Bob Dylan 990227, Atlantic City, New Jersey (two shows)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 13:45:24 +0000 From: "S. D. Walter" (sdwalter@mindspring.com) Reply-To: sdwalter@mindspring.com To: karlerik@monet.no Subject: 2/27/99 (7:30 show): one-sentence review Not being accustomed to submitting concert reviews, I will keep this first one (very) brief: Atlantic City, 2/27, was the anti-Supper Club ... I should've known better. Respectfully submitted, Stephen D. Walter
Subject: Re: February 27, 1999 - Atlantic City, New Jersey (late show) - Setlist From: Seth Kulick (skulick@linc.cis.upenn.edu) Date: 28 Feb 1999 08:00:28 GMT Some brief comments about this show: > 1. To Be Alone With You > 2. You're A Big Girl Now > 3. Can't Wait > 4. She Belongs To Me Bob started strong, and I enjoyed the first four songs quite a bit. It's always nice to see Big Girl Now make an appearance. Bob wrapped himself around a few lines in a very Dylanesque way that raised my hopes for the evening. Likewise, She Belongs to Me is always nice to hear. Larry played an absolutely gorgeous guitar part on this song - actually, I think it was the highlight of the entire night, more so than anything Bob did. The concert pretty much went downhill from this point on. Memphis Blues Again was just downright boring, followed by an extremely boring acoustic set. Ain't me Babe was okay, but nothing special. Likewise for Tambourine Man - a few good lines, but basically by the numbers. Tangled Up in Blue was absolutely wretched, as Bob continues to drain this song of any possible meaning or emotion. As usual, the low point of the concert. Friend of the Devil, while I like the song, was also uneventful, Bob doing nothing interesting with it. I wish Larry went back to playing fiddle on this. > 5. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again > 6. It Ain't Me, Babe (acoustic) > 7. Mr. Tambourine Man (acoustic) > 8. Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic) > 9. Friend Of The Devil (acoustic) > 10. Highway 61 Revisited Things picked up a bit with Hiway61, although it was disappointing that for $80 a ticket we couldn't get another song before the set ended. The version of this song played by this band is miles above the way it was played with Dylan's previous bands on the NeverEnding Tour. Some nice vocals from Bob on this as well, although at other times he slid into summer-91 style slurring. > > (encore) > 11. Love Sick I'm not a big fan of this song, but I really enjoyed this. Perhaps Bob's best singing of the night. > 12. Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic) The first time I heard this version - very nice. > 13. Not Fade Away This was bizarre - I'll let someone else talk about what happened. Sounded good, though. In summary, this was my first Dylan concert in a little over a year, and it'll probably be my last for another year. I simply don't see the point in spending money to see more than one or two of these shows. He plays the same old songs over and over, and as he does so they become more and more stale, a situation which is particularly ridiculous in view of his amazing catalog of songs. It's true that he makes great faces, and his little dances and guitar poses are very amusing, but I don't think that's quite enough. -- -------------------------------------------------------------- Seth Kulick "The hypnotic splattered mist University of Pennsylvania was slowly lifting" - Bob Dylan skulick@linc.cis.upenn.edu http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~skulick/home.html
Subject: long 2/27 10:30 review (fake attempt at sex) From: Andrew Dixon (adixon@nimbus.ocis.temple.edu) Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 12:12:52 -0500 Wow double wow only made it to the last show, but man was i rewarded for my wait. i had the best seats i could get without a sex change operation: that is to say that i had the seats right behind bob's girl of the evening. bob said that 'rock n roll is a fake attempt at sex' and after last night's show, i think everyone in the place knew what he meant. a note that has nothing to do with the concert: before he plays, bob puts on his guitar and then kneels and pauses. he's not messing with the amp or anything, and he has his head bowed. seems to me that he was praying. i dont think there's any question after his playing of hymns lately that he is still very religious, and it was nice that he offered a prayer. but that's not really any of my business. To Be Alone With You kicked things off and he sang it like he meant it (and played a nice solo to boot). from the very beginning, he was mugging at the girl in front of me. Iahhhgggg get my sweet reward... never seen anything like it. he was having fun and so was everybody there. You're a Big Girl Now came next, and was just wonderful. the die-hards loved it, and he was singing just for us. well, really he was singing just for her. i dont think there was a single note tonight that bob sang without feeling. it was like he was proving to her, and thereby the rest of us, that he could still be the best, the king. in a way, it was like watching some National Geographic mating ritual film, just exaggerated for effect. He picked the most fertile looking female in the room, and did an elaborate dance to prove his worthiness. and nobody could have done it better. interestingly enough, some men were yelling out 'you're the master, bob!' and it seemed like they were showing subserviance to his performance. not well stated on my part, but i think you get the idea. Can't Wait came next, and man he really couldnt wait. it was incredible. smokey looks all around the room from bob, but again mainly to his lady friend. his guitar work tonight was kind of strange. he would show flashess of absolute greatness, and then go back to his repetitive three or four note solos. it was very effective, though, and he and larry were on some kind of psychic groove. several times on this newsgroup, i've praised jj jackson as dylan's best recent guitarist, but i now stand corrected. jj may have been better able to take a solo himself and have it sound original, but larry really knows how to layer the sound and play just the right thing at the right time. from bob, we also got some solos with notes on the lower register, which he doesnt seem to do too often. She Belongs to Me. it's so great when he pulls out a song like this and sings it like he just wrote it. in fact, that's the feeling i got all night. every song was absolutely fresh, even Tangled (more on that later). this song is just really nice, and bob knows that. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again. this is my fourth time seeing this within 4 months, so i wasnt too thrilled when it started, but i got rid of that attitude quickly enough. john lennon said something to the effect of 'you dont have to know what bob is saying, you just have to listen to how he says it.' too true. this song came alive. 'to be stuck inside of MOWWwwwbeeeell [such incredulity here] with the MEMphis bluueewwwwz again.' i have no idea what those words mean really, but i know the exact feeling. it was like he was talking in nearly a different language, but i understood perfectly. all night long, and on this song especially, i got the feeling that we were at an old dance hall, or a high school dance, and dylan was some kind of Buddy Holly-esque performer, showing off for the girls. It Ain't Me Babe was remarkable. we had all fallen for bobby, and he breaks our heart. the way he said 'No, no,no' was beautiful. 