Bob Dylan 2000.03.24 in Bozeman, MT

Subject: Just got back from Montana...
From: michaelgsmith 
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 12:25:10 -0800

Just got back from Montana yesterday. Saw the Missoula and
Bozeman shows and wow, Bob, wow, its an auspicious beginning for
a new year of live shows!
Impressions:

His vocal performances are fantastic; In Missoula, the voice was
clear as a bell. When he played Song to Woody, I went into shock
because of how similar it sounded to the LP version. He also
seems to be taking EVEN more chances with his phrasing. Baby Blue
and TUIB were totally inspired re-interpretations. He would draw
out certain words to operatic lengths. He would search for a word
to emphasize in the melody, decide if he liked it or not, then
get into a pattern of repeating this same emphasis in each line.
"Then she opened up a BOOOK of poems...". Passionately done.
(This type of experimentation can also, unfortunately, lead to
dead ends, as in Maggie's Farm in Missoula.)

This World Can't Stand Long is a small miracle. His voice takes
on such a rich, warm timbre and he nails the melody so perfectly
that I can easily imagine a non-Dylan fan hearing it and saying,
"That is great singing."

Country Pie is rollicking good fun! Once again, very close to the
LP version. At the end of this one (and this won't be the same
for those of you who only get to hear it on tapes), the music
stops and Larry, Charlie and Bob each take turns playing the same
little riff. It's really too . . . well, cute!

The guitar and harp solos are becoming more ambitious. After
seeing a tangled harp solo in Missoula and an it ain't me harp
solo in Bozeman, I'm now convinced more than ever that Bob only
plays harp on songs where he thinks his performance has been very
good. It's as if he's saying, yes, I've given you all a little
treat and now here's the cherry on top.
The guitar solo he took on Just Like a Woman in Bozeman was
intricate, confident and dead on. (Interestingly, this show
started out a little shaky, with Bob only getting fully warmed up
by TUIB. In contrast, at Missoula he was on fire from the word
"Glory".)

The presence of a guest on stage causes Bob to ham it up
unmercifully. This was the case with Susan Tedeschi in Nov. and
it was also the case with Ray from Asleep at the Wheel in
Bozeman. This is a good thing for those of us who like a little
high comedy at our Bob shows. During RDW in Bozeman, Bob went
CRAZY running back and forth across that stage!

Montana sure was an interesting place to see Bob. Both shows I
saw were sold out and it was obvious that there were a high
number of "casual fans" at both shows. But yet...these were not
the same cell-phone wielding frat-boy types "requesting" songs at
the Dylan/Simon shows. They were very appreciative and
responsive. These were rural people who came out because
something big was happening in their town. Sort of like going to
the circus. There was a feeling like the show was somehow good
for their towns. It was somehow touching and beautiful. In
Bozeman, the headline of the front page paper read: "Brick
Breeden Field House turned into concert hall for Bob Dylan show."
Underneath this was a large picture of men setting up folding
chairs!

Anyway, for anyone out there contemplating whether or not to go
see Bob, I would say its worth a 32 hour train ride...

Love,
Michael