Bob Dylan 2000.11.06 in Duquesne
Duquesne University
A.J. Palumbo Center
Capacity: 6200
From: jokerman@bellatlantic.net
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 07:22:12 -0500
To: webmaster@expectingrain.com
Subject: review of Nov. 6th, 2000
A basketball venue is hardly anyone's idea of a good place to
hold a concert due to the echo and muddy mix that usually plague
these facilities. So it was with a bit of trepidation that we
entered the Palumbo center last evening. Arriving half-way
through the local opening act, we found a place about 20 yards
from the stage. The venue was pretty full at this point and we
eventually moved back from the front and watched the show from a
less tightly packed area of the floor.
Dylan and company took the stage at 7:45 PM and promptly began
the acoustic set with
1. Duncan And Brady(acoustic)- Dylan's voice was strong and clear
from the outset. My skepticism about the venues acoustics were
quickly laid away as the entire band sounded great and would
continue to excel throughout the show.
2. Mr. Tambourine Man(acoustic)- One of my favorite tunes sung
with a hypnotic slowness that brought many cheers from the
enthralled audience. Dylan cocked his head to one side during the
verses as if to recall the emotions he felt when he wrote this
gem so many years ago.
3. It's Alright, Ma(I'm only Bleeding)(acoustic)-A very rocking
bluegrass arrangement propelled the song along with Dylan
enunciating every syllable with strength and conviction. On the
eve of the presidential election, the line "But even the
president of the United States sometimes must have to stand
naked" brought one of the loudest crowd responses of the night.
4 .Love Minus Zero/No Limit(acoustic)- Dylan dug deep into his
bag of vocal nuances for a very tender rendering of Love Minus
Zero. During the outro, Dylan laid back as Larry Campbell played
some lovely steel guitar that took the song to the next level.
5. Tangled Up in Blue(acoustic)-At this point, Dylan knew that he
had the crowd in the palm of his hand and he began smiling a bit
and hamming it up during the instrumental passages of "Tangled".
The crowd roared their approval as Dylan took a short guitar solo
that didn't go anywhere but delighted the audience just the same.
6. Searching for a Soldiers Grave(acoustic) Larry began the song
with a nice mandolin flourish that slowed as Dylan gave the song
a slow and somber rendering that showcased the songs simple but
unmistakable beauty.
A side note: This was probably the most appreciative and Dylan
knowledgeable crowd i have ever encountered. While very into the
show and in a partying mood, there was none of the belligerence
or during song talking that one can find at many concerts
electric set
7. Country Pie- Big smiles from everyone on stage during ÎCountry
Pie" A good upbeat number to welcome the electric instruments.
Dylan roared through a quick solo and then gave Charlie Sexton
and Larry Campbell a chance to shine as they traded solos back
and forth. The band really seemed to give this song a work out in
its very short form.
8. Standing in the Doorway- Wow! A song that i had been hoping
for and i was not disappointed. Dylan sang strongly and loudly
without forsaking any of the songs atmosphere or intimacy. A very
touching performance and Dylan smiled broadly during the applause
knowing that he had nailed it.
9. Stuck inside of Mobile- A chance for Dylan to play with his
phrasing and timing on the lyrics while David Kemper laid down a
funky backbeat that allowed Sexton and Campbell to each take a
couple solos. Charlie Sexton's solo soared beautifully as his
playing sparkled all evening long.
10. Just Like a Woman- A very welcome surprise and nicely played
at that. Larry Campbell colored the song with cascading pedal
steel notes that added another dimension of feel to the song.
Dylan sang the song with delicate melodic phrasing that nicely
fit the song. The audience again rewarded the song with a long
ovation that brought a smile and a fluffing of the hair from
Dylan
11. Drifters Escape- i was really happy to hear this tune as i
had read quite a few great reviews of it. This was the highlight
of the show for me. As the band laid down a rocking beat, Dylan
nailed the vocals with great power and phrasing. On of the most
consistent trends of the night was the fact that Dylan was in
great vocal form and nowhere was this more apparent then here.
After a blues drenched jam, Dylan held the guitar to one side and
played a short but good harmonica solo.
12. Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat- After the band intros, LSPBH closed
the electric set. Dylan was doing quite a bit of dancing and
bobbing his head while the band pushed the song harder and harder
which Dylan seemed to thrive on. His vocals rang strong and true
as he rode the maelstrom that the band had whipped up. A very
long, blazing outro treated the audience to solos by Campbell and
Sexton before Dylan brought the song home with a short solo of
his own. It is very strange to see the band stand there in
formation after the tune. They all look very uncomfortable and
unsure of what to do during this time. Encores
13. Things Have Changed- A good performance of the song but the
rhythm seemed to become a bit wobbly as the song continued.
14.Like a Rolling Stone- A good rocking sing a long tune for the
casual fan. It was well received and it was well played even
though the rhythm threatened to fall apart during the chorus.
David Kemper was excellent on drums all evening. Unfortunately,
this was not Tony Garnier's best night. His playing was good as
usual but he didn't add the spark to the songs that he usually
does. On other nights, that would hinder the show but since the
rest of the band was so on and Dylan was at the height of his
powers, it mattered little.
15.If Dogs Run Free(acoustic)(Larry and Charlie on electric) A
very fun and loose song that showcased Dylans ability to laugh at
himself. The lounge lizard arrangement was hilarious and the
audience ate it up. Larry Campbell took a spirited, jazzy solo to
close the song out.
16.All Along the Watchtower- a few extraneous notes at the onset
had my hopes up for "Cold Irons Bound" but instead we got
"Watchtower" which I'll never complain about. One of the loudest
crowd responses of the night and the band delivered the goods.
Charlie Sexton laid down lick after lick of blues drenched rock
and roll. A good performance by Dylan as he splayed his legs and
pointed his guitar at the audience in front of the stage.
17. Forever Young(acoustic)-A beautifully played tune that
shimmered under Dylan's warm vocal. Something about the way Dylan
sang the song reminded me of a painting with watercolors.
18. Highway 61- Another showcase for Charlie Sexton to trade
solos with Dylan. There was a very good light show all night and
it culminated during the climax of "Highway 61". Dylans vocals
remained loud and clear with no sign of tiring.
19. Blowing in the Wind(acoustic)- While i still see it as being
anticlimatic and a rinky dink tune, the crowd loved it and the
harmonies between Dylan and the band seemed tighter than usual.
Another formation with Dylan nodding his head and his hands on
his hips.
An excellent show with great vocals, outstanding musicianship and
a very good set list made for another magical evening. I'd love
to get a copy of this show. Sorry for the length of the review
but i tend to ramble.
In Bob we trust,
Carsten Molt
Jokerman@bellatlantic.net
