Reviews

So finally I've had enough sleep for the first time in days (must've been
those strange cookies I ate in some casino hotel room the night before)
and my friend Train and his friend Jody pile into my car for another trip
down I-95 South to the college town of Towson, a tiny bit west of
Baltimore, where I'm going for my all-time record of four shows in three
days.  Train and I had made almost the exact same trip just a little over
a year ago and after a bit of confusion finally find the arena and there
are the busses and the semis all lined up and it being a college, once
again are the separate lines for men and women to get in.  I have to meet
the Mystery Man from Maryland who has my ticket and we're supposed to meet
at Will Call except they're kicking everyone out of Will Call and there's
two lines on either side of the building to get in, and we didn't know
that when we made the arrangements.  But it was loose and I just kind of
wandered up and down the lines looking for the Mystery Man and finally
there he is by Will Call and everything's cool.  And we're ignoring the
men/women division thing and everyone else is too, and Train wants to
stand in line with Jody since she's his fianc้ but just as we get near the
door the split up the sexes for the search and the security guy says to
me, "I gotta make sure you ain't bringin ' in no recording devices," and
it's a college gym and we get up pretty close to the stage, and there's
all kinds of people, college kids, ancient hippies, all talking Dylan, and
jostling for position and there's lots of time because they let everyone
in around 7:30 and the show doesn't start till 8:30, and finally the
roadies in their jumpsuits come out and do the final guitar check and then
they're on stage and then the announcement, and then "Oh Babe It Ain't No
Lie," and it kind of makes sense because the Seeger family was living
somewhere around these parts when Mike Seeger was floored when Elizabeth
Cotton picked up one of his guitars turns it upside down and starts
playing it.

And again Dylan is very much alive and very much on, so on he can barely
stand in one place and then into "Mr. Tambourine Man," with sort of a
different opening than the last time, and then on the second verse,
whatever it is that possesses Dylan took possession and he's messing with
the phrasing and the melody big time and there's no real way to explain it
on paper the way he sang "magic sailing ship" and "my senses have been
stripped," but it wasn't like any "Tambourine Man" I've heard before and
I' ve heard many different "Tambourine Man's."

Then it's the thump thump beginning of "Desolation Row" and the once upon
a time and maybe still hippie next to me explains to his uncomprehending
companion "kind of a surrealist view of life" and the intensity is
building with each line but Dylan is doing his comic thing on stage,
constantly shifting position of the guitar, making a new face every second
and it's getting better every minute to lead to a sublime version of "One
Too Many Mornings" and then "Tangled" which for some reason has been great
at every show and then when you think it's gonna end he picks up the harp
and this time it's none of that two-note stuff he likes to do to start a
solo, he's really blowing the harp and it's great.

"Searching For A Soldier's Grave" came next and for the past two nights
I've been watching what Dylan does with his guitar, hitting this double
rhythmic strum between the verses, but also answering his vocal with
little licks sliding up the neck and it's just perfect.

"Country Pie" again tonight is a blast, and it doesn't matter at all if
the song isn't probing the lyrical depths because it's so much fun
watching Campbell and Sexton try to outdo each other playing superb
string-bending licks taking Charlie Daniels' original solo to new heights
every time.

A near-perfect "Blind Willie McTell" came next followed by a killer
"Seeing The Real You At Last" and Dylan is savoring every line and having
one hell of a good time shouting out "Oh Yeah!" at the end of the two of
the verses. Throughout the show it's obvious he's having fun and unlike at
Princeton, he 's not trying very hard to suppress his smiles.

"Trying to Get to Heaven" with Larry excelling on the jazz-flavored guitar
fills, was also quite good, but keeping with his habit of mixing up all
the verses, he didn't (as usual) sing "Mary Jane's got a house in
Baltimore" which of course would've brought an easy cheer from the crowd.

They roared into "Wicked Messenger" and Dylan is pulling out all the stops
on his phrasing and then getting almost on his knees for the harp solo.
Then after very quick band-member introductions, they kept the energy with
a "Cats In The Well" that to put it mildly kicked ass.

"Things Have Changed" was a pretty standard version, but on "Like A
Rolling Stone" also of a sudden Charlie Sexton lets loose with this truly
stellar guitar solo, the kind that perhaps hasn't been heard on that song
since a certain legendary show in 1966.

And then once again "If Dogs Run Free," and this time Dylan got the words
all mixed up, but it was still great.  His delivery and the expressions he
makes are simply a riot and at the end of the song he walked over to
Sexton and as he turned from the audience you could see he was cracking
up.

Dylan barely had his Strat back on when Sexton kicked off "Watchtower,"
then back to acoustics for "Don't Think Twice" which was followed by a
"Highway 61" for the record books.  A few years from now when Dylan fans
on the net are still arguing about what's the best live "Highway 61,"
someone's gonna say. "Towson Maryland, November 19, 2000."

"Blowin' In The Wind" again featured Dylan ending each line on a high
note, but on the final verse, what Columbia once called "the emotional
wallop" in an early ad for "Freewheelin'" crept in, and at the end as
Dylan went to stand in line, he actually took a quick bow.

But then, instead of the house lights coming on after the usual wait, they
came back for "Rainy Day Women" which was mostly the band jamming,
followed by the quickest formation ever, it lasted about 2 seconds.

