Bob Dylan 2002.04.09 in Hamburg

Dylan in Hamburg, April 9, 2002

A brilliant, astonishing gig. 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'
was a real sensation: Not only is it a rare item on a Dylan
set list (the Dylanologists in the audience shrieked with
exitement when they heard the first line and recognized the
song). The song gets a very different treatment now. The
rhythm is half-time mostly with the emphasis on the 2 and
the 4, if I remember it correctly (count slowly:
One-TWO-three-FOUR, like this: Johnny's is the basement,
míxing up the medicine, I'm on the pavement etc.). Very
powerful and dynamic, with brief switches to the more
conventional straight rhythm in every verse.

Dylan's voice was in good shape. He shifted from a harsh
growl to more relaxed modes and back. You don't expect
'pretty' singing from Dylan anyway, do you? A very focused
vocal performance, he seemed to care for every line. Nice
and warm harmonica playing, too, not the reckless howl Dylan
sometimes treats his audience to.

And, yes, plonk plonk: his soloing. Very restricted, more
musical and humane than - as he likes to call it -
'mathematical'. The interaction between the three guitar
players in the band - Dylan, Larry Campbell and Charlie
Sexton - was phenomenal. No mindless riffing or noodling
whatsoever. Their guitar playing spun a dextrous musical web
instead, if you know what I mean. So the lengthy jams we got
to hear every now and then were a real enjoyable affair.

The overall sound of the ensemble is very transparent, even
when they rock loud and hard. As tight a band as they are,
it seems that the new drummer, George Recile, still needs to
become more familiar with the subtleties of Dylan's live
performance. Apparently, it is not only the audience that
can never be really sure where a song is going to: as a song
evolves in real time, Dylan introduces twists and turns that
seem to be unexpected for the band members as well (hmm, all
except Tony Garnier maybe...). Recile sometimes gets lost on
these occasions and needs to establish close communication
with Tony Garnier to make sense of what is going on on stage
at that particular moment. At least, that's how it seems.
One thing can be said for him, though: he is just as good as
David Kemper in breathing life into the songs, and he pushes
them a little harder.

And, hey: Dylan smiled! That was nice to see, and it
reflected the sheer fun of the music. Although it has to be
said it was not the audience he smiled at, but the band. And
just like he did in Kopenhagen, he also knelt down after the
encore. Very briefly so - the somewhat lame audience didn't
deserve more, frankly.

This was the sixth Dylan concert I've been to (after
Nürnberg 1978, Munich 1987, 1991 and 1995, Hamburg
2000). Musically, it has been the best so far. Overall,
though, it comes in second best: Nürnberg was magic -
compared to these days, Dylan has somehow deconstructed his
myth and his charisma. He is more human now. A very pleasant
development, actually.

Christian Matschke



 Bob Dylan
 Hamburg, Alsterdorfer Sporthalle
 April 9, 2002
 A review by Carsten Wohlfeld

In the end, Bob Dylan was stronger - Last year I had intended to see five
shows on Bob's European tour in the summer, but I decided to give the
last two a miss. Simply because I figured that actually travelling with
one of my favourite artists (that would be Ken Stringfellow, whose
recent album "Touched" you should by immediately!), having the chance to
hang out at the soundcheck, request songs etc. was more fun than just
seeing Bob for the umpteenth time, never being able to actually meet
him, never having the chance to even think about requesting songs etc.
So when the 2002 Euro dates were announced, I thought it would be more
than easy for me to stay away from the Bob shows, even though I had been
to most of his German shows since 1996. Not least since Ken Stringfellow
had played some quite staggering shows in Europe just last week.

So I had only plans to attend four Bob shows,starting in Frankfurt next
week, but when I saw the Scandinavian setlists with stuff like "Solid
Rock" and "Constant Sorrow", I just couldn't resist! So I made the four
hour train journey to Hamburg, only arriving half an hour before the
show, leaving five minutes after the last chord. In an ideal world, Bob
would've played three songs "for me": The aforementioned two plus my
alltime favourite "All Along The Watchtower". He didn't do any of them,
yet I have to say that this show was probably the overall most enjoyable
Bob gig I've seen in five years (and as some of you know, I've been to
quite a few).

