Bob Dylan 990218 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
From: "Trevor Hinson" (trevorh@itw.com) To: (karlerik@monet.no) Subject: Bob Dylan Stabler Arena 2/18/99 Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 01:39:58 -0500 ... The Stabler show was incredible. This was my 5th Dylan show, and probably the best. The only one that truly competes with this was the Trocadero show in December of 97. This was also the most convenient show to go to, I live about 25 minutes away from Stabler. Being so used to traveling to New York or Philadelphia to see the great Bobliness, driving 25 minutes made it all the more worthwhile. Pre-show highlights was seeing regular rmd user Fred. We knew eachother from the Wayne show in 97, and we immediately recognized eachother upon meeting again. It was nice to see him again, we smoked a few butts and chatted away about how much we both worship Bob. And now the show: GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY...Good opener. He got a few verses mixed up but nonetheless it was a good song to get the evening rolling. MILLION MILES...As I expected. It was okay, but not a highlight. MAGGIE'S FARM...Not as loud and powerful as I remember it when he was opening up with that song in December 97, but the crowd loved it. I WANT YOU...Suprise #1. I was so overjoyed at hearing this. He sang it so beautifully and we so much emotion. I just loved it. I thought it was kinda weird that it's in the # 4 slot in the setlist, but it fit nicely. STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE...Very nice version. Similar to the way he's been playing it. He got most of the verses in tonight. The ending was awesome; you can tell this one had been rehearsed until perfection. MASTERS OF WAR...The crowd loved it. After every line at least someone would cheer. This was also where most of the people sat down and relaxed a little after standing through the electric set. MAMA YOU BEEN ON MY MIND...Suprise #2. I loved it. I recognized it after the first two chords and went wild. He sang the lyrics perfectly (much better than the bobdylan.com version) and I loved how toward the end the drums picked up and it turned into a great country number! TANGLED UP IN BLUE...Slower than expected, but very good to say the least. The lighting on this one was a highlight. They had white floor lights that went on after every verse, which was a nice touch. TO RAMONA...Decent version. Beautifully sung, but the crowd seemed disinterested. It seemed too slow and quiet for such an energetic evening. CAN'T WAIT...I have heard a million versions of this song from recent tapes, but seriously folks, this was THE definative version. He sang it with such emotion it gave me chills...He really MEANT the words to this one. This was definately a highlight for me. The jam towards the end was so damn good I can't even describe it. David was ON tonight, that's for sure. POSITIVELY 4TH STREET...Suprise #3. This usually graces the #4 slot on the setlist, and it was very sutable for the #11 slot. It was the usual slowed down version. This version definately ranks up there with the one heard on "Soul" or "Eyes of the Idol." In my mind the best 4th Street ever was on "Soul," but this one's right up there. The crowd absolutely loved it. By the way, right before he did this song a friend and I screamed at the top of our lungs "WE LOVE YOU BOB DYLAN!!!" and then more people from the crowd started yelling praises. He introduced the band after 4th Street. HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED...Though I have seen this one at every show I've been to, this one never seems to grow old. This was the time that everybody rushes to the stage, and this show was no exception. Everyone was on their feet having a great time. LOVE SICK...Awesome! This is the 3rd time I've experienced it live, and this was the best. By far the best lighting the whole night was on this one. It was just spooky. Larry's guitar work really made this one what it is today. It's a shame Bob didn't use Larry for recording TOOM. PILLBOX HAT...This one was good, the crowd loved it, and so did I. The did some good jamming, and FINALLY Bob is starting to let Larry just take the lead and just go with it. Too many times in the past Bob finds it nessessary to take lead and just destroy it. Don't get me wrong, I like the way Bob plays, but a 3 note guitar solo for this one just wouldn't cut it. Again, Larry made the song what it is. I still think the "definative" Pillbox Hat is from the Hyde Park 96 show, however. BLOWIN' IN THE WIND...WOW. That's all I have to say. You could just see so much emotion on Bob's face as he sang it. This song is still alive. The harmonies Bob, Larry, and Bucky were doing were outstanding. Up til now this got the most appreciation from the audience until... NOT FADE AWAY...By far the best version EVER played by ANY band. Everybody was going nuts on this one. The deadheads especially. This one gave me the most chills the whole evening. I'm at a loss for words. This show was SO good I'm asking myself if tonight was even real. I could write a book just on tonight, but I think this short review shall suffice. If ANYONE gets a hold of a tape of this show, PLEASE email me. It's so hard to believe that he plays so this good, night after night, year after year. Only Bob Dylan could do it. That's all for now, take care. Trevor Hinson trevorh@itw.com
