Bob Dylan 2001.04.18 in Boulder

Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Re: Boulder! What a GREAT show!
From: Shula1972  shula1972@aol.com
Date: 19 Apr 2001 04:50:12 GMT

Great Great show. Bob was definately charged up. Voice was very strong in most
songs. Crowd went crazy for Tangled Up In Blue. Bob grabbed the harp 3 times.
Kind if disappointed with almost the same setlist as he has been using but
thats ok

Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Re: Boulder! What a GREAT show!
From: TRoosevelt1904 troosevelt1904@aol.com
Date: 19 Apr 2001 05:01:39 GMT

I agree. With an artist with a backlog of over 500 songs, you think he would
get tired of singing the same stuff over and over. If you go to 5 straight
Dylan concerts, you will hear "Like a Rolling Stone, Blowing in the Wind,
Highway 61, Tangled Up in Blue, Rainy Day Women, Desolation Row, Love Sick etc"
Tonight nothing from the 80's or from Desire Planet Wave Street Legal Slow
Train Under The Red Sky. Mix it up once in a while.


Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Re: Boulder! What a GREAT show!
From: Tricia J tricia.j@aardvark.net.au
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 05:10:37 GMT

no no no! please not again! these posts are so repetitive

if he didn't play any of the sogns you mention, 90% of the audience
would be severely disappointed...

he played Things Have Changed, Standing In The Doorway, Tears of Rage,
To Be Alone With You, Drifter's Escape, If Dogs Run Free - if that's
not "mixing it up" then I don't know what is...


Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Boulder review
From: Brandon Zwagerman  BrandonZ@NOegl.netSPAM
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 23:35:10 -0600
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder

Well, I just got back from the Coors Events Center on the my
University of Colorado Campus. It was a warm Front Range
evening, sunny and in the 70s. I walked over to the arena about
an hour before the show was set to begin at 7:30. Being all
reserved seating, not too many people were around, but a good
number. 4 buses in various combinations of black, silver, and
gold were parked at the loading dock. The only one with its rear
facing me had a California plate, and there was a little tent
set up for equipment or roadie refreshments or both. A couple
radio station booths blaring Ricky Martin and whatnot were in
front of the main entrance, and greybeards milled around while
young neo-hippies kicked the hacky sack. Scalpers were around in
droves, as well as pro-marijuana activists (4/20/01 4 PM Farrand
Field, University of Colorado- be there and bring your buds!).

Once they opened the doors around 45 minutes til showtime, I
went in, bought some stickers-- $2 for 3, not bad-- and found my
seat, which turned out to be nearer the top than I thought, and
a bleacher... argh. So I sat there uncomfortably for a while,
people-watching. There seemed to be a problem with one of the
swivel-lights, as a roadie climbed up in the rigging, lowered
one down on a pulley and replaced it, finishing just before
showtime. My companion finally showed at 7:30, and it was
another 10-15 min before the lights went down, less than half of
the seats filled, sheesh.

I could hardly hear the usual announcement, as the sound was
admittedly not great where I was. Another obnoxious aspect of my
location was that just behind me the school's various basketball
banners were lit up, casting far too much brightness on the
area. But on the the good parts.

As people were still browsing the food/merchandise stands and/or
scrambling to their seats, the familiar notes of "Roving
Gambler" began. Bob was wearing a black suit with white trim,
and the rest of the band seemed to be in black or at least dark
grey, and Kemper with his white cowboy hat. This is still the
favorite cover I've heard live, it has a good beat. "To Ramona"
was next, then "Desolation Row"... nothing too new here. I
noticed myself instantly recognizing songs from the first few
notes, being the only one clapping initially. I guess I must be
listeing to too many bootlegs.

I was unprepared for what came next when they strapped on the
electrics-- a driving fast beat brought "To Be Alone With You"
into a whole new realm, I didn't recongize it at all at first.
Larry's fiddle playing was a great addition as well. Bob fiddled
around with some harmonicas, even blowing into one, then "Tears
of Rage" followed-- another one I hadn't heard a live version
of. This was beautiful, and punctuated by a very extended harp
solo-- the best I've ever heard. "Things Have Changed" seemed to
get a large response from the opening, and even more when the
title hook was sung-- the Oscars seem to have really helped it
gain notoriety. I found this song to be more movable to than
ever, the whole crowd was on their feet clapping along.

