Expecting Rain

Please i don't want to offend anybody here!
We all love Bob, but I noticed something the past live setlists and esp. yesterday. Here some random posts:

Only yesterday Oberhausen:
"This is a great set-list so far. Loving itttttt!"
"this set-list is lookng great!"
"Bob you are a genius! This has to be the best set list / tour ever on the NET. Go Bob go, you are the man. What a show!!!!!"
"What a setlist!!!"
"really a great setlist!!!"
"This is best show since the last night in Hammersmith 1990."
"Man, what a set!!"
"What a killer setlist!"


Yes I'm with you all when you say it's a good or even great setlist, but we're all going to get crazy.
What happened with us?
We had 14 songs. All 14 songs were played many many many times last two years.
We had the tyical fix starters. Two typical Sunday songs BWMT and TTHTH (If you go to sunday you have 95% chance to hear these two).

The only interesting is BWMT on 3 (because of Mark) and Mark on four songs.
I think it's funy because these shows are most static and buiness as usual since 1986!
There are all good songs but where the hell is even Masters of war, It's alright ma, chimes, My back pages instead of Hard rain or Desolation.
I don't have a big problem with sme static slots. That we had most times during the NET.
There are reactions like from 14 years old teenagers.
I'm still happy two see three shows this year, but to say it's the best since 1990 goes a bit to far: Have you/they forgot the past 20 years???


I'm also with you when someone says that the show was great. Bob still nails it, but to be frank, his voice is getting to an end (although there are some nice and soft moments). The staccato really ruin many songs.(Not only for me)
His band is absolutely perfect, but something is missing. They play autopilot many times.
Bob's performance. well, I personallydon't like this entertaining, altough it's funny. I like a one or two smile Bob show much more, like these ones. But it's ok.
But I think I will enjoy these three italian shows, like i enjoyed most shows since 1978.


I can remember many of us die hard fans critisising Bob back 1998/99 for goofing too much around. The earnest not smiling and very static way was the ONLY way I/We knew him for long. - To each his own! Perhaps I'm too old for that. (Bob isn't)

I don't count much on Mk fan thoughts, but 99% say that they leave the show early.
Why?
The some who are staying quit after 3/4 of the show, because everything is sounding samey. ( I can rememember I critisised this once and was blamed.
To be honest I think MK performance really tired, lame and SAMEY too. (from what I heard on the tape). This endless guitar noodeling althouh he is playing very good and has some nice songs. He is a great musican.
I can understand why the leave but I don't unerstand that they leave. When I pay for the ticket I would also stay through MK if it would be the other way round. (That has to do with respect.)

They critisise us to be disrespectful to Mark music, but they are the ones who are leaving the show early. Look at the forums. They nearly all say the typical Bob critisising we know for nearly 50 years.
I do think that Bob shows were very hard 1987-1994 for non Dylan fans and very hard again since 2009. Beetween that I think it was more easy for poeple to find their way through a show, although many of them complaint about these and that. This was always so and will be.
But to leave, because they vannot understand, too loud, voice etc.. is disrespectful and EVIL!
Juliet43 always told us before the tour how open minded Mk fans are.
I listen besides Bob too many music classical-Free Jazz-pop- Rock, etc.. and I believe you all do. I still believe MK fans are stuckes inside of this guitar noodeling. I saw same things with Bobcats.(An open mind for everything)

Anyway to end this:
1. I still like Bob and I'm looking forward for these shows (Although i know exactly what to expect)

2. Dylan fans have to sit through guitar noodeling Mark

3. MK fans a running out after Bob starts.

4. Many people complainig for this and that (Was always but I think it's more on this tour)

5. After reading in Mk formus I found out that we are sometimes disrespectful against Mark, but not that BIG way like they
are against us and Bob.

6. Bob should play again without opening act like he used to most times before (I think he don't want or can't do more than 14-15 song and 90 minutes. He is 70 years old. Perhaps that's the reason for MK)

7. We all should be objectiv and see that some is still very good ans some is not.

8. I'm not expecting miracles, but please a few more diferent songs

9. Let's hope the old many does it for some more years (Perhaps a longer break would be good for his voice)


Best wishes to you all!

I'm a Bob fan, have seen and enjoyed many shows, i've always loved the Bob and will always do, but i was about to leave during Bob's set in Esch. Though i can understand, i din't find it loud, and i love Bob's voice.
Many fans around me loved the show, but i didn't. There's nothing evil in that.

maria, maria maria....you just don't get it

a "good setlist" doesn't have to be one that he didn't play last night, or one that has lots of 'rare' songs...i'd say something's a good setlist if it's full of my favourite songs (this includes don't think twice and LARS and etc even though you would say they've been played to death)

i agree with the rest, though

I don't dislike Mark's show per se but there is virtually NO variation to his sets from night to night. There may be a slight change in the set list but the songs sound as they did at the show before etc.

With Bob each show is new and you don't necessarily know what you'll be getting from him or the band. Bob's band is also far and away a much more interesting live band to listen to (and watch) than Mark's. The bands are obviously much different stylistically but Bob's guys improvise; so the songs aren't at all static or predictable like Mark's seem to be every show.

You say this like you fully expect all people are made from the same mold? Naive 14 yr old remarks indeed.

Btw if the only "Evil" left in the world is a few folk walking out on a concert they paid for then we live in good times.


It may be that Dire Straits (& Mark) have always had a huge following in Europe and a lot of newbies are simply shocked when they hear Bobs rough and ready croaks. It's definitely an acquired taste many people are happy to live without.

I got the feeling the person who said it was the best setlist since Hammersmith 90 (the same person who said "Bob you are a genius! This has to be the best set list / tour ever on the NET. Go Bob go, you are the man. What a show!!!!!") was...you know, joking.