About 40 minutes later back on I-95 North, I pull into the Maryland
Turnpike toll booth when I notice behind me pulling into the next
tollbooth, a very familiar black tour bus.  I say to Train, see if you can
see the license plate.  If it's Oregon, it's the band bus, if it's
California, it's his bus. Train and Jody look.  "California."  We pull out
ahead of the bus but I'm driving the speed limit in the right lane giving
it time to catch up. Finally it catches up, I let it pass me then pull
into the middle lane behind it.  We're doing about 75.  We tailed it for
about ten to 15 miles until the driver realized someone was following him
and pulled into the right lane keeping to the speed limit, I went back to
driving 75 though it caught up to us at the last toll.


"Where the angels' voices whisper to the souls of previous times."  --Bob
Dylan Peter Stone Brown e-mail: psb51@earthlink.net
http://store.yahoo.com/tangible-music/petstonbrowi.html

Wow!  

First let me say that this concert was head and shoulders above the other
three i attended on this tour.  Maybe everybody in the band is happy to be
going home (i hope not too happy) maybe they just decided to let it all
hang out, but there were some very distinct differences between lehigh and
the atlantic city shows.  The first I'll mention is that larry and charlie
were given room to do what they do.  Bob did not interfere with their
solos and they seemed to have a blast.  Second, Bob's singing was very,
very good.  Strong and gentle, clear and cluttered, and had the full range
of emotion.  Scathing during like a rolling stone, endearing during blowin
in the wind.  We got an extra encore and the set list was great.  Maybe no
shocker's but great choices.  I attended the concert with folks attending
their first dylan show as well as some "veterans" and everyone agreed that
it was excellent.

Oh babe it aint no lie to shake things up a little. nice harmonies and  i
knew from the first verse that this would be a great concert.  Bob seemed
amused at the fact that the life he leads is mighty high.  very strong
vocals.

a great version of mr. tambourine man.  bob played with the phrasing and
the crowd loved it.  very emotional and obviously having a great time. 
Desolation row was very well done but i felt the last verse was
anti-climactic.  I was surprised that, as well as he was singing, he did
the last verse with no real umph.

One too many mornings was absolutely beautiful.  Larry's pedal steel was
shining and bob sang the words like they were written yesterday.  It
really made me want to cry though i had a big smile on my face.  After
attending the lehigh and casino shows i was thinking i was ready for a
break {they weren't bad shows, but not this caliber)  but this show
brought back that feeling and reminded me why i go to see dylan.  I was
laughing out loud and then i was almost in tears.  

tangled was average which is good, i especially enjoyed searching for a
soldiers grave tonight.  i'm not sure why,  they play it well and the
singing is tight all the time but tonight , maybe because of the rest of
the show being so great, i just enjoyed the hell out of it.

Country pie was a smash again.  We sat in the back of the auditorium
tonight and it paid off as the sound quality was wonderful.  Larry's and
Charlie's leads were great and bob let them go.  Trading back and
forth....my cousin Dave is a huge Charlie Sexton fan so he was thrilled to
hear him play as much as he did tonight.

This was the best version of blind willie mctell that i have ever heard. 
That original studio recording is, in my opinion, the greatest thing dylan
ever recorded so the first few times i heard this song it was only
slightly disappointing.  Tonight was a great version and Charlie did a
soulful lead that was the icing on the cake.

Everything was louder and tighter tonight. so songs like seeing the real
you at last and wicked messenger drilled right through you and acoustic
songs were crystal clear.  During don't think twice and trying to get to
heaven the place was absolutely silent.  And then it was hoppin with hiway
61 and rainy day women.  I haven't seen him come back for a third time
since the show at temple last year when i was almost out the door.  I
learned my lesson then.

What a way to end the tour.

joshleik@aol.com

If my previous stop on the fall 2000 college campus leg of the
never-ending tour last week at Salisbury, Maryland showed that Dylan can
still provide a good, solid show, then last night at Towson, Maryland
showed a spectacular show that was the highlight of my six lifetime Dylan
concerts.  (Though my first -- a 1988 concert at Radio City Music Hall --
will still be the most important personally since it began my journey to
this pseudo-obsession.)

Just some observations as to why, even though Salisbury gave me what I
needed, Towson gave me what I wanted:

