July 10, 2016
Review by Barry Gloffke
Traffic was awful getting out of NYC, so I arrived late, just in time to
hear the end of Mavis Staples opening set, but in plenty of time for a
beverage and some relaxing before our hero takes the stage. Once again
(as in Foxwoods Casino) I found myself having to overcome a deplorable
environment, in the bowels of a tourist trap, among a mindless casino
crowd, and a hushed, silent, sleeping herd of sitting people there to
watch Bob Dylan. Thankfully, the Borgata is not a blandly designed
theater with lackluster lighting, as is the case with the theater at
Foxwoods. But, man, what a pathetic crowd of stultified liberals sitting
on their exceptional fannies. Ugh. What a waste of precious seats.
— — — Sorry, I need to vent for a moment — — —
I’m sure it is not news to anyone that going to see a Dylan concert these
days is not the experience it used to be. These are sitting only events
now because the audience has aged so much. If you try to stand and dance
inevitably people will ask you to sit, or summon an usher to ask. They
will always quip… ‘we spent good money on these seats!’... I guess they
assume that I get into the show for free. The point they make seems to be
that THEIR money spent is more important than MY money spent. The reality
now (and it has been for a number of years) is that the audience is
mostly clueless as to what they are about to see and hear from Bob and
the Band. Maybe they expect a quiet reading of poetry from the man they
proclaim as the Voice of Their Generation. Not really sure what they
expect, but if they pay attention they are getting two things: 1. HIGH
ART with some deep insights into the Man, his life and the times we live
in... these songs are chosen for a purpose 2. A smoking hot band... one of
the best you will see My hope is that Bob goes back to doing a few general
admission shows on the next tour to weed out the fair weather fans. If
not, then to the fair weather fans… either bone up on the last 25 years
of Bob or, please stay home. These shows are not for you. — — — Again,
sorry to vent — — —
Bob and the Band came out thundering with great versions of THINGS
HAVE CHANGED, SHE BELONGS TO ME and BEYOND HERE LIES NOTHIN’. A nice
version of THE NIGHT WE CALLED IT A DAY got a good reaction from the
otherwise dormant crowd. Next was PAY IN BLOOD which was delivered with
great bile followed by MELANCHOLY MOOD... soooo nice… I love the
treatment the guys give this. The audience reaction was polite, but cold.
A very uneven (but still rousing) take on DUQUESNE WHISTLE followed.
Again, a polite but very subdued reaction. You could feel the
restlessness when the tempo slowed and Bob started into THAT OLD FEELING.
Bob was hitting some notes and missing others, but the audience was only
cueing in on the bad. The Band rebounded with a great take on TANGLED UP
IN BLUE, taking it up a notch before intermission. Of course the crowd
approved of an old Dylan song they slightly recognized.
At intermission a woman in the middle section was leading (or trying to
lead) the audience on a sing-along to LIKE A ROLLING STONE. Poor souls,
still lost in the 1960s. It’s as if most of Bobs fans stop listening to
him in 1977… pathetic. Also at intermission, I sought some empty space to
the side of the venue and found Rows 1, 2 and 3 empty on the right side
of the stage. THANK YOU ROCK GODS! This led for a more entertaining
second half for me, but the audience was not changing tactics.
Bob and the Band responded to the first half audience reaction with a
very muted second set. HIGH WATER (FOR CHARLEY PATTON) started the second
set and was one several high points as was EARLY ROMAN KINGS and LONG AND
WASTED YEARS. Following HIGH WATER the crowd was again restless for old
Bob songs and was tepid in response to WHY TRY TO CHANGE ME NOW. A great
EARLY ROMAN KINGS was followed by a very nice take on I COULD HAVE TOLD
YOU. Next was SPIRIT ON THE WATER, and even though Bob hashed up parts of
it on the piano, the Band bought it home beautifully with some fine
reaction from the Bobcats to Bobs' queries about ‘over the hill’ and
‘past my prime’. Bob also hashed up parts of SCARLET TOWN… he seemed to
lose his timing and thus the Band lost its timing several times on this
tune. A fine ALL OR NOTHING AT ALL, a searing LONG AND WASTED YEARS and a
wistful AUTUMN LEAVES left me very happy at the conclusion of the set.
But, as the last chords closed on AUTUMN LEAVES, and I jotted down some
notes the audience reaction was embarrassing. It’s as if they did not
realize what had just happened, that the song was over, that the set was
over, that they had just seen a pretty damned good show and that the Band
was leaving the stage. They were barely able to summon the ability to
stand loudly and applaud for an encore. Unreal!!
The encores of BLOWIN' IN THE WIND and LOVE SICK were fabulous. Both
seemed to stretch a bit and reach for some higher momentum. Great stuff.
The crowd got a better deal than it deserved... a professional, but
uneven show of superior material with some good, some bad and some ugly.
Bob and the Band were certainly not feeding off of any energy from the
crowd because their was none.
The last show I will see for this tour will be at The Mann Center in
Philadelphia, and, as was the case in Forest Hills (great show) I hope
for a more knowledgable, sophisticated and upbeat crowd. Thanks Bob.
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