Bob Dylan 980922 in Puyallup, Washington

From: "revjames1" (revjames1@email.msn.com)
To: (karlerik@monet.no)
Subject: 9/22/98
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 01:55:40 -0700

Just got back from the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup WA.
This was my sixth Dylan show in the last 18 years, my second this year
(G.M Place, Vancouver 5/14/98 the other) Beautiful weather, nice small
grandstand. We were front row center of the grand stand, about 50
yards from the stage.

Lucinda Williams played a very nice, short opening set, about 40
minutes long. I've only just become aware of her, but was well
pleased. My tape of her set suffers from the proximity of very
watchful security, I had to keep the mic's well hidden. As the show
progressed and I felt more comfortable I moved the mic's more out into
the open, and the sound improves. It seems they have a tradition of
introducing local politicians before the shows, and then having
someone sing the National Anthem. It was hysterical. Karoke Scot Key.
Bad canned orchestra and an awful singer (Roseanne like). I taped some
of it for the sake of a few laffs later. Lucinda's set began kind of
slow and country, and ended up with full meltdown solos from her lead
guitarist.

Bob's set started about 8:15. He's been getting better every time I
see him. Very tight jams, very good set selections. The set: Maggie's
Farm, Man In the Long Black Coat (?), Cold Iron's, You Ain't Goin'
Nowhere, Can't Wait, Silvio, Don't Think Twice (@), Masters of War
(@), One Too Many Morns (@), Tangled Up (@), Make You Feel My Love,
'Till I Fell In Love With You, Encore: Love Sick, Rainy Day Women,
Blowin' (@), Highway 61, Forever Young (@). The five song encore
caught me by surprise, luckily I had wound the Lucinda tape to the end
of the side, so when tape ran short at the end of Blowin' I was able
to make a quick switch only miss the first little bit of Highway 61.

Seeing Bob at the fair I grew up going to every year to show my
rabbits was pretty odd. I haven't been to the fair more than two times
since I got out of high school in 1980. Bob on stage while bungee
benches are shooting people into the sky and onion laden burgers and
scones are being passed like joints was almost too much. Security was
hard on the case of people dancing in the isles, but otherwise didn't
bother too many people. One interesting note: right at the start of
Rainy Day Women, as if on cue, all, and I mean all the house lights
came up, as if to keep everybody from getting stoned. It seemed to
work, I've never been to a show like this with less evident substance.
Two people near us getting busted with Wild Turkey was the most
lawless that I saw it get. All in all, a splendid time seemed to be
had by all. I'd like to hear how the Wallflowers were last week at the
fair.



Subject: Puyallup Pumped
From: cyberjnke (cobryant@cyberhighway.net)
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 18:03:20 -0600

Here's the story...

Well I got real upset when I failed to get tickets to the Dylan show
at Mac Court in Eugene and looked around the internet to find some for
the Portland show or the Puyallup show.

I found 3 tickets for Puyallup in the Dylan news group and talked to
them on the phone.  She just had her baby and couldn't go.  I agreed
to buy all three for face value ($42 each) if I could get my friend
(Jennifer) in Portland to go.

Now this is all happening on Saturday and Sunday and the concert is on
Tuesday so it's sorta touch and go.

Finally got ahold of Jennifer late Sunday night.  She say's she can't
go. Well she changes her mind and calls me Monday morning while I'm in
the bosses office trying to figure out how I could leave at noon and
be back Friday.

So, I call the folks with the tickets in Seattle and confirm and get
their address.  Turns out they live about two blocks from where I used
to live and work up there.

Monday I drive to Portland, get a room.  Tuesday I go get Jennifer
(and baby Sairah) at 7:00 am.  Drive to Seattle and get to the ticket
folks place about 10:30.  Then hang out at the Pikes Place Market and
look around, listen to the street performers, eat fresh fish and chips
and a Bass Ale on tap.

I had taped a sign on my back advertising the extra ticket in hopes
that I could sell it.

Drive south to the little town of Puyallup which is a traffic jam
cause the fair is so huge.  Lucky enough to get the last room at a
motel two blocks from the fairgrounds.

Finally get into the fair with Sairah in her stroller and walk all
around (very big fair).  Loved the animals and saw a great 7 piece
group from Ecuador playing drums and pan flutes.

Well the shows going to start and I hadn't sold the extra ticket so 
took the sign off my back and went into the arena area.

They told Jennifer she had to check her stroller so she did and we
went to our seats.  The seats were on the first row of the bleacher
section and there was plenty of room in front of us... so... Jen wants
the stroller and goes and gets it.  We turn it sideways and it's fine.

Until this guy comes and tells us we can't have the stroller there.  I
point out that it does not protrude any further than our knees and is
not creating any hazard.  He doesn't care, it's the rules.  I inform
him that we had three tickets/three seats and one of the seats is for
the stroller.  He doesn't care.  Now we're arguing a little bit.  I
finally say fine I want the money back on the third ticket.  He say's
see Ticketmaster.  I say I'm from Boise and they don't have an outlet
there and embellish with "We came all the way from Boise with $126
seats and if I can't use them as planned then I want a refund."

He say's Ticketmaster is at the fair and that he knows the manager and
that he will call him and let him know I'm coming.  So, he leaves to
call...

5 minutes later he comes back and says, "We got a better plan."  He
tells me to follow him and starts walking up the aisle.  Ticketmaster
found a 3 seat section in the 10th Row and let us have them and just
removed one of the seats for the stroller.  These were GREAT SEATS
which cost 20 bucks more apiece! Great view....

The concert was FANTASTIC!  The crowd was very responsive and rushed
the stage about halfway through Dylan's performance, which he loved. 
He did 3 encores with 17 songs total (long songs.. all his are long). 
This was one of the best Dylan performances seen in years the critics
are saying.

Opening song was Maggies Farm (as in "..ain't gonna work on maggie's
farm no more..")  closing song was "Forever Young".  Also included
"Blowin in the Wind" and the finest "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"
ever heard. Highway 61 followed by "Everybody Must Get Stoned" which
was quite a crowd pumper.

One of those wonderful, last minute decision trips where the tumblers
fall into place and you feel like the universe is there for you.

I'll put a web page up for the pictures next week (got some great
shots).

Whew!

cyberjnke