick out someone
else and raise his eyebrows in a questioning way, like what are you looking
at me for? He was using his guitar like a six shooter, taking aim at
audience members and popping off notes at them. He was just loving it. A
fitting way to end the main set, and the crowd just went beserk.
A short break, the crowd pleading for more. The spooky start of Lovesick.
About 24 jabs at the guitar before..."I'm walking..." A world weary, wise,
sad version. An epic. Great cheers from the crowd. They really gave the new
songs great support.

Then the houselights came up for a rousing Rainy Day Women. Looking at the
previous set lists I thought this was premature, but this was no ordinary
show and Dylan still had some tricks left in his bag. There wasn't much
dancing or anything with this one, just gentle nodding. The band marched off
at the end of RDW but were called back shortly afterwards for the second
encore, the eighth acoustic song for the night, Blowin' in the Wind. A
classic, anthemic performance, the crowd singing along with the chorus.
Dylan using interesting phrasing with this song, stretching out words and
repeating some of them to fill in spaces left by the music..."how many
tiiiiiimes must the, must the cannonballs fly". And with a great roar from
the crowd, they were off.
The crowd was not having a bar of it though. The clapping and cheering just
kept going. Then the chanting: "Bobby! Bobby!" It was an amazing scene.
Dylan just HAD to come back. The crowd would have torn the place apart
otherwise! Finally, after about 3 or 4 minutes, the curtains parted and the
boys returned to a grateful audience. Funnily enough, for me this third
encore was flat. I'm not sure why, maybe I was too spent by then to take any
more. Anyway, Til I Fell In Love With You, was very good, a real bluesy, raw
version. Dylan's voice one of desperation. Then Silvio, (you just had to
play it, didn't you Bob!). Good, hard rock and roll. Finally I Shall be
Released - full on band version. If anything the guitars were too loud here
and his voice was drowned out a bit. My friend thought this was one of the
highlights, though to me it was a little anti-climactic! Funny.

Anyway, that was it, the crowd was still aking for more, but I think they
realised that Bob had given his all and given us one of his great shows. I
feel very privileged to have been at this show (it's been a long wait since
1992) and am grateful for Bob's generosity in playing this special show and
for playing for so long. Roll on the rest of the tour!

Sorry for rambling, but I couldn't help it. If anyone happened to tape this
show, please contact me.



Subject: Re: Mercury Lounge, Melbourne - some thoughts
From: Patricia Jungwirth (tricia.j@aardvark.apana.org.au)
Date: 20 Aug 1998 11:05:32 -0700

>Date:    Thu, 20 Aug 1998 14:12:52 +1000
>From:    Daniel Luth 

>Oh my God.

Yes, Daniel, there is a God! thanks for writing lucidly and evocatively
about this show, details were beyond my grasp in the early hours of the am
following this "experience" (how could I have missed mentioning that
Shelter?). You've sparked more than a few reactions. Here's a few random
thoughts which have disturbed the surface in the meantime... apologies
upfront for the length...

What words to describe this gig? Sensational, perhaps, though that's
inadequate. Unforgettable for sure. This music that's so powerful, without
any known category or comparison to give us a handle on which to hang...
"close to brilliant" said today's paper, but they were wrong. It was much
closer than close.

Visions of Buddy Holly, the suit, the guitar held high... the suit reminding
me of the Grammys, that thought reminding me of the speech, Bob's eyes
searching out the souls of the crowd reminding me of his lovely, humble line
from that speech "I saw Buddy Holly... and he LOOKED at me!" - looking,
looking, "she looked at him and she felt a spark, tingle to her bones... "
(I was hoping for a Blood quartet, but no Simple Twist was enunciated,
though it surely was there, existing very strongly in its void, its absence
underlined by the wonderful, glorious Shelter and yearning Big Girl)

>This was a wild show. Mercurial. Last night all my preconceptions of Dylan
>were twisted around, swallowed up and spat out. He played the most
>inventive, high-energy show that I have witnessed anywhere, by any artist.

