Bob Dylan 990200 in Birmingham, Alabama
Subject: 2/7/99 Birmingham Review From: Bloomeenee (bloomeenee@aol.com) Date: 10 Feb 1999 02:57:23 GMT Got to Birmingham from Atlanta at about 6:30, and the doors hadn't been opened yet. Quite a line was forming outside. ON the way in, I didn't see anyone getting searched-except me. The guy at the door who took my ticket grabbed me without a word, patted me down without a word, and ripped open my jacket to see what I had without a word. "Binoculars," I said, pointing to the pocket which housed my tape recorder. He let me go. Without a word. Our seats were for the balcony (which cost more than the floor for this ro that reason), but we noticed that the ushers weren['t checking tickets for the floor, so we walked up to about 3-5th row center (breaking rule number 2 for the night) Waiting around before a Dylan concert is always a blast for me. It's always nice to be able to stand around talking to people who know what I'm talking about when talking about setlists, internet sites, the newsgroups, etc. Almost like meeting famous people, or something. A jolly hello to all those to whom I spoke but didn't get a name. Both of the people with whom I came were there to see Setzer. Setzer seemed fairly arrogant about his band and his guitar playing, but he had every right to be. They put on an excellent, enjoyable show, and Setzers guitar playing left my jaw open. "How's Dylan going to top that?" My younger brother said as Setzer ended. As I knew he would, Dylan topped Setzer by simply walking out onto the stage. He appeared to be having a ball throughout, and it showed in the music. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen........" just beforehand I spoke with a few people about this: who is it that says this every night? is it all recorded? are the several versions recorded? is there something on the setlist to indicate which recording to use? Is there any sentence which causes more excitement? Once again- great to speak with people who know what I'm talking about. Gotta Serve Somebody seemed even better than Atlanta back in November. Dylan seemed to be in a pretty good mood already. Million Miles hadn't seen him play this arrangement just yet, but I loved it. Watching the River Flow I was a bit surprised to see this in the three spot, but it worked very well. Great guitar work all around. Make You Feel My Love not my very favorite song, but was played very well. I'd like to see Dylan play some piano or organ on this one, but I can't complain. Most of the crowd seemed to know it only as a Garth Brooks number. The vocals seemed to be turned quite aways up from here on out. Silvio Rock n roll! Missed this one in Atlanta, but the version tonight more than made up for it. Blue Eyed Jane I didn't know this song, but recognized it from reading the setlists (what an age we live in!) Bob seemed to enjoy singing this. It's All Over Now Baby Blue The intro sounded a lot like Desolation Row to me. My 5th show, and I finally get too seem him do Baby Blue-- and it was completely worth the wait! Beautiful phrasing throughout. Bob flubbed a line in verse three, which came out "strike another match the carpet too is moving under you." He looked a little embarrassed during the solo afterwards, and grinned like a jester when the line came up in verse 4. I've always loved the "strike another match" line, and got to see him sing it twice in one performance! Times started to get the crowd moving a bit. Audience cheered at the lines where one would expect, a little louder each chorus. It was at about this point that I became certain that the bulk of the crowd was there for Dylan. TUIB Maybe it would be nice to see something else in the acoustic set...but it'd be tough to top this one! I honestly don't know who was enjoying this more: the crowd, or Bob. Bob was smiling, grinning, and even making a couple of goofy faces all throughout the song. The reason it hasn't left the setlist in a long while is obvious: Bob loves singing it! Honkey Tonk Blues I dont know the original, but it was very good. I Cant Wait seems to be slowing down a little bit. Bob wasn't as into it as last time I sw him, certainly as much as Athens ion 97. That doesn't mean it wasn't good, though. Highway 61 great jamming all around, and Bob belting out the vocals in a way I've never heard him do before. Love Sick a great, eerie rendition, Bob really went all out on the last line. "I'd give ANYTHING just tooooooo...." I tried to play the opening on my car horn later on, butthe horn was the wrong note. Maggies Farm didn't expect this one at this point, but I love this song. Don't think 2x Awesome! Great singing, great phrasing, and the crowd was going nuts after nearly every line. No harp, but the guitar made up for it. Not Fade Away Especially cool so close to the 40th anniversary of Hollys death, this song makes for one hell of a closer. The crowd was screaming for one more encore, and I joined in even though I knew it was highly unlikely. Eventually, of course, the lights came on. I stood around with a group of others trying to get a setlist, but security was starting to blow its whistle - directly into my left ear. I guess it was to get me back for the sidestepping of the other two rules. As further karma, I missed a turn on the way home (damned streets with 8 different names), and ended up getting home at 4:30 am (on a school night, of course). All of this was fully worth it. Dylan was amazing - even my little brother was convinced. If you're going to a show on this tour, you're really in for a great show. If school and two jobs weren't tying me down (not to mention funds), I'd be doing eveything possible to see more. As it was, for reasons above, this may be the last chance I get to see him in the century for which he'll be best remembered, but, if you'll excuse me for closing the review the same way everyones closing reviews these days, it was perfectly obvious in Birmingham that Bob will NOT FADE AWAY! And I think I've just given myself an idea as to what I shoud do on New Years Eve....any guess where Bob might be playing that night? Adam btw- i'm sorta hiding this to avoid getting more responses than I can handle right now (which tends to happen) but the tape turned out GREAT! Big fat nyah nyah nyah to the guy who unceremoniously, and rather rudely, frisked me. When they're nice about it, i usually fess up to the fact that it's a tape player. But to live outside to law....