  a.. A superb location about 15 people back from the stage, dead center
  -- I had dreaded general admission and, while arriving 1 1/4 hours
  before scheduled starting time, had no intention of fighting to the
  front and intended to head to the seats until I realized the prime
  location available; b.. 9 of the 12 songs in the main set were different
  from last week's set list, all sandwiched between the only U.S. fall
  tour opening of "Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie" and the infrequent closing
  "Cat's in the Well" that I had hoped for and expected at Salisbury, but
  was surprised by at Towson; c.. Nearly every lyric was coherent,
  probably aided by better location and acoustics but predominantly due to
  an energized and focused Dylan seeming to want to end the 2000 tours on
  a high note; d.. Whereas a previous and more alert reviewer had noted
  that, other than the omnipresent "Things Have Changed" at Salisbury,
  everything else had been written by 1968, the Towson list included a
  better career-stretching selection with some of the night's highlights
  not only being the early classics but the decades-spanning "One Too Many
  Mornings," Blind Willie McTell," "Seeing the Real You at Last," "Trying
  to Get to Heaven," and "Cat's In the Well;" e.. A much stronger version
  of "Tangled Up In Blue" that didn't toss away the chorus in the
  forgetable manner at Salisbury, but neither did it replicate the album
  -- and the most extended and animated harp solo of the two nights; f.. A
  beautiful "One Too Many Mornings," also the only version on this U.S.
  fall tour -- quite a shame for the other 15 cities! g.. A * * * * *
  "Blind Willie McTell," a personal favorite that I have always yearned to
  hear live.  While nothing matches the sublime Bootleg Series version,
  this seemed very strong with the haunting acoustic piano replaced by an
  electric guitar riff, and clear, almost melodic singing showing that
  nobody can sing the blues/rock/country/gospel (and now jazz) like Bob
  Dylan; h.. A scathing "Seeing the Real You at Last," sounding at points
  like my original interpretation of the song of the disappointed
  revelation of the flaws of a lover, but at other points like a new, more
  positive perspective that one can only see the real Dylan live in
  concert; i.. A diverse, connected, occassionally rude but generally
  pleasant audience, including a few of the inevitable obnoxious
  "above-it-all" types who either grabbed and edged their way into others'
  space, but immediate neighbors were generally pleasant enough including
  a trio (father/mother/son?) of Dylan road trippers whose nonstop
  bouncing and fist pumping seemed like a bad Saturday Night Live skit; a
  pleasant 50's-ish couple; a number of pot-smoking hippy-wanna-bes; and a
  number of college and even high-schoolers who were pleasingly polite,
  eager, and impressed, even if occassionally a bit bewildered; j.. A near
  verbatim repeat of the Salisbury encore set, including (surprisingly,
  given the nonrepeat of the main set list) "Don't Thing Twice, It's All
  Right," with Dylan replacing the Salisbury harp solo with a strong steel
  guitar solo and almost -- but not quite -- replicating the strong,
  clear, fluid delivery of the lyrics that had been one of the Salisbury
  highlights; k.. Dylan saving fumbled lyrics on "If Dogs Run Free,"
  merging two verses to seem more stream-of-conscious than intended but
  with most of the audience unaware since he didn't miss a beat, and
  leading to a charming series of smiles among the band and a quick
  smirking huddle afterwards with Tony Garnier; l.. 2 shocks at the end --
  a slight bow before the second and penultimate(!) formation after the
  usual encores, and then Dylan proved wrong my definitive statements to
  my wife before the show that, no matter the energy of the crowd after
  the encore set, he never has returned during this tour for a further
  encore.  So, the Dylan who had seemed so engaged and relatively happy
  throughout the concert returned with an even more playful mood and band
  to play a romping "Rainy Day Women #12 and #35."  Too bad my neighbors
  had already followed the command of the chorus and couldn't
  clear-headedly enjoy the joyfullness of the moment that I could still
  witness without any substances!  Dylan and the band dropped the pretense
  of the formation, just casually "gathered and gazed" for a couple of
  seconds, then turned to leave stage exchanging brief dialogue and even a
  clasp between Dylan and Tony Garnier.  
The end of the tour and uncertainty of what lies ahead further imprints
the superb nature of this concert -- hoping that my live Dylan highlight
to date can be followed by others, curiosity about what new songs, clever
reinterpretations, new touring partners, and band lineup changes the next
months will bring, yet fear about whether this superb band, revitalized
Dylan, and focussed performances will continue.  But I shouldn't think
twice, it will be alright.

WEll this was the last show of this tour and Bob did not disappoint. He was
very much into and on top of his game. There were many excellent parts of
the show, but I just want to look at a few of them.

First of all, I had never heard "Cat's in the well" before live, but he
really jams on it. It was forceful and he really seemed to like playing
it, which is important. My only real complaint would be that the vocals
were a little lost just because he was playing so hard, but BOB likes Rock
N' Roll, so there you go. Another first for me was hearing this version he
has been doing with "If dogs run free". I have read about it, and it
really got me dancing. The vocals were clear and Larry's guitar filled in
the spaces well where the scat singing is on the album.
 
I was extremely excited to hear " the wicked messenger". His harp at the
end was serious. He really wanted his audience to hear the notes. I was
surprised to hear "seeing the real you at last". I don't know why he does
not play this more often, he really did it justice.   I was very happy to 
hear "oh babe, it ain't no lie" by Elizabeth Cotten.  WOW!
 
I want to compliment Bob on his masterful harp solo on "tangled up in blue"
and Larry on his very melodic fingerpicking on "don't think twice, it's
all right". Charlie gets two thumbs up for his contribution to the
absolutely phenomenal version of "country pie". I also want to thank BOB
for playing the one song second encore of "rainy day women 12 & 35".
 
For one last note, I was thinking today about that show's rendition of
"blowin' in the wind" and I would like to analyze it this way: he sings
every line calmly, but ends all the questions with a slight raise of his
voice. This implies a question. He then answers himself by singing in a
very straight and confident way, with accompanying harmony by Larry and
Charlie during the refrain. It is precisely the contrast that night that
is not on the album that gave it, in my opinion, a very moving appeal.
 
It was just a great concert. 
(thank you Donald for food after the show)

GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY > Bobby Dylan (It might be the devil, it might be
the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody)

Let's cut to the chase, Bob's vocal inflections at last night's superior 
Towson, Maryland show were truly superb, they were an obvious highlight for 
all.  I just loved last night's freakin show!  I wouldn't and didn't "dare 
miss it!!!"

At the Tropicana on Saturday it was Bob's guitar playing that grabbed me, 
but not so last night.  I noticed that he was really stretching his words 
in second song, Mr. T Man (MY senses have been … MY toes to numb) and he 
emphasized all the different places of all the remaining songs all night 
long.  And oh yeah, he really let the "Oh Yeah" jump out twice in Seeing 
The Real You.   His vocals were just really something.  Bob seemed to be 
having a gas mugging and playing with us all on this, the last gig of 
(take your pick) the 2000 Fall swing, of 2000, of  the millennium.  God 
Bless, so this Fall East Coast tour came off after all, even though not 
on a joint bill with Willie, as once talked about.  

