Reviews

Making the long drive from Detroit to Indianapolis (and back) for Dylan's
show at the Egyptian Room was well worth it.  Dylan was very lively during
the first show, smiling and entertaining the crowd with a lot of good body
language.  At one point Dylan even ask whether anyone in the crowd had
something (listening to it again, I can't make out what actually he's
looking for), telling them to come up and see him after the show.  The
whole show was incredible.  The chance to see him and his band up close
was great--you could even see the Oscar award sitting on stage. Highlights
from the show included Tombstone Blues, Highway 61 Revisited, Old Man, and
. . . Actually, the whole show was a highlight--it has to rate as one of
the best of the eight shows I've seen over the years.  The only downside
to the show were the security thugs who confiscated several cameras near
where I was standing.  I really like the rocking sound that the band has
with the stuff from Highway 61.  Even waiting several hours in the
drizzling rain was good fun.  There were a lot of cool Dylan fans to talk
with--peace to all of you and may Nagaland gain its independence. On to
Ann Arbor and another great show from Dylan-- David.

I went to a Bob Dylan concert last night and Bruce Hornsby broke out. 
So did Beck, I think. No mistaking Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Oh and
how can I forget that old granddad, Neil Young?

So many pleasant surprises at last night's "early" show at the Murat
Centre in Indianapolis, beginning with the Michael Buffer-style,
fight-night introduction of Bob and his Band, continuing with Dylan,
dressed in a resplendent, silver-studded black suit, doing his best
Stevie Wonder impersonation on the keyboard, and concluding with a "just
try to keep up with me, boys" version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."

Trying to keep up with the ever-changing Dylan might just be the best
thing about seeing him perform these days. Is that actually Beck's
"Devil's Haircut?" No, that's a funked-up version of "Tombstone Blues."
Don Henley's "The End of the Innocence?" Who is that masked man at the
keyboard? Unless Bruce Hornsby somehow managed to steal Bob's wig and fake
beard from this summer's Newport, R.I. show, I think that's still Dylan.
"Brown Sugar?" Well, let's just say it never tasted so good. 

Dylan and his rollicking band-mates, including guitarists Larry Campbell
and Charlie Sexton, bassist Tony Garnier and drummer George Receli, tore
through the Rolling Stones classic like they were trying to blow the roof
off the Murat Centre's Egyptian Room, which, if you took away the carpeted
floor and the hundreds of baby-boomers in attendance, might've resembled a
high school auditorium. Dylan certainly played as if he was back in
Hibbing (Minn.) High School, playing loud and ferociously on such new and
old tunes as "Watching the River Flow," "Highway 61 Revisited," "Honest
with Me," and "Summer Days."  

But Dylan saved his best for the cover songs. He added some much-needed
longing and desperation to Henley's 1989 chart-topper "The End of the
Innocence," a tune somewhat stripped of its luster by easy-listening
radio. And when he sang "(I'm) 24 and there's so much more" on Neil
Young's "Old Man," it was easy to forget that he's now 61 years of age and
looking every bit of it. To that end, you could thank Larry Campbell's
true-to-the-original mandolin playing and Charlie Sexton's
always-thrilling electric guitar sound. 

When Dylan and his now smiling band members launched into their encore, a
stunning version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" largely due to Campbell's
and Sexton's harmonized singing, but also Bob's rushed - yet pleading -
vocals, many people began looking around for the exits. Not because they
were ready to leave after the almost two-hour set, but because they hoped
that security would somehow let them stay for the scheduled second show. 

Alas, it wasn't to be. But that was no surprise on a night that offered
plenty to go around. 

I had a Devil's Haircut but could find no
one to show it to after the set.  
Bob's first show at the Indianapolis Murat
Shrine was too much.  The fact that I 
was standing right in front of the stage
with not one person in front of me was
incredible.  I have been to many Dylan
shows but always have had to sneak into
a better seat toward the end of the show.
This show reminded me of my old backstage
with Bob days of the late 70's.  
   The Murat was wild, it was like seeing
Bob in a highschool gym or something.  There
was a makeshift bar at the edge of the room
like you would see a a hotel wedding reception.
There was really no seating and everyone
ran up and took claim to their ground.  I've
never seen such an amazing show. 
   I remember when I worked as a waitress
at the Ramada Inn in  Carbondale, Illinois
l978 Bob played the SIU arena  and stayed
at the Ramada because we had a piano
that could be brought to his room.  Apparently
he played before every show.  He also re-
quested pool time which we had to close
the pool down for so that he could swim.  I
always since have imagined him playing
piano in his hotel room  so for me it was
unreal to see him standing right in front of
me playing electric piano.  hearing "this
is the eeennnd of the innocence" was  
making me cry because there was pain
in his voice and expression.  
  Talked with Tony after the first show and
he said that the band thought the room was
pretty weird.  I'm not sure if it could have
been all that secure as there were 
Shrine club meetings going on and private
bars and entrances and everything.
The security guard Randy (the randmeister)
right in front of me was very nice and made
us feel very comfortable right up in front.  He
was doing his job but not being a real dick
about it.    Anyway, I wish Bob would have
seen me, I don't think he did, but I was there,
right in front.  He used to say "How have you
been?"

Julie Morrill  
gaerigmorrill@webtv.net