Wild, yes... how to describe Dylan? Meaty, beaty, small and wiry just about
does it. Exquisitely turned out. Presence turned up to 11. The camera lies!
Raring to go, but still occasionally that look of utter pissed-offedness.
Very few smiles, lots of grimaces. Stepping back into the shadows sometimes,
the smile refusing to be held back any longer. Darting tongue, dripping
sweat, on his toes, displaying new-found boxer's agility. My husband insists
he was showing off this balletic grace when, fully Fendered, he leaned back
and elegantly raised one pointy boot to kick something out of the way on the
drum riser. Executed some fancy turns, too, along with the requisite skewed
Chuck Berry moves. Maybe with a bigger stage we'll get a grand jete...

>The build-up was weird. Just people standing around, some drinking, some
>gazing towards the stage with anticipation. You could have been at any club
>in the world, just people there to see a rock band.

Um, not where we were!

> If this show
>is a warm-up, I'm thinking, what on earth do we have in store for us for the
>rest of the tour?

Gudinski says Dylan was keen to do the warm-up show because he wants his
Australian gigs to be "red hot" - uh, good idea... better wear your asbestos
trousers, though, if this is a warm-up!

>By now my jaw had resumed its normal position, after having dropped after
>the first bar of Leopardskin. It was to plummet to the floor again as
>Shelter began. If any performance was to rival Roseland 1994, this was it.

Yes indeed, red hot and blue. So fine, the song becomes the world and
envelopes the listener. What more can a singer do?

>They didn't let up. Next was Tough Mama. I was really happy to see its
>return to the set list. This lacked some of the passionate delivery I've
>heard in some versions, where his voice goes really high in parts, but was
>still a very solid performance.

This one seemed to engender more than its share of the pissed-off looks.
Something not quite right, but a valiant attempt at a difficult song, one
that I love but apparently a lot don't. Will they perservere with this one?
I think it's worth it.

>The mid-70s rolled on with Big Girl - a really soulful, reflective
>performance.

Have to mention the vocal on this one, individual words presented as
treatises on emotional disintegration, a doctoral dissertation on pain. You
know that Don't Look Back poster where the guitar turns into a woman? Shivers!

>Next up the introduction to Cold Irons
>Bound - about 30 seconds of spooky slide and bass before the drums and
>guitars kicked in. It was like Lanois was in the room.

It's funny how Time Out Of Mind seemed like such a "studio" album yet the
songs just expand exponentially in depth and effect when performed live.
They really show off the organic strength of the band, the music seeming to
swirl and hover like a living entity rather than a series of noises produced
by an ensemble of musicians.

>This song really
>pumped up the crowd. I just couldn't believe it - this was a new song and
>Dylan was here and now and ripping into it like they were the last word he
>would sing "...like the universe has swallowed me whole...".

The "new" songs all got a huge reaction, must be very pleasing.

>Thankfully the tension was relieved a little
>after this song as the band swapped around their instruments for the
>acoustic section. It was perfectly timed because Cold Irons Bound had been
>so powerful that some sort of release was needed

Yes, it was like "let the genie back in the bottle", let everybody get their
collective breath back.

> and the sweet dandified
>musings of Cocaine was perfect.
>Next came the absoulte highlight of the gig for me. Mr. Tambourine Man. This
>was just a pure celebration. Almost anthemic.
> Everytime Dylan sang "Hey Mr. Tambourine Man!" it
>just sent shivers up the spine. He didn't quite shout it, but I guess he
>sang it with great gusto. In Australian football parlance, it was like Gary
>Ablett taking a screamer over the pack every time he sang that line, such
>was the adrenalin rush.

Ha! Lovely analogy, Dylan fits the bill for a rover.

>The tone changed drastically with the next song. A biting, imposing Masters
>of War. Dylans voice was a snaky, silky smooth sneer.

Another song which provoked a mighty reaction from the crowd. A lot of the
time I wasn't really aware of the balcony crowd, but they made their
presence felt on this one. Sadly, always a "current event" to relate this
one to.

>Roving Gambler - was next. Great little countrified version.

That riff that won't let go, very strong vocal, terrific playing from
everyone on this, but the guitars especially took this one very high. Which
reminds me, I'd love to hear a "Babe It Ain't No Lie" sometime.