In Towson, Bob even came out for the unexpected lagniappe of a second 
encore after Blowin', a roaring Rainy Day Women, which was followed by a 
third formation for the night (this formation shorter than usual and not 
broken off by Larry), and by Tony hugging Bob just as they got behind/through 
the speakers.  And last night's Maryland show in the university gym with a 
nice mixed crowd was PA-problem-less!  I was beginning to think it was a 
sometimes Maryland jinx on Bob's vocals on his third songs (College Park 
1998 had mic problems in #3 Memphis Blues Again, and Columbia 2000 had mic 
problems in #3 Desolation Row), until I witnessed Saturday's Atlantic City, 
New Jersey prolonged PA problems in the second and third songs.  

Last night's tour debuts (as seen from Bill's page) included Ain't No Lie, 
One to Many Mornings, and Seeing The Real You, whereas Saturday's show 
included but two tour debuts (Man In Me and Tom Thumb).  But the whole 
Towson show was great, so the tour debuts didn't really stand very much 
above the high plateau of the rest of the set.  Well, maybe Real You stood 
head above the other's heals, it was simply fantastic, again Bob's vocals 
truly pushing that song to the pinnacle.  And I don't think Real You stood 
out  merely because it between the great moody Blind Willie McTell or mellow 
Heaven, Real You just plain jammed, but then again many songs last night did.  
Bob mentioned New Orleans three times, in TUIB, Blind Willie, and in Heaven ….. 
he only mentioned the real/other Heaven more than he mentioned my home town 
Crescent City!  

And it wasn't wholly last night's great vocals that carried things either … 
Bob's guitar playing, the triple strat attack, the great trade offs between 
Larry and Charlie, and David's great drumming did not escape our rapture either.  
Tony was smiling beaucoup and roving around the stage, perhaps more so than 
usual.  Bob was really hamming it up during his two harp solos, as well as 
toward the night's end.  And the encores after a great main show …. wow …. no 
one else could equal Bob who encored (the usual, fortunately for us) LARS, 
Watchtower, HW61, and Blowin In The Wind.   I mean these songs are history and 
that one man wrote all is, well, phenomenal.  Whew!

The poster were $15 (not $10) and had the "eye" both on the upper right and 
upper left (that I've not noticed on some other posters), a few bucks more for 
the last show of the year we were told.  Before the show, while freezing 
outside in line, I got a great tie-dyed Bob shirt.  My buddy Todd (watch for 
his projected 2001 Dylan Book) and I didn't find friends until after the show, 
we missed Alex and Josh completely, but we finally did find Lisa, right were 
she said she'd be.  And seeing Joseph and Joanie still energized after their 
44th (right y'all?) show of the year was something.

Lastly, I'd like to add to Bill's thanks to all those who continue to make the 
set list phone calls, upon which we all depend ….. and of course Happy Holidays 
to all and to "Bob Dylan and his Band!"

John Pruski  
pruskijohn@email.msn.com
20 Nov., 2000

This show was great!  I got to Towson at about 3:30,
stood in line from 4:30ish to 7, and secured a spot
close to the stage - 3rd person back, between Bob and
Larry.  I didn't have a problem with the separate
lines for men and women, but it looked like there were
problems with will call.  Ideally, the people inside
for will call were supposed to go back outside after
getting their tickets.  There was one guy nearby me in
the crowd who apparently rushed right from will call,
through the turnstiles, beating everyone who had been
in line for hours - the people at the head of my line
had been camped out in a tent!  Anyway, the people
standing around this guy convinced him that he didn't
deserve to be up front (I only heard bits of their
conversation) and he eventually moved back.  I agree
with their feelings - if I had been waiting since the
early morning, I would be angry if someone did that.

On to the concert itself.  I loved Oh Babe It Ain't No
Lie - 1st time hearing that live.  The phrasing in Mr.
Tambourine Man = wow!!!  Truly different, and fun to
hear.  Desolation was good, this time I could hear all
of the "superhuman crew" verse, but I prefer what I
heard in Ann Arbor - there I was suprised to hear the
"Einstein" verse, and he did 7 verses, instead of 6
(at the other show I was at - Lehigh - he didn't do
the "phantom" verse).  
One Too Many Mornings - 2nd time hearing that, and it
was beautiful, unexpected too.  I wasn't too surprised
to hear Blind Willie, I think it sounds better than in
'97.  Followed by Seeing the Real You At Last! 
Incredible!  That was the first highlight, and weird
because earlier in the day I was thinking about taking
Empire Burlesque to listen to in the car, but I was in
a rush to leave and forgot my tapes.  
The next great moment was Cat's In the Well.  I was
the person holding up the "Born In Time" sign, because
I figured it was worth a shot, since there have been a
lot of UTRS songs in the setlists lately.  After
hearing the Real You, though, I didn't care about Born
in Time.  And another thing about the sign - I like to
take the title literally - in the sense that I was
born in time to see Dylan.  After Wicked Messenger
(with that great bit of harp) I see Bob say to Tony
and Charlie, "Cat's in the Well."  I'm thinking I
actually heard him say "Cat's," but it could be all in
my head.  I definitely read his lips though.  So I was
very happy, because UTRS is a favorite album of mine,
and to hear something other than Leopard-Skin was
great.
The encores were so-so.  I enjoyed the other two
shows' encores more.  I also didn't stay to hear the
supposedly great HWY61 - I started weaving my way out
through the crowd, because I wanted to be outside by
the buses.  Missing RDW was no loss either; the Temple
show last year had the great unexpected encore, and
with this being the last show of the tour it was more
expected.  I've never left a show early before, but
this was my 16th, so I felt it was time to try.  Out
of respect, and nervousness, I didn't attempt to get
very close to the buses - I stayed at the yellow
caution tape.  But I did catch a glimpse of Bob
leaving, wearing a cowboy hat, and that made it worth
it.  Then, as the buses left the parking lot with a
police escort, I clapped and waved.
- Stasia, stasia_k@yahoo.com

