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Bob Dylan 950403, Manchester, England


Date:    Tue, 4 Apr 1995 09:50:07 GMT
From:    chris Firth (C.D.Firth@SHEF.AC.UK)
Subject: MANCHESTER LABATTS APOLLO 3rd APRIL - CHRIS FIRTH
 
Manchester Labatts Apollo 3rd April
 
Against a backdrop of ardwick and moss-side
This is not a venue at the cosy end of town
 
A converted cinema with the seats ripped out for a standing with
Seating in the balcony only.
 
No support act 'great' (who wants to stand through the support act
Even if it might have been elvis costello)
 
'Columbia presents Bob Dylan'
Lights up and a rock show starts
This is one of the best shows iv'e seen for some time
And i started at the isle of wight.
 
The truly beautiful melodies and reworked rock numbers bring
A freshness to the songs and are the key to the success of this show.
 
He held the captivated audience throughout
Several songs with microphone only (left hand floats in space)
 
Highlights for me were 'Gates Of Eden', 'It Ain't Me Babe',
'Boots of Spanish Leather', 'Tambourine Man',
'Man in a Long Black Coat'.
 
Excellent lighting pass it on someone.
 
With the band on form he's starting to look interesting again.
 
All we need now is the danger in the songs.
This time round the danger came from the venue
 
Great rock show and great venue
 
Well done bob thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
Chris Firth.
(CAPS LOCK converted by Karl Erik. Couldn't read it otherwise. OK?)

Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 13:14:52 GMT From: eddie@edlis.org (Ed Ricardo) Subject: Re: MANCHESTER LABATTS APOLLO 3rd APRIL - CHRIS FIRTH chris Firth (C.D.Firth@shef.ac.uk) wrote: : MANCHESTER LABATTS APOLLO 3rd APRIL : AGAINST A BACKDROP OF ARDWICK AND MOSS-SIDE : THIS IS NOT A VENUE AT THE COSY END OF TOWN : A CONVERTED CINEMA WITH THE SEATS RIPPED OUT FOR A STANDING WITH : SEATING IN THE BALCONY ONLY... Usually CAPS LOCK on UseNet News is interpretted as meaning shouting and usually the poster includes a lot of swearwords and general signs of dementia. For once someone is SHOUTING with good cause. I weakened and downed tools and attended Manchester's wild side on Wednesday evening. In time I will post on that but for the minute too much needs catching up. I can picture Chris standing on his chair at Sheffield Academic Computing Services, shouting madly at his screen as he types. Are we getting something across to people I wonder? [stands on chair in silent Cambridge library] NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO MISS A BOB DYLAN CONCERT. No one is in a position to say how long this level of performance can last, I hope it never fades, but the realistic among us are abandoning longstanding commitments with weak excuses and travelling some distances. Nobody has been fired or failed so far (though I left Ben Taylor in the early hours of Thursday morning outside a rather rough Irish pub near the venue mumbling about what a commitment to exam revision he was NOW going to make...) EDLIS has thought of grading Dylan performances with a mileage chart, a 10 would mean worth travelling 10 kilometres, 100 would be 100 kilometre radius, etc etc etc. A sort of guarantee of reward for effort. Ben Ryan was there Wednesday. He travelled from Hobart Tasmania. He found Mr Dylan amply rewarded him for his effort. My guess would be that gives us about a 15,000 kilometre rating. Anyone got a precise Hobart to Manchester distance so we can make this accurate? :-) Ed
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 1995 10:23:47 BST From: david lindsey (dfl1@UNIX.YORK.AC.UK) Subject: best audience recording ? I would like to put in another claim for best audience recording ever. Only last week end I recieved a tape of Manchester 3-4-1995. The sound quality is quite outstanding even in these days of considerable technical achievement. I was at that concert so I know how noisy the Manchester crowd were, but this recording sounds as though the taper was standing right next to Bob on the stage. Who are these unsung heroes ?? And how does Bucky do that thing on memphis blues, so his steel guitar sounds just like a hammond organ ? Anybody else noticed that ? Anyway to whoever he (or she) is, that manchester tape is the best ever..... bar none, all other audience recordings pale beside it, cheers dave.
Dates 1995
Tour