Reviews

Knoxville, Tennessee
Chilhowee Park
April 27, 2001


[Kait Runevitch], [Don Ely], [Max Hackett]

Review by Kait Runevitch



What a show!  Bob looked so great!  This was around my
20th show and I was blown away by it!  It was such a
great day down in Tennessee, and being an outdoor
venue this was great!  The opening band were the
Mississippi Blues All-stars, and they were really
rockin and great to hear but I couldn't wait for my
Bob fix.  Bob came on at about 7:30 and he look
adorable with his suit with the "x" stitching on sides
and a cowboy hat.  I couldn't see his shoes because
being in the front row I couldn't see the floor of the
stage.  Bob started out with the familiar Duncan and
Brady, which was something I was glad to hear because
he does it so well.  To Ramona and Desolation row
followed and we slow but upbeat.  The traditional
Tangled up In Blue followed and that was something
that the mainly Black Crowes based fans could dance
to.  The rest of the first set was pretty kickin with
the exception of Not Dark Yet which was a live
original to me.
Everyone was having a great time and the fans trying
to give things to Bob were thick when he gave me a
little wink and nod.  He left, and the crowd was wild
for an encore, and he returned shortly.  Bob does the
best encores I have to say because they're so long. 
Things have Changed and Like a rolling stone were
expected but I didn't expect the next 2,  If dogs run
free(which was very jazzy and fun with blue lighting),
and a total surprise of All along the Watchtower and
more of one, Knockin on Heavens Door.  He jammed away
one more time with Highway 61 then slowed it down to
end with Blowin in the Wind.  He put his hat back on
and stood out for all of us to take our pictures which
was also new to me and we cheered away.  My men behind
the stage informed me that if there was a time limit
on The time he and the Crowes could play, he would
have been out again.  I've been to Many shows and this
one was way high on my list-I didn't expect much out
of this venue but I got a VERY LOT!!!!

Kait Runevitch

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Review by Max Hackett



 This was my 8th Bob show, and I must say it was perhaps the best.  Unlike
some previous shows, the band was tight and focused, Bob did not seem to
have been into the bottle beforehand, and the crowd was for the most part
paying attention.
  The setting, Chilhowee Park, was very nice with a slight slope from the
stage and a nice framing of oak and hickory trees.  Bob was on the bill
with the Black Crowes, and we were surprised that bob did the first show,
coming onstage about 7:45 and gently launching into Duncan and Brady as
the crowd initially paid little notice.  With the Black Crowes coming most
of the stage front standing room was filled with kids.  A very nice
version of To Romona followed and then Desolation Row, shich I had not
anticipated to be so rocked up, with a sound reminiscent of recent work by
Steve Earle. Tangled Up In Blue received some recognition applause, as did
Bob's initial (and it turned out only) harmonica solo.  In previous shows
Bob has played quite a bit of harp, but not so on this date.  Things
slowed down for Searching For A Soldier's Grave, and as the song was
unrecognizable to almost everyone in the crowd, the conversation level
around me increased. Bob regained the audience's attention with a superb
Stuck Inside of Mobile and then delivered an almost unrecognizable
Positively 4th Street. Knoxville classic rock radio has played Country Pie
for years and it was received a good bit of singing along from the aging
hipsters in the crowd. Not DarkYet was well received and clued me into how
successful the Time Out Of Mind album had been as a number of people knew
the song.  The highlight of the performance was Cold Irons Bound. I have
never heard a Dylan band rock out with such authenticity.  I  was
surprised when Rainy Day Women followed, as I was under the impression
that he was using it as a closer on most dates and was afraid that he was
cutting things short as the result of being the opening act.
  Instead Bob returned with the standard encore set.  Things Have Changed
sounded better live than it did in the film Wonder Boys.  Like A Rolling
Stone was delivered with what seems to have become a typical hurried vocal
delivery, staying ahead of the beat and confounding those trying to sing
along.  If Dogs Run Free was wonderful, but seemed to have broken the mood
in an odd way.  All Along The Watchtower regained the steam let out by
Dogs, and the two electric plus pedal steel attack provided a nod to the
Hendris interpretation without seeming to copy it.  Knockin' On Heaven's
Door was well done, and it was fun to try to pick out the additional
lyrics, which were different than those done on the 1974 tour with The
Band.  The band kicked it up again with Highway 61 Revisited, and then
mellowed the way home with a very nice Blowin' In  The Wind.
  It has always been interesting to see Bob, seemingly deliberately,
frustrate the flow of his concerts.  If he was interested on leaving the
crowd on a big rocked out high he couldn't do better than to slip Blowing
In Wind next to Heaven's Door then following Highway 61 with a long jam
out on All Along the Watchtower to close.  One of the highlights of the
night was to enjoy Bob's electric guitar leads, which have increased over
the last few times I have seen him.  He's the fastest or the slickest, but
he can groove it and plays very tastefully.
  All in all an incredible show, the band being very tight and Bob seeming
to actually care that he give of himself in the performance.  I would love
to see him tomorrow night in the small hall in Dalton, Georgia but, alas,
I already have tickets to take my 3 year old son to see Barney's Musical
Castle.  "You know I gave up seeing Bob Dylan to take you to see Barney",
sound like a future guilt trip rejoinder for his teenage rebellious years.
Sincerely, Max W. Hackett WDNT FM Dayton, TN              

