Bob Dylan 2002.02.06 in Charleston

From: "Hamp Nettles"  donttreadonme_@hotmail.com
To: billp61@execpc.com, webmaster@expectingrain.com
Subject: Charleston review
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 17:35:36 -0500

I last saw Dylan last November in Nashville, TN.  He took
the stage without his cowboy hat on and with a drummer named
David.  Tonight in Charleston he kept the hat on, but didn't
bring David along.

What went on tonight in Charleston was some powerful stuff. 
There ain't no other way of putting it.  For starters, let
me get one thing straight.  For those of you who have yet to
hear Mr. Receli play, prepare to be blown away. This guy is
positively bad ass on the drums.  Hearing him play will
immediately make you wonder why he hasn't been Dylan's
touring band from the beginning of the NET.

Needless to say, the opener, 'I Am The Man' wasn't exactly
the greatest showcase for the new drummer.  In fact, the
song wasn't much of anything except a warm-up.  It was over
pretty quickly and before you could blink Dylan was at the
mic, harp in hand, blowing the unmistakable opening chords
to "It Ain't Me Babe.'  The song was absolutely stunning. 
The vocals were everything you could hope for with Dylan. 
They weren't shrill or nasal or forced.  He was in complete
control and in signing throughout the show was nothing short
of beautiful.

To my surprise, even though there was harp intro to "It
Ain't Me Babe,' he didn't finish the song with harp. 
However, he played harp 7 more times during the night, each
time with a harp intro and no outro.  (The only exception
was 'Wicked Messenger', which began sans-harp and ended in a
burst of blazing harmonica.)

It was during the next song 'It's Alright Ma,' that the new
drummer showed his stuff.  This was, without a doubt, the
most rocked-up version of the song I've ever heard.  The
beat was throbbing - it looked like Receli was putting every
ounce of his strength into smacking the snare - and the
vocals were searing.

The enegry was simply explosive on stage, and that led into
a welcome harmonica into to 'Searching For a Soldiers
Grave.'  Which seems to be a very odd song selection,
sandwiched in between 'It's Alright Ma' and the next song,
'Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.'  Vocals, again, were
powerful, but the highlight was seeing Chuck Sexton cut
loose on electric guitar.

Larry, it seems, was not to be outdone.  The next song,
'Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You' was a complete
surprise.  It featured some of the best harp all night and
Larry playing terrific steel guitar. The singing on Dylan's
behalf and the playing from Larry was simply breathtaking - 
without a doubt, one of the highlights of the night.

In fact, 'Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You,' along with
the next three songs ('Cry A While', 'High Water', and 'One
Too Many Mornings') are without compare to anything I've
ever seen in person or heard on tape.

Receli's launch into 'Cry A While' was like a shotgun blast
and I still don't think I've recovered yet.  It was low down
and dirty electric blues, of the lowest-down and dirtiest
variety.  The building shock and my heart pounded.  Receli,
once again, was going absolutely nuts on the drum kit. Larry
and Chuck were putting down firely blues licks.  And Dylan's
vocals were venemous.  The more he spit and sneared the
lyrics the more the crowd roared unitl the whole thing hit
such a fever that I thought the whole thing was going to
break down.

Dylan had the crowd on its heels, and when the banjo was
brought on stage I knew all hell was about to break loose. 
'Highwater' live is everything the album version is and so
much more.  And once agian, Receli's drums were so powerful
I was surprised that his his drum sticks, his snare, or his
hand hadn't broken at that point.

"One Too Many Mornings' has always been one of my favorite
songs to listen to live, and I knew right away what song it
was.  Again, Dylan led the song with harmonica.  The playing
was excellent - and this wasn't the seeming random style
that he must often uses.  He was playing it like he knew
what he was doing.  Larry's playing was the best all night
and his pedal steel was one of the highlights of the song.