Subject: Bethlehem From: Peter Stone Brown (peterb@erols.com) Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 02:58:14 -0500 This was my third trip to the little town of Bethlehem to see Bob Dylan play at Stabler Arena. I'd woke up about five times this morning in a driving rainstorm because of something I shouldn't have eaten the night before and wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of driving to Bethlehem in the rain. The last time I saw Dylan at Stabler I ended up trying to race a snowstorm home and didn't win and had a fun little white knuckle time slipping and sliding down the turnpike to a toll plaza that should've been an ice skating rink. Luckily the rain stopped but my spirits didn't lift until driving through Bethlehem to a friend's house for dinner, past the Stabler turn-off, I saw a big gold tour bus probably delivering someone's band to a soundcheck. Once at my friend's house the talk turned to a safe time to leave in order to miss Natalie Merchant. I assured my friends 8 pm would be just perfect but they were a little nervous. I told them I had it down having had a lot of practice during the Ani Di Franco tour, and how when Bob played the Mann I arrived there in time to be right behind Bob's bus. So we set out for Stabler at about 8 anyway which was maybe 20 minutes away and just as we're about to turn into the last road leading to the arena, coming towards us from the opposite direction is a very familiar looking bus. Well it's not every day I get the chance to give the right of way to Bob, so much to the annoyance of my friend's wife who was following in the car behind us, I sat at the stop sign and let the bus pass and immediately turned in right behind it of course. Dylan came on stage with his hair still sort of damp with a part in it that only he could have and started as usual with a reasonably strong "Serve Somebody," can considering he has played just about every night this month, his voice was in pretty good shape. They worked up a new pretty sharp ending. "Million Miles" and a semi-countrified "Maggie's Farm" built around a riff similar to Merle Haggard's "Working Man Blues" followed, but were nothing special, though it did bring out his first smile of the night. But on the fourth song, Dylan reached into his bag of tricks and pulled out a new version of "I Want You" that was the first highlight of the night. It was played at a moderate pace that may have been a tiny bit too slow, but had lots of beautiful steel work from Bucky (who's really starting to look like Jesse Ventura with a derby), especially in the beginning. Imagine "I Want You" done at the pace of "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" and you'll have an idea. Now I've seen Dylan drive this song right into the very depths of my soul, and it wasn't like that, but he did seem to care about it. "Memphis Blues Again" followed with Bob letting loose with some prime search and destroy guitar, but at the same time he was digging into the song and having a good time. He seemed to be playing more with Larry Campbell than against him. But I found myself thinking about when was the last time Dylan played two songs in the same order as on an album, and was kind of hoping that follow it with "Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat" and "Just Like A Woman" for the sheer hell of it. That wasn't to be of course because he took of the Fender and put on the Gibson and went into a fairly intense and spooky "Masters of War" that got one of the first real responses from the fairly sedate, standing crowd. It was great but I found myself thinking it would've been even greater if I hadn't seen him sing it who knows how many times over the past five or six years. But then Dylan again pulled out another surprise, a beautiful "Mama You Been On My Mind," and if he wasn't knocking over the intensity meter, he certainly was treating the song with care. "Tangled" was followed by a delicate "To Ramona," with Dylan again making it plain he cared about the song. Watching him, I couldn't help but think of when I first saw him sing it a little over 33 years ago. "Can't Wait" followed featuring some nice Steve Cropper-esque licks from Larry Campbell and a strong vocal from Dylan who at this show was making effective use of the lower register of his voice. "Positively Fourth Street" found Dylan playing around in his delivery and clearly enjoying himself. As the song went on instead of playing rhythm which he usually does when he's singing, he started to play lead while he was singing -- all of a sudden there's these guitar licks -- which of course led into a solo. "Highway 61" was "Highway 61." All the encores were kept at a strong level. "Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat" had a new trick intro; the harmonies, make "Blowin' In The Wind"; but in the grand show-biz tradition, Dylan saved the best for last with "Not Fade Away." Here he was clearly having fun and the sort of smiles he let loose the rest of the night turned into a broad one and he looked young for the first time all night, and all the baggage of being Bob Dylan seemed to slip away, and I felt like he was having the kind of fun he probably had with his very first band. All in all, it was an okay concert, not a great one. The energy level seemed to be lagging a bit, the band never got into 5th gear. But after "Not Fade Away," it didn't really matter. -- "I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from." --Bob Dylan Peter Stone Brown e-mail: peterb@erols.com http://www.tangible-music.com/peterstonebrown/