Acoustically, a beautiful "Don't Think Twice" was followed by
"Masters of War," clapping and cheers coming after the various
lines about hoping they die and the like... interesting.
"Tangled Up in Blue" masterfully served its usual purpose as
keystone of the night, the crowd back on its feet and clapping
along. As much as I hear it live, I never tire of this song, it
is such fun in concert. Bob took out the harp for this one too--
he has made some interesting gestures with his hands and body
while playing it-- he was really moving around up there tonight.
Since my companion forgot the binoculars, I wasn't seeing much
detail the whole night, but the woman on my right kindly offered
them during "Tangled," which was very kind of her, and I got to
see Bob close up, his hear bouncing around as he concentrated on
the guitar. Maybe it's just my imagination, but I think he
looked at me through the binoculars for a split-second there :-)

Back to the electrics, beginning with something slow and bluesy
I knew was from Time Out of Mind, but it took me a little while
to discern that it was "Standing in the Doorway," as that album
is so coherent that the songs run together in my mind a lot. It
was a very emotional version, wedged interestingly between
"Tangled" and the hard-rocking "Drifter's Escape" which
followed. Bob ended the latter with a short harp solo. A typical
"Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" followed, then they got into
Formation, standing there as the applause grew and grew-- I
still get a kick out of that. Bob and company walked offstage
into the darkness as lighters flickered and applause mounted,
returning shortly.

"Love Sick" was followed by "Like a Rolling Stone," the latter
of which the crowd of course loved. This is a good point to give
kudos to the lighting-- the crowd was washed in a sea of salmon
during the chorus... the lights the whole night seemed more
complex than I ever recall it being before, but maybe I just
wasn't paying attention to it before. I think it was during
"Love Sick" that they had it lit so a giant shadow of Bob was
projected behind him-- very cool. My first live "If Dogs Run
Free" followed-- I think it is damned hillarious-- he said "you
might even be queen or king" I believe. The Hendrixy
"Watchtower" got the crowd going again, then a sweet "Girl of
the North Country," "Highway 61 Revisited," and "Blowin' in the
Wind" rounded out the first encore. Interestingly, either on
purpose or by accident, Bob didn't introduce the band until
DURING "Blowin'," right before the last chorus. If this is a
one-night thing, I guess he forgot to do it earlier. Otherwise,
I guess it is purposeful, and it works. Some people next to me,
when he said "Charlie Sexton" got very excited and pulled out
the binoculars-- "it really IS him!" In any case, they walked
off stage to thunderous cheers. I somehow had a feeling they
would come back for a second one... I could just sense it. And
so it was, with "Rainy Day Women 12 & 35," a song I don't
normally care much for. In concert it is always great fun,
however, the whole crowd clapping and joining in on the chorus
with words and deeds... heh. Fitting, it being so close to 4/20.
And so it was the house lights went on, and we stumbled out into
the cool Colorado night. Just another stop on the road, headin'
for another joint... 2 buses had already pulled out and were on
the street by the time we got in front...

--
-Brandon

"I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now." 
-Bob Dylan, "My Back Pages"



Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Bob's got a Light Show - Boulder
From: PLaw1  plaw1@aol.com
Date: 19 Apr 2001 16:06:39 GMT

Maybe I never noticed, but bob had twirling triangles, and
twirling ink blots - nice touch at Boulder's show.

Some other notes:

Having seen about 5 Bob shows in the last year, I've never seen
him put so much into Tangled - the harp solo was just
tremendous.  Larry was great on the fiddle.  And Tears of
Rage....never heard this song played as well.

In my area of the arena, the crowd hopped right up on their feet
when Bob started Things Have Changed - thought that was cool.

For some reason when Bob played Don't Think Twice, the
musicianship was SO GREAT, even though I have heard that song
sooo many times, I just had to close my eyes, and the thought
crossed my mind, there is NO ONE that can perform with the class
and power of Dylan.  The guy is getting better every year (but
you know, Casper of last year was pretty good) - and the El Rey
Shows - loaded with Time Out of Mind songs were memerable.  I
did miss the Star Gazing at this show, Vegas had Bono as a guest
singer, Quentin Taritino, the Blues Brothers, the Copy Guy from
SNL, Penn or Teller (don't know who's who), Penny Marshall, and
of course my personal favorite - Drew Barrymore (who just blows
away Brittney for pure star quality class).  And it helps being
20 feet from Bob - not even on the floor this time.

It was interesting to see that Charlie and Larry have now
switched sides of the stage - and it appeared that only Charlie
had a "personal" monitor.  Everyone else was using the monitors
located in the corners of the stage.

Charlie at past shows sounded great, but I have to say, that
tonight....Larry was Solo king - kick ass - this guy is GREAT.

But I gotta say, Dogs run Free did nothing for me.  Rainy Day
Women seems to be a crowd pleaser, that must be why Bob plays it
- it was the last song - when he left the stage on Knocking on
Heaven's door - I thought, well VERY COOL.  But he came back
again, what a surprise, I thought, boy, Stuck Inside a Mobile
would be very cool, but no....

Anyway, I have not read all the other reviews, but I bet Kearney
is going to be an incredible show.....anyone got an extra ticket.

Pete L.