Bob was wearing the black suit, white shirt and what looked like a silver
tie (I was a few rows in front of the soundboard so it was hard to tell if
it was a white or silver tie).  I couldn't see his boots from my vantage
point, but you know they were cool.  Although I wasn't up on the stage,
Bob looked good, even had some color in his face.  He didn't look like he
was on the last show of the fall tour (and just got off a two-show night),
but looked rather fresh and laid back.  Some general comments about the
show. Looked like a capacity crowd that was appreciative and definitely
into the entire show.  Nice (and totally random) mix of people that made
for a cool atmosphere.  The sound was fantastic, in fact, the best I've
ever heard.  I could hear each and every syllable that he sang last night
and the instruments were clear, up front, and blended nicely with Bob all
night. Also, it's important to note that Bob added a string, or two to his
guitar solos.  He played the lead for most of the evening and really
played well, it was quite a treat to see him out front playing loud,
competent, and strong.  To put it simply, Bob was upbeat, in a good mood,
and nailed the whole show.

Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie.  Nice opener.  The guitar work was especially
clear, the band meshed from the first note and Bob seemed to be relaxed
and focused.  Maybe the band warmed up in the parking lot, because they
came out on fire.

Mr. Tambourine Man.  The best version I've heard for quite some time.  Bob
changed the rhythm; it was like he was singing each phrase to a quick
1,2,1,2,1,2 beat.  Fantastic!  A show highlight already on the second
song.

Desolation Row.  Subtle then groovy then intense then subtle....The band
jammed.  Bob was animated raising his eyebrows about every other word.  A
musical masterpiece, the first three songs were worth the price of
admission alone.

One Too Many Mornings.  Slow and deliberate.  Melodic and nicely done. 
Bob was in rare form and sang each tender note.

Tangled Up In Blue.  The obligatory 5-spot tore the roof off the sucker.
I've you've seen Dylan, you've seen this a lot, but last night was
awe-inspiring.  Dylan and the boys played the heck out of this classic and
Bob added a great harp solo at the end.  The harp seemed like it was going
to be well done, but short.  But Dylan directed the band (with his eyes)
and he kept on going.  At one point Bob was whaling on the harp with his
knees bent and his right hand out in front of him like he was trying to
stop traffic.  Nice to see such an extended, intense harp solo, the crowd
was really into it.  I love the way Dylan has been moving around on stage
lately.  He's quirky, but cool.

Searching For A Soldier's Grave.  Enchanting.  I've read that some people
don't like the change of pace, especially from an energetic Tangled Up in
Blue, but I disagree.  This song really showcases the band's vocals.  They
sing as one, and sing it like they're really telling us about the time
they searched for their soldier's grave.  Serious yet soothing.

Country Pie.  Silly, but when you're Bob Dylan, silly is cool.  Nice
chance to see Larry and Charlie cut loose a bit.  Vocals were clear and
the song was a nice upbeat way to open the electric set.  I love the Bob
draws out the words...Couuuntreeeeeeeeeeeee.....Pie.

Blind Willie McTell.  Special.  Sung clear and with a bit of a funky
groove. Even the slower paced songs seemed to jam last night.  Bob gave
Blind Willie a nice tribute.  I still can't believe how good the sound was
in that place, Bob was singing and his voice was so good that I watched
people just stare in disbelief.

Seeing The Real You At Last.  My personal favorite.  Fun and funky.  Bob
loved this one.  Nice to hear him sing.....Seeing the Real You at
Last.....OHHHHH YEEAAHHH!  at the end of each chorus.  I can't say enough
about this band, they are outstanding and worthy to be up on the stage
with the Grand Master-D.  In fact, I think these guys bring out the best
in Bob, it's a nice team effort.

Tryin' To Get To Heaven.  New arrangement is tender and emotional.  Didn't
think I would like it as much as I did.  Another chance for them all to
showcase their talents.  Bob did this one with so much emotion, I felt
like I wanted to scream out....Don't worry Bob, I won't let them close the
door, you're going to make it!

The Wicked Messenger.  Energetic and nice (although short) harp solo.
Seemed to resemble the new arrangement of Drifter's Escape.  Another nice
song to let the guitar players play.

Cat's In The Well.  Nice groove to this entire song.  Really liked the way
this one sounded.

Formation!  Bob and the band stand there and soak it up.  The crowd goes
nuts; Dylan fidgets a bit and then places his hand on his hip....pure
nobility.  Not arrogant, but proud.  I think Bob may be wrong, last night,
dignity could have been photographed.

Encore 1 (yes...they would be back of another).

Bob stayed off the stage a little longer than usual.  