Subject: 2-18-99 Bethlehem From: christopher michael coyle (ccoyle@epix.net) Date: 19 Feb 1999 14:41:05 -0800 Organization: "Mr. Tambourine Man" You walk into the room....with a ticket for a 3rd row seat:) We arrived at approximately 7:30 or just before, got our tickets ripped and we were in. I gazed at the merchandise for a bit and then realized the line was way too long so I though I'd just survery the crowd and take it all in. Also I picked up a copy of the Official Bob Dylan Merchandise catalog which was very exciting to find, certainly an added bonus which wasn't offered at my last concert Syracuse 11/02/98, especially the bumper stickers available through it, I can't wait to have people ask where Sugartown is and why I shook the sugar down, hehe. I soon was stopped by a fan who commented on my Bob shirt, a 65 photo of Bob on base, kind of Highway 61 sessions. So we got talking, I however forgot to ask him if we was on the list, but it was really great getting to talk to fellow Bobcats. He happened to actually be at the Knight of the Hurricane concert from the Rolling Thunder Revue which I said I happened to have a copy of when the topic of bootlegs came up. We both discussed how Visions would just be the greatest thing to hear but we both knew we never would.(when was the last time he played it?) Thanks for the great conversation whoever you are if you're out there somewhere in Bobland. Next time I intend on showing up earlier to chit chat with fellow Bobcats, I just didn't come too early this time because my friends that were with me were only minor Bob fans, only the basics, Bob 101 or maybe even remedial Bob, but they still really dig seeing him, but I mean you just gotta though. Natalie Merchant was surprisingly good, and I was certainly not anticipating seeing her, espcecially since I really didn't know any of her stuff, but she was rather animated and put on a good show I must admit. I however felt bad for her when some uncooth person yelled out when it was really quiet before her last song (pre encore) to "bring on Bob", I mean I was bucking for Bob to come on too, but that was just rude in my opinion. She retorted with, "uncle Bob will be on soon, and it's an honor to open for him", which I knew she actually meant because I had heard that it's been one of her long time dreams to open for Bob. But the crowd still stood up and clapped and she came back on for an encore, and then it all went quiet in preparation for uncle Bob. Even before Bob got on stage this guy down the row from me got thrown out for lighting up a roach, no less when the lights were on, just not worth it to miss Bob. The incense was burning on stage, it was beautiful, quite a mood and scene. Bob came out and the crowd just screamed and went wild, and immediately ripped into "Gotta Serve Somebody", which he opened up with last time I saw him but it's still a great song and I think he really does it well, it's a really good way to open up the show I think. Then of course the next song, right from the begining it's unmistakeable drums and riffs came wafting out into crowd, and immediatly I was taken up by it. This is one that he peforms really true to the album, and the band just really cranks into it. However I was disappointed that he didn't do my favorite verse from it, the janitor verse, (I love to scream at that part because it's just so cool, it's a good spot for while he's in action to clap or yell I think) or at least I didn't catch it, did anyone else? Right after that I was thinking of yelling out Maggie's Farm, I really wanted to hear that one, and then I heard from the left of me someone else yell it and then so did I and coincidentally he did. This was probably the first song that I really noticed Bob digging into and having a good time with. Then I Want You which I really didn't expect to hear, but it had a nice little arrangement to it, but I wondered why he did the chinese suit verse out of order, it was before the queen of spades line, has he ever done that before? Right afterwards was Mobile, not much really to say about it, nice groove, but his voice needs to be a bit higher in the mix or something. Masters of War was a real treat to start the acoustic set with, the lighting was great during this one, and his vocal was superb, he was with it the whole time. Mama, you been on my Mind was beautiful as always and I think that the arrangement of it is so much amazing, it gives it a whole new life, goes far beyond the Bootleg Series version. Many times I yelled for one of my personal favorites, Desolation Row which I so hoped to hear, it's such an amazing song, but that discussion is going on on the list right now, so I'll drop it. Tangled Up in Blue of course, which is great and you just knew that it was coming and from the first chord or two you knew that it had hit, I thought this would really send the crowd to dance but it really didn't, mostly the whole night so much of the crowd remained subdued while I danced and swayed in my seat, I just couldn't sit down, it was too much groove for the seat. There really weren't any changes