Reviews

Erfurt, Germany

Messehalle

April 2, 2009


[Andreas Grosser], [Mirka Pirklova]

Review by Andreas Grosser



Last Thursday evening Bob Dylan stood on the stage of the Messehalle
Erfurt again. Already 2005 (November) he made a stop here. And if I
remember right, at the time it was a wonderful sunny day as well as this
weeks Thursday: now one of the first sunny and warm days after the long
and very cold winter. (In the concert I heard say somebody, that 'Mr.
Dylan always has good weather here, already in Gotha, open air, some/many
years ago').

Two days before I heard his concert in Hannover with, except 4 titles, a
quite different setlist, that included 'Chimes Of Freedom','Shooting Star'
and 'Dignity' as highlights. Also in Hannover 'Masters Of War', during
that the musician (a painter self) perhaps thought of the painters Franz
Marc and August Macke (who both died young in World War I) and their
pictures in the great present exhibition only few hundred meters far from
the hall in Hannover.

In Erfurt he gave 13 other songs, mostly with a very clear voice and with
a special carefulness and genuine expressiveness, that astonished in
really every song. And again, like 2005, the rarely played 'A Hard Rain's
A-Gonna Fall', that he played with his band here 2005 in a memorable, in a
indescribable brilliantly version. This time not so hypnotic dark and
majestic deep, but very moving in another kind: slowly to my impression,
more quiet. Wonderful 'Ain't Talking' with this fascinating music, that
drags in a special/existential sense and feeling.

A great concert in Erfurt with an almost-guitar-action by Bob Dylan (at
the start of one of the first songs many coultn't believe their eyes) and
an audience majority in an age from 40 upwards, only few younger people.

Andreas Grosser

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Review by Mirka Pirklova



Erfurt was my second Bob Dylanīs concert, first time I met him in Ostrava
last year. Ostravaīs concert was amazing, Erfurt too, just in a little
different way. I and my friends arrived to Messehalle at six hour p.m.
There were already many people standing outside the gates of the hall.
Simple great moment was a guy with a hat, who was playing guitar and
singing the song Mr. Tambourine Man (very well). Thanks man! We saw a
woman with a transparent, she begged a free ticket. I met her in Ostrava
and my friend told me, he saw the woman in  Dylanīs concerts in Prague as
well. We were probably waiting half an hour and security opened the gates
of hall. Venue - Messehalle is a small hall, for about 5000 people and our
sits were placed very well. They were in front of a stage and we had an
amazing view of Bob with his band. Great crowd, which corresponded with
Bob on every song, better than in Ostrava. Amazing atmosphere. Set list -
average, only three of my favs - Canīt Wait, Ainīt Talkinī and High Water.
But the best for me were the songs A Hard Rainīs A-Gonna Fall and Girl
From the North Country. Itīs truth, the songs donīt belong to my favs, but
Bob still surprise me. WOW, what a great version of those ones!
UNBELIEVABLE!!! The concert surprises are one of the reasons, why I love
Bob and I always will. Bob - he looks in good mood, great singing,
especially on A Hard Rainīs A-Gonna Fall, High Water, Highway 61 Revisited
and All Along the Watchtower. Highway 61 and Watchtower are still ones of
his best for me and I can listen to the songs still around and they never
got tired me. Before concert I whished to listen to Se?or, Masters of War
or Blind Willie McTell, but never mind. NEXT Bob, I hope weīll meet again!
Big thanks to you Bob, for your favour, weīll always stay on your side and
share your code. Greetings to Sherre from Austin, Jirka from Olomouc and
to all my friends. Special thanks to Jozef from Slovakia. 

Mirka Pirklova
The Czech Republic
miroslava.pirklova@seznam.cz 

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