Reviews

Loved it. Saw the best of my aproximately two dozen Bob Dylan concerts last 
night in Stuttgart. At Jazz Open festival it was as if Bob was dancing blindfolded 
in front of an invisible shelf from which he took apparently spontaneously so 
many  vocal registers and phrasings and rhythms and (above all) feelings as if 
he felt this was his last night ever on stage. And they all fit perfectly into the 
songs of the only man around who indeed seems to get younger every year.

On Stuttgart's so called "Schlossplatz" Bob Dylan, standing behind an impressive 
grand piano at center stage (instead of using his electric piano which was 
nowhere to be seen), changed the starting point of his song rituale for the 
first time in months: "Ballad Of A Thin Man" instead of "Things Have Changed" 
as a powerful start. In other words: Scolding the one who denies change 
instead of describing change. Second an intense version of "It Ain't Me, Babe",
stripped like a deep prayer to be left alone. Third a hard desperado-style 
"Highway 61 Revisited", leading to a magical "Simple Twist of Fate".

My personal highlights of the evening though revealed themselves at the 
beginning of the last third of Bob's  amazing show in Stuttgart: An almost 
copletely undressed "Girl From The North Country" - first Donnie Herron's
steel guitar only, then Tony Garnier's creamy coated bass. Only soft cotton 
candy  from Charlie Sexton's guitar, a well deserved break for drummer 
George Recile and finally the groping, almost childish piano tones from the 
coolest 78-years old alive contrasting his - well - sweet voice.

The big surprise here: Bob's vocal melody sounds like a mature yet respectful 
bow to the 1963's version, while he's blowing up almost all other songs 
virtuoso to puzzle them together in an amazingly creative way.

Next was (as always): "Love Sick" with almost silly overemphasized shards 
from the guitar. During this highlight Bob Dylan took off his black hat and
laughed "hahaha" at the end of one of the first lines, he almost fell into l
aughter - only to continue super seriously. He seems to take his work (even 
"Blowing In The Wind" in the very end) more seriously than ever, while at 
the same time he's enjoying himself immensely at the Jazz Open stage. 
Maybe the free access to the sometimes rather experimental sounding 
grand piano helps him there: Wow, the circus is in town when Bob is 
upshifting from "Love Sick" to "Thunder On The Mountain" and then back 
to a threatening dark version of "Soon After Midnight".

And another unusual speciality for Bob Dylan helps making his show even 
greater: the big video screens. We see  Bob performing Mick Jagger-like 
sports with his lips in an intense and in parts almost piano-only sounding 
version of "When I Paint My Masterpiece", we anticipate his contemptuous 
smile in "Honest With Me", we see great face- and voice-drama  in a standing 
revolver-duel-in-the-desert sounding version of "Scarlet Town", and we enjoy 
his grin when he rams a weird rhythm into once so harmoniously sounding 
"Make You Feel My Love"

"The more I die, the more I live" was perhaps never so true like in Bob's 
joyful gravedigger-version of "Pay In Blood" in Stuttgart. At the Jazz Open 
festival his wisdom and his joy culminated in the riskyest and at the same 
time most plausible version of "Like A Rolling Stone" since at least half a 
century.

In parts a magical disappointed minstrel straight out of a mediaval small town, 
in other parts an unintentional DJ summoning the crowd to sway, Bob 
Dylan's radical tempo changes in his iconic song stand out even on this 
amazing evening in Stuttgart. And here the screens help again: We see a 
man with unselfish pride, a man of dignity who arrived at the point where 
one knows that no arrival will ever be possible.

Or probably only in another world: Bob's "Gotta Serve Somebody" sounds 
so strong in Stuttgart, so convinced, that it touches the listener like the 
first sight of great places of worship.

This man seems to know secrets. And he's ready to share them. But Bob 
Dylan left the role of the missionary behind long time ago.

Now he's the (with one leg) dancing joker who leaves it to his audience how 
seriously to take the shamanic singer with his lust for groove. In Stuttgart he 
not only changed his opener for the first time in months. He also changed his 
approach: The man who has seen everything still cares - and very much so. 
From this perspective it's pretty logical that there is no more room for for a 
first song that was telling us: "I used to care, but things have changed."

