On Friday my buddies Hurl, Buzzard and I made the two hour drive to Lloydminster,Saskatchewan to catch Bob Dylan in concert (thanks to Hurl for driving us). When I first heard about this show I was super excited to get tickets as it had been about 4 years since I had last seen Bob Dylan in concert, which is way too long to go without seeing him play. Why Bob picked Lloyminster to start his latest tour of North America is beyond me, as Lloyd. is only a town of about 30,000 people. Nonetheless I figured this was going to be a cool place to catch Dylan in concert, this was an outdoor show at Exhibition Grandstands, which looked to me like it was or is an old horse racetrack. There were only 4500 tickets availavle for the show, all of them being general admission. I would guess the crowd for the show to be close to 4000. Bizarre how the show wasn't a sell out. A legend playing in a small town like Lloydminster and you can't sell out the show, I don't get it. This was my ninth time seeing Bob Dylan in concert and first time seeing him play an outdoor show.
We got into town mid afternoon, enough time to find and rent a hotel room in a seedy looking place, that's ok though, as the place we did get allowed smoking in the room, always a bonus to me. We went out had dinner and a few beers and then off to the show, which was within walking distance to the venue from our hotel, another bonus. Before the show there were some dark looking clouds moving in and some lightning happening. I was starting to think this could be a gong show. But the weather gods were on our side for this evening, as it turned out to be a beautiful evening, no rain, no wind, just some lightning in the background behind the stage.
The show started right at 8pm with no opening band, this was going to be just an evening with Bob Dylan. Bob put on a two hour show and looked to be in great spirits as he was striking poses and smiling through out the show. The show opened with the song 'Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat' in which Bob played keyboards, after the Bob went to the grand piano and played a cool version of 'Don't Think Twice, It's Alright'. If you don't know Dylan well or have never seen him perform live before it may have taken you some time relizing what song it was that he was playing, but being what I call myself "a Dylan veteran" it didn't take me long to figure out what songs he was playing. Bob Dylan sounded good (to me anyways) he still has the nasally and warbly voice but was still understandable. I was hoping Bob would maybe play a new song from his upcoming new album Tempest coming out September 11th but to no avail, nothing new at this show. As always Bob changed up every song he did, Bob never plays a song the same twice, which must make it hard to be his back up band, especially when Bob is sitting behind a big old piano now. Only once did Bob put on the guitar on this night and that was for the song 'Simple Twist Of Fate'. Dylan did come out from behind the piano a few times to sing at the front of the stage and play harp and that was for the songs 'Things Have Changed', a bit of 'Tangled Up In Blue' (one of my all time faves) and 'Ballad Of A Thin Man'. Bob looked to be having a good time up on stage. The only time he spoke to the audience at all was when he introduced his five piece band, whom did a great job backing him up. The only member I recognized was his long time guitar player Charlie Sexton, who looked a little creepy to me. The show closer was the song 'Blowin' In The Wind'. All and all another great Bob Dylan experience. My only complaint was how restrict security was about taking pictures. I mean really, why bother, everyone has a camera nowadays on their phones. That didn't matter though, as they were all over you if you tried to take a picture. I gave up even trying, as the security really made me feel uncomftorable.
After the show Hurl, Buzzard and I walked back to our seedy hotel room and drank til 5:30 in the morning. When you only have one bed in the room and there is three of you, drinking sounded a whole lot better then all of us trying to sleep on one bed. So drinking and passing out on the floor was what was in order. Good times!!!
Setlist for the show.
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Things Have Changed
Tangled Up In Blue
Rollin' and Tumblin'
Sugar Baby
Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
Trying To Get To Heaven
Summer Days
Desolation Row
Highway 61 Revisited
Simple Twist Of Fate
Thunder On The Mountain
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
Blowin' In The Wind
In concert news...Bob Dylan with opener Mark Knopfler will be playing in Edmonton at Rexall Place on Tuesday October 9th. This promises to be a great double bill.
Thanks for the review. I'm surprised the local paper hasn't posted anything yet. How was the crowd? Some people who've never seen him before get quite disappointed as they're expecting a greatest hits show, sounding like the album. ~ Trent
ReplyDeleteThe crowd was excellent, lloked like everyone was having a good time. Drinks were flowing. People singing and dancing.
ReplyDeleteNice review. I was at the show as well and can back up everything you say. Having seen Bob six times now I know not to really expect anything except perhaps the unexpected, and for me that was when he stood at the mic and sang without anything but perhaps a harmonica. Ballad of a Thin Man was great to see like that. By the way, you almost caught me in your picture..I was standing against the partition to the right of the guy with the blue plaid hat. One thing that was very cool being that close was watching the other band members watching Dylan to catch his cues. Bass player and pedal steel guy had their eyes fixed on him all night.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the show too. I had seen him once before in Edmonton in 1990 and this was by far. Better performance, better sound, great outdoor venue and yes even Bob was more entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI did a review at my blog too if u want to check it out. I am also surprised at the lack of coverage it seems to have got from the Lloyd media.....