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Bob Dylan 2001.04.23 in Lincoln

Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Lincoln concert review
From: Scott Bauer slbauer@inebraska.com
Date: 24 Apr 2001 15:55:58 -0700

LINCOLN, Neb. April 23:

The last time Bob Dylan stepped foot in Lincoln's Pershing
Auditorium he was 24 years old and unveiling a new amplified
vision of his music.

That tumultuous night in 1966 it was rumored that Dylan ended
his less-than-enthusiastically-received electric set with a
curt, ``Fuck you very much.''

Now approaching 60, when Dylan returned to the aging auditorium
Monday night, he avoided any such insults. In fact, he didn't
say a word in between songs. Even the band introductions were
made as the band continued playing ``Leopard-skin Pill-box
Hat.''

Continuing his critical and musical renaissance-du-jour, Dylan,
almost certainly without any knowledge, gave a nod to his 1966
performance by playing five of the same songs Monday that he did
35 years ago.

This time the reception was markedly different.

The typical Dylan crowd with age ranges from 7 to 70, stood
during the entire show, not really singing along but instead
craning to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic singer and the Oscar
he had neatly sitting on an amplifier at center stage.

Judging from the fan reaction to old familiar tunes, most in the
audience only had a cursory knowledge of the deeper recesses of
Dylan's musical catalog.

There was no denying, however, that he hit his stride for the
night early on with a lilting version of ``Just Like Tom Thumb's
Blues'' that led into a dramatically slowed down, mournful take
of ``Trying to Get to Heaven.''

Skipping over the riff-driven ``Seeing the Real You At Last,''
the concert hit its zenith with a triumverate of triumph:
``Boots of Spanish Leather,'' followed by ``Visions of Johanna''
and capped off with ``Don't Think Twice'' (replete with
harmonica).

After hearing ``Boots,'' I was so satisfied I told the person
next to me that Dylan could read the phone book the rest of the
night and I would be happy. To have that followed up by
``Visions'' and ``Don't Think Twice'' was not only surprising by
downright shocking.

Add into the mix the disappearance of ``Tangled Up in Blue,''
even if for just one night, and things were looking up.

Contradicting my theory that he had tired of ``Things Have
Changed,'' Dylan brought it back for another decent outing.

The Dylan newbies seemed a bit shocked by the frantic
run-through of ``Drifter's Escape'' and even Bob seemed a little
lost in Charlie Sexton's guitar manifestations.

The seven-song encore set was predictable. ``If Dogs Run Free''
just gets better and better and even ``All Along the
Watchtower'' had some virtues this night.

The wild card acoustic spot brought another stand-out, this
night in the form of ``I Shall Be Released.'' The band wasn't
even thrown when Dylan began the first chorus proclaiming that
the light was shining from the east down to the west, instead of
the other way around.

Following the always-crowd-pleasing ``Rainy Day Women'' Dylan
and his bandmates did the familiar stand and stare at the
audience routine. In 1966 such an action would have been
interpretated as being disrespectful, rude and downright wrong.

But with the wave of applause rippling over him, Dylan looked
perfectly proper standing there, soaking it all in. One has to
wonder if he remembered ever being on the same stage all those
years ago and if he was thinking about how things have changed.


Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Re: Lincoln concert review
From: Maureen & Stephen Scobie mscobie@coastnet.com
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2001 17:29:51 -0700

In article <3AE60435.34DF24D8@inebraska.com>, Scott Bauer
 wrote:

 
> The last time Bob Dylan stepped foot in Lincoln's Pershing Auditorium he
> was 24 years old and unveiling a new amplified vision of his music.

In Vancouver, 1966, Bob introduced "Ballad of a Thin Man" by
saying "Mr Jones comes from Lincoln, Nebraska." (Pause.)  "We
don't mention this when we're playing Lincoln, Nebraska."

I mention this partly because I'm a Scot, an exapatriate Brit,
and I wouldn't have had the faintest idea which State of the
Union Lincoln was in if I hadn't heard this introduction.  But
as it is, "Lincoln Nebraska" is fused in my mind as a single
phrase.

Stephen


2001: February - March - April -

Tour