Bob Dylan 980114 in New London, Connecticut - Garde Arts Center
Address: 325 State St.
Capacity: 1631
Reserved seating
Showtime: 8 PM
Ticket price: $37.00
Subject: Oh Mercy. Review of New London 1/14 (LONG)
From: (Dennis@Cleary.net)
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 10:12:02 -0600
Organization: Deja News Posting Service
Last night was the cleanest, tightest Dylan show that I have ever had the
pleasure of attending. He played -count 'em- SIX Time Out Of Mind tunes.
But it was also far and away the lamest crowd I have ever been in, and
perhaps the most frustrating show I have ever been to.
I got my tickets just last week from the good folks at the Bob Dylan
Ticket service. I found out on the day of the show that tickets to this
concert never went on sale to the public- they were, except for the mail
order tickets, for Garde Center subscribers and supporters. "Uh Oh",
said I!
So I get to the venue- it turns out I had pretty much the worst seats in
the place. I couldn't even see David Kemper, the drummer, at all. But
since I only sent my money to BDTS last week, I could'nt expect much.
Worse, though, was that in the ENTIRE section I was in, I saw only one
person who looked like he was a Dylan fan. The rest looked like they had
gotten lost on the way to the Opera. So already, I was not really that
excited about this show.
But then Bob and the band took the stage. Everyone was wearing the same
thing that they had had at Avalon in December, except Bob who was in a
black suit with a bolo tie.. ANYWAY, they launched into a tight
"Absolutely Sweet Marie." The sound was excellent for this show. When I
saw Bob at Avalon last month, the vocals were difficult to understand and
the sound just seemed overboosted. Not so at this show. Dylans lyrics
were _SO_CLEAR_ throughout the evening.
For the second song, Dylan surprised me with one of my favorite TOOM
tunes, "Not Dark Yet". Unlike at Avalon, the lyrics were as clear or
perhaps even clearer than on the album. The play was exceptionally tight.
It seemed very well rehearsed. Next was one of the highlights of the show
for me: Cold Irons Bound. I really am not even that big a fan of this
tune- but last night's version was exceptional. Nice guitar work, VERY
SOLID singing.
Dylan said a pretty clear "Thanks Everybody!" after it. Well, it was sort
of clear. :)
In the pause before I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, some fan yelled "YOU'RE
THE GREATEST, BOB!" At that moment, I really agreed with him. Here he is,
so long after so many people wrote him off, playing some of the best
music of his career!
Anyway, "I'll be you're baby tonight" was good. There was a nice lyrical
change. I don't remember how it went exactly, but it was something like
"Tonight I'm going to make it last ALLL night" - That's not right, but
trust me- it was cool! And unlike "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", this tune
didn't really conflict thematically with the rest of the show (more on
this later)
Can't Wait: What can I say? This was excellent. There was one verse that
just gave me shivers:
"If I ever saw you comin' I don't know what I might do
I'd like to think I could control myself
But it isn't true
That's how it is
When things disintegrate"
So blunt, so harsh, so bitter. If you've been there, you know.
Now at this point I was just psyched. But the crowd just SUCKED. No one,
except for the lucky souls in the orchestra pit, was even standing. Even
though there were people there who knew Dylan (the new songs would get a
cheer at the first line) most didn't.
My resentment of these people was building. I mean, its not like you
should only go to a Dylan show ONLY if you are huge fan, but you should
at least get into it. These people were sitting like statues. Most were
40-50 year old 'support the arts' types. I'm sure they were nice people;
but they really pissed me off. These were the fans (if they ever were
fans) they stopped listening to him long ago. I don't go to classical
performances and clap at the wrong time. If you are going to come to a
rock concert, GET UP AND DANCE!
Next was "Silvio". I still am not a big fan of this song; I just don't
connect with it. But I have seen it live 5 times in the last 12 months,
and I enjoy it more and more each show. The part in the middle when
everything falls apart and then comes back together is magic. During this
song, I couldn't help but dance. But I was the ONLY person standing in a
sea of lameness. I sheepishly sat down after a couple of minutes.
Dylan then switched to acoustic. First was "The Times They Are
A-Changin'". I mistook the beginning for "My Back Pages" which would have
been better and more appropriate. When he started singing, I could see
all the geezers around me remark something to the effect of "ooh I know
this one." GRRR....Not my favorite song, but clear and pretty good.