Why? Well, mostly because there where so many new and exciting things.
Being busy with my graduation, I hadn't been able to follow the review
and bootleg scene as usual, so I was pretty surprised to see so many
changes even in the set-up. First of all, there were cardboard posters
for the show on sale at the merch table, a first in Europe. There was
also a huge backdrop behind the instruments (the "eye" logo) that was
new to me as well. I hadn't seen the by now entirely computerized light
show either (it was fab!) and the way they set up the amps on stage now
comes closer to having a preplanned "stage deco" than it did for at
least 15 years. There was also no incense (at least as far as I could
see / smell), so that was unusual too ö for me anyway. The Oscar trophy
was still sitting on Bob's amp, good to see not everything changed,
then!

The five of them took to the stage at 8.20pm ö and there was yet another
surprise, as they all wore matching purple suits. And they were custom
made too, so each band member still sticks to his individual clothing
style. Pretty funky indeed. Tony, Larry and newbie George (who looks
very much like Tony's twin even without the suit) also had matching
outlaw mustaches, how cool is that? They started with the song I had
hoped would be the opener, a first for me:

 Hummingbird (acoustic)

Actually Larry was playing an electric Fender, giving it a very Johnny
Cash/countryish feel with some stunning finger ficking. I loved the way
Charlie and Larry sang almost the entire song with Bob. Bob himself was
in surprisingly good form (for a first song anyway), he seemed to be
very alert and pretty much into it from the start. Great stuff!

 The Times They Are A-Changin' (acoustic)

Surprisgly good as well. As far as I recall Bob didn't stumble over any
lines this time, unlike last year, and he closed the song with a long
harp solo as well. He actually picked up the wrong harp first, so there
was a big gap between hislastline and the start of the harmonica solo.
You could tell that he wanted to try something different with the solo,
and it was pretty good, nowhere near as tuneful as his mid-90s stuff,
buta lot better than his alibi soloing from a couple of years ago.

 Desolation Row (acoustic)

Wow! The best version I've ever heard! Geoge played bongos during the
intro (his drumming skills were used to great effect on this number!)
and when the song took off, it was just magic. I think Bob sang a few
not-so-common verses as well and he really put a lot into the phrasing
which matched quite perfectly with the reworked arrangement.

 Girl Of The North Country (acoustic)

Started with Bob's harp solo and there was a strange pattern about the
opening solos. Bob would pick up a harp, do the solo, then try to put it
into his (too tight) pants, thus missing his guitar intro, then looking
confused, thus missing the first line of the song. He would also try to
stuff the harp deeper into his pocket after the first verse (this
happened during all three harp solos that started off the songs in
Hamburg - very weird and something that potentially ruins the song ö more
later). Even though he did miss the first line of the song, it was a
sweet and tender rendition, a perfect close to a very, very good first
acoustic set. Haven't seen Bob so concentrated in a while and the band
did a great job as well.

 Lonesome Day Blues

It was on this rocking blues, that I finally noticed what was different:
It's the dynamics within the band. I don't know if this is due to George
(who seemed to have fun thought the show, pulling faces and doing funny
stuff throughout the night), but I don't recall a show where Bob was so
totally in charge, yet the band had a great time too. Usually when Bob's
really in charge, there's kind of a tense atmosphere on stage, but
tonight it was very loose, all four musicians were smiling a lot and
Charlie even found the time to hit George's cymbals with his hands
inbetwen lines on this song!

 Floater

I really missed the fiddle on this one. The song had the same loung feel
to it that we first heard on a Bob stage when he introduced "If Dogs Run
Free" to the set in late 2000, but some element was missing and it most
definitely was the fiddle. What followed was both a treat and a shock.
The band started the next song and for a second it sounded as if they
were gonna do "Solid Rock" ö VERY badly. "Oh no", Iwas thinking to
myself, "after such a great start they are gonna ruin it now", but then
Bob stepped up to the micophone and the first words out of his mouth
where "Johnny's in the basement, mixing up the medicine!" ö Blimey, it's

 Subterrean Homesick Blues

For the first time in eleven years! Themother of all list songs! So how
was it I hear you ask? Well, it was stunning to see Bob sing/rap
thelyrics, but the band didn't seem to know what the hell they were
doing. The arrangement pretty much sucked and I would think they either
gonna work on it some more or drop the song again. Bob looked as if he
couldn't believe that he was doing the song either and he actually tried
to step away from the mic after what would've been a "regular" line,
before noticing that he song actually went on without a pause!