Things Have Changed.  Slower and a little more bluesy than the album.  I
think it was similar to the version that I heard from Anaheim.  I remember
it being really purple.  I'm not fooled, I think Bob still cares, in fact
it seems as if he cares more than ever.

Like A Rolling Stone.  It felt great.  Lights shining out in the crowd,
people cheering.  A regular, but still fun, even after all these years.

If Dogs Run Free.  Appreciated.  Liked this one a bunch.  Definitely
sounded like Bob and the boys were on stage at the Airport Ramada Inn.  In
fact, I think Tony really is Larry the Lounge Lizard.

All Along The Watchtower.  Hendrix couldn't hang cause Bob chose to be the
rock and roll star last night.

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.  Beautiful and a little more intense
than some recent versions.  Bob was animated and the boys sounded
fantastic on the acoustic numbers.

Highway 61 Revisited.  Chuck Berry doesn't get down like that.  Bob
rocked!.

Blowin' In The Wind.  Great closer.  The band sings this one nicely. 
Bob's guitar was great and it was hard to believe that the show would be
over.

It wasn't.  Formation for a while, then the lights went out and the crowd
got louder and louder.  After what seemed like an eternity, Bob and the
boys came back and the crowd was so loud I thought the cheering was going
to set off the fire sprinklers.

Encore 2 (Can't believe he came back out...really, really cool). 

Rainy Day Women #12 & #35.  Crowd really enjoyed this one.  Upbeat, nice
sing along song to get people going.  Band was happy.  Bob and Tony were
laughing back and forth and went off the stage patting each other on the
back.

Overall, this was the best show I've ever been to.  Bob was upbeat and
having fun.  The sound was out of this world crystal clear (I'm sure that
some high-quality tapes will be circulating from this show - please let me
know if you have one because I'd love to get a copy), and the appreciative
crowd made this truly an evening to remember.  Thanks Bob!  It was a
privilege that I will cherish for some time.

Rich Stombres

well, man it was cold...lol....so clothing trends went out the window ;-).
however, the mere thought of seeing bob had this general energy running
though me so i was doing pretty good.  and yes, even though the show was
literally 15 minutes driving time from my house we left at 3:30pm.  Joyce,
my driver, was more in control of me and made us stop at a sub shop for
some eats...i wanted to take 'em with us and GO...lol..but she made us
stay and keep warm and buy coffee when we left....lol.  We were just gonna
drive by the venue first cause it's a new building to me and i wasn't sure
where it was and all....and then i made her park (just for a second i
said)  and then i said, i'm just gonna run up and see if (even though
there was a HUGH sign on the building) it was the right place..lol, but
she came with me..lol. and there were people already there so i said, well
that's it, i'm not leaving....lol.  she said "it's 4:15, lets go sit in
the car"...i said ' i'm in line, go get the coffee"..LOL.  and in line
were a few people who had been to the atlantic city shows and told of the
speaker system blowing out during my back pages in the second show.  and
in line were a few people who had traveled from deleware, but were really
from san diego, who hadn't see bob since 95 AND who had
brownies...lol..woohoo. the management came out and said that the building
was open for the restrooms and to come in and warm up for a little
while...wasn't that nice...:-).  (i had dug up my 1972 towson state id
card..lol....just in case i had to use a little pull for the restrooms
;-)..lol). the crowd was very orderly, pleasant and cold.  they opened the
doors at 7pm cause we were FREEZING our butts off...lol...so we all rushed
down to our spots and hung for another hour and ahalf in the warmth.  to
the right of me were some great young kids who were definate bob fans (and
had chewing gum to share), and on the left of me was a wonderful group of
people(whose names of course where burned out of my conciousness by bob
music), the timekeeper ;-), was attending his first bob show, though he's
a big bob fan and a musician to boot, his friend in front of him chatted
with me for quite some time, he had been to the salisbury show, and we
both had gone to the warner theather show back in the mid 90's as our
first intro back into live bob. his girlfriend(anne) and their friend
steve(who pulled joyce up front) completed the circle around us and it
felt great to be amoung all ages, all types, all into bob..lol..social,
and INTELLIGENT people.  there was also the very added BONUS that no
alcohol was present, one of the first venues i've gone to that was
dry...YEEHAW!!...so 8:30 came and we started clapping and stomping for
BOB...:-) oh yeah, on a side note, the people in front of us made some
person feel so bad for sneaking in front of all those who had been waiting
since 4pm, that he got up (he was sitting in protest that he had the right
to be there)and went to like the 4th or 5th row back into the
crowd....lololol, fair play at a bob show ;-).

Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie....WHAT A SUPRISE, i surely was expecting 
duncan...:-). it was a first for me..:-).  spent most of the song stunned
at how close we were..oh yeah there's a moustache ;-).  Bob had his man in
the long black coat on, babyblue shirt with a silver tie, and though i
didn't see them, i was told, white boots.  but we were very
close..lol..had a great view of all the guys the whole show.

Mr. Tambourne Man..well, tickle me pink...LOLOL, he pleasantly suprised me
by doing the accent on the phrasing differently which made the song
different...he would heavly accent the first word and have a milisecond
pause between the phrases which made the emphasis more noticable.".Myyyyy
senses have been stripped.... Myyyy hands can't feel to grip...Myyyyyyyy
toes too numb to step"  it was great. and he started the jamming in this
song...a trend that followed all night long, delighting EVERYONE in the
crowd and bringing smiles to tony and larry.