'i know you really want to think that i am the one, and i am cool-beyond-cool, but trust me, you dont want me' he seemed to say. it was a rebuke with a smile. Mr Tambourine Man - bob drags out an old horse, and shows that she can still run. a great reading of a timeless piece. the thing with dylan and these old songs that he's played a million times is that he honestly knows they're good and that sometimes you just feel like saying what's said in those songs. he's said time and time again that nobody else can write the kind of songs he wants to sing, so he's gotta go to his vast catalogue. if you had written a song this damn good, wouldnt you sing it a lot? a few people had their hands waving free when he delivers the 'dance beneath the diamond sky' line (maybe that will be a boot title 'dance beneath the diamond skyline') and kudos to them. we all know we do it when we're by ourselves, or at least we did it the first 1000 or so times we listened to the song. Tangled Up In Blue - what a performance. i love this song, i've heard it a million times, and i have heard some uninspired renditions, but this wasnt one. a lot of the lines he ended on an upnote rather than a down, almost questioning the story, 'is that really what happened?' he repeated 'tangled up in blue' at the end of one verse, just for emphasis. nice touch. i think i have a better grasp of the pronoun switches in this song now. he seems more inclinded to use the first person lately, and i think it has to do with his attitude. we all know he's "just" a storyteller, and sometimes the story seems better with the third person in there, it adds a disconnected layer of sorts. but tonight, and at most shows lately, bob has been so personable that the first person seems to make sense. Friend of the Devil - that wife in Chino (i have no idea how to spell that) has been getting around on him, because that child dont look like him. that's what i took away from the song. the way he delivered those lines, with a kind of 'if you catch my drift' feel, had me laughing out loud (much to the chagrin of the person across the table from me). he completely became this character while he was playing the song. no harp in sight at any point in the show, but that didn't really seem to matter due the to guitar work. bucky's mandolin throughout the acoustic set was just plain nice. Highway 61 Revisited ended the regular set - no!!!!! it cant be drawing to an end already. sorry, just had to get that out. the song was well delivered, with some rocking guitar. i think it was here that he introduced the band, and said 'And i dont know who you are!' to the girl in front of me. you sly old devil! a person snaps a flash picture at the table next to me, and then bob sticks out his tongue at them. hahahaaa! he spent the rest of the time being cassanova. larry, tony, and bucky exchange looks like 'can you believe how much he's hamming it up?' Love Sick was once again brilliant. this song is now one of my favorites. i think he wasnt quite as able to get into character about being sick of love, as he was too busy making overtures of love to this girl. still well delivered and a spooky song. Blowin in the Wind - ok, i gotta admit it, i like this song now. it's the only song of his that was popular that had no redeeming qualities to me, but hearing it 4 times in 4 months, each time a stellar performance, i have taken a shine to it. i will no longer skip the first song on freewheelin', scout's honor. Not Fade Away - well i'll tell you, i dont remember a whole lot about the performance of this song because of what happend during it.the girl in front of me gets on stage to dance, and the security guards let her. so a bunch of other girls did, and then my girlfriend did. so when some guys got up there, i did too. my girlfriend and i were dancing our hearts out, but then everybody started crowding around bob, and he didnt seem to mind, so like the part of the mass crowd that we were, we got around him too. people were singing with him, rubbing his cheek, and, in the case of the girl who had been in front of me, bumping and grinding with him (later he hugged and kissed one of his long-time fans, who after 35 years 'can now die happy'). it was ultra-bizarre at this point, like a dream. then comes the crowd crush. everybody's pushing to get closer and i'm afraid we're going to crush him, so i try to spread out. nobody likes that, but i just didnt want to kill the guy. then i take a look at him, and realize that he and security have the situation under control, so i just reached over, patted him on the back (oh my god i touched bob. i dont want to sound like a freak, but i am. that was way cool!) and then got the hell out of the crushing crowd. afterwards the music is just filling my head, overtaking me in pulsing rhythms. i proceed to do the most impassioned dancing of my life at the edge of the stage with my girlfriend. then she gave me a big kiss, and all was right with the world. bob playing, i'm grooving, and we're in love. and our love will most definitely not fade away. thanks bob for a night to remember. even if nobody in the crowd but that one girl had anything to do with your great performance, we all appreciate it.
Subject: Review- Atlantic City-both shows From: Marvincat9 (marvincat9@aol.com) Date: 28 Feb 1999 17:44:07 GMT I had the good fortune to see both shows last night, the first with my 17 year old son, the second with my 10 year old daughter. I've been a Dylan fanatic since 1961, and have seen about 15 shows over the past 12 years. To me, any Dylan show is a blessing, and I treat each show as if it's his last. As one writer said on this newsgroup some time ago, she looked upon Dylan as a musical Picasso- some nights he paints major masterpieces, some night minor masterpieces, but they are all masterpieces nonetheless. The first show I sat centerstage about 10 feet back. To watch Dylan from this perspective is a little intimidating- you could almost make eye contact. Generally, this show was a minor masterpiece (actually both were) but this was the weaker of the two. All around me near the front were casino highrollers who were there because it was an event and a hard ticket. For the most part, they remained seated throughout the show. The woman right next to me left after four or five songs, saying "i can't take this anymore". Dylan was dressed in black and didn't let the deadasses bother him. He moved, danced, and threw himself into the singing and the playing. He definitely looks slimmer and younger than he has in years. Highlights: The opener, Watching the River Flow, was a surprise and really rocked. Lay Lady Lay, simply because he doesn't play it often. Just Like a Woman is always great, as was his phrasing. Surprise Hit: Make You Feel My Love, which took this "mundane" love song and turned it into an emotional love song. I didn't think he could do that, but he did. Worth The Price of Admission: Not Fade Away- unbelievable, and one of the best electric performances I've ever seen him do. I don't belive anyone in the world can do that song better than Dylan did it last night. The show was short- only 13 songs. The second show commenced shortly after 10:30, and I sat in a booth in the back with my daughter playing UNO until the curtain came up. The crowd at this show and in my area were much more involved than the first, except the center section down front was still all deadasses. Bob wore a gray suit, which he sweated through in short order, and put on a classic show. I've just changed my review- this was a major masterpiece- because the song selection was so great. To Be Alone With You got everyone going. You're a Big Girl Now is always wonderful, and I sang it to my daughter. Mr. Tambourine Man and Blowing in the Wind were sang clearly, emotionally and beautifully, and the crowd responded accordingly. Likewise, Friend of the Devil was sung as he he usually sings it, and the crowd loved it although it obviously isn't a headbanger. The show was building to a wonderful conclusion- I was anticipating Not Fade Away as the conclusion to a perfect show, and it started out that way as the initial notes sounded. And then, the perfect show became marred. A Blond in Dressed in Black decided she'd dance onstage. She was immediately joined by another, and within 30 seconds there must have been 50 people on stage. You couldn't see Dylan or the band, only hear them, and Dylan tried for a while and gave up, and I don't blame him. From my perspective it looked downright dangerous down there. Another short show: thirteen songs. On the way out I heard one guy say to another, "GREAT SHOW- I heard the first show sucked." To which I could only interject, "Major Masterpiece, Minor Masterpiece".