 Standing In The Doorway

Was quite stunning. Long intro, very thoughfully reworked arrangement,
great sining from Bob. It featured the line "swallowing my pain" ö is
that a new addition? Gotta check back with the recordings, I guess. I
don't think it was a great choice for the crowd (who didn't seem to know
the song), but I thought it was one of the best songs of the night, very
subtle, very beautiful. Back to the acoustics with

 Mama You Been On My Mind (acoustic)

Larry started the song with the familiar riff while Bob was still trying
to figure out which harp to use for the opening solo. As Bob was nowhere
near the mic when he was supposed to start playing, Larry improvised a
bit and played something that sounded very much unlike "Mama", but
pretty cool nevertheless. So Bob finally played the harp solo, did his
"and now I'm trying to put away the harp" ritual, failed miserably and
actually started the song with what sounded remarkable like "this is a
godawful song". Maybe he said (directed at Larry) "Why don't you just
play the godawful song") maybe I completely misheard it, but something
was different. Turnned out to be the low point of the night, George's
drumming was very substandard too and it wasn't very surprising that it
ended rather quickly without much soloing.

 It's A Hard Rain A-Gonna Fall (acoustic)

Standardversion, Bob was playing around with the phrasing quiet a bit,
without actually finding a way of doing the chorus that satisfied him
100%. I've certainly heard versions a lot worse, but this didn't do much
for me either. There was a nice crescendo at the end, but nothing that
I would lose my sleep over.

 Don't Think Twice (acoustic)

Nice, without being special. Same as it ever was basically, with some
fine fingerpicking by Larry.

 Lovesick

Was an interesting choice, George's drumpart is considerably different
to David's and that gave the song a different feel. After having heard
the amazing White Stripes cover this tune last year, I kinda missed
their aggression in Bob's version, but it's still a highlight every time
he plays it. Nice light show (the band as giant shadows) as well.

Summer Days

One of the high points of the night. Charlie completely switched to
Rockabilly mode and if I wouldn't know better I would've thought the guy
plays lead in a rockabilly outfit since the 50s. He's absolute
incredible!!! There was a lot of jamming at the end, triple guitar solos
and all! I don't dig rockabilly, but this was G.R.E.A.T.!

 Drifter's Escape

Extended version of the regular thundering arrangement. Before the
standard closing harp solo, there was an extra guitar break and a lot of
soloing from Charlie (and Bob). George liked to play this song a lot!

 Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat

Even with the new drummer it sounds the same. So the highlight for me
was that a very cute american girl walking past me (her boyfriend in
tow) the very second Bob reached the "new boyfriend/never seen him
before" part. He introcuded the band at the end of the song, saying "On
steel guitar- Larry Campbell", shortly afterwards he noticed that Larry
hadn't actually been even close to playing the (pedal) steel, so Bob
turned to Larry (off mic), said something and they both laughed. After
the song there was the formation and after about 100 minutes the main
set was over.

 (encore)
 Country Pie

Started off with a lengthy harp solo, which obviously was fun (change is
always good), but you couldn't help thinking that it was kinda out of
place. The puzzled looks on Charlie's and Larry's faces seem to suggest
that they though the  same.

 Like A Rolling Stone

Standard, still connecting to the crowd like no other song.

 If Dogs Run Free (acoustic)

Bob went back to George said something and than bursted out laughing
halfway during the song. Apart from that you couldn't help thinking that
we don't need to hear the song in a set that included the similar
"Floater" already.


 Honest With Me

Most rocking song of the night, with some great slide guitar courtesy of
Larry. Even though he's clearly not lead guitarist anymore, it was good
to see how he's always keeping eye contact with Charlie, really trying
to fill out and complementing his "rival's" great soloing. Bob was way
into it as well and this song certainly deserves its place as the last
electric number in the set.

 Blowin' In the Wind (acoustic)

Again starting off with a hamonica solo, ending with a new harmony at
the end ö apart from that just as you would expect it! Since there was
such a loose atmosphere on stage, I had hoped they would return for
"Watchtower", but they didn't. After all, they had delivered a great
solid 2:15 hour show already!

If the rest of the shows are as good as this one, make sure you don't
miss this tour! Oh btw, if there's anybody out there, who can give me a
lift back from hannover to the Ruhrgebiet area on Saturday, please get
in touch (mail@carstenwohlfeld.de). See ya next time!

Carsten Wohlfeld