Desolation Row...this is just a GREAT SONG, and bob was being very
articulate with the verses, and the kids were laughing at the thoughts and
clapping at the correctness and woohaaaaa just totally getting into the
song. this was a dylan crowd.

One Too Many Mornings....pure heart melting (sigh), i took it in and
buried it deep.

Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on Harp)...OMG...lol, i said to the time keeper,
'they call this acoustic but only cause of the guitars'..lol..bob went
places i'd never seen him go...he knocked us out with it. and jammed his
ass off......and just when larry and tony were lookin like this can't go
any farther, bob picked up the harp and BLEW US THE FRICK
AWAY...breathless...i couldn't believe what bob was doing...the crowd went
balistic and bob even held up  his hand saying...good golly I AIN'T DONE
YET...HANG ON  and just kept on wailing...  
wooooooooohhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooo, that wheel was on fire alright...lol.

Searchin for a Soldier's Grave...lol..huh....lol...it was stunned silence
cause we were all still trying to catch our breaths, wondering how the
hell bob was singing another song without breaking after what he just put
us through...lol.  it was a pretty song, done with perfection and
crispness...but whew, i spent most of that song just trying to get my
heart to slow down...lolololol.  i think though, with the stunned silence,
we all heard the words and pondered the thoughts about men dieing on
foriegn soil...

Country Pie..oh me, oh MY...lol..god i was laughing. bob was really
mugging it up and this was a nice jaunty intro to the electric portion of
the show ;-).

Blind Willie McTell...WWWWWOOOOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, wow what a
fantastic version.  i was close enough to watch the guitar work, and now
that i've delved into the blues i appreciated this song and the working of
it alot more....man i was having a blast.

Seeing the Real You at Last...this was GREAT...he was very animated, alot
of great playing by the guys.....can you say ROCK AND ROLLLLLLLLLLLL

Trying to Get to Heaven....ah yes, franky sinatra lives on ;-)...woohoo,
even though i had heard an mp3 of this reworking, you have gots to be
under bob's stare and try it...lolololololol..  it was sung/spoken.. 
broken down into thoughts, an old friend telling it like it was for him
these days, i think the whole place bonded with bob and felt like giving
him a group hug when it was over....GOD BLESS HIM.

Wicked Messenger (Bob on Harp)....woohoo...man, the way bob flips around
with sound....too crazy...damn but these boys were jamming last night  and
when i saw him heading for the harp i thought, OMG NOT
AGAIN....lolololol...........wwwooooohhooo baby.....yowzers BIG TIME.

bob intro-ed the band..crowd went wild ;-)

Cats In the Well...hot okay...very nice...very much like the studio, and
it fit perfectly into the evening.  dance-able bob...:-) and boy was that
place a rockin.

the formation...it was a kind of a half a breath of what's bob doing, to
the realization that they were gonna just stand there and the place went
bonkers....i love it myself..lol.  i think the guys were much more
comfortable this time round with it, than when i saw them at
merriweather.....

so after stomping and applauding and general crowd insanity..lol...the
guys came back on..

Things Have Changed...THIS was great, bob was very clear vocally all night
long, EVERYONE knew this song and was glad to be hearing it live..ya know,
he's wonderous, waitin' on the laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast train ;-)

Like a Rolling Stone...and here is where i threw my back out
;-)...lol...good golly these boys were having fun.  last show, my
show..whatever...lol....the crowd was SO into this song, bob was SO into
telling it...staring down the people with his lines...making us see
president elects wondering ..HOW DOES IT FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL...lol.....it's
wonderful how this crowd understood when bob was being faciecious and when
he was being sarastic and when he was being honest about himself and when
he was chewing us a new ...lololololololol

Dogs Run Free...HEY MAN...it's JAZZ.  no ifs ands or buts about it.  AND
LARRY...wooohooo, he was the only one on electric and man was his sound
the driving force (well the words were SO COOL, delivery is everything). 
it is very much spoken, with raised eyes and a question for us all..lol. 
i think most folks thought MAN BOB IF YOU WANT TO DO IT.....DO
IT...lololol..don't be waiting for no dogs to run free ;-)

All Along the Watchtower...even though i had seen this on the set list
before, i was very suprise to be getting it tonight.  there were so many
songs already that had one liners ripping up my mind, so many songs were
bob's facial comments reinforced mental thoughts..lol... i was stunned at
the intesity with which all the guys were playing (i think charlie REALLY
likes this song..lol)and here was one more song to boggle the mind.  (yeah
bob, lets get out here, you're right, we've been there done that..lol)

Don't Think 2x..wow, then they bring it down a notch so you can breathe
again.  i have to emphasis again how clear bob was in his singing.  and
how great he looked and how much he was into the crowd and how this song
tears me to shreds ;-)...lolololol......

Hwy 61...now, not one person could have stood still for this version of
61.... everyone had a sense that this was the last of the tear em ups, bob
and the guys jammed so friggen hard and kept going deeper into it and
finding somewhere else to roam...it was so cool to see bob find a new
place in the sound and delve in with all he had...INCREDIBLE.  crowd went
beserk...:-)...