Subject: Re: Review- Atlantic City-both shows From: Peter Stone Brown (peterb@erols.com) Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 14:19:20 -0500 Epic1934 wrote: > > Very interesting to read in succession the post just a bit up the board where > the fellow exalted that he was able to jump on stage with Bob during "Not > Fade Away"--and then a second review where the fellow complained that the > stage-jumpers marred a great show, no one in the crowd could see Bob and he cut > the show short. Certainly this represents two trains of thought on this > board. What does anyone think of this? The stage jumpers marred a so-so show and ruined "Not Fade Away." Before the first verse of the song was over, you could no longer see Bob Dylan and a lot of people on the stage seemed not interested in Dylan but showing the rest of the audience that they were on stage. It was an out-of-hand, potentially dangerous (to Dylan) situation. -- "I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from." --Bob Dylan Peter Stone Brown e-mail: peterb@erols.com http://www.tangible-music.com/peterstonebrown/
Subject: Atlantic City Reviews-- both shows From: fabulous (fabulous@ix.netcom.com) Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 21:54:10 GMT I got into both last night, heres my take. The first show seemed like a throw away to me. It had the least energy of any Dylan show Ive seen (these were my 8th & 9th Bob concerts, the 1st in 1987). I was sitting in front of Larry, about 6 people back, so it wasnt like I missed anything... Lay Lady Lay was sweet. The Can't Wait had nothing to recommend it. Maybe its cause Ive been listening to Live 1966 over and over and over lately, but last night's arrangement and performance of Just Like a Woman left me playing the Live 66 version in my mind. Silvio went nowhere. Cocaine Blues was a bad choice, given there was no energy coming back over the footlights to the band, and its a downer song. Masters of War was a real highlight, how can you not be rapt in fascination watching Dylan perform this song?? But then Tangled Up In Blue was a letdown, because it was a huge success the last show I saw (Bethlehem), that night it really got the crowd going, and it definitely inspired the band. I was hoping the same thing would happen here, and finally get the show kickstarted, but it was not to be. There were basically no solos. At this point, my uneasinesss really grew, because he went back to electric, "shorting' us an acoustic song from the usual setlists I've seen. I then realized Bob was gonna play a short, almost warm-up show, saving something for later. Sure enough, after Make You Feel My Love, he introduced the band, and went into Highway 61 to close the set, cutting off another song from the norm. Going into the show, if you would have told me i could stay seated for an entire Highway 61, I would have told you to get off the pipe. But I found it uninspired and very few people in front were up and dancing. They encored with the expected Love Sick, dropped another song from usual, and played a satisfactory Dont Think Twice. Not Fade Away closed the show, and FINALLY people were jamming, but it was too late. The entire concert seemed like a prelude to what was to come... So I rationalized that the night was gonna be really ONE concert, with just a real long setbreak! I finagled a way into the second show for free, and settled into a seat dead fucking center, 4 people back. This is the closest I've ever been for Dylan. Right away, I notice several things... Bob's amp and monitor are pointing right at me, and the stage is low, so theyre level with my ears. I can hear and isolate Bob's guitar completely, especially since I'm easily close enough to see the strings on his guitar. (Triple pickup Fender for electric, and Gibson for acoustic BTW). Let me tell you something, Bob hits some REALLY strange notes and chords on guitar!! The next thing is how much more alive and animated Bob is, confirming my 'saving it up' suspicion. I also never realized what a sweat Bob works up-- he was dripping from the 2nd song, he eventally soaked right though his grey suit. It wasn't that hot, the rest of the band didn't seem that affected... After the opener, we were treated to You're a Big Girl Now... from the outset, Bob was prancing about and basically giggling with delight... the audience catches on, Bob sees it and redoubles his efforts... now we're getting somewhere! After Can't Wait (I didnt expect any repeats from Show 1, go figure) comes She Belongs To Me, featuring a plaintive, wailing vocal, with guitar to match. Then on the second solo break, a novelty-- it seemed Bob and Larry were BOTH playing lead, neither was playing rhythm. It was as if they were playing separate but compatible simultaneous solos... immensely entertaining virtuosity. After Stuck Inside Moblie came the acoustic. It Ain't Me Babe featured a countrified, sorta rockabilly arrangement, Bob really put the lyric across well. Tambourine Man, timeless classic. Then Tangled Up again, and the 2nd attempt of the night was a little better than the 1st, but not much. A lot of people saw both shows, I couldnt understand why he was repeating songs we just heard and they just played 2 hours ago. Then my first look at Friend of the Devil. A vet of 55 Grateful Dead shows, I loved it-- the arrangement was very straightforward and reminiscent of American Beauty, not the slowed down tempo of the 90's version. Some gorgeous atmospheric steel by Bucky graced this one... then another Highway 61... Encore starts with simply the best Love Sick I've ever seen, or expect to see. Absolutely heart-wrenching... tremendous playing and singing. Blowin' in the Wind acoustic, Im thinking to myself, this has got to be one of the greatest songs ever written, Im so lucky to be seeing this up close. Then the closer, and mind-blowind finale. They launch into Not Fade Away, everyone knows its the last song. Almost immediately, 2 women are onstage, walking toward Bob, one from each side. Now one, now two more. I've been to literally a hundred concerts, more-- so Im expecting security to come out and throw em all off any second. But no, THERE'S NO SECURITY!!! Suddenly, theres like half a dozen babes onstage, here come more... the band is still jamming out full blast, Bob is eyeing the situation, possibly nonplussed, but not showing it. The first man on the stage is this goofy kid, he comes to center stage and lifts his shirt--- its Soy Bomb!!! The crowd goes wild!!! At this point, a sudden stream of people starts walking across the table tops, and onto the stage, Bob is surrounded, but still the show goes on. I'm thinking, I really don't wanna be a dick, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime situation, I'm going for it, if I don't I'll kick myself later. So i pop up on stage, smile as I walk by Bucky, stop to say hi and thanks to Tony, whos craning his neck over the crowd to glimpse Bob, and get a clue what's going on... the music's still going full tilt, as I wiggle into the circle... at the center of which is BOB FUCKING DYLAN!!! There he is!! Little guy, about 5'6" I'd say. Hes yelling the chorus into the mike, with about 3 women joining him--- its a freakin singalong! The vocals end, and Bob continues to jam-- people are grabbing at him, hugging him from behind--- he appears to be enjoying himself!! All smiles, hes looking all around, nodding genially-- he looks right at me and I almost shit. I patted him on the head!! I was beside myself, what can i say?? Finally its apparent they can't continue, they somehow wrap it up, and Bob is whisked away not by security, by his roadies, out to the rescue. I have never been to a show with an absolute total lack of security, it was mind boggling. On the way out, Bob turns to kiss a fan right on the lips, I thought she was gonna swoon. Then he's gone. People can't believe what's happened, everyone's milling around onstage, hi-fiving and screaming. I got the hell down and tried to pull myself together. I was onstage with Bob Dylan I'm telling myself, onstage with Bob Dylan. fabulous X X X
