July 19, 2011
Review by Phil Vega
The hot, humid, sultry night at this outdoor venue in Tucson was matched
this evening by Bob's smoking hot set that was as entertaining as any I have
seen him perform. (The first being the 1986 True Confessions tour with TP and
the Heartbreakers as his backup band).
OK, so the lighting effects are minimal, as are the stage backdrops, but the
songs in the musician's canon remain strong, vibrant, syncopated, electric.
From the rousing opener of "Rainy Day Women" to the sublime "Tangled Up in
Blue" to the swing of "If You Ever Go to Houston" Dylan and bandmates
effectively and reflectively presented these and 11 other songs.
The band, decked out in all white suits, some wearing hats, showed no overt
signs of showmanship. Rather they appeared perfectly fine with being marionettes
pulled along by their peerless songwriter/leader.
As for Bob, some feared as he pounded the organ, blew the harp and jangled
the guitar during the course of the show that the sweltering night might
take its toll. The energy he emitted, after all, would have been enough to
work up a good sweat even if he wasn't buttoned up in a dark black jacket
topped off with a wide-brimmed hat.
But instead, Bob seemed to feed off the heat - and perhaps the heat of the
crowd - as "The Levee's Gonna Break" brought fans to their feet as did a
beautiful rendition of "Forgetful Heart".
The show ends with the encore of the ubiquitous "Like a Rolling Stone" and
"All Along the Watchtower".
Going in this reviewer figured it might be the last time seeing Bob. Seventy
years old, nearly 50 years of touring, hundreds of show dates a year - isn't the
end coming soon? Yet, after seeing him tonight the diehard fan and the casual
observer may both come to the same conclusion when asked the question, "when
will it no longer be special to attend a Bob Dylan show?"
After seeing him tonight, the answer my friend is still "blowin' in the
wind".
Phil Vega
Sierra Vista
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