Expecting Rain

... only that Dylan didn't have anything to do with it, as far as I know. I believe it comes from a newspaper preview of the of the NY state shows in 2002, it was picked up there and was used ever since. People thought it was a joke at first, but it obviously stuck. To add to it would be kind of pointless.

I thought it was a bit redundant, because if you are already at the show, you should know who Dylan is. As a newspaper preview is was pretty awesome, though.

No intro at all is a bit weird indeed. Of course there's a lot of bands who don't have a spoken intro, but unlike Bob they do say hello to the audience themselves.

I really did like the previous version, "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome Columbia recording artists Bob Dylan". Very old school, but it really says it all.

Probably not much of a Deadhead then, ey?

No intro is fine with me...who else would people be expecting?

Right on.

You're quoting me out of context. It's the combination of no intro and Dylan not addressing the crowd that I think is weird or at least unusual. I always thought the intro was there to spare him the need to greet the audience.

There were times in the past with no intro though, weren't there?

Fair enough. I get what you are saying.

Of course, but since 1991, they pretty much consitantly used an intro ending on "... Columbia Recording Artist Bob Dylan". There were relatively few shows before this leg without any kind of intro, but personally I've always attributed that to one off experiments or Al Santos being absent for whatever reason.

The changes with the (missing) intro music and spoken word intro kind of make sense though. I always though these elements (together with the nag champa) were there to present some familiar elements in an otherwise ever-changing show. Now that they are settling on presenting more of a similiar show each night and have an actual light show to go with certain songs, it's probably easier to drop some of the other stuff, first the nag champa, then the intro music now the intro.

But this is pure speculation on my part of course.

Don't you think it may just be this present part of the show missing some of the elements, just because of the locations? The first time I experienced that sweet scent of the incense settling over the crowd, I became aware of what was about to happen in a way that wouldn't have been as possible without it. And the introduction is terrific, especially when he lowers his voice, (instead of raising it- like in most rambunctious introductions) and says "Bob Dylan" ::swoon:: and there they are! And the Eye Logo appearing seems to have so much meaning to some of the fans, besides being all over the merchandise- I think it will show up again, but maybe in a more dramatic way. I like all the ambiance attitude.

So it was kind of a guitar sounding intro in Latin America. I wonder if that will continue. It seems that we are beyond the "forced folk into bed with rock" intro by now...

Probably because that bit about doing his best work beginning in the late nineties was getting wronger with each utterance.

yea that's because it got even better in the early 2000s....

I like the non-verbal intro that appeared to take place in most of the Latin shows weeks ago.

Yes, Chrsitmas Through The Heart deserves a mention in in the intro as does Bob's arrest as a homeless person in New Jersey and his troubles with the portable toilet in California.

If you wanna nitpick, actually it said that he released "some" of his best music beginning in the late '90's. Just sayin.'

Maybe they should get a guy to read the intro who doesn't rush through it and sound bored.
Bill Kurtis? James Earl Jones? Morgan Freeman? Michael Ironside?

Maybe Al retired after the Hammersmith Shows last year? He must be in his 60's...

Did people see him around at the South American shows?

I thought that he intro-ed at the start of the Latin shows. Caroline or others may recall better than I can.

the al santos intros are gone - the recent mexican tapes confirmed it

I wasn't clear. I meant the first show or two of the Latin American leg had it, then it disappeared for the rest of that leg. That was the confirmation I was seeking.

I'm so glad for this introduction because otherwise I would have thought I was at a Kenny Rogers concert.

Yikes. Thanks dgsvoboda!

The coast is clear. It hasn't appeared since Stu began the noodling intro very early on in the Latin American tour leg this past Spring. Left it in Rio or nearby. Phew!