Subject: atlantic city--1st show brief review From: Rachel Klingberg (rdayk@concentric.net) Date: 28 Feb 1999 15:33:47 PST We were a little surpirsed to find maitre'd seating, as I didn't realize what that meant. Unfortunately the seating arrangements put a slight damper on the show because people weren't able to get up and dance--no room. I've noticed that the energy level is definitely higher when people can dance. In a place without tables, the concert always takes a turn for the better when the whole audience stands up. But its an all-or-nothing kind of thing...you really can't stand if people behind you want to sit, it's just not polite. This from someone who always prefers to stand. Bob came out wearing black stovepipe trousers with metallic rivets down the sides, a black jacket with leaves embroidered on it, and a silver tie. Couldn't see the shirt. He was also wearing these funky cowboy boots with white trim on the toes. Hair was very flat, looked like it could benefit from some styling. He seemed in a good mood, smiling a few times, though his smile is so quick you'd miss it if you blinked. Highlights for me included Cocaine Blues, Tangled Up In Blue, Highway 61, Don't Think Twice and Not Fade Away. All the songs seemed shorter than usual, with minimum extended jams. I hate to sound jaded, but this show seemed to lack something. I've heard that the second show was better, and towards the end of the first show, especially on Not Fade Away, Bob seemed to put a little more energy into it. This was my fourteenth show. I've come to the conclusion that the venue has a lot to do with the performance quality. With everyone sitting down, it follows that a more sedate show will be the outcome. At least, this is my theory. Sorry I can't go into a song-by-song assessment, though others on this ng have provided that. The sad fact is that I have already forgotten most of the show.Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining as its always great to see Bob live and the performance was well worth the 75 bucks. However, I wish I'd gone to the second show instead. Rachel
Subject: Atlantic City - what a blind boy saw. From: Blind Boy Grunt (blind_boy_grunt@hotmail.com) Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 19:32:36 GMT sometimes i think we all tend to take ourselves a little too seriously. walkin round in atlantic city th' other night, i got t' thinkin' bout how weird a scene it was. here we are, each of us for our own purposes, goin to a dylan show or two in a den of iniquity. where money doesn't talk, it swears, where everyone's tryin t' get their grubby little hands in yer pockets... where everyone is out t' f**k someone in one way or another, and here we are t' see bob dylan. weird at best. this, of course got me t' thinking a little more about how seriously we all take dylan and how if'n he doesn't do what we want him to do or be what we want him to be then it's not good and we're all sadddened or pissed off. how arrogant we can be. we're a rude buncha folks too... or at least some of us are. as i was standin in th' line i'd waited in since th' first show began, i was talkin t' the folks around me and some little paul simon lookin' twerp decides he's gonna get right in fronta me (along with his cohorts). hey, paul-simon-lookalike, i'm th' really big dude who was behind you!! i heard ya talkin after th show bout how ya didn't really like it... GOOD! i'm glad you were disappointed. that's whatcha get fer bein such a little jerk. courtesy and civility. are they totally lost in our modern society? am i rambling again? yup. and yup. throughout the 99 tour (and late in 98) dylan's been playin at least one spiritual song a night, and atlantic city is one of those places where spirituality is not to be found. th' closest thing t' spiritual references in th' performances (at least in th' second show) were "I always thank the Lord", "God said to Abraham...", and "Friend of the Devil". Interesting things if'n ya ask me. and i sit down in th' theater, a nice room for a concert and look up at th' stage, knowin i'm in for somethin' special... i was right. nonlinear thinking is sometimes a good thing. i'm not gonna go into a song-by-song chronological review of th' show, but just wanna mention some of what i thought were th' high points. larry campbell is finally stepping up (or being allowed t' step up) and because of this, i know why dylan's not changin th' setlists around too much. why should he? the songs they're playin are soundin so good these days, why mess it up with throwin in stuff that might not sound as good? You're a Big Girl Now... fantastic. the phrasing and musical interplay in this performance were something else to behold. She Belongs to Me was my own personal favourite, but that's probably b'cause it's one of my own personal favourite songs, and y'know... it sounded pretty damned good... i don't have t' see Dylan anymore. can't wait, memphis blues again, it ain't me babe, all soundin pretty hot too... nothin special in particular, but solid performances of all new songs. "all new songs"? are you crazy? yup. all new songs. soundin like they meant somethin. soundin new. breathin. this is somethin ya don't get too very often. every song, every note, every syllable was so perfectly placed that the performances made the songs new again. th' tambourine man was playin a song for me... i wasn't sleepy, and couldn't leave if'n i wanted too b'cause th' place was so full, i couldn't find th' door. other moments like love sick... love sick may be dylan's best composition ever. it's a monster of a song, a song that far exceeds its words and music, a song that cuts through something deeper and bigger than anythin music has seen before. it is a song for the late 90's. we're all sick of love, and we're all in the thick of it. th' lighting during love sick was somethin else too! WHAT IN THE FUCK WAS GOING ON DURING NOT FADE AWAY? Look, I'm into having a good time as much as anyone else, but let's not endanger the performers, okay. Such irresponsible behaviour should not be exhibited in public. Look, we all love Dylan. We'd all like t' be as close t' Dylan as possible, but that doesn't give us the right t' go herding around him and jumpin on him like flies on warm feces. I'm sure none of us would appreciate it if people just started invading our personal space and crowding us like that. I am appalled at that behaviour. I don't think I'll be goin t' no more dylan shows for a while now. I think i got everything i needed this past saturday night. We (the fans) are a bunch of assholes, plain and simple. We're pushy (like mr. paul-simon-lookalike) and we all have our own notions of who we think Dylan should be and what he should do for us. Always looking for what we can get. "What's in it for me?" Bullshit thinking, if you ask me. Take what the man has been so generous to offer and ask no more. To those of you who expect more of him, I'm sorry for you. He's not yours. He's not mine either. He's Bob Dylan's, and we should respect his artistic vision and try to keep our own personal opinions and twisted fantasies out of the way. Sure, there's lots of things I'd love to see him do, but it's ridiculous for me to judge him based on my own whims. The only thing that happens is that I miss out on what he is offering, and I don't want t' do that anymore. -it's hard to be blind.