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Review by Don Ely


So this is less about the setlist and more about the warm and wonderful 
people of The Volunteer State welcoming The Man From The Motor City with 
open arms.Embracing a moment of opportunity,I set sail for Knoxville, 
500 miles from home and into The Beautiful South.Arriving at my hotel the 
gal behind the reservations desk remembered me from a previous visit last 
June, on the final night of an odyssey to Memphis/The Mississippi 
Delta/Florida.She was exactly as I had left her,watching VH1 "Legends" on 
the telly. Driving the short distance down I-75-to I-275-to I-40-exit at 
Cherry Street-to Magnolia Avenue I was but a few blocks from Chilhowee Park.
Over a hill and on my left I could see The Knoxville Zoo. A great many folks 
were crossing Magnolia to Chilhowee Midway, the site of tonite's festivities.
Parking on a side street I could hear rat-a-tat drumming,and I realized a 
band had taken the stage prior to the 7pm start time imprinted on my ticket.
Walkin! past the wrought iron fence surrounding the venue,I recognized the 
sounds of "Po' Black Maddie"; to my absolute delight,The North Mississippi 
All-Stars were added to the bill!Entering the park,I proceeded to the rear 
of the property,where hops 'n' malt were being dispensed.Making my way to 
the stage front I chose a spot and grooved to the North Mississippis.The 
sun remained shining in a near cloudless sky,trees were in full bloom, and 
I breathed clean air deeply into my Rust Belt lungs.As refreshing as a 
mountain spring,and a wonder drug for my psyche.After the All-Stars set 
concluded,I heard someone from behind me comment on the youth of the band's 
drummer.I met Blake and Jake,two guys from a Christian rock band called 
Temporary Residents,and relayed the story of how the All-Stars' guitarist 
and drummer were in actuality brothers.Blake and Jake and I hung for awhile,
and it wasn't long before The Man and His Band were onstage, opening with 
"Duncan And Brady".Now there! were no surprises in the setlist;
for the first time in 16 gigs there were no songs I had not seen before,
but it did not matter.The band just keeps getting tighter and tighter,and 
to my ears this was sheer perfection in this close-as-you-wanna-get setting.
Security was loose,and the assembled pilgrims were looser.I had to chuckle 
when,during the opening strains of "Tangled",the crowd did not cheer wildly 
as usually is the case.Perhaps this old standard had found a fresh audience!
Bob graced us with his harp on this one,too."Searching For A Soldier's Grave",
and a cookin' "Cold Irons Bound" were among other highlights.From under the 
mixing board tent Chris Robinson and his bride Kate Hudson,America's current 
reigning King and Queen Rock 'n' Roll Couple were enjoying the show.I'm sure 
young Chris was picking up pointers from The Master to be employed in the 
evening's Black Crowes set!"Rainy Day Women" finished the main set and I 
thought that due to all the scheduled music Bob's performance may be 
abbreviated.Such was not so,and Bobby and the boys returned for another six 
numbers.As I walked about the park during the encores I heard more than one 
person hope for "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" as the song that would fulfill 
their evening.Karma is as Karma does,and sure enough the band obliged with 
a stirring rendition.  The headliner of this perfect Southern night was 
indeed The Black Crowes,and they played the most raucous set ever.I met and 
partied with many more Tennesseans,older then and younger now,and the girls 
who are so beautiful,in a natural way,and so friendly...To see two great 
Southern bands,AND Bob Dylan,in a Southern city,with Southern folk,is a 
unique adventure that I can only hope will be repeated again sometime,
somewhere...until then,I heartily salute the people of Tennessee and say 
Thanx! for your hospitality.

Don Ely
Rochester,Michigan
kingsnake78@hotmail.com

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page by Bill Pagel
billp61@execpc.com

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