Bob Dylan acted more radical in Stuttgart than on his last tours. This can be 
heard when he's supplying his redemption ballad "Tryin' To Get To Heaven"  
with something moving that sounds like a stuttering motorbike engine. 
Amazing!  And this can be felt when he decides to pack up after an 
unbeatable version of "Blowing In The Wind". His voice sounds incredibley 
powerful while he's refueling disgust and sweetness, sadness and joy, 
disappointment and hope from that magical invisible shelf filled with emotions, 
showing his vocal scars with conviction, while only moments later he's making 
us wonder if there ever were any.

Bob Dylan is still getting better and everybody is free to imagine where this 
may lead.

Stuttgart.An easy ride on the Flixbus. I don't understand why that bus
stoped 45 minutes, just 15 minutes away from the Stuttgart stop!I lock my
bag at the train station and go straight to the Jazzopen fest.It's taking
place on a huge open air area, right in the middle of the city.My good
friend Masato handed me his ticket through Isuko. (Thank you my friend and
so sorry you couldn't make it to Europe. See you in the States.)It is a
seat and trully I dont want to stand in the heat. The rail doesn't attract
me anymore.So...I wait out chatting with a Bobcat I unfriended some times
ago(things change all the time!), killing time during the opening act I
don't want to hear in order not to spoil the Bob Dylan atmosphere. By 7.30
pm I take may seat. I find myself next to a fan from Netherlands who knows
everything about Dylan. A collector. Cool! At least he knows what's going
on on stage.As he wants to tape I will be quiet; no clapping, no karaoke.
I focus on Bob's mouth.To my second big su
 rprise on that tour... 2 big screens are on.Whoa! We can see Bob full
 face, dripping sweat and spitting in the mic.The first song is also a
 surprise  "Ballad of a thin man".Two groups are packed in the front ;
 the pit standing and behind the least lucky as it will be difficult to
 see the stage. I am happy with my position. I see the Band as well as
 Bob.The sound is perfect. Same as last show. Bob is really making an
 effort to articulate. He seems to enjoy. At some point he has a laugh
 with Tony. Hat off on 'Love sick'.To my opinion he should have keep his
 hat on. The sweat didn't help his hair to stand straight and now his head
 looks weird.He is litteraly spitting in the mic."Can't wait" and "Scarlet
 town" are a must, center stage.We see on screen the wonderful fingers of
 Charlie on guitar. He has a specific way of streaming.And George is
 powerful.Tony and Donnie concentrated on the Master.A great show in a
 great atmosphere. Better than Roskilde. Far smaller with a real Dylan
 publi c.So...I enjoy the last of the European show very much.I start to
 be nostalgic already.Flying to London...but it is...another story!

I had travelled over from Singapore to see this show and Hyde Park and it
did not disappoint. The setting and the weather was beautiful and I was
fortunate to get right to the front, in front of one of the massive
screens.

Bob (resplendent in black and white, complete with hat) startled everyone
by casually kicking off with a tight “Thin Man”. Took me a few seconds
to re-calibrate, as I was mentally half way through Things Have Changed!
Things settled down after that, but the newer addition of “Can’t
Wait” was very funky! It was my first time hearing it live and it is a
lovely addition. Bob sounded in great voice throughout the show and looked
to be having a thoroughly good time - very animated and into the
performance.

I loved the screens being on and also being so close to them. Of course,
if was good to get a close up of Bob himself, after decades of dark stages
and years of high pianos, but it was also wonderful to get a good sight of
the band going about their business. I am no musician and to clearly see
all the intricate guitar work, by Charlie in particular, was a real treat.

The only down side was people chattering away, especially during a tender
Girl From The North Country - but that’s hardly Bob’s fault! Only
Blowin In The Wind as a finisher tonight - I’d imagine that was due to a
strict 10am curfew. He finished Blowin’ at 9.55pm.

Overall, a wonderful show in a picturesque setting on a superb Summer’s
evening. Roll on Hyde Park!

Marcus Marsden

I just came back home from some hours in Downtown Stuttgart.
Very nice weather, sunshine, but not too warm, which is important
for an outdoor show. Starting exactly at 8:15pm the band dived right into
"Ballad of a Thin Man". This already showed that Bob's performance
is much more intense than in the last couple of years.
For me it was the first time that there were video installations at a Bob show
where I could see much more details than just standing far from the stage.
 
Mostly the usual setlist.
My personal favourites tonight were "When I paint my masterpiece",
directly followed by "Scarlet Town" and "Love Sick".
 
The only disappointment was that the band left after "Blowing in the wind",
without a second encore.
But the strong show kinda compensated for that.
 
This was my 30th Bob show in 41 years and I hope it wasn't the last.