As to the rest, I don't really expect MK fans to stick around for Dylan's whole set. That isn't why they came and let's face it, if you don't know the songs in advance (and most or all of the words to them) you're pretty well sunk at a Dylan show, these days or any time in the last 30 years. Just as MK could have played a bunch of Dire Straits material for the Dylan fans, Dylan could have done a bunch of his hits for the Mk fans, but each has mostly stuck to their guns and presented the show they want to present, so if MK fans haven't heard Dylan's recent music they'll have a very hard time keeping up.

I was unable to see any shows in 2011, but I can say the shows I saw in both 2009 and 2010 blew everything out of the water I'd seen him do (in person) since 2004 - which is only one show in each of those years as I don't follow the tours like some here, but still, that was my experience.

did you go to a show yet? then just stop whining. listen to the Bob recordings that are out there and enjoy. you are complaining and moaning about those evil MK fans posting evilish stuff on their forum and at the same time, here's looking at you "kid".
can you stop it now and enjoy the tour? and yes the songs are the same a lot, as in previous years, but they are delivered with such a stage presence that i truly do not care. (that is BD i'm talkingabout.)

i agree to much you say! though i don't care about the "fanwars". to point 6: without another big name he wouldn't sell the tickets. we had that point already reached in 91. i remember walking thru a huge stadium not even half full...

[quote="pottel]did you go to a show yet? then just stop whining. listen to the Bob recordings that are out there and enjoy. you are complaining and moaning about those evil MK fans posting evilish stuff on their forum and at the same time, here's looking at you "kid".
can you stop it now and enjoy the tour? and yes the songs are the same a lot, as in previous years, but they are delivered with such a stage presence that i truly do not care. (that is BD i'm talkingabout.)[/quote]
that was "such a stage presence" during this tour? come on! even the die die die hards i know wouldn't say that.
and this is my hero BOB DYLAN i am talking about quoting him "you should have seen me in my prime"!

i really liked the way he "delivered" again, tastes may differ.
i found last night to be way louder then Antwerp though, and not as well mixed as there. but i really enjoyed it. and bob WAS having fun, i could clearly see it from my row 2 seat, right in front of him.

he had fun fine - and that makes the "such stage presence"??? has nothing to do that personally i enjoyed large parts of the show too.

for me there is only one explanation why I visit Bobshows this time. I love his art and his kind. Love is the only explanation, because from an „average“ point of view the shows aren´t worth to visit for that money. An average level of quality you hardly can define, you better can criticice it. But fact is, that many people left the show in Rotterdam. Maybe Knopfler-Fans, but they followed Dylans set for a long time, before they went out.
And friends on my side who like Dylan very much, but don´t love, said: That was one of the worse concerts. I couldn´t take a look in their faces during the show, they looked too bored (people, that I take to Dylan shows for over 15 Years).
And me – I´m satisfied because of special moments in his voice, a special kind I can´t define: Not normal, only loving (far away to be impassioned during the show). The songs, out of his own mouth, are so great, that the condition of his voice or the sound can´t be the most important thing. Anyway the voice seems in a difficult status. No, NOT the voice - the power to express and to be subtle. Yesterday I listened to „Ballad Of A Twin Man“ 2005 in Hamburg and 2011 in Esch. The difference frustrated me, but love is enough and even because the experience in Rotterdam I´m curious and plan to visit another show.

I should add that a "good" setlist to me, is one that inspires me to find the bootleg of the show. That means there aren't any songs that I regard as "clunkers" ("I Don't Believe You," "Stuck In Mobile...," etc.). The set lists, as of late, have seemed, from a statistical point of view, to be pretty clean cut without much fat.

These two were posted by a troll named scott6 , who also wrote this
http://expectingrain.com/discussions/vi ... =2&t=64617
. Hate to be rude but , dear scott, if you don't like recent shows ( or , worse , the setlists ) , why bother ruining the fun for others?

Are you Mary Poppin's? The guy is just giving his opinion. How is that "ruining the fun for others"?

He hates the setlists and the shows. He's just making fun about those who like them.

Hey Maria, either piss off or don't. Either go to the shows or don't. Either enjoy them or don't.

Hey Bob and Mark fans, either enjoy the shows or don't. Come, stay or go during any set you choose. You bought a ticket and you are entitled to use it any way you want to.

Talk about first world problems, good lord.

I just got done watching fifteen minutes of MTV's "True Life: I Hate My Small Breasts", so I especially liked this comment. Of course, you're already on a Bob Dylan message board, specifically the part of that discussion board that discusses what and how he plays. You simply must be prepared for certain people to be anal retentive about various aspects. Still, it's fair to say that perspective is always healthy.

"I'm still happy two see three shows this year, but to say it's the best since 1990 goes a bit to far: Have you/they forgot the past 20 years???"

I think that bloke was taking the piss wasn't he? Haha

well, small breasts is a serious problem. I kind of resent your implication that being concerned with one's small breasts is not important...

Anything over a handful is wasted. Back to Bob!

Oh yea, Bob Dylan. I think it's neat that Bob is performing less songs but in a more consistent way. Him being lost in songs can be fun (well, maybe 10% lost, not 40%), but him being sure of his vocal phrasing and where he wants to go on the keyboard is at least a fresh direction for him. He's more confident center stage too, and appears to be having fun. If these things come at the price of a more static set, so be it. We're still relatively spoiled with regards to quantity of songs for someone as popular as Bob, and you know that sooner or later he'll change it up again anyway. That's part of the fun.

ETA: Still, some decisions, like dropping GCMWOT for PillBox or RDW is outrageous and unforgivable.

Small breasts are fine with me, it's all about the nipple..

Small breasts for some, miniature American flags for others!

what bores the hand can thrill the tongue as they say!