Here was the strangest part of the concert. To have just heard Dylan sing
his heart about and lost love, I could help but find irony in the lyrics
of "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" (acoustic)
"She doesn't have to say she's faithful,
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire."
I couldn't help but wonder if this song was directed at Sara, or whomever
the bitterness of TOOM is aimed at. Thankfully, Dylan didn't let the
irony effect him- he blasted an emotional rendition. He also did a really
cool thing on the guitar solo. He did these quick machine gun strokes-
sort of like Richie Havens does on the 30th Anniversary tribute. Very
cool.
The last tune of the acoustic set was "Tangled Up In Blue". I still
really like the acoustic version of this song, but they got rid of my
favorite thing about the current version: the wicked cool drum fill in
between verses. It was a bit much for an acoustic version, but I really
loved it.
Dylan plugged back in for "Million Miles" and boy was it a ride. I heard
this tune live at Avalon, and was kind of unimpressed. This time, I was
blown away. It was reworked, rehearsed, WAY fast and really intense.
Great material played well- it doesn't get better.
Next, Dylan played This Wheel's On Fire. The version at Loon Mountain
last summer was so much more enthusiastic- Even though I love this tune,
if I had to pick a low point, this was it.
After this song, Dylan introduced the band. And true to form, he said "As
everybody knows, Bucky Baxtor is the former mayor of ____burg West
Virginia. I can't remember the place, but it really doesn't matter, since
it's BS! Very funny stuff.
Even though I couldn't see the band from the isle, I decided to go dance
in the Isle so that I wouldn't block all the sitting people's view. An
usher naturally told me that I would have to sit down. I reminded him
that this was a rock concert. He yelled something else at me but then
went away. Dylan then closed with "'Til I Fell In Love With You". This
tune was sweet. very nice.
The encore featured a relatively nondescript "Like A Rolling Stone", and
then a brilliant acoustic "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" It had
this very high pitched solo that put me in another world.
As much as I hated the crowd, even they were cheering wildly afterwards.
Hell, even the 70-something usher next to me was cheering!! It was cool.
Next was Love sick- Even though I love this tune, it works better on the
album, in my opinion. Last came the obligatory closer "Rainy Day Women"
Ho hum- I wasn't that into it. I was looking for the disposable camera
that I brought, but of course found it under my chair JUST as the concert
ended. Oh well.
In conclusion, even though this concert was not the most fun I have had
seeing Bob, it was _clearly_ the best he has played in the 5 concerts I
have seen since May. And he is playing as well as he has _EVER_ played. I
know that may seem ridiculous, but Dylan is at one of many peaks of his
creative career, and he knows it. At one point during the show, he just
squinted and stared down the audience. He knows whats up.
Please Email me any comments or reactions at Dennis@Cleary.net
I would LOVE a tape of this show. PLEASE email me if you have one! While
I'm at it, I am looking for a copy of Sundown Studios Rehearsal Tape
(from 1978, I think) It is great, but I lost it!
-Dennis Cleary
P.S. Thanks to Bill Pagel for the setlist!
====================================== Cynthia Gooding: When you're rich
and famous are you gonna wear the hat too? Dylan: Oh, I'm never gonna
become rich and famous. CG: And you're never gonna take off the hat
either. Dylan: No.
Subject: New London, CT, 14 January 1998 - review
From: Carsten Wohlfeld (happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de)
Date: 27 Jan 1998 23:48:00 +0100
Bob Dylan
New London, CT, 14 January 1998
Garde's Art Center
A Review by Carsten Wohlfeld
Hello again. After spending most of the day in my motel room watching
"Charles In Charge" repeats (the wind was too cold to go outside and the
main attraction that New London had to offer would only take the stage at
8pm anyways :-)), I went over to the venue early, talked to a few people,
checked out the merchandise on offer before - shortly after 8pm - a crowd
that included a lot more business men type people in suits than last night
(due to the fact that the tickets for tonight were sold to the Garde's
Membership Circle first), was on it's feet to enjoy...
Absolutely Sweet Marie
Musically as good as it was the night before, except for the mixing. It it
a common thing not to hear Bob's voice during the opening number (I guess
due to the fact that he either not attends the soundcheck or because he
keeps singing any way he wants anyways), but this time it was especially
bad.