>continued with Tangled Up In Blue, a crowd favourite.

Definitely, and though sometimes I've thought this version too rushed, as a
live performance it really kicks and takes you with it. The grimacing, duck
walking, git-slinging goes way over the top, becoming almost hilarious (how
strange that is when you think about the lyrics of this brilliant song).
Those looks which seem to say, "yes, I know, it's too much, it's ridiculous,
but I'm not going to stop, I'm going all the way till the wheels fall off
and burn" - and he does, too.

>And still the acoustic guitars stayed. This time I
>wasn't sure what Dylan had plucked out of his repertoire
>I had heard the melody somewhere before, but wasn't sure of the song until I
>saw the Peter Gilmer's set list later: Dark as a Dungeon. This was a real
>treat - one of Dylan's best covers (and fourth of the night). I hope he
>repeats this one at the Melbourne Park shows.

This must have been as close to perfect as you could get. Just beautifully
sung and played, all heart and such an irresistable melody. Caught us all
off guard and all the more effective for it.

Perhaps a digression here, to mention the total lack of cue sheets onstage.
One sheet of paper taped on the drum riser near Larry's position, looking
like the words to a song rather than a list of titles. Talk of a lyric sheet
to 'Not Fade Away' being seen, with some handwritten alterations. hmmm.

>a beautiful Forever Young. Pretty much a straight version, with Dylan
>really stretching out some of the words..."Foooreveeeeeerr Young!"...Great
>guitar work again at the end.

Straight and true, very moving. Felt like something special.

>And then, an absolutely wild Highway 61.
>Incendiary, I think would be the word. Over seven minutes long and one of
>the most incredible guitar concoctions imaginable at the end.

You know I felt there should be an intermission after this one, it was that
dramatic. Gutsy singing, too, though almost submerged by so much explosive
guitar playing and the rhythm boys pounding it along.

>A short break, the crowd pleading for more. The spooky start of Lovesick.
>About 24 jabs at the guitar before..."I'm walking..." A world weary, wise,
>sad version. An epic. Great cheers from the crowd. They really gave the new
>songs great support.

And genuine heartfelt support, too, the new songs are on everyone's wish
list it seems. Could there be a 'Standing In The Doorway' or 'Trying To Get
To Heaven' in store for us?

>Then the houselights came up for a rousing Rainy Day Women. Looking at the
>previous set lists I thought this was premature, but this was no ordinary
>show and Dylan still had some tricks left in his bag. There wasn't much
>dancing or anything with this one, just gentle nodding.

It was even quite enjoyable, though I still wish it would take a rest.

>encore, the eighth acoustic song for the night, Blowin' in the Wind. A
>classic, anthemic performance, the crowd singing along with the chorus.
>Dylan using interesting phrasing with this song, stretching out words and
>repeating some of them to fill in spaces left by the music...

The singing on this one particularly took me back as far as 1978, reminding
me of those soaring almost a capella vocals. A lovely quality of voice,
strong and gentle and textured just right.

>more. Anyway, Til I Fell In Love With You, was very good, a real bluesy, raw
>version. Dylan's voice one of desparation. Then Silvio, (you just had to
>play it, didn't you Bob!). Good, hard rock and roll. Finally I Shall be
>Released - full on band version. If anything the guitars were too loud here
>and his voice was drowned out a bit. My friend thought this was one of the
>highlights, though to me it was a little anti-climactic! Funny.

Well, we knew in our hearts it would be the end. Lovely though.

>Anyway, that was it, the crowd was still aking for more, but I think they
>realised that Bob had given his all and given us one of his great shows.

