Bob Dylan 2000.07.30 in Stanhope

Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 10:03:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jason polanski  jasonpolanski@yahoo.com
Subject: 7/30 review
To: karlerik@monet.no

Here's a review of 7/30/00 for your website.

 The last show of the Bob/Phil tour was last night in
Stanhope, NJ. The venue at Waterloo Village was a
stage set up in a valley surrounded by wooded hills.
It was all general admission and definitely a better
set up than those lousy ampitheaters they've been
playing in.

Doors opened at 4:30 and a band called Guster played
first. Pretty good and mostly acoustic and they said
several times that they were really excited to be on
the same bill as Bob and Phil. Kind of funny, Bob and
Phil did not acknowledge each other or Guster, not to
mention we didn't get any Bob/Phil jams during this
tour.

 Bob came out pretty early. The sky was light, but
overcast. Except for a few sprinkles, it seemed most
of the rain had past. The storms left some real hot
and humid weather. Bob started with DUNCAN AND BRADY.
Strong version. Tony came out smoking a cigar. It was
interesting because there was nothing behind the stage
and the light show had no effect. It was the most
natural setting I'd ever seen Bob in. Sometimes the
wind would blow towards the stage, pushing all his
hair back. He had this totally different look. 

 Then it was just Bob on guitar while the band stood
watching for the first verse of SONG TO WOODY. I know
Bob essentially gave up solo acoustic performances in
1965, but it is kind of neat to see him play without
the band. Anyway, the band kicked in for the second
verse. It was an awesome version.

 As expected, DESOLATION ROW was in the third spot.
Bob really loves to solo on this song these days. The
verses of choice were Postcards>Cinderella>hidden
moon>Phantom>solo>midnight agents>solo>recieved your
letter>solo.

 Then Larry picked up the fiddle for MY BACK PAGES. We
got the spoken-sung version complete with Bob's
harmonica solo at the end that harmonizes perfectly
with Larry's fiddle.

 Next was TANGLED UP IN BLUE. It was a true highlight.
Bob played about four guitar solos and ended the song
with an intense harmonica solo. Not to mention that
the phrasing for this version was basically that he
stretched the last word of every line. Maybe the best
performance I've heard of this song.

 The acoustic set cooled down with SEARCHING FOR A
SOLDIERS GRAVE complete with vocal harmonies for each
verse.

 At this point everyone around me was yelling Country
Pie! I guess they'd been paying attention to the
setlists because it was....COUNTRY PIE! Featured some
extended jamming from Larry and Charlie.

 Now these people near me were yelling Blind Willie.
Either Bob heard them or it was a strange coincidence
because the next song was....BLIND WILLIE MCTELL!
Charlie did some nice lead guitar work and Bob sung
strong.

 The jamming continued with TOMBSTONE BLUES. Everyone
traded licks and Bob had lot's of fun allowing for
long instrumental breaks and inspired phrasing.

 Then probably the highlight of the electric set, I
DON'T BELIEVE YOU. Bob sang this as if just the night
before his girlfriend left him. That's if he has a
girlfriend! The song had a range that went from laid
back to "live 66" intensity.

 Everyone was dancing to the new arrangement of COLD
IRONS BOUND which I think is amazing. It was also
really hot and Bob seemed a bit tired with "sweat
pouring down."

 After the band intros, they played LEOPARD SKIN
PILLBOX HAT with Charlie doing most of the lead.
 After a needed break to cool down, Bob came out for
the encores. THINGS HAVE CHANGED was a solid
performance that gained intensity towards the end. Bob
had the crowd hanging on every line. This song works
in a live setting.

 Then it was a rather laid back version of LIKE A
ROLLING STONE with Bob having fun with the phrasing.
He also really belted out the final chorus.

 ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS was probably the highlight of
the encore set. The band played soft and Bob sung with
beauty in his soft voice. After the last verse, he
played a guitar solo, put down the guitar and picked
up the harmonica. Then he walked up to the mike, held
the whole mike stand in one hand and the harmonica in
the other hand and danced around stage like this. I've
never seen him do that. It was really cool and a
truely amazing solo.

 The electric guitars were back again for HIGHWAY 61
REVISITED. Charlie got in some great solos while
trading licks with Bob and Larry's guitars. During the
last verse, Tony went over and started dancing, or
maybe it's called grinding! with Charlie. Bob noticed
this and could hardly sing the last verse because he
was trying not to laugh. Big smile on Tony's face.
 A sweet BLOWING IN THE WIND closed the set.
 