The next song, however, was a bit of a surprise.  I was not
surprised that Dylan played 'Masters of War,' I was just
surprised that he played it. There was something about this
version that was simply amazing.  It was played LOUD, and I
half-expected Chuck or Larry to pull out an electric guitar.
And Receli wasn't just playing back beat here.  This song
had an unavoidable, eerie rhythm to it.  One of the verses
features vocals so haunting that I won't soon forget and
that I really can't put into words. What I can say was that
I've never heard a better version of the song (and I think
the tapes will back me up on this).

The crowd, predictably, hit their collective feet when Larry
started the chords to 'Tangled Up In Blue' and Dylan ripped
into yet another harp solo. The harp intros are superbly
played, but rarely drew nearly the response from the crowd
as opposed to the roar when he reaches for the harp at the
end of a song.  'Tangled' was just that, and the energy
barely ebbed when Dylan launched the band in 'Summer Days.' 
It was a rocky start, but once this number got going it
seemed like the whole audience was dancing.  But when 'Sugar
Baby' started, 90% of the crowd took their seats again, but
I remained standing.  I was in the center of the 8th row,
and someone a few rows back yelled 'I played for my ticket
and I came to sit and watch the show.'  So I politely let
him know that I too paid for my ticket, but I came to stand.
 To be honest, 'Sugar Baby' isn't my favorite song, and
there was quite a bit of chatter during the number.  Dylan,
always the performer, seemed to sense the dip in crowd
response and ripped in 'Wicked Messenger.' After the show I
heard more than a couple of people mention how shocked as to
how rockin' the show was.  'Wicked Messenger,' of course,
was finished off with some blazing harp, a dangling hand
directing the band, and some new dance moves.

Dylan was obviously having fun with the band and I think he
may have smiled once when Receli failed to end a song
directly on queue and instead drew the song out for a few
more meters.  Dylan may have been annoyed or amused, but
Tony got a huge kick out of it and couldn't stop laughing. 
Larry hopped back on steel guitar was a fantastic (yes, I
said fantastic) version of 'Rainy Day Women.'  Larry was
playing some awesome steel licks (I only wished he was
louder in the mix)  and Dylan was singing the song as if he
was indeed stoned and it wasn't the millionth time he sang
it.

The encore was standard fare, and my major complaint of the
concert was the omission of 'Like A Rolling Stone.'  'Love
Sick' was a treat since I'd never heard it live, but the
highlight of the encore was, without a doubt, 'Forever
Young.'  I know its getting repetitive, but his harp playing
was absolutely beautiful. Not only that, but it featured,
without question, his best guitar playing of the night.  The
vocals were subdued and the harmonies were soaring. 
'Blowin' In The Wind' was done in very similar fashion
(harp, guitar, and vocals were all strong) and it was a
powerful ending to a wonderful show.


So in conclusion, I will make a few comparisons between this
show and when I saw him last Fall in Nashville.  Yes, the
setlists look exactly the same, but this was a very
different concert.  Nashville last Fall was very subdued -
Dylan almost seemed tired of a long year of touring and
after recording the new album.  But the addition of the new
drummer has positively kickstarted the tour.  If you catch
another show down South expect a loud, powerful, rockin'
performance.  "Love and Theft" was amazing life in
Nashville, but it was better in Charleston.  The
arrangements are just amazing.  And Dylan seems to be
re-arranging other songs as well, some more than others
(specifically 'Its Alright Ma' and 'Masters of War).  Receli
is the real deal, and if he plays the way he played in
Charleston and continues to learn more songs and gets in
absolute sync with the band, he will go down in my book as
the best drummer of the NET.  And I can't say it too many
times - Dylan hasn't played harp like this in a while.  I'm
not talking about 2-3 note solos, I'm talking about some
serious playing.

I'll be fortunate enough to catch 4 more shows this tour, so
I will definitely report on whether or not the band keeps up
the energy they had last night.  If they do, it should be an
incredibly exciting tour, especially as more songs are
worked into the setlists.

Hamp Nettles