Bob Dylan 2000.07.14 in Minneapolis, MN
Subject: Minneapolis review!
From: Mary DuCharme ducharme@pop.mpls.uswest.net
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 23:32:54 -0500
I just got home from the Minneapolis concert at the
Target Center and my ears are still ringing. This was the
first show I caught on this tour, so I arrived early to
assure myself a good spot on the general admission floor.
It's strange; those first nine or ten hours waiting in line
go by so fast, but it's the last hour before the gates open
and the next hour waiting for Bob to take the stage that
seem to last an eternity.
Before Bob and the boys took their place on stage, some
girls in cowboy hats and red shirts scurried around on
stage. It was strange, because I didn't think the Dixie
Chicks were supposed to play Target until Saturday. The
girls left and out came Bob, looking splendid in his black
suit with a white stripe on the side of the legs and black
and white cowboy boots. He was also wearing a lime
green/yellow shirt, and the man looked good in a little
color.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, would you please
welcome Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan!"
They opened with "Duncan and Brady". Thoroughly
enjoyable. Bob looked cranky as usual, but I knew it would
take a few songs for him to lighten up. He blew his nose
and hiked up his pants. Next the boys played "The Times
They Are a-Changin'". I noticed that Bob's singing voice
was different tonight than previous concerts. It was more
of a snarl, but he sounded great. "Times" was one of the
best that I've heard in recent years.
"Desolation Row" was reworked quite a bit. If mem'ry
serves, Bob was singing with almost no instrumental backup
for the first verse--just David lightly drumming and Larry
playing guitar ever so softly. Bob sounded unbelievable. I
also noticed Charlie looked like he was in a rather pissy
mood. Don't get me wrong--I'm madly in love with the guy
(and so were the 15-year old girls next to me), but he
looked like he'd had some bad seafood or something and was
going to vomit. He kept yelling to the sound guy, but the
sound guy was busy talking to some blonde girl. Meanwhile,
Larry was stoic as usual and Bob appeared to be flirting
with a few females as the sweat dripped from his nose.
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" was next. It was a
typical version--nothing extraordinary there. "Tangled Up
In Blue" got the crowd on their feet, although I would
rather have heard something else. The crowd really came
alive. It must have been those ganja cookies a guy was
selling before the concert. I mean, I have never seen such
crazy dancing before. Bob looked impressed as well.
"Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" was awesome, but the rest
of the crowd didn't seem to appreciate it as I did. Bob
really sang on this one and accentuated the last word of
each line, crinkling up his face and lowering his eyebrows.
I loved that "Country Pie" as Bob started the electric
set. "If Not For You" was barely recognizable, and I loved
it for that. "All Along the Watchtower" was again, nothing
special. If I chose the set list, "Watchtower" and TUIB
would not be in it, but that's not the way things work, so
I'll let Bob do his job and keep the complaining to a
minimum.
"Cold Irons Bound" was also a newer, interesting
version, and I really liked it. The lights matched David's
drum as Bob spurted out the lyrics. Bob then introduced his
band, "some of the finest players in the country", but I
missed half of the joke. It was something about the
restaurant the Pickled Parrot. After "Leopard Skin Pillbox
Hat" the guys did the Formation, and there was Bob, the
bitchy monarch with his cranky band, standing for an
awkwardly long period.
The encore began with "Things Have Changed". It was
much like the studio version. "Like a Rolling Stone" was
fun and the crowd was happy to hear "Girl of the North
Country". "Highway 61" was also typical. They stood for
the Formation again and left, then came back and did a
beautiful "Blowin' in the Wind". The concert was just about
two hours long with 17 songs.
A third Formation and Bob was out the door and so was
I. Thirteen hours in the Target Center is a lot to handle
and I didn't want to stay for Phil. He's probably still on
stage now.
Well, I have to get some sleep before tomorrow's Alpine
Valley show. Let's hope for an exciting setlist and a
performance as wonderful as tonight.
P.S. TuMuLTY, I saw you using your inflatable hemorrhoid
ring to get a good spot, so don't try to deny it!
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 12:55:18 -0500
From: tim romantim@mr.net
To: karlerik@monet.no
Subject: Minneapolis joke
David Kemper on drums, ladies and gentlemen......David and I were
in the Pickled Parrot* this afternoon and David asked the
waitress if they served crabs.....She said "Buddy, we'll serve
just about anybody...."
*the pickled parrot is a popular restaurant/bar in downtown
Minneapolis, about a 1/4 mile from the Target Center.
interesting show notes:
in time with the last note of "desolation row", dylan pulls his
guitar off over his head and, holding it in front of him and
parallel to the floor, theatrically lowers it down (and now
crouching) sets it on the floor in front of him. (my
interpretation: "definitive performance")
he did the same thing after "tangled up". both times very
affected and dramatically. (my interpretation: again, "definitive
performance") (the beginning of "tangled up" gave me that same
feel as the close up "renaldo and clara" version, btw.)
speaking of affected and dramatic: after the end of the first set
dylan and the band assemble (ok, david stays behind the drums) in
the front of the stage and just stand there soaking up the
applause....for a loooong time. 20+ shows going back to '87, and
I've never seen anything like it. just standing there stoically.
dylan tilting his head slightly back.....and if that wasn't weird
enough, they did the exact same thing again after "hwy 61" and
again after "blowin' in the wind".....very proud, very
seriously-comical, very much bob's night.
did i mention that he nailed every lyric, and that every tune was
executed flawlessly?
Phil Lesh (god love 'im) played to about 2/3 the crowd that bob
played to. His guitar player Robben Ford is fan-fucking-tastic.
Definately understands the Grateful Dead groove and is a soulful
soloist and has a lot of leadership on stage. An excellent,
inspired performance by Phil and the band. They had a tough act
to follow.
Timothy Roman
romantim@hotmail.com
