Anyone been to a Bob Dylan concert?

[flygal]

He's coming to my hometown - I'm hoping to surrounded by a lot of hippies and plan to wear my 8643 shirt!! :hippie:

[madaboutharry]

1. Be prepared for just about anything

You never know which version of Bob is going to show up.

[medeak]

4. so true!

he seems to be better these days but was in front row a few years ago when he forgot where he was, what song he was singing...his son covered for him.

[enigmatic]

22. You got it

But it's still worth going, especially if he's in the mood to care for a show..

[MuseRider]

2. Lots probably.

I saw him with Paul Simon and he was better than I thought he would be. I occasionally was able to figure out what song he was singing. He seemed to be having fun though.

[MGKrebs]

3. Oh yeah.

Last time, a couple of years ago, I couldn't help but think of Woody Allen being a rock and roller. In a good way!

He had the cool outfit, he was striking the rock and roll poses with his electric guitar, but he's like, 60 something years old, and a little Jewish man! Well, i don't know if he's a praciticing jew, but he's got the Woody Allen look going a little bit too.

But anyway, the music was great. I wonder if Charlie Sexton is in the band again this year? if so, he is a treat to watch and hear. Bob seemed like he was having a great time. I hope that is still the case, for you and for him.

[swag]

5. I've been to three Dylan shows, including one on the current tour

Prepare to be horrified at a vocal or two (or ten). Every time I've seen him, he has bullfrog-murdered something like "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," but on this tour his seasoned country band is good, and he has a pure notion of what a show should entail. There are golden moments ("The Times, They Are a Changing," was quite good in Portland, OR a couple months ago), but a lot of people left during his set. I understand why they left with their grandchildren - they wanted 1964 "Blowin' in the Wind" or something, and they got this croaking old lecherous, facial-hair fucker, murdering the classics. $60 rip-off to them, I'm sure. Me, I loved the show.

I've enjoyed Dylan every time I've seen him. But he's not always what you would expect or want. He is fully invested in the performance, though, and does exactly what he wants.

Strange shows. I'm glad he is touring.

[zulchzulu]

6. You have to see Bob!

I've seen him a few dozen times over the years in various venues and he is a must-see, if only for the cultural reference that you saw him.

An interesting article about Dylan's most recent tour was in the Times:

Mr. Dylan may be in the final phase of his long and iconoclastic life as a star, and for it he has chosen a very long and very iconoclastic tour: 1,700 shows and counting, beginning in 1988. Caught in an artistic crisis then, he decided to defibrillate his career and go back on the road. Accompanied by a small combo, he reintroduced himself to fans, sporting a lean energy and a commitment to exploring his nonpareil song catalog. He shows no signs of slowing down, though he has lately replaced the guitar he has played for more than 45 years with a keyboard, causing speculation that back problems might be responsible for the switch. (Through Mr. Dylan's publicist at Columbia Records, his management said playing keyboards was "just his musical preference" and declined to comment otherwise for this article.) Mr. Dylan has turned his act into one of the weirdest road shows in rock. He rarely speaks to the crowd, and when he does, his remarks are often gnomic throwaways. ("I had a big brass bed, but I sold it!") He plays some of his best-known songs, but often in contrarian, almost unrecognizable versions, as if to dampen their anthemic qualities. He highlights recent compositions more than most of his 60's coevals, but these, too, are delivered as highly stylized, singsongy chants. He strives to play as many kinds of places as possible, even playing successive nights in different theaters and clubs in large cities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/arts/music/12wyma.html?pagewanted=print

My tips are to prepare for a fun evening if you have some kind and understand he will not sound like the old records he performed on.

See him!

I saw him in Milwaukee for a couple shows a month ago and he was quite entertaining. I had to headprep before the show, due to alt smoke nazis in the bar...

[izzybeans]

7. Get ready to be surrounded by ex-hippie corporate lackeys in polo shirts

That was my experience of a Dylan show. But those type tend to congregate towards the front in the $100 plus seats. Stick to the lawn if its an outdoor venue. Because where there's grass...

The music was good that night, but he's a hit or miss kind a fellow these days, I hear.