The atmosphere after the show was one of pure exhiliration, it was so great
to be able to mill around, drink, talk, jump about, swap stories and greet
friends, even sit down for the first time in hours, without having to move
from the venue. Beats the usual end-of-concert "coming down", realising
you're in a big empty barn and they want you to leave. I think the consensus
of opinion was that we'd all died and gone to heaven. What a wonderful thing
to give so many people such joy. Thanks evrybody, see you all tomorrow night...

tricia



Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 21:48:26 +0200 (MEST)
From: Carsten Wohlfeld (happyjaq@gmx.net)
To: karlerik@monet.no
Subject: August 19, 1998 - Melbourne, Australia - a review

> Bob Dylan
> Melbourne, Australia
> The Mercury Lounge, August 19, 1998
> A review by Carsten Wohlfeld

Okay, I've done many crazy things during my admittedly rather short life,
but going to Australia, travel 19.000 km and spend 27 hours on a plane /
train is even bezond the insane stuff I usuall find quite normal. It's been a
lifelong dream for me to go to Australiaa and this was the opportunity I
couldn't let go. Thanks to Tricia, her family and my lovely host Stephen I spend
a very nice day here in Melbourne before it was time for the big event -
Bob's warm-up show at the tiny Mercury Lounge at the huge Crown Casino. We
started lining up at around 2pm, which wasn't too bad cause you actually could
wait  inside the Casino. Once the doors were opened at 7.30, we couldn't
believe our luck. The place was tiny! Actually it was so small, it gives the
word tiny a whole new meaning. They have a balcony and so there were only
aabouy 500 people on the floor. Actually I don't think they could've fitted 800
in there, it was mst likely only 650 or 700. The stage was very low (about
80 cms high, I'd say) amd it was so tiny that they couldn't put the gear too
far in the back. We eended up with front row spots (!) and if I had wanted
to, I could"ve touched Larry Campbell from where I was staanding. Bob was
less than 2 meters away!

There were no cuesheets tonight, Bob and Tony just made up the list on the
spot. The came out at 8.55pm and after a quick "ladies and gentlemen, would
you please welcome..." they launched into:

> Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat

My least favourite choice of course, and it was only an average version,
but I didn't care cause we were so close!

> Pretty Peggy-O

Huge grin on my face... Gunter is gonna haate me :-) Perfect version, very
laid back, Bob's singing was great and Larry was laying some pretty hot
solos.

> Can't Wait

Usually one of the highlights for me, but this version was pretty flat.
Thee band never got into the right groove and Bob's singing wasn't full-on. A
pity.

> Shelter From The Storm

Kinda started off as if it ws going to be "Simple Twist Of Fate". Lovely
version of a song I usually don't like that much. If they would play it every
night like this, I'd love it to death. I think it's getting fasterevery
time they play it this year, but I really like that. I think to myself: Robert
is gonna hate me... So far it was a very good, but hardly surprising
setlist. Things took a weird turn with:

> Tough Mama

Which was given the usual horrid treatent. Actually Bob looked as if he
regretted that he chose this one from Tony's shortlist about ten second in. He
just didn't like what the baand did with the song. I hated it too :-) A
long discussion between Bob and Tony followed... Were they gonna drop
"Silvio"??? YES!

> You're A Big Girl Now

Lovely version. Bob seemed to lighten up a little bit at this point,
started to move around the stage more, even smiling briefly. Yet another song I
rarely enjoy live but the band treated it very carefully and Bob'ssinging was
as good as on most songs tonight. 

> Cold Irons Bound

Yet another electric song and a great version too. Gave Tony the chaance
to show us his weird little dance. Garnier seemed  to be really into it,
dancing all night, fiering up the other guys. After the song the roadies brought
out the acoustic instruments, but Bob briefly left the stage. Goes to show
that it was a really laid back affair all evening.

> Cocaine (acoustic)

Baaad version. They got it right on the chorus with Bucky and Larry
joining in, but some of the later verses featured hardly any guitar playing cause
neither Bob nor Larry could figure out what to do with this song. Most
people around me still loved it.

> Mr Tambourine Man (acoustic)

Obviously the biggest crowdpleaser so far, but anybody could sing along
(and it was several people who tried to!!!) cause Bob coouldn't remember the
bloody words! Bastard! Honestly he only got one and a half verses right and
gave us a wild mix of the others. Pretty sad sight.

> Masters Of War (acoustic)

Made up for the bad performaance before that. Great singing, great
soloing, very impressive as always.

> Roving Gambler (acoustic)

I believe Tricia called it the best version ever and I tend to agree. The
band and Bob just got the start/stop-parts perfectly right and it was the
highlight of the show so far!

> Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic)

What can you say? It was there, the band enjoyed it to the max, we got
some great interaction between Bob and the people in the first few rows, big
smiles from all the guys in the band. Long guitar solo, but no harp.

> Dark As A Dungeon (acoustic)

When I called Bill Pagel laater that night he went: "Really?". I couldn't
believe it either. I can't remember if he did it at some point in the 90s or
if this reaally was the first outing for the song since the Rolling Thunder
Revue in 1976, but judging from the way the played it, you'd guess they do
it every single night. Bob was putting *alot* into the lyrics, which I
believe were delivered word-perfect. Haven't heard him sing with so much passion
and energy in a while! Bucky was having a great time doing back-up vocals.
Larry was supposed to join in too, but didn't do it for the first chorus. He
seemed to have trouble remembering his  chords and the words. Hmm,
interesting. After that we got the only Bob speech apart from "thanks everybody" all
night. "This was an old one, now one of my own". Or words to that effect.

> Forever Young (acoustic)

Uta's gonna hate me... Great version of this crowdpleeaser that just seem
to come off perfectly. Sung very gently... I guess that's what usually
meeses up the song: his voice is normally too loud and  rusty, but not tonight.
Very nice.

> Highway 61 Revisited

Back to electric without any band intros. And let me tell you it was a
cooking version. Standing only and arm length away from Bob and Larry playing a
twin guitar solo might obsccure my view on things, but esspeciaally Larry's
playing was absolutely amazing. This song alone, which didn't seem to end
*at all* was worth the admisssion price several times over. After that they
took a well deserved short break.  
> (encore)
> Love Sick

It was one of those nights again where Bucky would start the song way too
early. Bob actually wasn"t even on stage yet! So he had to stop and then the
launched into what was actually very well paced, mighty fine version of
this terrific  song. Fortunately Bob wasn't flirting around with the front row
girls and pulling faces too much yet.

> Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35

But on this song he did connect quite well with the people in the front,
having a great time as usual. Not that I liked the performance of the song
anz  better because of it...

> Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic)

Bob wanted to add a little solo to the  intro and messed it up badly. He
kinda made up for it with some terrific singing later on in the song though.
Actually a quite enjoyable version. The second to last chorus just featured
Larry and Bucky as Bob had pusshed over his microphone  stand with his
guitar while turning around. Yes, the stage was that small! After the song they
left and everybody knew that was it... but hey, they are coming back... After
more than 110 minutes on stage there's gonna be more!

> Til I Fell In Love With You

Staggeringly good version, showcasing  Larry's amazing guitar playing once
more. We got this wonderful wave/wall of sound that Larry was solelz
responsible for. You couldn't reaally hear BBob's  guitar at all which didn't do
the performance anny harm. Bob's strong singing was an added bonus. Thenn
they left aagain only to turn around...

> Silvio

Actually it was a major disappoitent when I say Tony say "Silvio" to
David. I reaally would've liked to get at least one how without it afterhearing
it at more than 35 consecutive shows. Anyways, they did a ddecent  job on it
and since mmosst of the Australians attending hadn't hear it live it was
fair enough to play it. But hey, there's more still!

> I Shall Be Relesed

Intros was messed up, but I actually enjoyed the rest of it quite a bit.
Stephen pointed out that he really hasn't got the right voice to sing this
song properly anymore and thatt's most definitely true, but hey, I think it's 
one of his best tunes, and if he isn't allowed to sing it anymore, then who
is? Larry and Bucky on backing vocaals, which was lovely as well.

So there you have  it, Bob and crew at a tiny little place, no harp, but 2
hours and 10 minutes of high energy music, lots of smiles and the biggest
number of songs (21!!!) since Toad's Place eight and a half years ago. I forr
one feel very priviliged that I had the chaance to be there. Kinda made up
for all the trouble and financial rollercaster ride alreaady. Now I'm
terribly excited about patti Smith's performance on friday at FlindersPark. Oh
yeah, Bob's gonna be there too (and so will I) and a report on that is to
follow shortly. Thanks for reading and I hope I didn't write too much rubbish at
5.45am in the morning.   

Carsten
--
"what once you called home is now a minefield" (damon & naomi)
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