in this song, it was a lot like the Bootleg Series version. Here is where the biggest disappointment of the night took place, I kept hoping he was going to rip into a harmonica solo but it never happened and he didn't even jam too much on this one. It's a real warhorse as with most of this night's set but it definitely deserves to stay, this was only my second Bob concert and the first time I saw him was just a religious experience hearing it, I could never deprieve any first timers of hearing it live. It gave me memory burn, especially the harp solo(11-02-98). To Ramona, not much to say about it, I never really expected to hear it, I thought of it as the dark horse of the evening. But it was worth it just to hear him say, your cracked country lips I still wish to kiss, gotta love that line. Can't Wait as with all of the TOOM tracks he does is really tight and killer, I think he himself really likes TOOM alot so hopefully we'll get the rest of the outtakes from it soon. Positively 4th Street just isn't the same without the organ, just my opinion, but the lyrics and looks on his face just make it great, especially the last line, oh yeah, feel the bite. To quote another review of this show, "Highway 61 was Highway 61", he really dug in, but it was nothing transendental. The place was lit up with cigarette lighters, it was totally beautiful, the screaming and clapping, and yelling Bob is god. Then he entered back on the stage from the dark. Love Sick opened the encore, once again not a surprise, but great playing of it, and the mood lighting was just eerie, beautiful, I'll never forget it. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat was another one I really wanted to hear, which I had heard other screams too for this one. Just really great to hear it live. Blowin' in the Wind, nice to hear everyone sing along, but the crowd just wasn't into it wholly, anything during the whole concert. Not Fade Away I was highly sceptical of but wow, he blew the roof off with that one, this one got everyone moving and Bob looked like he was having more fun than he has in a long time. Play away Bob, play away, just keep playing like that. It was nothing out of the ordinary last night, if you've seen him before you've seen most of it, but it was still amazing, the man is so eclectic, keep on playing Bob. Another beautiful evening of music, dancing and fun, I can't wait for next time, so come back from Europe soon Bob, we wanna see you again real soon:) Bring it all back home! Now I'm just waiting on the boot. Chris-Mr. Tambourine Man -- "Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free, silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands, with all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves, let me forget about today until tomorrow." -Bob Dylan "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Date: 04 Mar 1999 13:45:00 +0100 From: happyjaq@confetti.ruhr.de (Carsten Wohlfeld) Subject: February 18, 1999 - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania - a review Bob Dylan & Natalie Merchant Bethlehem, PA, Stabler Athletic & Convocation Center February 18, 1999 A review by Carsten Wohlfeld Last December my friend Goetz went to New York City and before he left he asked me if I'd know of any good shows in NYC the week before x-mas. So I looked it up and found out that, amongst others, Buffalo Tom and Helium were playing. The shows that got me most excited though were two gigs at the Hammersmith Ballroom by Natalie Merchant. My friend didn't go to see either of them, but I was very upset by the fact that Natalie did play in the US and wouldn't play any shows on mainland Europe... Oh well. So now I am in the middle of nowhere, Allentown, PA (apart from the nice architecture of Lehigh University there's really nothing else to see in this old industrial town) and wait for my first Dylan show in about five month. I was really looking forward to seeing Natalie too, as I've just explained, but of course there was no way that she'd be only half as good as Patti Smith supporting Bob in Australia. We we got when she and her six- piece band took to the stage at exactly 8pm with "Ophelia (Reprise)" used as the intro music was *much* more than just a good show. She opened with the quiet "Ophelia" and that was quite nice, but it merely served as the warm up to what was next. Natalie sat down at the pianio and began what turned out to be a solo rendition of "Wonder"! By the time the band kicked in i was already in heaven! What a great performance, and so much better than the already quite perfect album version! Wow! She also did a couple of 10,000 Maniacs songs, including "Stockton Gala Days" and she rocked so much more than I'd expected. Then her guitarist starts a riff that the guy behind me immediately identified as a "Space Oddity" rip-off. Only that it wasn't a rip-off, as Natalie and co. actually played the Bowie song. Wow! Again. The audience had been pretty appreciative already but everybody was still in their seats. Then Natalie thanked the crowd and Bob and introduced the last song, "Kind And Generous" "Everybody should get up and exercise, especially with cold weather like this", she said (or words to that effect.) "Don't worry about getting back to your seats in time, there will be a long intermission between uncle Bob and myself." "Kind And Generous" got everybody