Subject: ac late show From: Peter Stone Brown (peterb@erols.com) Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 20:42:13 -0500 Atlantic City Late Show -- A Review Once upon a time in New Jersey, Bob Dylan let his backup singers do a song about a gambling town. "There's a gambling town around here somewhere," he said. "What's the name? Reno?" Dylan was being pretty funny that night as he played a massive arena dead smack in the middle of the mafia burying ground. Why some people even say that Jimmy Hoffa or part of him is somewhere in that arena's foundation. Well it wasn't ten years later that Bob Dylan himself was playing that gambling town. Well the first show was outside, so you couldn't quite say it was really a casino show. Now it took a while for him to come back, but he did to a different place and that was sort of an arena in a casino, but you couldn't really say that was a casino show either. But this Sands place, and this Copa room, now this was a casino show. All the way. The tickets cost a lot of money and you couldn't avoid the slot machines and the card tables and the ring ring ringing of money dropping and yes the Sands is one intense place to see a Bob Dylan show. Kind of like walking right into a verse from Highway 61 Revisited itself. Now this was a show with a lot of potential. For one thing there wasn't gonna be no Natalie Merchant dancing barefoot or with combat boots and doing no David Bowie songs nohow. She wasn't gonna be having no cold nor wearing layers of upstate New York Jamestown clothing nor whirling like a politically correct poetress nor none of that stuff and that was a good thing too, 'cause the only person on a Bob Dylan show doing a David Bowie song should be Mick Ronson but that ain't gonna happen no more no how, not on this planet anyways. Now the Copa Room was all red kinda like the red room at the White House but maybe even redder and there were these guys you were supposed to tip to get a good seat and if they liked the tip it worked and you needed a pass to go to the bathroom like it was high school or something. And since it was like a nightclub there were lots of tables crowded together like they have in nightclubs. Now there were some people at the show who don't understand the concept of nightclub 'cause it's like the '90s and kids don't even eat lunch in high school anymore 'cause achieving is much more important than developing social skills so they eat standing up between classes and most clubs where they have music aren't places you'd wanna see in anything close to daylight and anyway these days in clubs everybody just like slams into each other and all kindsa other weird things and it's what's happeninā down on the floor that's important and the music is really just kind kind of a sideshow to what's happening on the floor and so what if like the songs or even the music is like moving or even meaningful because it's much more important that I wave my arms and dance and you see me doing it because what I want now is what I want now and that's all that's important is me. And so since that's the way it is today it's quite possible that a lot of people inside the Copa Room just had never seen no place like that before and didn't know what it was unless they'd seen it on television or something but even if they had they probably didn't notice 'cause television is something that you have on while you're doing something else like talking even if it's a good movie or something because talking is one of those things like dancing, you do it no matter what the situation. You do it in the movies, you do it at a poetry reading, you probably do it while the preacher's talking in church and you do it while someone's on stage singing a song because hey, you can go home and hear the song on the record even when you're seeing the one guy, the guy who's thing (in live appearances anyway) is not to do the song like the record or even like he did it the night before, well some of the time anyway. But hey someone will always tape and it and you can hear that. Well anyway, Bob Dylan finally took the stage after an hour of drinks, waiters and bathroom passes, and he was wearing the same grey suit (or one very similar) to the one he wore at the Grammys and he was in his energetic comic mode and it was pretty funny watching him do his moves which were half rock star and half Charlie Chaplin and the band was tight and it was happening and the song was "To Be Alone With You," and he went right from that into a song about no longer being alone with you, "You're A Big Girl Now," which probably should never be the number two song because the number two song is still kind of a warm up song, but he was leaning into hard and heavy, and on into a kicking "Can't Wait," and the thing is he's letting Larry Campbell play, and play is just what Campbell's doing making that Paul Reed Smith whatever guitar sound just like a Stratocaster and tearing out a solo not unlike what Mark Knopfler might have played if he'd been there. And then into a "She Belongs To Me" that wasn't all that dissimilar from other '90s versions, but then again it had this other thing about it to make this version more than a little bit special with Campbell providing gorgeous guitar fills with Dylan playing his own lead, but managing to keep it underneath what Campbell is doing and not interfering with it and into a "Memphis Blues Again" that is the way he does it now and into the acoustic set leading off with a sensitive rendering of "It Ain't Me Babe," but halfway through the first verse I realize there's a conversation going on. Someone has been talking through the entire song and I can hear it from two tables away and not only that the conversation has been going on since Memphis Blues Again, but "It Ain't Me Babe" is quieter and I go into my best Michael Corleone stare which scares the shit out of the guy from North Carolina at the table next to me, but the conversationalist is too busy talking to notice so I have to get up and make him an offer to shut up that he can't refuse and get back in my seat in time for the last chorus in time to calm down for a way too slow version of "Mr. Tambourine Man." Now if there's one song that shouldn't be messed with this is it, and I've seen him mess with it quite successfully especially in the fall of '81, but for some reason in the '90s he's slowed it down, not as slow as the hand-held microphone version he did at TLA whenever that was, but slow enough that it should be faster. This is a song that can sing itself, but not at this speed. "Friend of the Devil" was done at about the same pace, but it's only "Friend of the Devil." Then they soared into "Highway 61" with Campbell again shining on guitar and there was one point when he and Dylan were standing right next to each other the way guitar players should and Campbell pulled out some riff and you could see that even Dylan was impressed. "Lovesick" started off the encores and was okay, but nothing special and "Blowin' In The Wind" is the way they do it now with the cool harmonies on the last line, but I was gearing up to hear that totally strange arrangement of "Not Fade Away" 'cause Dylan sings it higher than anything he's done in years, and they're getting through the intro and it's kicking into 2nd then 3rd, when this blonde walks across the stage and then this other woman jumps up and wham bam no thank you maam there's 60 or 70 people onstage and some kid flashes his soy bomb stomach which was the only semi-humorous thing about it because the song had gone completely out the window and Bob Dylan was nowhere in sight and neither was his band and just a bunch of people I didn't pay to see on stage doing nothing except flashing hey look at me, I'm on stage with Bob Dylan grins and it was really too bad, because this show had the potential to be something different because it was this small room and everything but it wasn't, it was just another show with an annoying ending. So we beat it on out of there and I walked in my door in time to see Steve Earle do a few songs with the Del McCoury Band that was more satisfying than anything that happened in Atlantic City that night. -- "I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from." --Bob Dylan Peter Stone Brown e-mail: peterb@erols.com http://www.tangible-music.com/peterstonebrown/