Blowin In the Wind.....oh man, with the current events in the world going
on, this song was SO IMPORTANT...bob was angry that it was still RELEVANT
i think, and let the people feel that.  almost a CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT
THEY(governments, societies) STILL CAN'T HEAR... very powerful, and the
refrain touching.. (sigh)

and so they did the formation again, and again the crowd when nutso...they
were already in shock with how many songs they got, and they wanted bob
and the guys to know how happy he had made us...WONDERFUL CROWD...a great
send off.   and the lights didn't go on after they walked off so the crowd
thought...ooooooooohhhhhhh let's beg him back on for just ONE
MORE...lol...woooooooooohhhhhoooooooooo baltimore loves mr. bob
dylan...lol...and when we saw davids cowboy hat headed back to the
drums...GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY....yeeeeehaw.  i tell you the guitar guy was
flustered, had already unplugged larry's equiptment..put the guitars
away..lol...it was too funny(he said to larry, i thought we were going
home)...bob and charlie and tony are plucking around, while they got larry
plugged in again..lol...it was wonderful..lolololol..and as soon as larry
had power...WHAM..........

RDW 12&35....laughter abounded....lol... what a show ender.  and bob
didn't half ass it either..he tore into it just as intensly as he had all
the songs last night...I'M TELLING YOU   BOB WAS ON FIRE...lol..his wheel
was a burning...and when he rolled on out of there the place sent him on
his way with true appreciation...:-)...even Tony gave Bob a hug while they
walked off...

did i mention i had fun...lol...woohoo.
chrissy, whose home with sore feet, an aggrevated disc, a happy heart and
a well fed mind.

and again THANKS BOB...IT WAS WONDERFUL......you spoiled me rotten, and i
loved it..........have a fantastic vacation.

Soundcheck notes:
Electric: Seeing The Real You At Last, Most Likely You'll Go Your Way,
Trouble (!), I Threw It All Away, 10,000 Men, and a few others Acoustic:
Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie, Gates Of Eden (multiple takes), Larry messing
around with the mandolin part to Highlands and some fiddle practice (My
Back Pages)

We got in there right away and I ended up right dead center on
the rail, so I was quite happy.

The show:

1. Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie
First time played this tour, so we were really glad to hear it.  Alternate
on the cue sheet was "I AM THE MAN"

2. Mr. Tambourine Man
Played once again in the new arrangement which I happen to like, for the
most part. Bob was emphasizing the first syllable of each line when
singing.

3. Desolation Row
Very strong performance. Bob playing alot of guitar in the middle
of the song. Larry adding some wonderful guitar work here and there.

4. One Too Many Mornings
Larry on pedal steel.  Very very nice version -- expecting the harp and
Bob hinted at it a bit, but it wasn't played. Lots of smiles from Tony and
Charlie as Bob sang it. Alternates on the cue sheet: Fourth Time Around
and Gates Of Eden

5. Tangled Up In Blue
Bob on harp.  Good as usual, a very strong harp solo by Bob, reminded me
of '98.

6. Searching For A Soldier's Grave
Larry on mandolin.  They've done this song so many times in a row, they
really don't mess it up at all.  Very nice song.

7. Country Pie
Was Country Pie.

--Before this song, there was an additional slot on the cue sheet
calling for Every Grain Of Sand/Can't Wait/4th Street

8. Blind Willie McTell
Larry on bozouki.  I was hoping for this at the AC shows, but since he
played it in Princeton, I figured he would not do it again this tour. 
Best version I've heard? Perhaps -- the one from Denver 4/6 may've been
better.  This was the first time I realised how much the bozouki adds to
the song, hearing it very brightly out of Larry's monitor.  Great phrasing
by BD.

9. Seeing The Real You At Last
Hadn't seen this one since Bogarts 7/11/99 and it was much better this
time. Lots of thundering guitar going on throughout this number and Bob
showing his excitement with the occasional "oooh yeah!"  Lots of fun.

10. Tryin' To Get To Heaven
On the cue sheet here was "Just Like A Woman/Lay Lady Lay" but they went
with Heaven.  This new arrangement is really starting to grow on me. Bob
doesnt sing as much of the song as he did in '99, but I think that's a
wise move.  A much longer running of this arrangement would start to wear
on the crowd a bit, perhaps?

11. The Wicked Messenger
Bob on harp.  I think this is my favorite of the #11 slot nowadays, though
the other two are very nice as well.  Extended harp on this version of the
song and of course lots of great guitar from the boys.

12. Cat's In The Well
I was so pleased to get this for the first time in AC and now again, this
time with much more punch!

Encore 1:
13. Things Have Changed
Very nice version -- I still think 11/18-2 is the best I've ever heard
this song, though.

14. Like A Rolling Stone
Great as always -- crowd going wild.

15. If Dogs Run Free
Lots of smiles from Tony when Bob sang this one. Larry's guitar is so nice
on this song.

16. All Along The Watchtower
Larry on stand-up steel.  I really love how Larry's steel playing
gives this song the spooky sound.  Great fun for all involved.

17. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Very good. I don't think I prefer this slowed-down version to the one from
spring, but still a wonderful song.

18. Highway 61 Revisited
Rocking rocking rocking.  I can understand how people get tired of Tangled
or Soldier's Grave sometimes, but this song is just a ton of fun every
single time out. Charlie providing the John Lee Hooker sounding guitar
work.

19. Blowin' In The Wind
The current arrangement is just perfect.

Encore 2:
20. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Took a few minutes for the band to get back to the stage for this one.
Unfortunately, Tom had already taken the standup steel off the stage so
Larry played the third guitar on this song.  Bob was playing alot of
interesting guitar on this song, I thought. All in all, just a good
old-fashioned jam session to end the tour.


Nice to see all the familiar faces at the show. Seeya next year.

Dan Krass
gser@jadetech.com

-- 
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