Bob Dylan 2001.08.23 in Sun City West

Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 20:14:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jason polanski  jasonpolanski@yahoo.com
Subject: concert review
To: webmaster@expectingrain.com

Here's a review for the website of the 8/23 concert in
Sun City West.

 I didn't know what to expect seeing Bob Dylan in the
well known Arizona retirement community called Sun
City. Sure enough, there was an unusual mix of people.
A local fan club sang karaoke to the greatest hits
while well dressed couples held hands through the
parking lot and young hippie kids held their ground.
 What some of them looked like they didn't expect was
Bob Dylan "age 60". Actually at the end of the show
someone actually turned to me and said, "Somehow this
turned into a rock concert". I guess he stopped
following Bob after 1965. Either way, Bob did rock.

 He opened with SOMEBODY TOUCHED ME as if he was
touched by the emotional spirit that brings him out
night after night. Basically a vocal warm up though.
 The second song, TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING, seemed
for Bob another vocal warm up, but pleased the
"greatest hits" crowd. Get on a new road!

 Bob finally settled into his playful singing style
with IT'S ALRIGHT MA. This was also the first song to
feature a serious effort on Bob's part to play solos
while interacting greatly with his band.

 SEARCHING FOR A SOLDIERS GRAVE ended the acoustic set
while we attempted to break the theater's no smoking
rule.

 I think it was during the first electric song that
some of the older folks looked as shocked as Pete
Seeger in 1965. Bob ripped up GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY
with a new arangement and some different lyrics about
driving a truck.
                You may be the devil
                You may be the lord
                But you got to 
                (lot's of ad libs here!)
                Serve somebody
                
He basically stretched the length of the chorus and
told us all the different feelings we'd get from
serving the master.

 JUST LIKE A WOMAN was another crowd pleaser with Bob
pausing at moments you wouldn't expect when singing
creating massive suspense. "Till she
sees..........................................finally
that she's like.....all the rest". Great aggressive
harp solo at the end.

 Maybe he played SENOR because of Arizona's proximity
to the border or maybe because he felt close to this
song tonight, but it was amazing. He was shouting the
"Wicked wind still blowing" bridge with gospel
intensity that made you believe the iron cross was
still there. Finally the voice was really warmed up
too.

 An average STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE ended the electric
set.

 The second acoustic set started with MASTERS OF WAR.
Spookier than usual and Bob repeated the first verse
to end the song.

 Next he played LOVE MINUS ZERO but it was hard to pay
attention. At this point myself and the other kids at
the show got board of sitting next to the dead crowd
and began to rush the stage. Beautiful. Now we could
dance. Dylan seemed to notice this and ended Love - 0
with a short short solo.

 He then conversed with the band for a couple minutes
and probably said something like, "hey these guys just
came up here to dance let's give them a song". And I
think TANGLED UP IN BLUE was the gift from Bob. It was
as good as it gets. Please listen on the tape. The
harp solo at the end was about 4 or 5 verses long and
total Bob style. INTENSE!

 Bob picked back up the electric guitar and slowed it
way down with a just as intense version of STANDING IN
THE DOORWAY complete with a growling vocal and a two
note guitar solo that kept the crowd dancing anyway.

 It was during WICKED MESSENGER that some of the older
folks started walking out. The "I didn't expect a rock
show" crowd. The end of this was very interesting.
Different from last fall and the boots I've heard. He
started interacting with the guys and the solo went in
every direction it could for a looooooonnnnngg time.
Bob turned and faced David Kemper and signaled back
and forth as to where they would go next. Just when I
thought they had gone into something that wasn't what
they started, Bob gave one last signal to Kemper, put
down the guitar, picked up the harp and played a great
solo.......then repeated it exactly just to repeat it
exactly and it looked like Tony signaled for the end.

 Final song of the set was TO BE ALONE WITH YOU. This
performance was driven by Larry Campbells fiddle
playing and Bob introduced the band members during the
final solo and even allowed them to each show off a
bit!!! Great Tony Garnier bass solo!!!!!!

 The encores started with LOVE SICK. Bob started a
little two note riff on guitar which he loved so much.
Even when it was Larry's turn on the intrumental
break, Bob tried to force this riff through. He was
really having fun at this point.

 LIKE A ROLLING STONE was the usual with the second
verse done really well.

 KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR is completely rearranged
from last year and from the Japanese boot I heard from
March. Interesting.
 ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER was done with three Charlie
Sexton solos and Kemper's drum beat sounds more like
Hendrix than it used to.
 BLOWING IN THE WIND brought the amazing night to an
end perfectly. Bob sang,
"Howmany...deathswill....ittakestill.....heknowsthat..... 
toomany......peeeeeoooppplleehaavvvveeediieeeeddd!
Can you follow?

Jason