Subject: Atlantic City Reviews-- both shows From: fabulous (fabulous@ix.netcom.com) Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 21:54:10 GMT I got into both last night, heres my take. The first show seemed like a throw away to me. It had the least energy of any Dylan show Ive seen (these were my 8th & 9th Bob concerts, the 1st in 1987). I was sitting in front of Larry, about 6 people back, so it wasnt like I missed anything... Lay Lady Lay was sweet. The Cant Wait had nothing to recommend it. Maybe its cause Ive been listening to Live 1966 over and over and over lately, but last nights arrangement and performance of Just Like a Woman left me playing the Live 66 version in my mind. Silvio went nowhere. Cocaine Blues was a bad choice, given there was no energy coming back over the footlights to the band, and its a downer song. Masters of War was a real highlight, how can you not be rapt in fascination watching Dylan perform this song?? But then Tangled Up In Blue was a letdown, because it was a huge success the last show I saw (Bethlehem), that night it really got the crowd going, and it definitely inspired the band. I was hoping the same thing would happen here, and finally get the show kickstarted, but it was not to be. There were basically no solos. At this point, my uneasynesss really grew, because he went back to electric, "shorting' us an acoustic song from the usual setlists Ive seen. I then realized Bob was gonna play a short, almost warm-up show, saving something for later. Sure enough, after Make You Feel My Love, he introduced the band, and went into Highway 61 to close the set, cutting off another song from the norm. Going into the show, if you would have told me i could stay seated for an entire Highway 61, I would have told you to get off the pipe. But I found it uninspired and very few people in front were up and dancing. They encored with the expected Love Sick, dropped another song from usual, and played a satisfactory Dont Think Twice. Not Fade Away closed the show, and FINALLY people were jamming, but it was too late. The entire concert seemed like a prelude to what was to come... So I rationalized that the night was gonna be really ONE concert, with just a real long setbreak! I finagled a way into the second show for free, and settled into a seat dead fucking center, 4 people back. This is the closest Ive ever been for Dylan. Right away, I notice several things... Bob's amp and monitor are pointing right at me, and the stage is low, so theyre level with my ears. I can hear and isolate Bob's guitar completely, especially since Im easily close enough to see the strings on his guitar. (Triple pickup Fender for electric, and Gibson for acoustic BTW). Let me tell you something, Bob hits some REALLY strange notes and chords on guitar!! The next thing is how much more alive and animated Bob is, confirming my 'saving it up' suspicion. I also never realized what a sweat Bob works up-- he was dripping from the 2nd song, he eventally soaked right though his grey suit. It wasnt that hot, the rest of the band didnt seem that affected... After the opener, we were treated to Youre a Big Girl Now... from the outset, Bob was prancing about and basically giggling with delight... the audience catches on, Bob sees it and redoubles his efforts... now we're getting somewhere! After Cant Wait (I didnt expect any repeats from Show 1, go figure) comes She Belongs To Me, featuring a plaintive, wailing vocal, with guitar to match. Then on the second solo break, a novelty-- it seemed Bob and Larry were BOTH playing lead, neither was playing rhythm. It was as if they were playing separate but compatible simultaneous solos... immensely entertaining virtuosity. After Stuck Inside Moblie came the acoustic. It Aint Me Babe featured a countrified, sorta rockabilly arrangement, Bob really put the lyric across well. Tambourine Man, timeless classic. Then Tangled Up again, and the 2nd attempt of the night was a little better than the 1st, but not much. A lot of people saw both shows, I couldnt understand why he was repeating songs we just heard and they just played 2 hours ago. Then my first look at Friend of the Devil. A vet of 55 Grateful Dead shows, I loved it-- the arrangement was very straightforward and reminiscent of American Beauty, not the slowed down tempo of the 90's version. Some gorgeous atmospheric steel by Bucky graced this one... then another Highway 61... Encore starts with simply the best Love Sick I've ever seen, or expect to see. Absolutely heart-wrenching... tremendous playing and singing. Blowin in the Wind acoustic, Im thinking to myself, this has got to be one of the greatest songs ever written, Im so lucky to be seeing this up close. Then the closer, and mind-blowind finale. They launch into Not Fade Away, everyone knows its the last song. Almost immediately, 2 women are onstage, walking toward Bob, one from each side. Now one, now two more. I've been to literally a hundred concerts, more-- so Im expecting security to come out and throw em all off any second. But no, THERES NO SECURITY!!! Suddenly, theres like half a dozen babes onstage, here come more... the band is still jamming out full blast, Bob is eyeing the situation, possibly nonplussed, but not showing it. The first man on the stage is this goofy kid, he comes to center stage and lifts his shirt--- its Soy Bomb!!! The crowd goes wild!!! At this point, a sudden stream of people starts walking across the table tops, and onto the stage, Bob is surrounded, but still the show goes on. I'm thinking, I really dont wanna be a dick, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime situation, I'm going for it, if I dont I'll kick myself later. So i pop up on stage, smile as I walk by Bucky, stop to say hi and thanks to Tony, whos craning his neck over the crowd to glimpse Bob, and get a clue whats going on... the musics still going full tilt, as I wiggle into the circle... at the center of which is BOB FUCKING DYLAN!!! There he is!! Little guy, about 5'6" I'd say. Hes yelling the chorus into the mike, with about 3 women joining him--- its a freakin singalong! The vocals end, and Bob continues to jam-- people are grabbing at him, hugging him from behind--- he appears to be enjoying himself!! All smiles, hes looking all around, nodding genially-- he looks right at me and I almost shit. I patted him on the head!! I was beside myself, what can i say?? Finally its apparent they cant continue, they somehow wrap it up, and Bob is whisked away not by security, by his roadies, out to the rescue. I have never been to a show with an absolute total lack of security, it was mind boggling. On the way out, Bob turns to kiss a fan right on the lips, I thought she was gonna swoon. Then he's gone. People cant believe whats happened, everyone's milling around onstage, hi-fiving and screaming. I got the hell down and tryed to pull myself together. I was onstage with Bob Dylan Im telling myself, onstage with Bob Dylan. fabulous X X X
Subject: Re: Atlantic City (long) From: Frinjdwelr (frinjdwelr@aol.com) Date: 3 Mar 1999 04:47:32 GMT Since these shows have spawned some rather extreme comments I guess I'll jump into the fray. As to the person who claimed Bob knelt down and said a prayer on stage, it was obvious that the dropping to one knee while strapping on the electric guitar had a lot more to do with the state of his back than the state of his soul. It's related to why he currently has the guitar tech run around behind the drums to grab the guitar off his back at each change rather than bending over to set the thing down. Since at this show he also could be seen clutching his back at the waist at one point, it may have been bothering him more than usual. As to the person who posted that Bob motioned the first stage jumpers up - not so. He had been flirting with the woman who started the deluge, but her calling his bluff seemed genuinely surprising to him, as indicated by his shocked look and the way his jaw dropped as she began her approach. Anyone who doesn't understand how very dangerous this kind of melee is for Bob, probably shouldn't be attending shows. That said, I do understand how tempting the prospect was( no I didn't) and don't think the incident was all that horrible, taking place in these extremely weird surroudings. As long as it stays an isolated incident. Because of course jumping on the stage has nothing to do with appreciating the performer and everything to do with the jumpers' egos. I did think the soy bomb kid was hilarious and displayed just the right sense of ironic aplomb. As to the performances themselves, the people who are calling them best ever surely have never seen a truly inspired show. On the other hand those that have proclaimed them dire need their "yes I'm jaded" meters adjusted back a few notches. So go ahead and stay away from shows, it's your loss and more tickets for the rest of us. Now to throw out my own dubious opinions, I thought the performances were both spotty, but worth seeing. I agree with all those who felt he was holding back during most of the first show, and peaked during the first set of the second show. I thought he seemed distracted, in a way that each time the performances started to take off, he'd lose his focus and things would flatten out. The low points were the acoustic sets. But Bob and Larry's guitar work, and interplay between all players is terrifically improved over last year. And there are some songs- like say "Love Sick"- that the man currently seems incapable of singing less than amazingly. He also consistently did a bit of toying with phrasing and enunciation that made me chuckle. Sure what these shows have gained in professionalism and in- sync- ness, they've lost in edginess and sense of imminent chaos. But remember, everyone slams those late 80's early 90's shows that reveled in the opposite vibe. So the guy can't win. But hopefully he'll keep the pendulum in spin. You know how it goes. He's an ole boll weevil......