Not Dark Yet
YESSSSSSSS! On a short list of three songs, that I desperately wanted to
hear during my nine-show-trip this that definitely the number 1 (the
others being "Hattie Carroll" and "Born In Time"). It took the band a few
bars to figure out what the hell they were doing (in other words: the
start was horrid), but I enjoyed every second of it nonetheless. This
version sounded a bit too rushed though and the subdued spookyness of the
studio version was sadly absent.
Cold Irons Bound
A faster version that last night, apart from that no major changes. I
don't think it works to well in the number 3 slot though. Bring back
"Watchtower", Bob. It was - and is - the perfect choice to get the crowd
started at this point of the show and few other songs apart from
"Watchtower" could manage that. "Silvio" maybe or "Highway 61 Revisited".
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
I've heard enough versions of this horrid song to last a few lifetimes and
I hope I'll never have to hear it again. It wasn't the worst version
tonight, but having said that, I've yet to hear a truely great version
too.
Can't Wait
I find it kinda hard to comment on the new songs (and I do it anyways
cause I think the song-by-song review is the best way to bring your
thoughts across), maybe because they are all pretty close to the studio
versions or perhaps due to the lack of real comparisons. I mean, you just
can't say: "Great version of 'Can't Wait' last night, but Gee, I still
love that 1962 version with the harp solo at the beginning." :-) So all I
can say is that I enjoyed it even more than last night.
Silvio
The usual rock workout for the Deadheads in the audience. Again the first
song of the night to feature Larry and Bucky on backing vocals.
The Times They Are A-Changin' (acoustic)
It was a bit odd to hear this fabulous song so high in the set, but it was
a welcome surprise of course. Bob's guitar solo at the end was just
perfect, as was his singing. Crowd: wild.
Love Minus Zero/No Limit (acoustic)
Great song, but I still like the studio version best. And if it has to be
acoustic, please drop the drums! The JJ-era versions are much better.
David normally adds something to the acoustic numbers with his drumming,
but on this song he clearly fails to make it sound better.
Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic)
Only major lyric mixup of the night. After the first verse Bob didn't know
where to continue and after a few seconds of silence started the second
half of the "topless" verse, working his way back to verse 2 and 3 later
on. A bit surprising, given that he plays this song every single night.
One should think he knows the lyrics by now. Bob was dancing thru the
whole song and even tried his Chuck-Berry-impersonation at the end.
Million Miles
Turned up on the cuesheet for the first night as well, but finally made
its live debut tonight. Sounded pretty close to the LP version with Bob
playing lead throughout the song, leaving the bluesy solo to Larry. Kinda
reminded me of Mick Taylor-era John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. This
song makes this show the one with the most "TOOM" songs on one night so
far (January 27th). Six were played at this show! And, in case you care
for my personal record, it was the second time I got to hear an in-concert-
debut after "Shake Sugaree" in 1996. Interestingly enough, this song
probably got the best crowd reaction of the whole night!!!
This Wheel's On Fire
"To Make You Feel My Love" was the sole number listed on the cuesheet, so
you can start the guessing if we will ever hear the organ-arrangement
again or if Bob will work on it a bit more before it gets aired again.
This one was a very welcome alternative though, another song I always
liked and never got to hear live so far. Nice backing vocals from Larry
and Bucky who managed to sing in tune with Bob most of a time. A rare
thing! Strangely enough, nobody in the audience seemed to recognize the
song. They didn't seem to be unfamiliar with "Tears Of Rage" from the same LP
last night...
'Til I Fell In Love With You
No band intros at this point and a version of this song, that was pretty
much the same as yesterday's.
(encore)
Like A Rolling Stone
Still a bit too slow, still loved by the audience-members in suits and/or
with beards. Standard.
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (acoustic)
Strangely enough, Bob introduced the band before this song. No special
jokes, apart from the familar "Mayor of Bluefield" line for Bucky. The
crowd once again loved this song and the band had a great time playing it
was well if the smiles on their faces are anything to go by.
Lovesick
As good as ever, no major surprise.
Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35
Oh yeah. That one was well.
Thanks again for reading, hope you enjoyed it despite my insufficient
English. If you have a tape of this show please e-mail me. Next up: My
account of the first New York City show. Stay tuned.
--
carsten wohlfeld
"i'm caught in a trap and i can't get out cause i love you so much, baby!"
(elvis presley)