dancing and the actually returned for an encore, a new arrangement of "These Are The Days" by 10,000 Maniacs. Natalie had been dancing around like a pixie for most of the set, trying to escape the spotlight that was supposed to follow her around on stage. Not only did she do all my favourite songs, she was also tons of fun to watch. Much more than just a support act, more like a co-headliner in fact. I could've sworn her set didn't last longer than 30 minutes, but actually she was on for 70 minutes. Never before I though time went by so quickly at a show... At 9.35pm it was time to welcome our beloved Columbia recording artist though... Gotta Serve Somebody was first as expected, but I was suprised how high Bob's voice and guitar were in the mix. I thought that was a very good sign. No need for him to 'hide' behind the band anymore. The sang the new 'featherbed' lyrics that Ben has posted on r.m.d. before and it was really amazing to hear how much the song has improved compared to the early versions last summer. Million Miles Followed also as expected and was actually a lot better than the Madison Sq. Gardens performances a year ago. Had a very welcome jazzy feel to it. Bob was very animated throughout the show and as if further proof for his good mood was still needed he added a few extra lines here and there, like "still a million miles from you... isn't it true?". Larry has a new guitar, something like a semi-acoustic (don't ask me for details, i'm no pro) that he played exclusively on the "TOOM" songs. Maggie's Farm Very fast version, pretty similar to last year's opener, expect for the funny "space" effect on Larry's guitar. I Want You Didn't expect this to be aired in this slot, but it was gorgeous as ever, perfect song for my own mood as well. No big change there. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again Was loud, fast & great. Sounds truer to the original every time he plays it. (Do I have to mention that I think the "Blond On Blonde" version is one of the best things recorded - *ever*? No, I guess you knew that already). Masters Of War (acoustic) Oh no, not again, was my initial reaction, but this was actually the highlight of the night. They had three white spotlights on Bob that left the band standing in the dark for most of the song. From a distant it looked as if only Bob was on stage. It was interesting to see that he still looks the way he did in "Don't Look Back" (if you don't see his wrinkeles up close:-)). Staggeringly good performance too. Every words sung clearly and very convincingly. Had a dramatic slow ending that fitted in perfectly, too. Mama You Been On My Mind (acoustic) I thought this would be "Babe It Ain't No Lie" at first, but then again it wasn't. It was played very, very fast and the crowd just loved it. Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic) Had longer solos than usual and Bob changed back to the orginal lyrics on the "Delacroix" verse. Apart from that it sounded exactly how I remembered it. So say it with Bob's line from "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" - 'just like so many time before'. To Ramona (acoustic) Had a weird intro and turned out to be a pretty standard performance that didn't differ much from past renditions. Still don't like the 90's jingle- jangle version. Just can't help it. Can't Wait was "Can't Wait" Positively 4th Street was the song that totally made the night. Now if there was one song I really wanted to hear on this tour it was this one. For reasons to complicated to explain I'd listented to the song over and over again before I left and once again I loved it to death. There were times before were I couldn't stand it, especially when they played it fast, but tonight it was just perfect. Slow and not ecaxtly sung, more spoken. Awesome! Band intros followed, started with Bucky, rather than with Larry. I think I heard Bob say: "Here's a very kind man, Bucky Baxter." Maybe it was just my imagination. Highway 61 Revisited rocked as usual and Tony enjoyed it so much, he even danced on the drum riser. (encore) Love Sick was "Love Sick" Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat Was so much better than the versions from Europe and OZ last year! Weird phrasing to strech the end of each line, like "leopard skin pillbox haaaaaaaaaaaaat". Blowin' In The Wind (acoustic) After having heard it in about 30 consecutive shows I really can't tell the differences anymore. Crowd went mad for it though. Not Fade Away was a perfect way to end the show, so much nicer than "Rainy Day Women". It's also the first time that Larry and Bucky get to sing along the whole time, making it fun to watch, too as one of the three always will miss his cue. By the way, this version doesn't bear any resemblance to either the Buddy Holly original nor Bob's version in 1997. Overall, one of the best shows I've seen in recent years and that was only the beginning of my trip :-) Bob played for 95 minutes which - together with Natalie's staggering set - made it good value for money I think. Btw, the soundcheck included "I Don't Believe You", "I Believe In You", "Maggie's", "Not Fade Away", "Cold Irons Bound", a few bars of "Watchtower" and "Mama" (acoustic). Thanks to the guys who gave me a ride back to Lehigh after the show and Joy for helping me getting the ticket. Next up: Binghamton, NY! carsten wohlfeld