Date: 07 Mar 1999 17:23:00 +0100 From: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de (Carsten Wohlfeld) Sender: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de (Carsten Wohlfeld) Subject: February 27, 1999 (early) - Atlantic City, New Jersey - a review Bob Dylan Atlantic City, NJ, The Sands February 27, 1999 (early show) A review by Carsten Wohlfeld So there I was in Atlantic City. Never thought I'd ever go there, but Bob had made me travel to other weird places before, so why not. A had a day off in New York City after the amazing Portland show and took one of the pretty affordable Casino buses that depart from the New York City Bus Terminal at 42nd Street at around noon. Arrived in Atlantic City at 2.30, had a little something to eat, walked along the beach a little, took some pictures and then it was time to get in line already. The Copa Room is situated in the middle of the gigantic Sands Casino, so at least you could wait inside though the constant noise from a million slot-machines was alittle nerve-wrecking. It was great to meet all the people there that I hadn't seen in ages, Joy, Moe, Christine, Larry, Janina, Carla, Dan... everybody! So waiting in line was actually not too bad. They began seating people at around 6pm and we got a pretty decent seat on a table close to the stage. The place was pretty big despite the capacity of 700, cause it was all seats at tables. Looked exactly like you remember the Casino Ballrooms from the old Elvis Presley movies. At 7.30 pm it was time to welcome the Columbia Recording Artist who'd have to do twice his usual work today. Well, almost. I had my money on "Gotta Serve Somebody" as the opener, but instead we got: Watching The River Flow which was a nice way to kickstart the show, pretty fast, but the song obviously doesn't take much effort to play anymore so everybody on stage was similing and looking around. Next up, we could've gotten "The Man In Me" (it was listed as first choice on the cuesheet), but instead it was: Lay Lady Lay Now it seems that I've heard this song a million times live (which is not true), but hardly ever I can find something in the performance that interests me. Tonight was no exception. Bob obviously was pretty much into the song, so much in fact that he did the guitar solo himself. It was also at this point that the guy behind me started shouting "harmonica". Something he didn't stop until the show was over. Bob never came even close to picking up the harp, of course. he hadn't played it for more than 10 days... Can't Wait Pretty hard rocking rendition, seemed to be longer than usual as well and featured a pretty good Larry solo. Just Like A Woman We could've gotten another "4th Street" in the slot according to the cuesheet, but Bob went for the simpler song and it got the usual treatment. Good, but far from being exciting. Silvio Another disappointing song choice that was a 1:1 copy of the Portland performance. At least they did the slow ending again and didn't tortue us with the solo-part at the end. Cocaine Blues (acoustic) Now here's a song that doesn't change a bit every time they play it. If that's good or bad, it up to you. Masters Of War (acoustic) I know I'm repeating myself, but this again was the (only) highlight of the night. The white spotlights on Bob seemed even weirder in the small place... "Baby Blue" was one of the songs on the cuesheet that went unplayed in this slot. Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic) Alternate on the cuesheet was "Desolation Row". Do I need to say more? Make You Feel My Love It was at this point where I thought that the setlist was ridiculous. Now Bob and crew must've known that at a 700 capacity show at 75 bucks a throw they'd attract mostly people who've seen Bob play many times before. Why would they pick a selection of the most overplayed and/or worst songs Bob has ever written for an event like that? Sure, there's also the people who've seen 100+ shows and will tell you how much they hate songs like "Feel My Love" or "Silvio" and still give Bob a standing ovation when he plays them. What is that? Faked loyalty? (I'll come back to that later) Highway 61 Revisited Followed the band intros and Bob enjoyed it so much, he even gave us some kneebends and goofy facial expressions. (encore) Love Sick followed as expected. It was a pretty good version as far as I remeber even though I don't recall what made me enjoy it more than usual. Don't Think Twice (acoustic) Same ole song. The guy behind me was close to tears cause Bob still hadn't picked up the harp despite his constant yelling. Not Fade Away More kneebends and a good time for everybody. 75 minutes and that was it. Then the lights came on and we were politely asked to leave the venue as fast as possible. Now what did I think after that show? Quite frankly, I thought it sucked. Of course I have to compare it to the Portland show which was way above standard, but still. I don't think I got the entertainment for my 75 bucks that I could ask for. As I said before, this was a show for hardcore fans only and apart from the people who think Bob is God and everything he does is the best thing since sliced bread it was difficult to really enjoy it. Of course it was great to see him in such a small place and so close to the stage, but then again Bob and crew didn't seem to put too much effort into the performance. maybe cause they knew they had another show to play, but hey, some people only went to one and they certainly would have appreciated a bit more exitement at the early show as well. And let's talk about the ticket prices... Now I guess $35 bucks is alright and that's what he charged at the gigs with Natalie. $75 bucks is okay for a small show like this (even if it could've been better), but now at the upcoming european show Bob charges between $50 and $60 at huge 15,000 seat venues and he doesn't even have a (well-known) support act. How about that? Well, before I rant on forever I better concentrate on the review of the late show. Stay tuned! carsten wohlfeld -- "you wish that you were special - i'm just like you" (the cardigans) ## CrossPoint v3.1 ##
Date: 07 Mar 1999 17:24:00 +0100 From: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de (Carsten Wohlfeld) Sender: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de (Carsten Wohlfeld) Subject: February 27, 1999 (late) - Atlantic City, New Jersey - a review Bob Dylan Atlantic City, NJ, The Sands February 27, 1999 (late show) A review by Carsten Wohlfeld After just a few minutes rest it was time to get in line again. It was pretty funny to see how people tried to get some more posters out of Gary. The 150 they had sold out even before the first show had started and *alot* of people left disappointed and without a poster... Even though the line was much longer than before the first gig already I still mananged to get a pretty decent seat again. Then, at 10.30pm it was showtime again. To Be Alone With You I can't help it, but I really like this one, even though it's only a pretty dumb love song. Much better than the cuesheet's other choice "Pillbox" without a doubt. You're A Big Girl Now Came unexpected in the number two slot, but was one of *the* highlights of the second show. Rather slow, but beautifully sung, with long (but not very good) Bob guitar solos. Lots of kneebends, too. Can't Wait Rocked even more. It was also already the third time that Bob said "thank you" after the song. Always a sign that he's enojoying himself. Unfortunately it didn't stop him from chosing She Belongs To Me over "4th Street" and "Simple Twist Of Fate". Usual performance with nice phrasing on the last verse and a pretty cool Larry solo that I've not heard him play before. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again There were a lot of alternative choices on the cuesheets for both show, but not many different songs. Fortunately they didn't do another "Silvio". This was a great choice too. Probably the best "Memphis" I've ever heard them do and I saw quite a few! Everything just fell into place perfectly. Great stuff! It Ain't Me Babe (acoustic) Only the fact that he hadn't played it a gazillion times before this year made me enjoy this one. Mr Tambourine Man (acoustic) was played even though "Desolation" was listed first on the cuesheet! Oh Mercy! At least Bob did a very decent job *singing* this song. Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic) was "Tangled"...just like so many times before. Friend Of The Devil (acoustic) was - again - nice to hear and very well received. Band intros ("here's a young man who has played with me for about 30 years... Bucky Baxter" )followed and indicated that Bob wouldn't do more electric songs in the main set apart from the not very surprising Highway 61 Revisited to end the main set after just 55 minutes. (encore) Love Sick Sounded very different. A bit tired actually, but in a good way. Of course they could've done "Like A Rolling Stone" instead which was the other choice on the cuesheet. Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic) No change there. Big crowdpleaser as always. Not Fade Away Now you've read it before, about 60 people stormed on stage during this song, somebody stole Bucky's hat, there was a "soy Bomb" imitator, somebody tried to take a picture ON STAGE (and got busted), and after the song had ended Bucky grabbed his pedal steel (!) and ran off. The second show (which was no longer than 75 minutes either) was a little better than the first, but still not the kind of entertainment I'd pay $75 for. Obviously you never know what is on Bob's mind, but for this tour (and the Las Vegas setlists) seem to confirm that the exciting part was over once the houselights came on in Portland. Overall I was very impressed with the last part of this US tour, it was much better than the shows I'd seen in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. It'll be interesting to see what will happen in Europe. Last year he followed up the handful of shows at the Westcoast (that all had very similar setlists) with some pretty cool gigs in Europe. We'll have to wait and see. I'll catch up with y'all in Zrich at the end of April again. Until then, thanks for reading all my rants :-) So long! carsten wohlfeld -- "and then i realized i'm living like a trucker does although i haven't got the belly / and even though she wanted to follow me to california all the way i only wanna walk the telly" (luna) ## CrossPoint v3.1 ##
Subject: Finally, my Atlantic City (7:30) review From: Stasia (A_Karel@ACAD.FANDM.EDU) Date: 7 Mar 1999 12:12:20 -0800 Well, I wrote this almost a week ago, and am only now getting around to posting it....some of the below has been said in other reviews, and some has not. Enjoy! -Stasia Made excellent time getting into Atlantic City, so that I was in line by about 5:30, for a 7:30 show. Turns out that people had been waiting at the Sands since 7am that morning for the show. But my place in line was satisfactory enough. They started letting people in before 6:30, and I was in soon after that. Decided to sit with a guy waiting with me in line, and the maitre'd put us in the fourth section of tables back from the stage. After discussing our position for a few minutes, the guy gives me a $20 to use in asking the maitre'd for better seats. This whole experience was the first highlight of the evening, because it worked fabulously, and resulted in seats in the second section from the stage. I have trouble estimating distances, but my guess is that we were about 50 ft., and a bit right of center, from the red and gold-curtained stage. As show time came closer, sounds of guitars could be heard from behind this voluminous curtain. At about 10 min. to showtime the curtain was lifted to reveal the set-up of instruments, and when there was just a little bit to wait, a bright light began flashing over the stage. The house lights did not dim until the guys were ready to come out; people were still coming in at this point - lots of complimentary tickets were given out to the "important people", many of whom had guaranteed good seats. The crowd stands, appaulds and cheers as Dylan and the band come out. First song is Watching The River Flow, although in the beginning I thought it sounded like To Be Alone With You (as this latter song was the opener for the 10:30 show, perhaps I did hear correctly, and Bob made one of those quick decisions to change songs). The first thing that was apparent during this song was the mood Bob was in. He was into the show from the beginning, and "all smiles" would be one way to describe his face. There was no need for me to use binoculars at this show, as we were close enough to see every expression on his face. Next song is Lay Lady Lay, which was very nice to hear. A better performance than the one I heard way back whenever - August 97? (can't remember for sure) And during the middle of this song, one of the waitresses asked if I could sit down, which I did. It was early enough in the show that I was willing to comply with other people's wishes. Can't Wait was the next one, a song that I have now heard 5 times. I definitely prefer this song in the #3 slot, as opposed to later on in the show like he'd been doing recently. Just Like A Woman followed, and was well-received by the audience. Another one that I've heard at least twice before, but it was well enough done so as to sound better than previous times. I suppose that is one of the expectations I have at concerts, to be able to say "this is the best yet!", and mean it. (Well, I suppose that is the ideal concert - for me to be so moved that even if a previous show was better, you don't remember it because of what you have just witnessed.) Oh, and then comes Silvio. I had to go the last two shows (11/5/98 & 2/18/99) without this song, and I was just so happy to hear it. There's just something about Silvio in the #5 slot that works so well with the concert as a whole. Perhaps it's the danceable quality of this song, which comes at that exactly right moment - after usually slower songs, you are ready for a faster beat. Now the next song I guessed from the opening notes. Cocaine. This was my fourth time hearing it, but it's another song that I just love live. Masters Of War came next, and the sound became rather heavy for an acoustic number as it ended, but it worked with the song rather than against it (no doubt the result of this being the best band). In my honest opinion, Tangled Up In Blue just isn't the same it was a year ago (or even in 11/98). It was a bit better this night as opposed to Lehigh on 2/18, but it has gone from being one of the fun parts of the concert to one of those take it or leave it moments. Though TUIB is still a crowd pleaser, especially in the last verse, "heading out for another joint" line. As it has been, the 5th verse was skipped, and "truck drivers' wives" prevails. Also important is that fact that these last six songs (#3-#8) were the exact same ones Bob played last year in Atlantic City, 1/31/98 at the Taj Mahal. But I didn't and don't care, because if anything, the setting made this concert X times better. Make You Feel My Love - noted by me as "smokily beautiful". This is a song that I definitely prefer live over the album version. He introduces the band now, with a quip about Bucky being with him for 30 years - gets a chuckle from the audience. This is also perhaps the first ever show that I have had a decent view of David -- usually I am on the left of center stage, and the cymbals always block him. HWY61 finishes off the set, rockin' as it always does. I don't remember if I was dancing during this one or not - but in general during the show I was not happy sitting down. Often I was kneeling on my chair, or standing esp. towards the end. If other people couldn't see, well, that's why I was kneeling a lot; but hey, Bob wants to know that the audience is into it, and what better way than to dance to those songs that deserved to be danced to. And I want Bob to know just how much I am enjoying the music. I am very sorry to anyone who's view I blocked, but I couldn't help it at the time. Before leaving the stage, Bob did a little half bow to the audience. They come back on soon and launch into Love Sick, which was definitely well-received - I heard a few people lauding Time Out of Mind during this one. Don't Think Twice was next, and this one I guessed from the opening music. I was one of the few people up for this one - and I know Bob saw me - I got a huge smile my way. Even if maybe our eyes didn't meet, there was just that instance when you know and the image is plastered into my memory. Not Fade Away can only be described as "wow". The perfect way to end what I easily decided was a show tied for best. The songs alone would not have made this show the best, but it was the whole experience. The size of the room, the maitre'd, the great looks on Bob's face (and the fact I could see them w/o binoculars). But if I had to pick a highlight from the songs, I'm stuck between Cocaine and Don't Think Twice. And I am so happy with the show I saw; even though I've been wanting to hear Friend of the Devil for ages, Silvio was a much better treat. One last note: the show ended at 8:50; so it was about 1 hr. and 15 min. long.
