Review by Marina Montesano
Show number two in Paris, same situation of last night but no rush to the
stage this time, as it has proved useless. Very good start with The Wicked
Messenger, turned into some sort of garage song. Then Bob is on guitar for
Lay Lady Lay and back to the keyboards for Things Have Changed, very
good version with Donnie on violin. When The Deal Goes Down is a live
song that never worked for me that much, but it is followed by a fantastic
'Til I Fell In Love With You: Bob is centre stage with his harp for a good part
of the song, that sounds like nothing I've heard before; it could be a new
song, which is plain great. Show goes on smooth with Stuck Inside Of
Mobile and Sugar Baby but flies high with a very grooving It's Alright, Ma:
the fact that Stu has been cleverly moved from Siberia behind Bob's
shoulders to fronting him like the rest of the band, works out great in this
song, as he adds a lot of rhythm to it. Then we get Hattie Carroll and
Tweedle, both in the new versions, followed by Beyond The Horizon: after
three nights in a row I'm quite fed up with this song, and so is Bob, who
delivers it quite carelessly. Highway 61 cheers thing up a little bit. After that,
some notes I do not recognise immediately: and of course I don't, as it is not
a Dylan's song, but the English version of Charles Aznavour's Les Bons
Moments (The Times We've Known). What a surprise, as to my knowledge
he has been playing it just one time back in 1998 (but I could be wrong
here) and a fantastic rendition as well. A true magic moment. Tonight fans
are allowed to the stage for the three encores, that include a very nicely
done Spirit On The Water, with big laughing between Bob and Donnie, and
the now usual - but not less appreciated - harp/dance moment at the end.
It could be a very good, if not fantastic show, but its highlights and mostly
The Times We've Known make it for something unique.
Marina Montesano
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