[tuvor]

8. You will not recognize most of his songs until near the end.

That's the way it was when my wife and I saw him some dozen years ago.

DYLAN: Meeeehhh, mehmeh-meh MEEEEEEHHHH! Meh, meh, mehhhhh.

WIFE: What song is this?

ME (I worked at a record store for a decade): I haven't got a clue. Maybe it's from his new album.

DYLAN: Meeeehhh, mehmeh-meh MEEEEEEHHHH! Meh, meh, mehhhhh....

ME (A couple of minutes later): Hey! It's Positively 4th Street!

DYLAN: Thah yew.

[flygal]

12. That's hilarious!

:rofl: The tickets are $38 and it's a small venue, we don't get a lot of big names. I'll be prepared for a new experience.

[micrometer_50]

9. NY TIMES had a revealing article sunday

<snip>

Dylan Gives the People What He Wants



By BILL WYMAN
Published: June 12, 2005

THE theater, 70 miles north of Lansing, Mich., was big and boomy and boxy, and a third empty. The fans sat, six to a side, at long tables perpendicular to the stage. A few dozen yards away, slot machines jangled, lights flashed, cards snapped. Onstage, the frail-looking singer hunched over the keyboard and bleated out a tune that the patient audience strained to recognize. The singer, dressed as he always is in courtly dark garb, said little to the audience, though once or twice he emerged from behind the keyboard to play a harmonica solo from center stage.

</snip>

I would like to watch him perform.

1969 draft lottery #26

[bif]

10. Don't do it.

His voice is totally shot. I was pretty dissapointed.

[MaryBear]

14. His voice has always been totally shot.

It's about the music and that raspy voice is part of it.

[gmoney]

11. I've seen him twice...

Great both times, although neither time did he really say word one to the audience except maybe a "thank you" once or twice.

I like the fresh takes on the songs... "How many times can a man sing one song, before it drives him insane?"

[tigereye]

13. I saw him once

the time when he angered everyone by finding God. A lot of people got up and left. But it was a great show. He teased people about wanting to hear Lay Lady Lay ( with a few bars), and then he launched into gospel.

[MaryBear]

15. Went to one to please my husband. So glad

I did. Never understood Dylan's appeal. He is GREAT! And do go without expectation of words you can understand. It won't matter.

[dxstone]

16. Have you seen his recent Public Service Announcement?

It's a doozy!

Bob Dylan PSA
http://presidentevilonline.com/dylan.html

[MaryBear]

17. Copyright 2002?

[dxstone]

21. Yeah, BUT...

It's only been on the net for less than ONE MONTH now...
I was kinda busy with other things...
d
ps: My site is only a little over 3 months old itself...

pss: I LOVE Bob Dylan, man... but he IS a lotta fun to play around with!
(edited to add the above disclaimer)

[mcctatas]

18. I saw him at UW Oshkosh election nite 2000...

the show didn't even sell out, but it was awesome.

[Zomby Woof]

19. 5 times

1990, 1993 (w/Santana), 1995, 1998 (w/ Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell), and 2000 (w/ Phil Lesh).

He was ill in 1990, the weakest of all 5. He was damn good when touring on a double bill with Santana, and at his best in 1995.

[montana_hazeleyes]

20. I'm looking at my two dusty ticket stubs from my bedroom wall,

The first one was May 9, 1992 at the event center arena at San Jose State University. Having been a Dylan fan since the '60s I was thrilled to be seeing him in person.
I was not disappointed. We had floor seats,not real close but still great. Bob was great,all the music was great. I remember especially enjoying his guitar playing.
The place was filled to the rafters and the crowd was stoked. It was a ball! I didn't partake but there was an unmistakable aroma wafting about freely if you get my drift.

The other one I went to was Oct.9, 1993 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. We were out on the grass at that one. That was totally awesome because Santana was on the same bill. There's nothing like Santana in person. Bob was great,Santana was fabulous. What a night!
Much of the crowd was decked out in "hippy" garb and again that familiar scent was wafting around all over the place.

I guess I've been lucky because both my experiences at a Dylan concert were wonderful.