Bob Dylan 2002.04.05 in Stockholm

So there we were again in the Globe Arena. Bob has pleen playing three
times in five years in this huge building in southern Stockholm that
looks like a giant golf ball. The anticipation was high this time. Love
And Theft has sold well here, it even reached number one even if it was
only for a week.
And apparently he has reched a new and younger audience lately. When we
was waiting in line ouotside the box office one early morning to buy our
front row tickets we had four people in their twenties in front of us
who had stayed overnight in sleeping bags. 
I think that most of the approx 11 000 were satisfied. It turned out to
be a great show and a show of surprises. And a set with a new structure
which I liked.

Bob had his usual outfit and this time also a hat on. Just like he had
on the Grammy Awards at Staples Center. It seemed that he was still
suffering from a a slight jet-lag, the first couple of song was not
good. He was really struggling with his voice on The Times they are
a-changing«. But from It«s allright Ma he hit the groove. He was really
into it from there on. It was one of those nights when he looked really
concentrated. Not much smiling and moving on the stage but just digging
into the songs.

The äpresident lineä received the usual cheers from the crowd and the
following Don«t think twice was reaaly wonderful with tender singing
from Bob. The best version I heard for years.
And what can I say about Man of constant sorrow and Solid Rock? Great
surprices of course but also unusual good performances on songs that
haven«t been performed for a long time. There seems to have been quite a
lot of rehearsals before this tour.

Positively 4th street however was a dissapointment as he forgot some
words and mixed some lines. But he soon recovered with a beautiful Make
you feel my love. And Maggies farm, not one of my favourite songs,
sounded fresh in e new and effective arrangement.

The highlight of the evening? Summer days! It really rocked hard. And
Sugar Baby was fine too even if I would have asked for Mississippi instead.

After the main set the more predictable encores felt like a slight
dissapointment. Nothing special here except for two young girls from the
audience who was allowed by Bob«s security and guitar technician to come
on stage and dance during Like a rolling stone. Honest with me showcased
some nice work from the new drummer George Receli who sounded much more
into it than on the tapes I«ve heard from the earlier shows this year.

All in all a nice tour starter and I look forward to see the concluding
shows in London in five weeks time from now. See you there.

Jan Semneby