 After that I moved out of the crowd to some cooler
air and danced into the night with Phil and his hippy
followers. A great end to a great tour.

Jason Polanski



Subject: Late July East Coast Observations
From: mreese  
Date: Sun, 06 Aug 2000 00:31:52 GMT

Late July East Coast Observations

I have just returned home from a week and a half of following Bob
around for the tail end of the east coast tour.  I have enjoyed
reading the reviews here, on expecting Rain and Bob Dates.  I
thought I would add a few observations and interpretations of
things I didn't see mentioned other places.  The venues and shows
mix in my mind... these are only my opinions and they might be
wrong.

Mansfield 7/22
Bob was in fine form, smiling, grimacing and pointing his guitar
at the girls.  We noticed him singing certain lines of Leopard
Skin Pillbox Hat to a certain woman on the rail.  Later, with
hand and body motions, he said "you", "me", 'backstage?" to her. 
Despite being obviously flattered and embarrassed, she declined. 
As Phil took the stage I found my friend Frank talking to her on
a park bench.  A bit of an obsessed fan, but a nice woman.  After
talking to her a bit I found myself wanting to suggest that she
take the little pills in her medicine cabinet and the world would
be a little bit clearer.  Tears of Rage was a haunting rendition
with perfect back-up vocals, Larry leading the way.

Saratoga Springs 7/23
Few recognized To Ramona.  We had been listening to it on the way
to the show, analyzing the lines and never guessing we would hear
it that evening.  The harp on Wicked Messenger was amazing, hard
and challenging.  It reminded me of the challenging harp work
found on the acoustic tracks on Tales of a Mexican Painter
(1966).  Similar in that they are both challenging, getting us to
listen closer, feeling how Bob was stretching out and blasting
the notes.  Bob's LSPH serenade was again only warmly received by
his chosen female in the front.

Montage Mt. 7/25
"Thank you, thank you very much... well, to most of you any
ways", said to an partially empty arena towards the beginning of
the show.
Bob searched the front row to have someone to sing...
		"Well, you look so pretty in it
		Honey, can I jump on it sometime?"
He was looking hard by the time
		"And you just sit-in' there
		In your brand new leopard skin pill-box hat"
came around.  He never found his target that night.

Long Island 7/26
Tony conferred for a long time with Bob before we got the treat
of Long Black Veil for standing in the rain.  Another conference
before both Song To Woody and The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas
Priest, playing the songs later in the set than commonly done as
of late.  No searching For A Soldiers Grave as the addition of
Long Black Veil just pushed the previously mentioned songs later
in the set and Searching right off the list.

Scranton 7/28
Tony was pumping his fist in the air as they walked backstage,
clearly pleased at their performance.  Charlie apparently just
got out of the shower before the show, as his wet hair wasn't as
styled as on previous evenings.  I surmised that he is last in
line.  Charlie played much closer attention to Bob's moves and
directions this evening. Bob apparently found a target for LSPH. 
The crowd was not responsive to Bob's solos and antics, just
apparently making him try harder. The boys hit their notes during
the Blowin' In the Wind chorus.

Merriweather 7/29
The scene in the parking before and after the show rivaled that
in the venue.  I have never seen so many people attached to
balloons before. Bob apparently found his person to sing LSPH to,
peering (leering?) in to the crowd and pointing his guitar. 
Strange hand stretching during the "Stare Down' or The Formation,
as it has come to be known as.

Stanhope 7/30
We had to skip this one as the plane left from Boston late that
evening. We barely made it from Maryland.

I noticed a lack of the strange guitar moves from last year, neck
held straight up while soloing, for example.  The sound mix was
good to excellent night after night.  The band is like a hired
hand, coming in to town and doing their job.  Standing there
afterwards as if to say, yeh, that's it, that's what we do, you
like that?, yeh, us too, thanks, bye...
Who were those masked men?

my ranking...
Scranton, Long Island and Mansield were highlights, but then
again, all that harp in Saratoga Springs was amazing and
Merriweather the crowd was in touch with his every move...

I would like to have CD-R's of it all so I can relive my
memories. Trades, B+P's, you name it.
I have an extensive collection of original silver import CD's and
can make copies, let me know what you need.